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I was surfing the net and ran into a add from Eastwood. They have mig welders for really good prices like $499.00 for a 175 with spool gun and all the setup gear. It's a 220 volt with a 3 year warrenty made in the USA too by a well known brand.
Has anyone tried one? I know the 187 Hobart is a great welder and if you look at the Eastwood welder it looks like a Miller they brought out a few years ago with the switch panel reversed.
62Blue
Don

if it's the same as a miller/hobart just rebadged i'm sure it's a good machine. i had a 220 hobart handler for several years, have a old millermatic 35 i mainly use now. just bought a used lincoln 170 today. got it real cheap, are you sure you need to buy new? there are lots of good used ones out and about if you look.

Don try here if you want a new welder.


Motor sports teams can sign up for a discount from lincoln electric here's the link
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/focus/motorsports/new_teams
Thought I would share this info I've been registered with them several years just finished my second school with them and thought to share this discount with everyone.

I don't like "house brand" welders because a lot of them are built by Century. Even though Century is made in USA, it doesn't stack up to Miller or Lincoln in my opinion. Miller is my choice, but that is my personal choice.

While we are discussing welders, can I ask what the best welder is for 1/4" and less welding? I've been told flux wire is not a good choice for use, but that "gas" is best with a wire spool that stands up instead of laying down and about 200 amps. Is this a good combination and if so, what brand is a good consideration?
Thanks!

If you are an occasional welder then you can get by fine with a buzz box, i.e., an arc welder with both AC and DC current with about 225-250 amps. There are lots of rods available to suit your needs. Learn the differences, buy an assortment and learn to use each one. DC current is good for overheads. I was certified on several rods a LONG time ago and we had no MIG welders so if someone claims you "have" to have one...tell them to go fly a kite.

There is no point in a MIG unless you have a lot of work to do or like to spend money. However there are always deals to be had on about everything.

Guess I don't understand your question about a wire spool that stands up vs laying down. The drive wheels are in the welding machine and push the wire out thru the lead so spool position makes no difference if I understand you correctly. If I don't it's because I haven't had my medication today.

What about this one? anyone used it before? I need a welder but I dont want to spend alot as I wont use it that much.
anyone have any experience with this one or opinions (other than its not a miller or lincoln or hobart)
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332691_200332691

I have a Northern Tool Non-Gas mig. The saying goes..."Pay now or pay later, but you will pay". Something like that

After the first few hours, I can't get a consistent wire feed.

Should have spent the money and bought a Name Brand.

well thats disapointing..what would cause that? This welder has some great reviews..hmm

if it had a lower quality sheath inside the stinger it would cause that. also wrong size wire in the liner or wrong orientation of drive wheel. or just cheapo welder syndrome.

You can find this welder everywhere and at a lower price if you shop around.This will make a very good welder out of a first timer once you learn the basics .http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Equipment/Pages/product.aspx?product=K2471-1

If price is a concern try the stick welder http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Equipment/Pages/product.aspx?product=K1170

I kept an eye on craigslist & got a Hobart 140 at a good deal-less than 1 yr old, guy still had all paperwork, cart, etc. They are out there you just gotta look hard. I had borrowed a HF/Chicago Electric unit, what a POS-don't waste your money.

I bought my first stick welder about 50 years ago. My first wire welder, a Millermatic 200 about 25 years ago. I still have it and have never had any trouble with. I have 6 or 8 other welders at the shop, all Miller or Lincoln.

At home I have a Hobart 140 and I just love it. I use .023 wire with argon/CO2 mix and I can weld anything from almost a tin can to 1/4" I have even welded 3/8" V'ed out and made 3 passes. I don't see why anyone would want anything larger at a home shop.

I don't see why anyone would want anything larger at a home shop.

x2-I really like mine.

For light-gauge/sheetmetal work, an ARC welder is not the optimum tool for the application. A wire-feed MIG machine with combo-gas & .023-.030 solid wire, is a hard-to-beat combination.

I believe he is referring to a spool gun, not the wire spool in the machine.

Do not waste your money on a chineese POS from HF!!!!!Get the highest amp rated machine you can afford either Miller,Lincoln,or Hobart that Northern sells stay away from the cheap ones they have.Shop around ,Miller has nice welders that will operate on both 120 and 220 volt.Unless you are welding outside in the wind don,t bother with flux core.

Hi guys,

The Hobart 140 sounds like a good all around choice. But all I will probably be welding is the frame and things to the frame, so a little heavier stuff than body panels. Would the Hobart 140 still be a good choice?

I've welded 1/4" thick steel easily w/my 140. I do have a dedicated 110 circuit using larger wiring from the breaker box-I find it welds a little better than using a "normal" circuit.

57thekid,

The Hobart 140 would not be a good choice for welding a frame. In fact, an inexperienced welder should never weld on something that can travel down the highway at 50 mph, break loose and hurt someone or damage property. Until you become experienced, please do not fool yourself into doing it.

I beleive the 140 is rated at 1/8" material or less. It will not sufficiently penetrate a frame.

Please be safe,
Dale

It is actually rated to 1/4" I believe, and I think the frame is 3/16".

Oh, I agree on a inexperienced welder doing frame work! My father who has been welding for many years will probably be doing the work. But his old stick welder needs replacing. So I was hoping to buy something that would work for us. I am sure we will probably be doing some body panel work too.

TCI actually recommends a mig welder, but I guess it could be a bigger unit.

My 140 shows settings for up to 1/4" & I have welded stuff that thick before with great results. You can also bevel & make more than one pass on thick steel.

A 140 will do fine on a pickup frame. However, I agree that a frame isn't something to learn to weld on. You need to practice with a lot of scrap like I did 50 years ago. I still use scrap of similar thickness to get my setting on if its a machine I don't use every day. Welding on the web of a frame is not that critical. The flanges are where your strength is.

Speaking of Hobart 140's, just last weekend I welded a 3/8 chain clevis on to my loader bucket to pull fence posts with. The weld looks just as good as if I had done it with my Millermatic 200.

good call hoggy. Bet he can cure his problems by just checking.

I have a lincoln MIG. 140 pro model - I think. Welds with gas. The more I use it the better I get. Someday I will be able to weld like a 5th grader.

I also have a lincoln self darkening helmet. That is the problem. I need to remember to set it in the sun for a time, before welding, to charge up the battery.

I like the MIG