Welder for Artwork Frames

"Allen" wrote: (clip) My question is, do you all think a Hobart Handler 140 MIG would be sufficient to do this kind of work? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Yes. My Lincoln 135 would also do it very nicely. You are not doing structural work, so appearance will be the main thing to worry about, and it may take you a little while to relearn to weld, as it did me. Make sure your filter glass is CLEAN. Scattered light may make it hard to see the puddle--for me this was the main problem. For some reason it was worse with MIG than stick. Maybe someone can explain why.

That would do, but I would spend a few $$ more and get a 220v machine that will cover almost everything you want to weld in the future. Except really heavy things that you need a stick welder or flux core to do.

Always buy ahead so you don't outgrow your machinery.

Steve

"SteveB" wrote: That would do, but I would spend a few $$ more and get a

Steve, note that Allen wrote: "I would like to use household current, if possible." If he were planning a future of welding, I would certainly agree with your advice, but he works in glass. The size, weight, portablity and power requirements of a 120volt welder may be more important in his future than the ability to do big work.

Leo and Steve,

Thank you both for your advice. After consideration, I did purchase the Hobart 140 & cart combo kit that was on sale at my local Farm & Fleet.

Again, thank you for your help!

Allen

Leo, please note that I said that is what I (emphasis on I) would do. He will sign the check and can and will do what he pleases.

I have welded for 30 years now, and in that time seen many people who don't know how to weld buy a machine and outgrow it, because they become so enthralled with it that they learn how to use it, and then want to do more than they bought the machine to do. With a 220v machine, you can weld most anything. With a 110v machine you can weld only some things.

Leo, please also note that duty cycle is VERY important. That is the percentage of time that a machine can ACTUALLY weld before it has to cool down. A lot of 110v. machines can only weld for a 20% duty cycle, meaning that for a certain period of time, it then has to rest for 80%, or 4 times as long as one can weld. This might also be a factor in doing work. Welding a bit. The machine kicks out. Go smoke a cigarette. Maybe have lunch. Come back. Weld a while longer until the machine kicks out. Take another break ..... you get the idea. CHECK THE DUTY CYCLE OF THE 110V YOU ARE CONSIDERING. Some of them are pathetically short, and this will be an important factor, even to an individual that isn't planning a career in welding, but just wants to get home in time to watch Survivor.

Leo, please note that I gave that caveat at the end .... buying ahead.

Leo, please note that 220v is "household current" available at every electric dryer and electric range in most US houses.

All these are suggestions garnered from decades of welding and fabrication. Take them and do what you will. Only time will tell the real tale as to whether or not one buys the right machine. But you can always sell it, take a beating, and then buy the right machine for more money.

Steve

Please keep us posted as to its performance, duty cycle, and if you outgrow it.

Steve

I am a perfect example of the newbie outgrowing the capabilities of the machine.

Not long ago, I managed to trade for a basic flux core, 110vt machine with a 10% duty cycle. Not because I really needed one, but because Id never used one and thought it would be nifty for small quick work on thin wall tubing. And it is exactly that. However..its so damned handy that I started using it for other things and indeed ran into the duty cycle issues pretty darned fast. Also mine is flux core only, and now that Ive gotten a taste of how much I can do with it, would like to do Stainless steel, thin aluminum etc..and I cannot.

I have stick machines, and they are great, but there are many many times I want to fabricate something that Im not a good enough welder to do with stick..particularly sheet metal etc.

I Will have to get a bigger flux/gas machine in the near future.

Ive not regretted trading for this little machine as its handy as hell, but then I didnt sink a lot of money into it either. If I had, Id be banging my head against the wall in frustration at its limitations.

Gunner

Confronting Liberals with the facts of reality is very much akin to clubbing baby seals. It gets boring after a while, but because Liberals are so stupid it is easy work." Steven M. Barry

Hello Roy,

I didn't get the bottle. However, on recommendation of the sales guy at the store, I am going to pick it up at our local gas supplier.

Allen

Hello Steve,

I just read your post containing the info on duty cycle and it matches what I saw in the manual I downloaded from the Hobart site earlier this week: 2 minutes welding then 8 minutes waiting.

This approximates what I'd been doing with the stick welder. The frames I make are all unique, and usually change somewhat during construction, so I'm not welding in long bursts.

I did take to heart your post on outgrowing the welder. I decided that if I were to go to larger pieces, I will be going to much larger pieces. For these I would use a stick welder and would purchase it from the commission of the first piece that size.

Again, I thank you for your helpful thoughts and will keep you all posted on my experience.

Best regards,

Allen >> Leo and Steve,

Outright purchase is the best in the long run. Rentals and leases will cost you more than buying one.

Steve

Again, see if you might use a 220v MIG before you get into a stick. The results are a much nicer finished weld with a MIG. It is like a hot glue gun for metal.

Steve

I missed the staff meeting but the minutes show Gunner wrote back on Tue, 05 Oct 2004 11:44:05 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :

Always seems to come back to this. Before you get one, you wonder what you'll ever use it for. After a while, you wonder why you didn't get the bigger one in the first place.

This afternoon, had the discussion with my friend about chipper/shredders. Boiled down to Rent for 85, or buy for $250 and get it in 2 weeks. So I ask "How often have you used one so far?" He responds, "IF I had one, I'd use it more often. Like for the leaves."

So now he has a pile of cypress branches out front waiting for the chipper to get here (And a pile of small firewood from the larger branches)

See my post on todays episode of Wire Feed Welders , Heaven or Hell.....

Gunner

Liberals - Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends of every country save their own. Benjamin Disraeli

I missed the staff meeting but the minutes show Gunner wrote back on Wed, 06 Oct 2004 06:03:23 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :

Ah yes. Tragedy is when I get a paper cut. Comedy is when you fall down an open sewer and die. Or in this case, have a weld fail and cost you a custom spare tire holder, and the spare tire. I feel for ya, man, but that is too funny.