Pete want's to buy a 110V Mig welder......

[bgilbert]

So Pete emailed me asking how much I can get him a 140amp 110V Mig welder for him since I work at a welding supply shop. I told him we carry Miller and Lincoln then shot him some prices. Said he's leaning towards a Hobart from Tractor Supply . Talk him out of it guys lol.

My take since I've used all three brands in that range, they all will do your job fine. But IMO for just a little bit more $ over the Hobby welder, you can get so much more of a welder. I went from the Hobart to a Lincoln as a beginner welder and the Lincoln welds so much nicer. Makes my welds look like an expert made them .

We have a repair shop we send machines to for repair. I've had to go there to pick up repaired machines in the past and the place is FULL of Miller machines. The owner said if he were to spend the $ on a new machine, it would not be blue. It would be red (Lincoln), FWIW!

[BILTIT]

I run a miller 180, kicks butt.

I wouldn't run a 110v welder myself but depends on what its needed for.

[ellis93]

I like my 110volt miller-matic for exhaust pipe and odds and ends but I can honestly say that the lincoln machine is better. Welds much easier and cleaner.
My belief is that the duty cycles are much higher than miller welders and so they're heavier built. I know for a fact that the whip liners are much better on the lincolns and the heat settings where more tuneable than on my miller(four heat settings compared to 7or8).
I've not used hobag welders but heard lots of negative stuff about them.

[redneckroot]

I use to work for two different mobile welders and one ran a lincon and the other a miller. The only advice they ever gave me about buying a welder was if its a mig get at least the next size up from what you think you need. Both of theirs were diesel powered stick welders but I'd say it comes down to price difference and how often is he going to use it? What is he welding?

[CAJUN 93]

I have a thermal arc machine and have been very impressed with it. i'm not proffesional by any means but it has done everything i've asked it to do. it is a 220 machine though.

for hobby use i dont think you can go wrong with any of the name branded machines. its not like if you have a problem with the machine that an entire crew comes to a stop. you're sticking 2 pieces of metal together, not building the space shuttle. my advise is to buy the best machine you can afford and be using it this weekend instead of saving money and putting off projects. and DAMN sure dont make new debt to buy something for a hobby.


Daryl

[stillsmokin]

I have an older lincoln 3200HD 120V, I bought it new, its been a good welder for smaller stuff. Welded plenty of things with it that it really wasn't big enough to weld, never had a weld fail. Never really had any trouble with it. I also had a 220 AC buzz box up till this fall, it worked great. Sold it to step up to a 1975 Lincoln "tombstone" Idealarc 250 AC/DC. I need to get a 220V wire feed next.

A 20A dedicated circuit fed by 10/3 would be nice for one of these 120V machines, that way you can get the heat out of it when you really need it.

Funny thing about hobart, they are miller. My neighbor has 220V one and it has the miller logo on every part. FWIW it has been a good welder too.

The first welder my dad bought was a 120V schumacher electric wire feed arc machine. I was about 16 at the time. It was cheap and it welded alot of broken parts, enough to piss off a local welding shop for the repairs I was taking away for 5 or 10 bucks at all hours. It made enough cash for me to buy better welders later. For hobby type use that thing way surpassed what I thought it would do.

[bgilbert]

Great input guys. I started with a Hobart Handler 140 about 5 years ago. It did alot of good welding for about 3 years, prior to a fellow coming into work with a Lincoln 135 Plus he wanted to sell. It was 2 years old at the time and had hardly been used. Only about 2lbs of wire through it. I bought it cheap and it has sold me on Lincoln machines.

My Handler uses a Miller M10 gun and Miller consumables. Does the job fine but the welds don't look near as good as what the Lincoln welds.

[jacobwebb57]

i have the hobart 140 its ok but i work at a welding shop so mine doest even compaire to the ones at work..i wouldnt buy anything less then a 180. my next welder is going to be a millermatic 251. they are amazing and like 2k lol so i have to save up

[PToombs]

My reasoning for a 110v is I can use it about anyplace. I checked the specs and a Lincoln 140 vs a Hobart 140 is 10amps lower in the duty cycle. 20% at 80 amps vs 20% at 90 amps. The Miller is the same specs as Hobart. I also noticed that Hobart is made by Miller, and it's about $200 less. I just need it for exhaust or sticking light stuff together. I have a large Mig available 2 blocks away and at work, it's just a PITA to drag stuff over there. If I'm fabbing stuff, I'll tack it with the 140 and then weld it good with the big one.
I can get a Hobart from Northern Tool shipped to my house for $500 with a cart. Tractor Supply has them for the same price but I have to pay the sales tax on it. And TSC is about 10 minutes from the house if I need a tip or something, especially on the weekend.I still may buy another brand, it depends what pops up for the right price. I may get a used one too, but I'd rather have new.

[bgilbert]

Can't beat it for $500 shipped and not having to pay tax on it! My price (Lincoln) was $619 after the rebate. Or about $700 and you get the auto darkening helmet. Lots of coin to drop though . I still have my Hobart and don't plan on getting rid of it. It's a good welder for the money. FWIW the Lincoln Powermig 140C K2471-1 I looked up is 90A at 20%?

[Douglas]

hey-Hey!!!,
I got a Syncrowave 250 TIG machine used off CL for jus' a bit more than a Cleveland. Liquid-cooled torch and everything. It turned out to be more than I expected... and I won't need to go and suffer the upgrade bug any time soon. It does require 240, and though I have it running from the 60A service to the pole barn I have yet to trip the breaker. I'd do it again in a second. I wouldn't mind getting a wire feed for it...heh-heh-heh.
cheers,
Douglas