welders

[swampratt]

I have used many different kinds and learned with Oxygen acetylene and coat hangers when I was about 12.
Stick welder AC/DC225 Lincoln was my first stick welder to try and I was 19 and built a trailer with it.

I have had the Ac225 and have a few of them now and a AC/DC one and a few mig welders.

Lincoln mig 100 and 135 weld exactly the same.
I got a HF Titanium 170 Mig and it welds as good as a Lincoln 225 mig I used often.

Just yesterday i got to try a HF (harbor Freight) Titanium 225 stick inverter welder.
https://www.harborfreight.com/stick-225-inverter-welder-with-electrode-holder-64978.html

I was super impressed.
3 of us were welding brackets on steel plates and rebar to make shooting targets.
This little welder that weighs less than a car battery has great penetration on 120 volt which is what we used.
It is 120/240 volt welder and output in DC.

Super smooth and beginning the weld there is minimal rod sticking like you may experience with AC.

For such a light and inexpensive welder it really did well.

Now I have tried to build top rails on a trailer with the little Lincoln mig 100 and it just does not penetrate 3/16" steel good enough to make it stay together for the abuse I toss at it.

I have always used the Big 225 Lincoln for that.
Using that little Titanium 225 yesterday I believe it would not have any issues with trailer building.

I would buy it before a Lincoln 100 or 135 mig if I had planned on welding 3/16"

I really like my Titanium 170 mig.

HF has stepped up their game.

 

[OkieMoe]

I was making my own hay hooks and welding in my 10-13 year age also. I weld so little that it is never super pretty, but works. Since inheriting the family farm I have found at least 6 welders. 4 of them are the standard bomb proof Lincolns. One was a new rig in a box similar to the one you used. and one is a portable welder generator unit. After Ive finished cleaning out decades of "stuff". Maybe I can practice my welding. But will use one of the Lincolns

 

[Mr.Glock]

I went from a small Lincoln to this Hobart. Very pleased with it. It is a dual 110/220. I like the fact that I can use a small Gen set to run it portable.

 

[Snattlerake]

I'm growing to love my MIG combo welder from AHP.

 

[dennishoddy]

Miller AC/DC 230 V in my shop.

 

[CHenry]

I have a Lincoln 120v mig that I can stack dimes with and I love it.

 

[PBramble]

Do some reading up on the inverter welders. Like the plasma cutters, they will last longer run on 220 if you do a lot of work. You can run them 110 for thinner jobs with no problems, so don't think that they aren't made for it. It's suggested to use 220 when you can.