If a guy wanted a welder for basic fabrication tasks at home, what would you recommend? I know it’s a very loaded question but I figured I’d start the conversation. I’ve welded before but not even close to being comfortable with picking out a welder. I have to start somewhere and it’s a nebulous subject.
S.

Go girly girl easy. MIG, like a Hobart Handler 140. Or even just a cheap flux core-only unit. Of course it depends upon what you want to fabricate, bigly.

I bought a basic Klutch from Northern Tools... 110/220v stick machine for $400. It works best on 1/4" and under

Vevor makes a similar machine VERY CHEAP...



With that said... if you are doing more than basic level stuff... invest in a MIG.

The Klutch is great because it can travel in a large ammo can, run on a smallish generator and fix fence gates etc. in the field.

I own several Vevor things. They are legit.

got an older Miller 211 mig unit with MVP(multi voltage plug) can use 120 or 240 volt... does everything i need from auto collision repair to heavier fabrication... many similar units available from Lincoln, Esab, Hobart ect...

You might want to look at some of the posts on youtube also.

I have a Lincoln EasyMig 140. It works and I've done a lot of welding with it but I don't recommend it. I've had too many problems with it. The cable is a weak point and they don't include it in the warranty. I got an aftermarket replacement on Amazon that's twice as good as the original.

I have an old Century stick welder and a much newer Hobart 140, which seems to work well, but I've only used flux core so far. I should probably get a small tank of Argon at some point. I recently started welding again after a very long time. I would describe my current welding abilities as fairly terrible. I was planning on welding new floor plans into my old Studebaker, but I don't yet have the skills. I need to take a welding course.

Working inside or outside?
MIG isn't great with moving air, you can work around it but it's another thing to deal with. Flux core avoids that, but you have flux to deal with.


How thick of metal do you want to weld?

Nothing short of a 230v unit

Miller makes nice MiGs with full auto settings

This

I have a Millermatic 141 in my shop. Does everything I need a MiG to do, running gas shielded .024 wire. It will run 030 wire but I like the .024 for the bulk of what I do. It's rated up to 3/16" but I've welded up to 1/2" a few times with it multi pass. Duty cycle is better than any other 110v I've used. I've ran it off my generac portable generator but had to rig up one leg of my 220v plug to do it and the duty cycle was about halved.

I run a Miller Deltaweld 500 at work, contiually burning wire for 7 hours out of 8. Miller makes a good welder.

My gun builder has a Harbor Freight Vulcan power source set up with TiG. I've used it several times and it's a legit unit for the money.

I've welded for decades (industrial maintenance, farming, bodywork) and if was starting from scratch and could only have one tool it would be an oxy/acetylene set up. Absolutely the most versatile welding tool you can own hands down bar none and sadly welding classes gloss right over its use these days.

With a good torch rig and a tombstone you can repair most anything in the mild steel world and a few things a little more exotic.

If you want to actually fab anything that’s going to be structural and might hurt someone if it comes apart when it’s going down the road or supporting you or someone I’d recommend against a small MIG. It’s very easy for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing to make nice looking welds that won’t hold together.

If you aren’t doing bodywork or something else requiring lots of sheet metal just buy an AC/DC tombstone. Fiddle with it for a while and by the time you burn 20lb of rods you’ll likely be decent enough to get by.

$100 bill at estate sales, garage sales, and farm auctions will often buy a usable cracker box stick welder.

Hobart Handler 120/240 volt MIG for light to medium duty work, up to 1/4" thick stock or slightly heavier. Definitely get the shield gas system if you want clean-looking welds. Flux core wire leaves a butt-ugly weld that requires a lot of cleanup. Above 1/4" nothing beats a good AC/DC stick welder. Welding of any kind requires a lot of practice- - - -and it's a skill that will deteriorate if you don't do it regularly.

I have a Forney Flux Core 140 MiG that I have used a ton with .030” wire. I built a set of bumpers for my Samurai from 1/4” wall steel to house my 10k pound winch. I’ve hooked it to things it had no business moving and every weld has held. Little stuff to 1/4” stuff it’s been fantastic. The tips made for flux core wire make welding with them much easier.


I just bought a Lincoln AC225 buzz box for $100 so I can weld stuff a little thicker and stick seems to do better in the wind. So far it’s been great.

And we're off and running with no idea what the intended fabrication is. LOL which is to be expected...


They're not going to get you any Made in USA cred, but, solid stuff according to what I've read on the forums. I recently got their well-equiped AC/DC Tig 225X (w/DC stick up to 180A) and CUT520DP plasma cutter. There's way worse import machines out there, again, from what I have read. Good deal on 6/3 extension cord too, and argon cylinder delivered full.... Have those too. (They send discount codes for stuff left in your cart, run sales, offer free shipping sometimes iirc). Real American CS with welding knowledge - per the reviews... No hoaky BS like having to ship back at your cost for service, like AHPs tig. And awesome informative manuals.
https://primeweld.com/

I have a Hobart that's 220 only. If get one that can do 110 or 220 for more flexibility.

MIG

Doesn't take a huge imagination to know what the OP is asking for.

That’s true, not many guys can do that, welded some barrels together not long ago. I would have had hell trying that with a stick machine. I have a Miller 250 stick machine, bought it in 1989, never a problem. It has a 100% duty cycle with a 1/8 rod.

GFY

Please do tell what the other man is thinking? He himself knew it was wide-open to interpretation. That's what makes it fun.

I have a Lincoln 210 MP that is a good welder.

He's thinking what he said, and common sense would interpret from that. Again, a huge imagination not required.

Oh, and GFY right back at ya.

I have a miller 180 autoset and it has been an excellent machineif I was buying today the miller 211 would be my choice!

I must be losing it. To the OP, I read the subject line as "wedding advice" and I was gonna tell you not to do it. Oh well, that's a discussion for another time and place. LOL!!

Dont even see Flux and rods much anymore.
MIG is just too easy to learn.
TIG too pretty and efficient.
Cannondale built their bikes here, several friends welded frames there.
Aluminum and Titanium. For production speed, they used TIG, holding the torch in one hand, and a wire spoolgun running filler in the other. Two hands, 2 thumbs, and a foot all going at once.
Place closed 10 years ago, those certified welders lost good jobs.
$15/hr building $7k bicycles. (Sacasm)

If you want to stick with a mig get a Lincoln easy mig 180 for thinner stuff and an older Lincoln tombstone for heavier stuff, and I say an older one as they have copper windings in them and weld better than newer ones with aluminum windings.

If money is not an issue get yourself a Miller 252 and cover all your bases, very expensive welder though.

Advice based upon imagination. Sounds like a chick.

Had one of those old "cracker box" Lincoln 220v welders.
Did everything I needed done.
Can't remember what happened to it! 🤔

These days, if I need welding done, I contact my buddy C.D.!

Hobart 187, 220 volt, mig welder.
I use flux core wire, like most new welders come with tank hose, dial connections for solid wire.
What ever you get, make sure it's 220v.
My 1st welder was a Lincoln 110v volt, and was never good for thick stuff.
Make sure it's going to be good enough for the thickest metals you will weld.

Tag for hilarity

Yesweld products seem to get good marks from folks for a cheaper alternative.

Wha?

A friend comes out and welds patches on my combine.

He used to run his wire welder of his engine drive.


Now he just uses 1/8th inch 6011 and his engine drive.

Does a nice job with the sheet metal. But he is about half a hand.

I have a Thermal Arc 210. It’s a mig, tig, stick machine. Only tigs steel. I got the welder in 2014, and mostly mig with it. I believe Victor or Lincoln bought them out, not sure who. Get a machine that will run .035 with ease, and has a good duty cycle. You can always run smaller wire. Thats if your going with mig. Any 250 amp DC stick welder would do for most things, and did for many years. Good luck!

Mtboomer is right. You haven't really told us exactly what you want to weld on. That could have a lot to do with what we suggest. I also don't know how many here are actual welders, or just home hobby welders?? Here's my suggestion for different jobs:

1. 110v miller 130, for very small projects. Being able to plug into a regular 110 outlet makes stuff real nice sometimes and fluxcore is all you need for some small projects. Steel dining room tables and chairs for example, or simple repairs on sheet metal or even handrailing.

2. Miller 175 220v machine is great, but you may want to step up to the miller 180 or 211 if you ever want to use an aluminum spool gun. Those work great when paired with a 180 or similar. Build your own car trailer with these units. No problem. Easily build handrail, gates and fences.

3. Miller inverter: These are a multi process machine, which makes them extremely nice. Run stick, mig or tig off of these units. They are powerful and lightweight. If you want to weld on 1/2" plate at home, you can do it. Weld 1" baseplates on steel beams, you can do it with this machine and the right process. Get a suitcase and run .052" dual shield. Build your own steel building, or a barge in your backyard. I recently saw a Miller 304 XMT at a pawn shop, and it was cheap. There's a lot of utility in these machines, but they are not inexpensive.

I’ve got a millermatic 252 and bobcat 250.

Covers everything I’ll ever do.


Bought years back, before Slo Joe inflation.

No telling what they run now.

PM JWP475 and I'd reckon he could steer you straight. I believe this was his profession.

IIRC, he was a pipeliner…

And he’d prolly say a Lincoln Sa200.

If you can find one in good shape it’s prolly higher than giraffe puzzy.

There’s a reason guys are making a living with a 60 yr old machine.

Don't get married and don't have kids. Oh, wait... nvrmnd.

I have a miller 351 ac/dc tig with cooler, thermal dynamics 400a inverter, Lincoln spt 175, Lincoln ranger 10lx with tig mod, magnum sg and ln25.....and a lowly yeswelder 240v mig/stick combo.

I rarely bust out the big tig rig because the little yeswelder will push al wire through the whip so smooth. It's unreal for the money. Stick function is solid on it too. For a machine that weighs less than the spool of wire you load in it....it's impressive.

If I were just buying a mig for hobby use I'd go hobart handler 210. The miller 211 is better, but not equal to the cost better.

There's some ltec/victor/esab multi process rigs that bring a lot to the table for the price too.

A transformer rig is heavy, power hungry and almost impossible to kill. These new inverters have incredible wave control.....but there's 27 miles of tiny copper traces to fail.

My $.02 after most of my life spent behind the lens.

Thanks for all the suggestion folks. Mostly I’d be welding mild steal or med carbon 1045 upto 1/4 or 3/8”

I taught welding for a junior college for 2 years.

First year was starting the program.

The 3 in 1 machines was the most cost effective way
To get the program going.

Thermal arc, maybe ESAB now?

Inverter machines.

Been told by the Miller rep that inverters are trend. Transformers are outdated.

The 3 in 1 do everything ok But nothing well.

Had a Miller XMT when i welded for a living. Great machine.

Had one quoted last week. XMT 450 + wire feeder. $8300.

Ben... Keep an eye out for me for a used Multimatic 235+/-.

Or whatever you recommend as I move toward MIG. No rush at all... Thanks

I have used a Mig for years now and I still have a stick, it has it's place that's for sure.

I just looked up a 252 and it was on sale for $4299.00, Lol, do you remember what you paid for yours?

Will do!

Lincoln has pretty much upgraded its entire line of welding equipment and at the moment has between $100 to $600 rebates on their purchase. I have their Power Mig 250 I purchased some 20 years ago, and for a little more portability purchased their Power Mig 180 Dual Voltage last year. Both are excellent machines. But they now have the POWER MIG 215 MP multi-process welder for the same price as what I paid for the 180, and it's still a dual voltage but Welds MIG, Flux-Cored, Stick, and DC TIG though I wish it was AC/DC.. still at $1,999.99 with the rebate, or $2,529.99 that includes spool gun for DC Aluminum.

Welds MIG, Flux-Cored, Stick, and DC TIG.


Phil

I would look at a CO2 / argon mix of 90/10 ( C-10) or 80/20 ( C-20) myself. Depending on the wire you are using.

An old tombstone Lincoln meets my welding needs, but mine are probably different from yours.

For a beginner and small jobs it would be hard to beat any of the 140 class machines you can run on 120V. The duty cycle is a bit of an issue if you end up with some bigger jobs, but you just need to take more breaks and let the machine cool down more often. I used a 135 Miller to build my hot rod and it was sometimes a push to do some of the fabrication I needed to do, but it worked out fine in the end. After that I wanted to move up to a 180 or 210 Millermatic but couldn't find one around anywhere for less than new price and as a hobbyist I just couldn't justify the expense. I ended up with a 251 Millermatic for a great deal from a shop that was upgrading all their welders to the latest and greatest Millers and it is great machine, but more than I need for my occasional projects. I would like to have a MIG machine eventually for some future projects I have in mind, but that is way down the priority list at the moment...

I do still have a Miller buzz box I've had for 40 years that works great and at times it is the only tool for the job.

It’s a 2008 model. I wanna say i paid $2300 cash for it.

That's what I have and I like the heck out of it.

Damn, quite a difference. I was fortunate and was given a miller 252 for basically the cost of a whip, the guy had it all fuqked up and I repaired it and put a whip on it.

Smoothest welder I've ever used. knowing what I know about the 252 and other welders I wouldn't hesitate to drop the money on a new one if I needed a new welder.

Best i remember i gave $1800 for the 252 prolly 8 years ago.

I say “gave”. I used safety bonus Visa cards from when i was working offshore oilfield.

Cost me $0.

They use the millermatic 252 at work. It’s not a 100% machine.

It’ll run .035” well.

It’s the cheap way out for fabrication. Not convinced on durability.

Which is fine for hobby / home use.

To bump up to .045” it’ll take a transformer / inverter and wire feeder.

I bought a new Miller 251 when I retired in 2007 with an aluminum spool gun..... $1500 .....the supplier I bought from for 30 years gave me a deal for my retirement...

Pretty much the best welder I've ever used and can do it all.
https://www.millerwelds.com/equipme...atic-220-acdc-multiprocess-welder-m30190

Personally, if plate steel is on the menu, I wouldn't go less than 200 amps and I'd stick to Miller. I have a Millermatic 210 that does anything I'll ever need. Simple, tapped, transformer machine means less to fail. All of today's electronics are great until they fail seven years down the road.