Ok, so here goes... A really good friend of mine is planning on buying a new welder...finally..!! He has a '51 Merc that he wants to smooth, modify, and eventually chop, etc... he also has a panhead, a '56 Frod truck, and a couple other vehicles... he'll be doing some thicker gauge stuff, but alot of sheetmetal and smaller stuff too... his wife may even end up doing some sculptures... He's used a MIG in the past, but we both know that TIGs 'can' produce a 'better/cleaner' weld, and can make sheetmetal work easier to clean up/work with... I say, that for 'most' general steel welding, a MIG is a little more versatile... like for welding upside down or in tight spaces... plus consumables are cheaper, and he already knows how to use it... a TIG is a little more difficult to learn, and is bit more expensive, but you can weld stainless better, and aluminum too... He's also read up on the ol' Henrob torch to throw yet another 'option' into the mix... Basically I told him I would put up a post here asking for everybody's advice and/or opinions... What would buy, and why..?? Anything you have to add would be greatly appreciated..!! (who knows, this could even make Tech Week..!!) Thanks in advance..!! I'll check back a little bit later...Snacks...
how much aluminum/stainless work is he really ever gonna do? i have a MIG,and a friend with a TIG.the henrob by the looks of it don't impress me much,gimme a 0 or 00 tip and i could probably do the same with a little practice.tell him to buy a MIG,he can always give it to his wife for sculpture and spring for a TIG later-george
There is no fits all welder. Each type has it's ideal job use. Each pair of hands have a different way of using the same tools. Tallent with anything comes with time. In my shop there is a gas welder, 110 wire welder, 220 wire welder, arc welder, Heliarc welder and the job generally dictates what I'm going to turn on. General use for the Novis, grab the 110 wire machine. Don't do anything structual your not qualifyed to do. On the other hand, don't be afraid to try something new. When all else fails take a welding course at a local comunity collage. The Wizzard
I have both, but If you told me I could only keep one, I'd keep the TIG. As long as I had my AD/DC, liquid cooled, Hi-Freq unit. Which is capable of everything. JOE
I know a guy that only has a Tig, so that can be your only welder ( he makes his living that way...) I have a Mig, A Tig, Torches and a Buzz box. I use the Mig maybe 80% of the time, the Tig and the Torches the rest of the time. But when I need them I really need them... I have not used the Buzz box in years. Not everybody works the same way, like some people use a Plasma cutter a lot, and I dont like those at all... If I could only keep one welder, I'd keep the Mig. A Miller 185. ( My Tig is a Miller too )
Since I'm gonna have to get one soon enough, I have a question. Will a MIG welder work in a 15-amp outlet? I know there are plenty of 110v ones, but I think the only 20-amp outlet I've got access to is in our laundry room.
I have both and use 80% Mig, 20% Tig. If you build a stainless steel exhaust, tack it with Mig and go to someone who has a Tig. Aluminum Tig machine is VERY expensive compared to any thing else. Go MIG Michael
If money is no object or it will be used enough to justify then go TIG. Otherwise the Henrob is a great choice as many on HAMB will testify to. I couldnt justify a TIG. Got the Henrob and you simply have to use one to see for yourself. And going from sheetmetal to aluminum to stainless is simply a matter of picking up the proper wire, couldnt be easier or cheaper. I have a 130A/120V Mig, 240V/175A Mig, 300A stick, full size O/A and two Henrobs. They all have their place.
In my shop we have two MIG welders and a one TIG. The TIG takes a bit of practice to master, much as an OxyAcc rig even with a Henrob. The major differences from an experienced TIG welder like myself compared to a Henrob torch is the ability to control the heat. I used to gas weld all my sheetmetal work, I was taught by one of the best around here in Phoenix. I got so good at using my 000, my gas welds looked just like TIG welds. What made me change was production, TIG is faster than gas and more consistent. The affected area is also much smaller with the TIG making for less hammer stretching after you are finished. If I were to set up a small home shop the key machine would be a TIG welder like my Miller 250 Syncrowave TIG runner package.They make a 180 Syncrowave for a bit less money but if you ever needed to do some thick aluminum repair or construction you would want the bigger machine. You can use the TIG power supply for ARC welding, Carbon Arc Gouging and a MIG spool feeder. None of this is cheap so if that is your only criteria get a Henrob and practice.
If you can only have one welder and for the type of welding that most of us non-welding stuff for profit guys, I'd get a good 220 volt MIG, Lincoln SP175 or a Millermatic 175. Be prepared to spend about $800 for the whole enchilada, welder, wire, gas and extras. On the smaller 120 volt welders, my brother has a Lincoln SP125 and it will need a 20 amp breaker and outlet. Run with as short of an extension cord as possible. He has welded 1/4" with it on multi passes without any problems. I still like the 220 volt units for thier smoothness and consistency while welding. I had a Lincoln SP135, which is now the SP175 with a lower duty rating, and it worked okay but I never really liked the heat range selector and how it worked. I now have the Millermatic 175 but haven't used it yet. I also have a Lincoln 175 Square Wave Pro TIG welder and I've used it many times. But I could have found a friend to do what I needed the TIG for without the added costs of the unit. My vote is a MIG of good quality and perferably a 220 volt over the 120 volt unit. A flux core can be used in some cases but not good for the type of welding we do. If I were going to be welding angle iron gates for fencing outside in the wind, I'd try the flux core because the wind won't affect the flow. That's all I've got to add on this. Good luck and shop around as there are some other very good welder units out there than the one I mentioned.
Hey guys, Thanks ALOT for your input..!!! Each and every opinion and piece of advice helps out alot..!! I'm sure it's helping others to decide as well... Thanks again..!! ...Snacks...
Snacks I have used a bunch of different welders. And like has been said here already it's just a matter of what you will be doing with it the most. For heavy welding like on frames and such I like to use a AC/DC stick unit. For most everything else I like a mig. I will say though. Go with the 220 unit. If you buy the 110 you will always wish that you had the bigger welder. I bought a 110 only because my house only has 110 in it and I dont know a damn thing about hooking up 220. Hope this helps. SLAMIT
[ QUOTE ] Ok, so here goes... A really good friend of mine is planning on buying a new welder...finally..!! He has a '51 Merc that he wants to smooth, modify, and eventually chop, etc... he also has a panhead, a '56 Frod truck, and a couple other vehicles... he'll be doing some thicker gauge stuff, but alot of sheetmetal and smaller stuff too... his wife may even end up doing some sculptures... He's used a MIG in the past, but we both know that TIGs 'can' produce a 'better/cleaner' weld, and can make sheetmetal work easier to clean up/work with... [/ QUOTE ] Right.. Your "Friend" wants a welder, so you're the one asking advice for your "Friend." It definitely depends on his budget. If he has to get just one, and its for the stuff you listed first, like smoothing and chopping a car, I'd recommend a MIG. I'd actually recommend a 110 Lincoln. There was a recent post on how much guys liked them here. I personally think that a MIG is MUCH easier to use than a TIG. If you're careful, the final result is as good as a TIG. Which means carefully building up a weld (rather than running in one pass) and then spending time grinding the excess off. For sheetmetal, go slow, space spot welds, and don't put too much heat into a panel, or you'll warp it. For thicker stuff, make multiple passes. Your friend should also definitely get an oxy-acetylene outfit of some sort. The heating, cutting and welding capabilities of even the dinkiest set are awesome. A standard outfit will do almost all the work of a Henrob, and he can always add the real Henrob later. I can't stress enough how helpful a real torch is in the shop. Just make sure to get the right tips for the job at hand. --Matt
Deuce Rails, Hahaha..!! I swear, it's for my buddy John... I wish I had a Merc', let alone the space to put more cars..!!! I've been trying to tell him to just get a MIG, (I've also been trying to get him to join the Hamb... he lurks occasionally when I send him links I know he'd like...) but anyway, I told him I'd post here too, to get more opinions/advice... Thanks again everybody..!!! ...Snacks...
go OLD SKOOL and gas weld all the sheetmetal. alot of the advantages of TIG such as softer, smoother, workable welds. i MIG is nice when you have to weld in auckward positions and i like it for all around usefulness. i'm learning to gas weld sheetmetal cause it's ALOT cheaper to get into a gas setup than a TIG and i allready have my MIG. just my two pennies Jack....
Thanks alot Mike..!! any pennies count..!! I think he's leaning toward a MIG and getting a gas setup as well... I have a MIG already, so I'll be looking for a nice gas setup too... Now to figure out what gas setup etc. I want to get..!! that will be the next post I guess...
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