I splurged today and bought a Miller millermatic 135 115v mig welder. I've wanted one for so long and now I got one! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/bigok.gif

Anyways, what kind of welder do you have? Do you like it?

I just researched it since I was thinking of getting a welding machine also.



Yours cost a lot of dinero!!



Around $500 right?



Anthony

yeah, about that ($549). Where did you do your research? I think I might have over paid a little but now I'm in good with the local welder supplier. He gave me a 10% discount on everything else I bought from him.

(was going to edit above post but time ran out)



The way I see it is you might as well buy the best welder you can afford because it's going to be with your for a long time. I had to get a 110v welder because I don't have 220v out in the garage and don't feel like welding in the laundy room https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png I think for the regular guys garage you don't really need anything more than a good 110v welder anyways. Now if you have a big shop and you are welding all day long on thick material a 220v might be the way to go.

I have the Lincoln SP125. 110 V Argon gas Ultra Mix w/ Harris regulator.



Also an old Craftsman arc welder from my Dad, for the big stuff.



Tom

I have a Hobart Handler 135. Picked it up off Northern Tool for 399, free shipping and 6 months no interest.

I have 3 Gas Bottles: Tri-Mix for SS, 90/10 for body work and Argon for Aluminum.



I am getting a TIG machine this summer, probably an inverter type machine.

PS, miller and Hobart are all owned by the same Company now.

Im going to be going in on home welder with my dad pretty soon, I don't know the specs, but he has several nice ones at his work. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png

http://hobart.envano.net/mboard/



Good info and knowledge base

i have a soldering iron...



kevin.

sounds like a personal problem.....

sounds like a personal problem..... [/quote]

https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683785.gif



kevin.

I have 2 sticks to rub together....



Raul

go to www.millerwelds.com and order the traing kit for 25.00, since you purchased a new miller welder you can get a nice jean jacket for free with the certificate inside!

I don't have one cuz I have nowhere to keep it, but my bro was gonna buy one.. He got all confused when I began explaining the differences between GMAW(Gas Metal Arc Welding) and FCAW(Flux Cored Arc Welding) so he didn't buy it till I go back with him..

SOB looks like they are running a special now, buy a 135 welder and get a cart for free! Looks like I'm going to have to give the guy down at Toll welding a call to get my free cart! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683329.gif

Diddo https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub..._DIR#>/sad.png

I was asking the guy there about the differences between the Hobarts and the Millers and he said that Miller just basically took their welder and cheepened it up in some areas to make the Hobart. But I'm not sure it matters much at all, they are both rated the same for output.



On a side note, have you used your hobart for welding aluminum yet? If so how do you like it? Do you use a spool gun or just put the alum wire in the welder??



Yeah, TIG welders are awsome. My friend bought a Esab about a year ago and I love that thing. Worked great for welding my stainless exhaust manifold.

I bought a 115V welder and returned it the same day, the only thing I'm really interested in welding in aluminum and all it did was make popcorn and didnt get any penetration. I was using 100% argon with aluminum wire, not sure of the specs on the wire. I returned it and brought the pieces to a welding shop and asked the guy some questions about welders, he said using a MIG is just a bad idea in general with aluminum but if you do, it will need to be at least a 220V with pure argon and even that won't be able to do large pieces (it simply dissipates heat too quickly). He has a large water cooled TIG welder and it made welding my aluminum manifolds a piece of cake, I'm waiting til I have a shop or an opportunity to get 220V into the garage before I invest in a nice TIG welder, I'm not even sure if the house has a high enough amperage service to run a large TIG machine, I wonder what kind of effect it would have on the electric bill if alot of welding is done. Until then I'll just take my parts to the guy at $25 a pop.





Congrats on the purchase, let me know if you have any success welding aluminum... maybe the MIG I bought just sucked.

I got a video with the welder and it shows a guy with a spoolgun hooked up to my welder welding aluminum. Looked like good welds to me. Maybe it's the spoolgun that makes welding aluminum so much better with a small 110v welder? But if you can, TIG is the way to go when it comes to aluminum.

The small Migs are not the best thing for Aluminum, It will work in a pinch. I use mine mainly for Autobody and exhaust work. Hobart is the ORIGINAL 110V Mig, and the best IMHO.



The millers are very nice units. The only ones I avoid are the Italian units

I have a folically deprived welder friend who I have known for

about 14 years who has everything and charges me almost

https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/happy.png nothing.

Italian units? Which are they? I was told I coulden't go wrong with the SP-135 Lincoln, Hobart 135 and the Miller 135 and to stay away from all the century welders and the lower grade lincoln welders. The guy at the welding store said the Hobart 120 back in the day was the best welder out there.

Daytonna Mig