bout to get a welder for fab
 

So this old lady hit me and I should be gettin about 825 bucks from insurance. My fender is slightly bent and scratched and my door has a small scratch. I ain't fixin this crap, I'm buyin a welder for makin some stuff. I'm planning on making turbo headers, downpipes , exhausts, roll cages, and possibly messin around w/ some sheet metal. With that in mind do yall think a miller 135 mig would be suitable. I know it's kinda small for the headers, but I could preheat them with a torch and bevel the edges to get a little better penetration. I might just go with the miller 175 mig cause it's only 100 bucks more. Do you think that would get all my needs. I'm not worried about how my stuff looks, as long as it functions. I just wanna make stuff for myself and anyone who wants it done cheap. Any input is appreciated.

I also might wanna do some suspension parts, would the 175 penetrate enough or would I be better off tack welding it and takin it to a shop to have it tigged?

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

bump, come on guys I know somebody has an opinion, atleast i ain't sayin what's the cheapest welder i can get? is harbor freight good

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

youll never sell any mani mig welded. you need a tig, and in that price range, your not gonna get dickall except a smiley tools unit.

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

the 175 mig will do everything you want.

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

hat mig will work great for general fab but not for any real fab. Look in the local ppers for a used unit. 850 will get you a decint used tig.

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

all he wants it for is "general fab" "I'm planning on making turbo headers, downpipes , exhausts, roll cages, and possibly messin around w/ some sheet metal"

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

you might as well get the 175 to start.. that will get most of everything you want to fab up.. when you try to make a turbo, headers, roll cages and stuff.. you should then invest in a tig...

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

I have the miller 135 and you can weld sch. 10, what everyone makes turbo manifolds with no problem. Might not be able to mass produce them with the mig, but deffinetely can sell them. Bad ass machine man. -Nick

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

well i'm not tryin to mass produce, or even sell anything, unless someone comes up to me and asks me to do it for them. all i'm look for in this welder is function, i want good strong welds that will hold up over time being used on the track. will the 175 make welds strong enough for manifolds and roll cages and all the other stuff i mentioned? does a tig actuall make stronger welds or is it "just" better arc and the heat being directed where you are welding and not ------ing it through the metal?

thanks for the help

Re: bout to get a welder for fab
 

dude did you not just read my before post. People like you aggrivate me you want everything told to you. Once again my miller 135 welds sch. 10 thickness metal no problem. You could easily weld a manifold with it and it would last you FOREVER, if done right. So with that said no ---- the 175 will work fine to fabricate everything you said. If you want the pain of powering the 175, but the extra juice get it. More power is always better. Just like what we are trying to do with our hondas make more power. -Nick