What welder to get???
 

well im just starting; i have done a few things with torches and MIG at skool and then at college so is not that a scratch of a start. all i want to make right now is charge pipes, exhaust, and manifolds for my car and maybe my friend's. after a while i would like to make me a roll cage. and looking into the future, having the unit at the shop im planing to open. so im looking right now at a lincoln weld pack 100, and lincoln MIG pack10. are they good/suitables for my needs/wants??? are there any other options in that range of prices???
thank you

Re: What welder to get???
 

You can't make a decent manifold with a mig.

Re: What welder to get???
 

smiley tools

Re: What welder to get???
 

get the lincon mig, and look at a good stick and scratch start tig.

Re: What welder to get???
 

www.harborfreight.com

I got a dual MIG131 for $200 shipped to my door.

Great unit. Had a few issues with the hoses on the torch, but what do you expect for $200? Little super glue and it was good to go again.

If going mig, DO NOT settle for flux. argon all the way. Those lincolns are about $150 to set up for gas, they dont come that way from the store. The chicago is $200 total ALREADY set up. all you hve to do is reverse 2 wires, get gas wire and a tank. Thats what I did, cost $325 all said and done.

Great unit for the price and small projects like most people around here do. Plus harbor freight is great with service

Re: What welder to get???
 

how do i convert the stick/arc to tig? :-[this is a whole new world to me. :y

Re: What welder to get???
 

Add TIG torch, tank, and regulator and you can scratch start like ComputerJLT's Rescue Toaster. ~$50 and a little hunting will find you a high frequency start box so you can start the arc without scratching the tungsten.

Re: What welder to get???
 

will it be good enought? or should i just forget the convetion and save for a real TIG

Re: What welder to get???
 

An arc welder is the exact same thing as the power supply in a DC TIG.

When you can get scratch start DC TIG for $200, and HF start smileytools DC TIG for $300 (after ship), plus cost of tank/regulator, is it worth all the ------- around to you, to rig some lines and find a HF startbox?

Re: What welder to get???
 

I beg to differ...

Attachment 37142

Lincoln Pro Mig 135... Its a small but it does the job.....

Re: What welder to get???
 

That's an awful nice manifold for that humble little sixty trim!

Re: What welder to get???
 

Ok its easier with better results with a TIG. I have a Lincoln 135 too. I'll stick to the TIG. ;)

Re: What welder to get???
 

its all in how you grind the welds down lol...

Re: What welder to get???
 

DOn't go with MIG, learn the art of TIG. Welds are stronger and after you become fluent in TIG the welds look a lot better too.

Re: What welder to get???
 

just picked up this weeks harbor frieght catalog in the mail....there tig is on sale right now for $199.....cant beat that price, thats even cheaper than the mig i bought from them....looks like ill be getting one tomorrow ;)

Re: What welder to get???
 

you can if your a good mig welder and can control your welds, its alot faster then tig so you cant be ------- around. Pratice makes perfect like anything else.