Topic: Welders

[Jeffy]

You do enough stuff yourself VS buying stuff and it pays for itself in a hurry! I always told myself if I bought a welder it would be a Miller. Some say just pick a color and buy that one. I guess it depends on how much your gonna use it and what you are using it for.

**NOTE** I was gonna start a thread like this this morning, you beat me to it!

There are hundreds of things I could do if I had a welder.  I'd be a pro with all the jobs I have around the house and Jeep.  Either that or I'd be a pro at crappy welds.  One of the two.   

Seems pretty logical to have a welder thread since everyone either wants one or use one.

[Torch_Ind]

There are hundreds of things I could do if I had a welder.  I'd be a pro with all the jobs I have around the house and Jeep.  Either that or I'd be a pro at crappy welds.  One of the two.   

Seems pretty logical to have a welder thread since everyone either wants one or use one.

I currently borrowing my buddys 240v welder for my frame repair and I don't want to give it back :(

love having it

I think of all the other stuff I could do with it witch I might do some of before he gets it backs 

[aw12345]

3 car batteries, some cables, a ground clamp and a stinger and you will be making welds. That is about all it takes and some welding skill. Oh yeah some 7018 1/8 welding rods help too. That or buy a mig glue gun and go have fun

[97 TJ - I dont wave]

Hobart has a new portable welder that runs off of its own battery and is comparable to the 180 welders. It takes about a 1/2 hour to charge and will weld at max power for two minutes. It can then be ran at home while plugged in. The only problem is it retails for twice as much (approximately $1,800.00). Check it out on their website, pretty cool deal, just expensive.

[FourbangerYJ]

Hobart has a new portable welder that runs off of its own battery and is comparable to the 180 welders. It takes about a 1/2 hour to charge and will weld at max power for two minutes. It can then be ran at home while plugged in. The only problem is it retails for twice as much (approximately $1,800.00). Check it out on their website, pretty cool deal, just expensive.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/E8MtQSr1IcU&amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/E8MtQSr1IcU&amp;hl=en_US</a>

I bought one of these used of ebay years ago. Around $400 IIRC. New they are somewhere between $450-500 new. As I said earlier it was my only welder for years. I bought a couple group 24 batteries for cheap. $30 for both, they were some deep cycle batteries from a motor home. Then I bought a couple of chargers and went to town! I love the fact it's small and comes in a suitcase for easy portability.
Sadly after getting the Lincoln I did not keep the batteries properly charged and it killed them, they won't take a charge. I need to get some new ones and a couple trickle chargers to keep them topped.

[FourbangerYJ]

Here is one on ebay for $300 plus $25 ship. No bids so far ends in a day.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ready-Welder-II-10000ADP_W0QQitemZ120555718794QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Welders?hash=item1c11ae488a

It's this model http://readywelder.com/10000adp.php It comes with the stuff needed to hook up to another welder so you don't need to run off batteries or want to burn Al. or stainless. All Ready welders come fitted to run a bottle of gas.

When I bought mine the case was cracked and the wire would not feed. It was a older unit way passed any warranty. I called RW and told them what was going on they said to send it them and they will see what's wrong. They replaced the unit with a much newer design for FREE knowing full well that the warranty was expired! 

[sharpxmen]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/E8MtQSr1IcU&amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/E8MtQSr1IcU&amp;hl=en_US</a>

I bought one of these used of ebay years ago. Around $400 IIRC. New they are somewhere between $450-500 new. As I said earlier it was my only welder for years. I bought a couple group 24 batteries for cheap. $30 for both, they were some deep cycle batteries from a motor home. Then I bought a couple of chargers and went to town! I love the fact it's small and comes in a suitcase for easy portability.
Sadly after getting the Lincoln I did not keep the batteries properly charged and it killed them, they won't take a charge. I need to get some new ones and a couple trickle chargers to keep them topped.

that's a good thing to have on the trail as an alternative to the on-board welder.

[oldjeep]

Hobart has a new portable welder that runs off of its own battery and is comparable to the 180 welders. It takes about a 1/2 hour to charge and will weld at max power for two minutes. It can then be ran at home while plugged in. The only problem is it retails for twice as much (approximately $1,800.00). Check it out on their website, pretty cool deal, just expensive.

It's cool, but is no way near the power of a 230VAC welder.  It runs on 120VAC when plugged in.

[Jeffy]

I bought one of these used of ebay years ago. Around $400 IIRC. New they are somewhere between $450-500 new. As I said earlier it was my only welder for years. I bought a couple group 24 batteries for cheap. $30 for both, they were some deep cycle batteries from a motor home. Then I bought a couple of chargers and went to town! I love the fact it's small and comes in a suitcase for easy portability.
Sadly after getting the Lincoln I did not keep the batteries properly charged and it killed them, they won't take a charge. I need to get some new ones and a couple trickle chargers to keep them topped.

They sell an AC unit for the welder now, IIRC. 

[jagular7]

What about the mig welder version where the voltage input is determined by the plug on the end of the power cord. The welder 'changes' to adapt to the 120v or the 230v input for its output.
It will take more thinking on the end user to configure the settings, but you can start off with the 120v for couple of years in a standard home garage, then with upgrade power in the better workspace, you can get better output.

[FourbangerYJ]

What about the mig welder version where the voltage input is determined by the plug on the end of the power cord. The welder 'changes' to adapt to the 120v or the 230v input for its output.
It will take more thinking on the end user to configure the settings, but you can start off with the 120v for couple of years in a standard home garage, then with upgrade power in the better workspace, you can get better output.

I think Miller makes a unit like that. A plasma cutter too. ( I think)

[melbill]

Miller's duel voltage unit model 211, and others with higher output for more $. I read that their old model 250 would do the same thing with only slightly more set up.

[oldjeep]

My cutmaster 38 plasma cutter is dual voltage - completely useless running it on 120VAC.

[st.chevrolet]

Like Old Jeep says there is a big difference between 110V operation and 230V operation.
Here's  the specs for the Millermatic 211: 115Vac, Amp. Range 30 - 140, Rated Output 90A@20V@ 20% Duty Cycle
                                                     230Vac, Amp. Range 30 - 210, Rated Output 150A@23.5V@30% Duty Cycle
If you are looking for portability the Miller PassPort Plus is a really nice unit, even comes with a gas cylinder.
                                                      115Vac, Amp. Range 30 - 140, Rated Output 110A@19.5V@20% Duty Cycle
                                                       230Vac, Amp Range 30 - 180, Rated Output 150A@21.5V@20% Duty Cycle
Both welders can do: mild steel Min. 24ga. to Max. 3/8"
                                   alum. Min. 18ga. to Max. 1/4"
Aluminum should be done with the optional spoolgun.    

Any welder or plasma cutter that is dual voltage should always be run on a dedicated circuit with a 20A breaker.
                                                      

[sharpxmen]

all the homes up here (Lower Mainland BC, Canada) have dual voltage for stoves and washer/dryer as far as I know - not sure in the US. If you only have 1 phase 120v the selection for serious plasma or welders is limited mostly b/c of the high current required.