Wire feed welder (review I guess)

[mdlbldrmatt135]

With it getting harder and harder to sneak small projects into work to have the welders fix 'em... I decided to bite the bullet and get a small 110v welder.

After looking around and comparing all the features I decided to go with one from Northern Tool.
Northern Industrial MIG Welder — 115 Volt, 22-135 Amp, Model# MIG 135 | Wirefeed Welders | Northern Tool + Equipment

Out of the box I couldn't get the wirefeed to work. SoI called the Cust. service line. they had me open it up and start tracing lines... one of the slip on spade connections to the emergency breaker had slipped off.

after that she worked fine. I put in some flux core wire while waiting on the bottles to get here (didn't want to lease) and started playing around with some 1/16" thick steel. after playing with the settings (it's been over a decade since I last played w/ a welder) I started laying down soem pretty decent beads.

When the bottles got here and exchanged I swapped out the flux core to some 5356 wire for Aluminum and hooked up the bottle of Argon.

I proceded to learn the MUST USE SS brushes to clean aluminum... Espscially the stuff with unknown paint or CARC on it.

After playing with the settings yet again I was able to get the repairs made to the bustes aluminum castings I set out to fix. I'm also in the process of using some of the dollys left over fromt he compressors to make a cart for it.

I haven't tried it on anything realllly heavy yet But am planning on it. So far it's worth every penny!!

 

[frodobaggins]

A mig welder is a VERY handy thing to have around the house.

 

[Stalwart]

If you are using it a bit more and have the power available I HIGHLY recommend a Miller 212 Auto-Set and they make a 140 Auto-Set for 110V. If you are like me you are often welding multiple thicknesses on every project. Resetting amperage is no big deal but then you must refine the wire feed rate. These welders do that for you. You specify the thickness of the material and select the wire you're using and it does the rest. I've been unable to do a better wire feed rate by hand than this maching does by itself.

I used a bigger Snap-On YA240 for about 20 years and although it was a good welder, it never performed as nicely as this little Miller. The thing runs silent and the fan only comes on when needed. I only have heard it once when I was running about 175A for 8-10 minutes straight and that for only about 1 min.

I'm curious about the aluminum welding without a spool gun, I've always had unsatisfactory welds using the standard push feeder even with a teflon liner in the gun lead.

I really want a TiG but years ago when I used one, I kept on becoming part of the circuit and shocking myself up the filler wire

 

[DanMartin]

Semi-hijack here, but important for beginning and home welders alike.

Something to be very careful about when welding:

Brake Cleaner = Phosgene Article

Note that because Aluminum needs to be so clean to get a good weld, that people are more likely to use brake-clean (or other solvent containing Tetrachloroethylene) to prep the part. DO NOT DO THIS. The combo of Tetrachloroethylene + Argon + Arc = Phosgene gas, which is INCREDIBLY POISONOUS! Even a small whif can send you the hospital with serious problems, and there is no cure or treatment for it. Once you are poisoned, you have to deal with it.

So, just be careful out there guys.

Personally I use denatured alcohol when wiping down parts, and make 100% sure they are dry before continuing with my welding.

 

[Stalwart]

Good point above!

I use acetone to clean before welding, they use it in acetylene tanks so it shouldn't be a major health issue, plus I let it evaporate long before the welding process commences.

Phosgene is BAD, it also is made when Halon (the fire retardant) is burned in a fire.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I'd looked at all the Miller & Lincoln ones but by the time I adde din the spool gun and all the other stuff it was way more than i really wanted to spend. I've only had 1 "birds nest" so far and I've gone thru almost a full 1lb spool of aluminum wire. I can honestly say that my crappy welds have been a result of bad cleaning or forgetting to open the bottle of Argon I do have a co-worker who has a heavier welder if I really need one. the next little project is gonns be a Hitch cargo carrier for the GF's Tahoe... for our trip to Vegas. the only thing I need to buy is some 2" square tube for that (I've got steel angle laying around)

As far as the cleaning I've just picked up some twisted wire SS brushed for the angle grinder (thinkin of getting another HF one as the other cheapie is holding up pretty well)

 

[Stalwart]

I'm a big big fan of the portable welders that run on 110V. Biting the bullet on a bigger welder was a no choice issue for me, some of my projects require I weld 3/8". A small portable would be awesome, I'll keep that one in mind, for $300.00 it sounds GREAT!

One thing I haven't tried yet is flux core wire WITH a shielding gas. A fabricator friend does this and he says the results are really good.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I may just have to give it a shot!! I'm gonna have a buch of sheetmetal work coming up on my reg Pickup.... getting the NE door rot.... that and I have a new bed to put on thinking a "heat wrench" is the next big purchace.....

 

[Bill W]

I bought a 120v Clarke 130E mig ( aka Toaster) last May off e-pay and just used it for the first time this past wk/end as I'm making a 40" metal brake so I can bend/fab some cab patch panels for my deuce., The Clarke ran a nice hot bead which was impossible for my last 120v toaster to do ( which helped attribute to its untimely demise ) so I'm pretty happy with it, The Northern mig was my second choice to buy but the Clarke had a higher advertised duty cycle

 

[hndrsonj]

I have a 110V Miller with tank and love it. Can weld patch panels and yet do pretty thick metal with no issues. Was just under 1K I think.

 

[DanMartin]

I have this one:

Miller - MIG Welding - Millermatic® 211 Auto-Set™ with MVP™

It's a *great* welder, and note the dual-voltage capability.

OK, it's not cheap at about $1200, but what a great welder it is. Makes me look like a pro...

 

[Coal Cracker]

I have a millermatic 210, 220v, and love it!

you have to remember that when you're using a pocket mig, you have to stop and let it cool down depending how thick the metal you're welding, and also depends on how long you're bead is.

 

[clinto]

Miller 175-just got it wired up yesterday (thanks to Maccus' help! ).

Going to get some practice in this weekend.

 

[WyoDeuce]

I have a lincoln mig. Forget the model # but it is the one with the nascar logo on it and is gas ready out of the box. Great welder. Can't believe I ever lived without it. Thick or thin it works great every time.

 

[DanMartin]

Miller 175-just got it wired up yesterday (thanks to Maccus' help! ).

Going to get some practice in this weekend.

Looks like a Harbor Freight cart there. I use one for my TIG welder (not a Miller). I had to replace the front casters on mine...they sucked (would not track right). Got some better ones at HF.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I wanted to go with the Miller.... then the water heater started having issues... which resulted in the entire house getting re plumbed with PEX..... that kinda sucked my welder budget in a hurry....

 

[swbradley1]

I''d love to have a Miller but the budget just can't support while I'm still for half my concrete in my shop.

I did splurge and buy a little air compressor for tires and dusting until I get two big 220v ones wired up.

At least my Brother has a big Miller MIG and a plasma cutter and a "flame wrench" and they are all portable enough if I need them.

sw

 

[BLK HMMWV]

24 volt portable welder

Has anyone used one of the 24 volt DC portable welders ?
I saw one when I was in a local welding shop recently.
It was originally designed for our military.
I'm not much of a welder but this little bugger looked interesting.

GW

 

[frodobaggins]

and a plasma cutter

Ah, the one tool I really didn't need but bought anyway. I would never be without one now !!!

 

[clinto]

Looks like a Harbor Freight cart there. I use one for my TIG welder (not a Miller). I had to replace the front casters on mine...they sucked (would not track right). Got some better ones at HF.

It is-it was on sale at a ludicrously low price so I tried it.

I have always hated the cheesy chain arrangement to secure the tanks on welding carts, but when clintogf ended up with a bunch of military surplus fire extinguisher brackets, Wreckerman893 had a great idea. He suggested using one to secure the tank on the cart. As soon as I got home, I tried it out and it worked perfect! I drilled the bottom of the cart, bolted it down and now, the tank is secure as can be. The fire ext. bracket holds the bottom of the tank super solid and the chain at the top does the rest.

I haven't had to upgrade the casters yet, so I can't say anything about them but I haven't been using the cart much.

Here are clintogf's fire extinguisher brackets: New military surplus Kidde fire extinguisher bracket. - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

I asked her if she'd cut me a deal on one, but she made me pay full price.