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Thinking of buying a welder... (i read the sticky )

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  j0nesy 
#1 ·
Well i sat here for over and hour and read the sticky about buying a welder, and now i want one even more!

I really want one i can just plug into my 120v, 15 amp circuit in my garage.
I'm looking to weld metal up to 1/4 " thick and dont care if its a MIG or arc. (stick) welder.
Now, what do you recommend?
 
#4 ·
with multiple passes ... and proper prep / knowledge / tools ... infinite thickness.

with average tools and skills ... 3/8 at most ...

for a beginner ... 3/16.

it can definitely be done. saying it cannot be done is improper ... there is more to a welder than its output power ... or input power.
 
#7 ·
Craigslist. Any top brand (Miller Lincoln etc...) used is ok. May get a cart and or bottle in he deal.
 
#9 ·
while the guys above are talking pro welding stuff with beveling and multiple passes, if you've never welded before you're not going to understand how all this works.

get the biggest (~180 amp) 220V welder you can if you want to do 1/4" thick. you'll have a hotter puddle and you'll be able to control it alot better since you're a novice.
 
#11 ·
It is nothing to install a 220v plug. If you truly are going to use the welder, get a 220v machine. You can weld 1/4 inch with a 110v machine after you prep all the edges and do multiple passes. It will take you forever to get anything done and the duty cycle on a 110v machine will come into play.
110v machines are great for portability and body work, if you are doing structural work they just become a hassle.
 
#12 ·
It boils down to this... like me, you're not a professional welder with multiple welding credentials. It'd take a lot of experience and bad results to finally get to the point you could finally weld 1/4" steel with a 110v welder (but it'd take multiple passes). I had the biggest 110v (140 amp) welder you can buy and it was barely adequate FOR ME to weld on big pieces of 3/16"... they were big enough that they were absorbing too much heat for my 110v welder to keep up with which made my welds barely adequate.

For Joe-average who just wants to weld up to 1/4" without a lot of fuss, you REALLY want a 220v 180 amp (or better) welder. I sold my 110v 140 amp Hobart welder to get my 220v 180 amp Miller welder and just going to that new welder helped my welding quality a LOT. Since you say you want to weld 1/4", don't mess with a 110v welder... it'll just prove frustrating. My 110v welder proved frustrating even with big pieces of 3/16".
 
#13 ·
there is a lot of good info in this thread .... J.B. and Rustywrangler both make the best points here ...

Can it be done with a 110V welder ... definitely, if you have the understanding, experience, and proper tooling.

can it be done with a 110V welder in the hands of someone that has no experience. Definitely not.


i really suggest a MillerMatic 180 for most beginners ... simply becuase it has the power to burn in hot ... but its small and portable (no larger than the MM140) and its not going to take 10 years to pay off.

get a 220V welder ... it is well worth it.
 
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