selecting a SHOP MIG

[grumpyvette]

I did a great deal of research and asked advice at half dozen welding shops before buying my CURRENT MIG WELDER,and yeah most guys don,t do the amount of fabrication or engine swaps I do, and after talking to and trying several migs and having owned a couple smaller MIG welders before ,I bought this MILLER 252...yeah its overkill for some stuff but its fully able to handle any car related welding that a MIG is able to do
http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907321
I bought a USED 330 amp MILLER TIG and an oxy-acetolene torch to handle the other stuff, and I have had a LINCOLN RANGER 10,000watt generator/arc welder for general welding in the shop for years
BTW I owned a couple 110 volt lincoln and hobart migs and a 180 hobart mig before, they all worked, but the larger amp miller does a better job, on the heavier stuff like frames and suspension brackets, motor mounts, transmission support cross members etc.
BTW THIS is the welder (below)(or the earlier version) most of the pro-welder shops have around here, and they all love them, but most of the guys said that if cash was no problem the 252 miller mig would have been thier first choice!
http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907324
and having learned long ago that a few extra bucks spent up front, on better equipment is usually a much better deal than upgradeing later I got the higher amp machine
youll seldom regret spending cash on quality tools but youll frequantly regret buying crap , the low price seldom makes up for the poor performance, or lack of fine adjustments or lack of durrability in the cheaper machines, yes theres deals to be had but buy a decent name brand of decent capacity, and having a DEALER near you helps
http://www.htpweld.com/
http://www.weldingdirect.com/tig252helsys.html
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/
http://www.hobartwelders.com/

 

[67HEAVEN]

As always, thanks for the informative posts.

 

[grumpyvette]

BTW if your debating on the value of spending big bucks on a mig welder vs buying some $400-$600 110 volt toy , you need to step back and take an honest assessment of the type and frequancy of the potential welding youll be doing, if your running down to the welding shops almost weekly , ad dropping $15 here and $45 there, on little jobs that adds up! its a pretty obvious no- brainer you need a decent welder,and keep in mind once you have instant access the welding jobs tend to increase in frequancy and scope!, where you used to buy new oil pans and engine brackets ,now you repair or fabricate them, if you have gone months between welding jobs thats a totally differant deal! why not do what I did, go by a half dozen welding shops, and a half dozen major body repair shops and talk to the techs doing the repairs and ask thier advice as to what THEY would buy if THEY wanted a new shop welder and wanted to both cover all the potential areas, they work on, (well) and not spend a great deal of money...I bet youll find that the 180amp-and 210 amp 220 volt welders get the nod, and that if pressured almost every guy would prefer the 210amp-250 amp MIGS if price was not a big factor in the decision.
remember your better off spending a bunch more once than spending a bit now and a bunch more later too.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER
BTW THIS is the welder (below)(or the earlier version) most of the pro-welder shops have around here, and they all love them, but most of the guys said that if cash was no problem the 252 miller mig would have been thier first choice!
http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.m...
BTW wiring up a 220 volt jack for a welder if you have a fuse box access in the shop area is a very minor deal
http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/135341/