hey guys im looking to buy a welder i was looking at the harbor freight tool website there were a few for about 150. 00. i want a mig welder, i want one that will be good around the shop/house, but i want one that wont break the bank what do yall recomend? thanks -david

 

look on craigslist around your area. Willing to bet spend the few extra bucks and get a nice Miller or Lincoln welder.

 

I agree with Desert Racer. Your money is much better spent on a nice entry level Miller or Lincoln MIG welder. The harbor freight ones are just poor quality and you would get what you pay for.

 

What is a good beginers Lincoln or miller welder any pics?

 

Hobart is made by miller...

Personally i like Millers but Lincoln is nice as well.

 

Miller all the way, but they ain't cheap. I think the Millermatic 140 is around $700 new. Its a good entry level welder although personally I would go with at least the 180.

 

what would you guys reccomend for strict use on the trucks? Such as bumpers/sliders/what not.. tig or mig?

 

mig

 

copy

 

I'd say TIG, but they are extremely hard to use right compared to a MIG.

 

If you can use a TIG and you can afford it, get it. It makes better, stronger welds.

If you just want something to dink around with and learn to stick stuff together, a good 140 or 180 amp 120v welder will weld 1/4" stuff with one pass and probably work pretty well for the basic stuff.

 

well im gunna sound like an idiot here. but back in high school i took a welding class, but dont remember what type we used.. One used the stick and the other used the gas with metal string....

 

yeah i had it in highschool we used arc and mig welders

 

I'm probably going to get a Hobart 140 whenever I get a trail rig and need one.

 

I have a miller 180 and has lasted 7 years now. Half of its life was used for desert racing and now use it for projects. So far so good and still going strong!

 

I have a Miller 250 sitting in my garage and love the thing.. But they go for just over 2 grand new.. lucky me works with someone who owns one, never uses it and was willing to let me borrow it.

Millers are great, I've heard bad things about the little lincoln buzz boxes. No personal experience just what one of my welding instructors told me.

The $100-150 Wire feed Harbor Frieght ones are good for small stuff and tacking things together if you don't have a big welder. I wouldn't use it for anything important. I have one and its worked great for like the last 3 years.


I would watch Craigslist and find a nice used Miller/Hobart/Lincoln..