What would be the handiest arc welder to buy?

[Northern Lawn]

I have built a roof rack for my truck but I need to repair weights on me aerator and I wouldn't mind fabricating things here and there. Light duty things like extensions on a moving trolley etc.

I was thinking of getting one of those small, cheap ones but heard they can barely do any job. So I'm looking at a used Lincoln 225 with 12 foot cables for $160. It looks like the one I used to build my roof racks (I borrowed that welder) so I'm wondering if this could get most light duty jobs done.

Also, The welder I used had to be plugged into our dryer plug, i guess that's what the 225 means.

This is a pic of the one for sale for $160.

and this is a pic of a new one. It looks very cheap with very small cables and its $400 after tax.

 

[Jimzz]

Yea that looks to be a 240volt model. Make sure to look up the model number. Even the name brands make duds.

A good cheaper one that get good reviews is eastwood welders.
http://www.eastwood.com/welders.html

I bought one of their Mig welders at Christmas time. They are known more for their Mig and Tig than stick welders though.

 

[skyking]

If you are happy using a Lincoln "buzz box", then go for it. I think you might be able to find a better deal, but that takes time.
I welded some fairly thin stuff with one of those, but I still recommend a 110 volt wirefeed for most basic stuff.
The 225 is the output amps of the welder. This is for only a short duty cycle. It can run quite a long time at the 75 amp setting, that is why it is circled. That is the setting you use to thaw frozen steel water pipes
I've done that a couple of times.

 

[phucheneh]

I posted a bit ago about buying the ol' $100 harbor freight wirefed.

I spent an additional ~$35 on a pound of Lincoln wire and a cheap Lincoln faceshield. That's it.

It really does quite well. I've already gotten to the point where I can make pretty professional looking beads on simple connections like fairly hefty steel stock. I'd need a lot of practice to do sheetmetal without blowing holes in it, though...but since you're looking at basic arc welders, I'm guessing you're going for hefty steel tubing, angle iron, plate steel, ect.

Wirefed is obviously less bulletproof since it gives you a torch and feeding mechanism that can break. But I really wasn't seeing any <$200 arc welders that were well-reviewed. If you go arc, you're definitely on the right track looking for a 220v unit.

 

[franksta]

The 225 is the current output of the box. I've never done any stick welding but with TIG the general rule I use is that you want 1amp per thousandth of metal thickness. I have no idea if that would apply to a stick welder.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Wirefed is obviously less bulletproof since it gives you a torch and feeding mechanism that can break. But I really wasn't seeing any <$200 arc welders that were well-reviewed. If you go arc, you're definitely on the right track looking for a 220v unit.

No, I was actually researching last night and am starting to think MIG might be the way to go for me. Easier and you can do sheet metal if you get a gas canister. The thickest I would ever weld is typical angle iron, no more than a quarter inch thickness probably half that most times. I also hate the idea of being tied to a 225 watt socket, I'd like the thing to be handy.

 

[phucheneh]

I would try the HF unit. Be sure to get a newer one. The old ones had lots of complaints on the wirefeed mechanism/motor, and were apparently also hot tip- if you connect your ground and touch the tip/wire to something, it arcs. Trigger only controlled feed.

The one I got STILL said 'hot tip' on the box, but it's not. It also says DC...which it's not. While many will poo an AC wirefed...it works. And you can apparently add a rectifier pretty easily. I saw on another forum where they contacted a HF rep, who told them it was a mistake, but I'm guessing they might eventually start shipping them with true DC. Also, I believe the pulse width modulated feed is a new development.

That's one of the caveats with their stuff- it changes a lot, often without correct info accompanying it. The upside is that the changes to power tools are usually welcome 'refinements.'

IIRC I paid $120 with a two year replacement warranty. Hard to beat that if you're just learning to weld.

 

[Doppel]

I posted a bit ago about buying the ol' $100 harbor freight wirefed.

I spent an additional ~$35 on a pound of Lincoln wire and a cheap Lincoln faceshield. That's it.

It really does quite well. I've already gotten to the point where I can make pretty professional looking beads on simple connections like fairly hefty steel stock. I'd need a lot of practice to do sheetmetal without blowing holes in it, though...but since you're looking at basic arc welders, I'm guessing you're going for hefty steel tubing, angle iron, plate steel, ect.

Wirefed is obviously less bulletproof since it gives you a torch and feeding mechanism that can break. But I really wasn't seeing any <$200 arc welders that were well-reviewed. If you go arc, you're definitely on the right track looking for a 220v unit.

$150 to get into welding? That is good. I would like to do it just to say I have and found out the starter kits at Lowes were way too much.

I think real men weld and until I have done it I'm only half a man.

 

[Northern Lawn]

I think real men weld and until I have done it I'm only half a man.

If that's you in the avatar you're being generous imo.

 

[Doppel]

If that's you in the avatar you're being generous imo.

I am not Pippa Middleton