I have been thinking for a while about buying a welder to do my own fabrication for exhaust and such. What are some good welders for just personal use?

I was thinking of this welder. http://cgi.ebay.com/LINCOLN-SP...wItem

anybody have any suggestions?

 

no one?

 

nobody answered because this same question is asked almost weekly.

 

I'll be investing in a Hobart 140A 115V. I think that it would be the best bang for your buck. Hobart is, what I think, the best welder out there.

 

is the hobart continuously adjustable voltage...if not then its not the best.

that category would go to my miller 135.

 

It's a decent welder. I had one. The only problem is that it's not really a 135 amp welder. It's rated at 20% duty cycle at 90A. You probably can't draw 135 amp out of that thing for more than 30 seconds. Hobart Handler 140 is the same. So is Millermatic 135.

For making "exhausts and such", it's good, but once you start doing bigger things, these small welders are agony. If you can spend $100 more and have 230V electricity, get the 175 model.

 

I have the millermatic 135 and making manifolds is no problem. Not my personal preference compared to tig welding, but def. will tackle any manifold job I might throw at it. If 220v access is not a problem get a 175 model, if it isn't then just get a 135/40 model, very versatile since you can plug it in any house plug. This alone out weighed the advantage of having more power in my case. Read search and then make a descision on which will live up to your own needs.

 

Thats cool thanks a ton for all those that answered yeah i have 220 available so I guess i will just go with the 175 then. I dont know if i would actually do more welding than manifolds and such but...i guess its better safe than sorry!!!

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times.

 

get a millermatic 251. i got one and love it. or even a 210 would be good. you will always need more power. everyone always buys what they think they need and then they want to do bigger things outside or even within automotive stuff. buy big you'll never regret it. it's like a girl getting a boob job. the only one's complaining are the one's that thought the size they picked were big enough only to realize it's wasn't. now they have to spend more money to go up a size just to be happy. you want to be happy don't you? i'm not saying you have to buy big, just buy bigger than what you originally intended to use it for.

 

check out the pro mig or 175hd I bought mine off ebay for just under $500 shipped. I've been using it with out gas and so far it seems like a decent machine