# Welder



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

The other day I picked up a cutting torch and bottles. Now I am need to start looking for a welder; not really sure what brand to buy. I am leaning towards a MIG, and want to use the flux core wire. I have been looking at the Lincoln Power MIG 210MP, and Forney 190-Amp MIG/Stick/TIG Multi-Processor Welder 120/230-Vol

Any suggestions?


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

I would think the best way to approach this is buy a used arc welder ( they are cheap and easy to find), then save up to buy a decent mig with gas. Flux core really limits what your able to weld. Lots of times i'll use a mig and an arc welder on the same project. Mig for tacking everything in place and the arc welder to glue everything together.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

If you go with a Mig, definitely go with gas. I've got a small one that I run flux core wire in as I wanted one to be portable. I hate the flux core wire. My little one can be setup to run gas but that'd take away from the portability that I wanted.

I prefer stick welder for 99% of the welding I do.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?

Regards, Mike


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Cowboyram, it sounds like welding is new to you. I would suggest you check in your area to see if there is a welding class. (The school system there, here out TEC Education schools do.) Think you would fine it to be very helpful it should also give you maybe limited but experience with different types of welding and welders. To me that would cost less than disappoint failed jobs and maybe equipment bought that does not suit your needs.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Ours died awhile back as well, replaced with another Lincoln, amp settings are different on the new one, one setting is a little cold while the next is a little hot for use with my preferred rod.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Vol said:


> And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?
> 
> Regards, Mike


when mine died i bought a old used one for 100 bucks, 10 years ago. hard to beat those old lincolns.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Vol said:


> And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?
> 
> Regards, Mike


The newer inverter style welders catch my eye for their small size. I've never used one and don't know how they compare to the older welders but I'd check them out.

I bought a battery powered Fronius stick welder that is pretty darn amazing. I was going to buy a welder generator combo but I was able to buy this Fronius as a demo unit for not much more money. I just use it to build H braces out of drill stem. Its pretty handy as I can even charge it with my small 2000 watt honda generator. The batteries will last 15 minutes of continuous welding before needing charging. I still need to learn some of the functions on it like Arc Force.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

carcajou said:


> when mine died i bought a old used one for 100 bucks, 10 years ago. hard to beat those old lincolns.


 My Dad bought an old Century welder from a neighbor back in the 70s. He was worried it was getting old so he bought a Lincoln from a blacksmith for 50 bucks. The Century is still going strong and the Lincoln is still sitting in the corner. I'm sure the Lincoln will last just as long as that Century.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Vol said:


> And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Wow, I didnt know those things died. I didnt think there was much of anything to go wrong. I guess a break in the wire of a transformer would do it...

As far as mig welding keep in mind there is flux core,solid wire, and dual shield. I agree that flue core isnt the way to go. I recommend dual shield for most anyone doing "farm welding". It uses a flux cored wire and also gas. The weld has slag on the top like stick weld would. The dual shielding helps eliminate the porosity you can sometimes get with typical mig gas welding. I love the dual shield. I run .045 wire, which is basically about the same as .035 solid wire when comparing weld settings.


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## Thumbtack (Jun 18, 2012)

Vol, on 12 Jul 2018 - 03:31 AM, said:



Vol said:


> And if I may add a second question to Cowboy's thread, my old Lincoln tombstone welder gave up the ghost recently. What is a good choice stick welder to replace it with....another Lincoln?
> 
> Regards, Mike


I would look at another Lincoln but with the AC/DC. Alot more versatile


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## Thumbtack (Jun 18, 2012)

Take a look at the Miller 140 for 120Vac. They are really pretty good


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

PaMike said:


> Wow, I didnt know those things died. I didnt think there was much of anything to go wrong. I guess a break in the wire of a transformer would do it...


Transformer went to smoking....

Regards, Mike


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Palmettokat said:


> Cowboyram, it sounds like welding is new to you. I would suggest you check in your area to see if there is a welding class. (The school system there, here out TEC Education schools do.) Think you would fine it to be very helpful it should also give you maybe limited but experience with different types of welding and welders. To me that would cost less than disappoint failed jobs and maybe equipment bought that does not suit your needs.


I took a welding class last spring. I don't really know how much welding I am going to be doing; I just want something fairly versatile. If it is beyond my capabilities I am going to take it to a professional. I had seen a Lincoln power mig 180 for sale here in Riverton, the guy wants $524 for it. I bet most of the time I will be welding inside the shop, but I am going to guess there are going to be times where I am going to need to do some welding outside. I was thinking that the flux core would give me that option if needed.


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## Anonsky's Hay Service (Feb 1, 2017)

Flux core is a spatter mess. If you're on a budget, and you dont weld sheet metal, get a good inverter. If you're willing to pay for quality/things made in the western world, but a Fronius. If you wanna cheap out, get an Everlast Powerarc 200 and be done with it. Lincoln makes a lot of their machines in mexico now and accessories from china. New hobart machines are from China, and miller changed from "made in usa" to "assembled in usa".

If you have time to be patient, I'd try to find an old US made machine. But not a cheap mig - if you get one, plan on replacing the entire gun.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Anonsky's Hay Service said:


> Flux core is a spatter mess. If you're on a budget, and you dont weld sheet metal, get a good inverter. If you're willing to pay for quality/things made in the western world, but a Fronius. If you wanna cheap out, get an Everlast Powerarc 200 and be done with it. Lincoln makes a lot of their machines in mexico now and accessories from china. New hobart machines are from China, and miller changed from "made in usa" to "assembled in usa".
> 
> If you have time to be patient, I'd try to find an old US made machine. But not a cheap mig - if you get one, plan on replacing the entire gun.


Remember flux core and dual shield are NOT the same... Dual shield all the way...


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## Anonsky's Hay Service (Feb 1, 2017)

Thats true, but dual shield uses gas, thus its not a good idea for his suggested application (welding outside), so thats kind of beside the point.



PaMike said:


> Remember flux core and dual shield are NOT the same... Dual shield all the way...


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> Transformer went to smoking....
> 
> Regards, Mike


If I recall correctly new one didn't weigh near as much as the old, most likely using aluminum wire in the transformer instead of copper.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> If I recall correctly new one didn't weigh near as much as the old, most likely using aluminum wire in the transformer instead of copper.


Yep, mine was about 35-40 years old. I went searching on Craigs and saw several in the general vicinity....a few that Iooked to be a little older. Hoping they might be USA made.....and it seems here the general asking price is $150.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> Yep, mine was about 35-40 years old. I went searching on Craigs and saw several in the general vicinity....a few that Iooked to be a little older. Hoping they might be USA made.....and it seems here the general asking price is $150.
> 
> Regards, Mike


If I had time I probably would have done the same, but ours died just as I was starting to weld the broken hinge on our corn planter.


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