Thinking about a MIG welder

I built bicycle frames for a few years and loved brazing, loved the look of it :)

however brazing is not a form of welding as the parent metals are not fused but still a very strong joint, the benefit of brazing is you can join dissimilar metals.
I do a fair bit of silver brazing with 50% silver solder. Typically high pressure brake and power steering custom fittings we need for some of the stuff we do. High temp black flux, good heat source and done right, works exceptionally well.
 
Total welding n00b here.

I wish I would've read this thread BEFORE I bought my welder. :)

I picked up the Hobart Handler for a great Black Friday price and got all of my tools, helmet, etc to go along with it. Looks like I will have a solid reason to pick up a 220 next Christmas.

Note to self.... Search the TJ site before dropping the cash.

@Chris What did you end up going with?
 
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Total welding n00b here.

I wish I would've read this thread BEFORE I bought my welder. :)

I picked up the Hobart Handler for a great Black Friday price and got all of my tools, helmet, etc to go along with it. Looks like I will have a solid reason to pick up a 220 next Christmas.

Note to self.... Search the TJ site before dropping the cash.

@Chris What did you end up going with?
Well.....you can get alot of practice in until next Christmas. :)
 
False, power companies charge by the kilowatthour (watts) where voltage is a component but not the result. Don't want to derail the thread with an Ohms law primer you can research on your own.
Thank you for correcting that. I've been told that by a lot of folks I trust who I now see were highly mistaken.
 
Total welding n00b here.

I wish I would've read this thread BEFORE I bought my welder. :)

I picked up the Hobart Handler for a great Black Friday price and got all of my tools, helmet, etc to go along with it. Looks like I will have a solid reason to pick up a 220 next Christmas.

Note to self.... Search the TJ site before dropping the cash.

@Chris What did you end up going with?

I haven’t bought one yet, but when I do, it’s going to be the Miller 211.
 
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I haven’t bought one yet, but when I do, it’s going to be the Miller 211.
I bought a 211 a few years ago and have been very happy with it. I have 220v in my garage and usually use it that way, but have taken it to a friend's house that only had 110v, it's nice to have the ability for both.

I started with the $35 Harbor Freight welding cart, then picked up one of these when it was on a $99 special:
https://www.harborfreight.com/welding-cabinet-61705.html
It works good for a home amateur welder.
 
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HTP has a fairly new welder out there that I have been playing around with for the last few weeks.

https://www.usaweld.com/Pro-Pulse-200-MIG-Welder-s/698.htm

I have been very impressed with it. You can set it up to do steel, aluminum, and also Silicon Bronze. You can do steel and bronze in short circuit as well as pulse and all three is double pulse. I have welded 3/8 plate with it and also 24-26 gauge steel, 2.5 MM aluminum. I have seen them up in my area for $1400.00 or so. It’s a little more than the Miller 211 but it it a damn nice machine.
 
We bought a Hobart Handler 140 for work maybe 20 years ago. We have run a lot of wire through that machine with no issues. Kept within what it was designed for it will work well for you. But I have to agree with Jerry and several others that you will yearn for a 220 Volt machine at some point.

B
 
I bought a 211 a few years ago and have been very happy with it. I have 220v in my garage and usually use it that way, but have taken it to a friend's house that only had 110v, it's nice to have the ability for both.

I started with the $35 Harbor Freight welding cart, then picked up one of these when it was on a $99 special:
https://www.harborfreight.com/welding-cabinet-61705.html
It works good for a home amateur welder.
Your set-up is identical to what I purchased, right down to the HF cart. @Chris, if you do go with the Miller 211, you might want to hit up Central Welding Supply in Portland. They're based out of Washington with 21 stores, IIRC, but only one of them outside of Washington state. I saved myself some serious $$$ on taxes by purchasing from their Oregon store while visiting my son.
Anyways, good guys to deal with.
 
Your set-up is identical to what I purchased, right down to the HF cart. @Chris, if you do go with the Miller 211, you might want to hit up Central Welding Supply in Portland. They're based out of Washington with 21 stores, IIRC, but only one of them outside of Washington state. I saved myself some serious $$$ on taxes by purchasing from their Oregon store while visiting my son.
Anyways, good guys to deal with.

I'll make note of that! If I can save some money, I'm all for that!
 
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I'm going to buy a welder too, just watching for deals. Went down to the LWS yesterday and talked to them. Leaning heavily toward the Miller 211 as well.. They told me that Jan 14th Miller is going to start a 200 dollar rebate promo, which will drop the price to just over a grand. Leaves me some room for the rest of the gear I need (helmet, jacket, Gloves, bottle, etc). I was also asking about the Lincoln 210 MP and he said that they ran a promo on that around thanksgiving last year for 999 bucks (which is like 400 dollars off). I'm watching both right now, and if that Lincoln MP goes on sale, I'll pick it up.
 
Follow up question... I am still in the window for being able to return my HH 140. Is it worth the extra 350 to upgrade to the HH210 now? If I don't, will I regret it?
 
I spent some money today... Talked with another welding supply store in my city. They do a lot of business with Lincoln, and had some demo units in stock of the 210 MP. MP means multi-process. Out of the box, it will MIG and stick weld. It's a multi voltage machine too, as well as being able to weld with or without gas.

So...I bought one. It was priced at $1350, then I added PPE and a tank. Walked out the door after taxes just under 1800 bucks.... Hope my wife likes her birthday present..(it's her birthday today, lol)
20190111_173149.jpg
 
Interesting: Whats the screen do? (I'm old school with a Lincoln 256?)
It's amazing what they get for a bottle!
 
Interesting: Whats the screen do? (I'm old school with a Lincoln 256?)
It's amazing what they get for a bottle!
It's part of the auto set function. You dial in your wire size, material thickness, gas or no, etc and it sets up the speed and voltage. I learned on an old school Lincoln 255 too, so I'm familiar with twisting the knobs until you get frying bacon...
 
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Damn cool and space age.
My welding started when my Uncle Frank (Nunica MI) gave me a Lincoln buzz box 225 stick when I was in 8th grade. I just sold it a couple years ago since it was mostly gathering dust. God that thing had to be 50 years old.
We have a Lincoln TIG that we stick weld with at times also.

Guess I'm partial to RED.
 
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I spent some money today... Talked with another welding supply store in my city. They do a lot of business with Lincoln, and had some demo units in stock of the 210 MP. MP means multi-process. Out of the box, it will MIG and stick weld. It's a multi voltage machine too, as well as being able to weld with or without gas.

So...I bought one. It was priced at $1350, then I added PPE and a tank. Walked out the door after taxes just under 1800 bucks.... Hope my wife likes her birthday present..(it's her birthday today, lol)View attachment 71824
"Happy Birthday, Mrs. Mike!" :present::dev14::ura:
 
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I actually bought a Hobart 500599 Handler 140 about eight years ago. I haven't put a ton of miles on it, my most used and abused piece is my work-bench that's held up fantastic (3' x 8' bench, wood top, 1/8" mild steel). I know it's not a 220 but I've never personally run into any limitations on it, including it's duty cycle, nor have I ever gotten sticker shock on my electric bill from using it.

What I do want to do is get better with it after seeing build threads with people welding stuff to their frame and axles. I can't say I have that level of confidence but I've never done any consistent work or practice, nor can I say any welding I've ever done has had to sustain more than a few hundred pounds.

Just my two cents, I like my Handler very much and it's been good to me in the past eight years. If you don't wanna drop the extra scratch on a 220 it'll do you plenty good (consider the TJ frame is 3/16" which is within the Handler's capabilities).

Don't forget you still have to buy consumables, gas, misc. tools, an angle grinder, a chop saw, a helmet, gloves, clamps, magnets, a cart (or build one ideally), etc. not to mention material itself. You can very easily spend another $500 just to get yourself tools with the welder.

Don't get me wrong though, it's fun to weld and as most Jeepers tend to be DIY people then welding is right up your alley.