Time For A Welder

Hey all, can I pick your brains for a while?

I wold like to do several projects this spring/summer that would go a lot better with a welder. My budget
is $1,000-$1,500, including accessories. Could go as high as $2,000 for the right setup, but it would have to be a pretty sweet setup. This is going to be a hobby, not a business. Portability is a big factor too. My garage is too small to weld in, so I will have to tote everything out to the driveway, or on the back patio slab, then put it all away when I am done.

Problem 1: We live in an ancient rental house. Not sure the wiring would support even a 110 mig welder. We only have 20 amp breakers. Moving is not an option due to work.

I do have a Honda 6500 watt generator in the garage though. It has a round, 4 pin 240/120 V, 30 A socket. Could I run a welder with this generator?

If I can run a welder with this generator, I would probably spring for a 240v welder. Otherwise I will probably get a 110v welder and still run it off the generator.

Problem 2: Which welder? I grew up on a farm in the 60s and 70s with a stick welder in my hands. I got pretty good with it. Even won a few FFA welding competitions and Grand Prizes on my projects at the local fair. However, I have no experience with MIG or TIG. In fact, have not done much welding at all since then. I am pretty sure I want a MIG instead of an ARC welder. I don't see much TIG in my future, but you never know. I want something that will handle the heavier, thicker iron. Don't want to be limited to 1/4" or 3/16". A lot of my projects will be with the thinner stuff, but I have some heavier stuff planned also. Would like to keep my options open.

Does anyone make a MIG/ARC combo in my price range? Can a 240v MIG unit handle the thicker stuff? How about a 110v MIG? How thick can it realistically weld?

I have been looking at Hobart, Lincoln, and Miller. Any others I should consider? I guess first I need to decide on 110 or 240v and if the generator will handle it.

OK. I have bored you guys enough for now. I will shut up and let you talk for awhile. Thanks for your input.

Steve

 

FREE SHIPPING — Hobart Handler 210MVP Flux-Core/MIG Welder with Multi-Voltage Plug — 115V/230V, 140/210 Amp, Model# 500553 | MIG Flux Core Welders| Northern Tool + Equipment
have a look at this welder. This would be rather handy to be able to use either voltage. Mine is the same except not mvp.
I have had good service out of mine. Restored 2 Jeeps and many other projects.

 

Thanks 3b a runnin.....I hadn't seen that one yet. I have mostly been looking at 110 units until I find out about running on a genny. I will give that one a hard look.

OK. just looked at it. Seems great, but the 240 plug adapter doesn't look like it will fit my generator. Is there an adapter for the adapter? My genny has a circular 4 slot plug for the 240 outlet.

 

I'm sure an electrical supply outlet could help with that. Maybe Lowes or Home Depot. Just thought the multiple voltage would be a good option for you since you seem to be somewhat restricted with power outlets. I have used mine with and without shielding gas, but the results are definitely better with gas. I'm sure someone else will chime in with other good options.

 

Thanks. That is a good price for my budget also. I don't want to have to skimp on a helmet.

 

The thin material side is a no brainer............it's the thick material that may challenge your generator..........with a single 30 amp socket , using any of the 115-120v machines would be fine.........but on 115v it's doubtful even with flux wire that the welder will weld anything more than 1/4" material with full penetration without some preheat...............so what do you consider heavy? If it's 3/8 " then you definitely need a 240v Machine but most as well as the one mentioned above need about 30-50 amps of continuous input power.......small generators don't mind seeing peak outputs for short periods..........but welding loads can be substantial & continuous.

If you have the experience with arc welding then perhaps something like a used Miller 250 Bobcat might fit your needs........that's a gas powered generator and arc welder and has the power to run auxiliary wire feeders if that option was ever needed in the future..............Heck for years I welded thin carbon steel 18-20 gauge material burning small diameter arc rods..........and then also 5/32 & up rod in 7018 that will weld up to 1/2" steel..............

Is your Honda a standby generator or something you use on jobsites? I have used my truck mounted Bobcat for all of the above including running my Miller 211 MIG out in the field............but , personally I still gravitate towards using the Arc welder on field welding as I do not have to worry so much about the cleanliness as I would with the MIG or TIG welding at the shop.............lots of options.

 

Thanks everyone. I will try to get a pic up of the generator tomorrow. It is a Honda made for a jobsite. Bought it used from a construction guy. Very well cared for. Has wheels and handles like a wheelbarrow.

If I go MIG it would probably be mostly flux core instead of gas since I would usually be outside and it tends to be windy here. No point running gas if it gets blown away.

Now y'all got me thinking about going back to stick. Would take a bit to re-learn everything!

 

Mig with gas is your friend. Really easy to use a pice of cardboard to shield the wind. A 6500 gen is more then enough to run a miller 180 or 211. You probably won't be making huge passes or be running more then 10% duty cycle. There are very capable units today that are very small. Easy to adapt the plug on your generator to a welder.

 

Like riding a bicycle

 

Excepting mass production work ...
The cheapest (not fastest) way to weld 3/32" to 1/8"" and thicker is stick electrode.
If you already have the required skill then your that far ahead.
No shielding gas so no worries on that.
Many of the large 230 volt Mig welders capable of 3/8" and heavier will need a 50 amp breaker.
Stick welder can typically weld on thicker materials with a lighter circuit breaker required.

Thin metals will be easier with small MIG machine using 75/25% Argon /CO2
Or a small TIG machine using 100% Argon.
Sheet metal is also readily do-able with Oxyacteylene.
TIG and Oxyacetylene methods require a similar skill set.
Consider 2 machines or a multifunction machine.
Like 250 amp stick welder and a 150 amp mig.

 

I was in a similar situation. For most things you will do on a jeep and other stuff. a 140 amp 110 unit can get you by, and that is what i went with, will run off a standard house outlet fine. Mine is a miller 140 on 110. I also bought a miller bluestar engine driven stick welder for doing heavier stuff. scored the engine driven for $300 and it has a honda motor on it and got the mig with a owner bottle for $450 if i remember right. With those two machine's i've been able to do all the repairs and framework I've had to do just fine and all the welds are still holding. CL is your friend, plenty of nice miller machines out there and you really can't beat them.

 

I'm with them. ^

If you already have the stick skills, which in my opinion are the the easiest to learn but the hardest to master, then go with that. Maybe sell your generator to fund a used Ranger 9 or equivalent, and pick up a small MIG down the road to do thin stuff.

 

A common household-type portable generator may be problematic.

I've tried it with my old tombstone stick welder, and a 5kW Coleman.
It is difficult to strike and maintain an arc with the time-lag on the generator's demand/response cycle.
Maybe if the genset ran at constant full rpm it could work better.

Only takes a very small effort to add a 50amp 220-volt receptacle wired from the house main breaker box. Done it several times as needed.

 

yup

 

even if it's a rental . are there any 220V free spots in panel .
and is it in garage

 

Just go get a breaker switch for 220 that works on your box. It will take both 110 feeds and give you 220. Wire it up and go weld. Its basically that simple. Don't electrocute yourself though. Remember metal is conductive and if you aren't careful you could easily die and those who try to save you could die too.