MIG welder comparisons

I would base my welder on what I was going to do with it. I plan on buying a Miller 210 within the next month or so. I based this decision on people who own this type of machine. Also how easy is it to get service on the machine your going to buy. The reason for a larger welder is that one can always weld smaller stuff with a bigger welder, but you can never weld bigger stuff with a small welder. So in conclusion I say base your choice on service and what your going to weld.

Regards, Bernd

"Laurel Crawford" wrote in news:IZZdc.32073$ snipped-for-privacy@fe1.texas.rr.com:

Jon, I would rule out the chicago for sure, only a 15% duty cycle.

The hobart looks like a decent buy, factory reconditioned.

Thanks both of you. I "need" :>) the welder to continue with my airplane project, so I'll be using it to weld flight control components from 4130 tube and sheet. Pretty light-duty stuff, mostly. I do foresee the need to weld aluminum in the future, though.

Thanks again, Jon Crawford

Then you might want to Google Ernie's advice on welding rigs for aluminum. I don't think a Hobart 135 is up to the task.

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On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 22:30:40 GMT, "Bernd" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Agreed. And this is often overlooked.

I agree with the last sentence, but with caution. It's a simple enough statement, but requires a lot of judgment and knowledge, or luck. When I bought my welder, I was lucky. I bought a little-known (or little touted at least) brand, but which was fairly expensive. It has served me well. I have had the use for it. Luckily, service is available as well.

You _can_ weld big stuff with a smaller welder. It just takes more work, and longer time. If you are doing a _lot_ of work at a minimum size, then it's worth upsizing. I use a 220 A welder and have welded

3" thick steel with it, then dragged that welded piece at right angles to rock, through the rock, behind a 200 Hp dozer. I had to cut a 45 chamfer on both pieces, and completely fill the gap with weld. It took me a couple of hours. But it can be done. With a 100 A welder it would probably have taken all day, because the duty cycle of those things is usually tiny, so I would have been waiting quite a bit.

And for welding smaller stuff with a bigger welder, it depends on how good the welder is. When you get way down, the quality of the voltage control and feed speed etc can vastly affect the result. I would generalise and say that from my experience (what crappy piece of writing! ) and understanding (that's better!) the bigger welders are usually better, because they are built better. Bu in this day and age, when the prosumer is being gulled by "bigger is better", you may simply be buying a crappier welder, with "more current".

**************************************************** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not.

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:35:53 GMT, "Laurel Crawford" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Then if you are asking the advice you have, I would seriously suggest learning from a class, or someone who has built a lot of planes (successfuly flown of course! ), and practice after that.

Good light duty welds are harder than heavier ones. You are often working right on burn-through to get a good weld.

**************************************************** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not.