welding 2"-1/4 square tube?

Can't suggest brands, but you want a MIG/MAG, _not_ a TIG.

Nick

And your budget is?

For maybe $100 you should be able to get a buzzbox AC welder and some 6011 rod and have at it, stuff should weld up easily.

If you want to spend more money, you can easily do that too, get more welder the more you spend.

GWE

Lincoln SP175 Plus. A great machine for around $700. Gas bottle extra.

Do it once. Do it right.

Steve

As others have said, you have two basic choices. You can stick weld with a cheap buzz-box AC welder, probably $250 new and half that for used. However, it will take a bit of practice to learn to stick weld. Someone suggested 6011 rod, a good choice for penetration, but if appearance counts, try 6013.

MIG is easier to learn, but for 1/4 inch steel, the smaller migs that run on 110VAC are not powerful enough. Someone suggested a 175 amp mig, that would run on 220VAC, and should work. Check the specs before you buy, to be sure that it is recommended for 1/4 inch steel.

TIG is not generally used for 1/4 inch steel. I have a TIG welder that I use as a stick welder when I need to weld 1/4 inch steel. (More or less all TIG welders can be used as stick welders, but the reverse is not true).

If you need full penetration for 1/4 inch thick steel, you may need to make a groove or leave a space to get to the bottom of the joint. Experiment, weld, and then cut it open and see what it looks like, try to break it with a hammer and a vise, etc.

Richard

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

The Millermatic would be the way to go -- or any of the good