Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 I've researched for a while now and I'm wondering what type of welding machine do I need? I need one that can weld high carbon steel and preferably MIG welder and my price range is in the $100-$250. And do I need a name brand one? Also what is the power needed to run a welder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 $100-250 will get you somewhere between minimum viable to light duty hobby welder... then you need a welding helmet, and all your consumables. Plus, if you go with MIG, you have to deal with shielding gas. And if you're me, one of those welding screens to put up so you don't blind your neighbors cats... It's a thing. On a budget, stick or flux core is really the best option. I've been happy with my Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC Welder. I've only had it for a year and I really only use it to tack stuff together and occasionally for light fabrication. I wouldn't say this is an overt recommendation, but it is (just) within your price range. There may be better bargain welders out there, and maybe others will chime in with other option. Just try to avoid those Guangzhou-special "super-happy-weld-time" boxes.. you know the ones. *discaimer, I am not a welder It might be worthwhile to hold off for a bit and save up if you plan to weld anything thicker than 1/4".. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Do you think something like this would be viable? 130 Amp MIG Wire Feeder Flux Cored Wire Gasless Welder, 115-Volt and 230-Volt IGBT Inverter Welding, 80% Duty Cycle $191.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 No idea. I have used the welder I have and the ones when I was in school, so I cant say I have much experience. Looking at the 3 star review and the price I would say you're better off going a tier or 2 up from there.. 80% duty cycle? Yea, right, maybe at 50A... What other specs are they fudging...? For reference: My welder has a duty cycle of 30% at 90A An HTP MIG 200I ($950) is 60% at 110A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Welding high carbon steel is more of a process and materials thing than the machine. How much welding do you need to do: Full penetration on 2" plate or just tacking together billets for pattern welding? How many hours a day will you be using it? What is the power needed is an easy one? Depends on the welder! You might check with a welding supply company locally and see if they have any trade ins. I got an OLD Lincoln Tombstone welder for under $100 and it will build tooling and tack billets together and I can buy rods for almost any material; though the adamantium ones are *pricey*... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Depends on what you want to weld and your skill level. You simply can't afford to MIG weld on your budget, the shielding gas, regulator flow meter, hose, fittings run close to your budget. However that little welder can be set up for shielding gas "GMAW" at a time you can afford it. It's not a great welder and I wouldn't lean on a railing welded with it but if you aren't going to try and structural welds beyond say small plant stand size and importance, it'll probably do you fine. It has a decent duty cycle, being an inverter it has a better duty cycle than the old kind. I'd recommend you be patient (yeah right) and keep looking around. Thomas's advice to talk to a local welding supply is excellent my main shop welder was a demonstrator and I picked it up for about 50% of new with 26 hrs on it. It's a Lincoln Ranger 9 gas powered portable welder generator, it ran all the power to build this house and has done all my stick welding for ore than 30 years. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Thanks to all of you who responded I'll look around for welding supply shops in my area and see what they have. To Thomas I only plan on welding up billets or small fabrication work. Should I look at flux core or stick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Ask the welding shops if they have any used equipment that fits your needs and budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Will do!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Since you will be cutting off the welded ends of billets anyway the HC is not that much of an issue. Stick or fluxcore should do and you don't need a massive welder to do that sort of work. However being able to make your own tooling can be very handy and it's a LOT easier to weld on a hardy stem than to forge one down out of substantial stock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 When I weld a piece of 1" sq. tube to a bottom tool, a swage for example, I toss the swage on top of the fire, let it heat up a bit, then weld it on. Acceptable penetration out of an underpowered welder. Good enough for the girls I go out with anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Alright. I'll do some more research Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirerabbit Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 I bought a Forney Easy Weld 100ST (stick) and am happy with the welding it has done. It is a light duty, hobby box, but I have already made money with it. You should be able to do all the billet tacking you need with that box. It is a single phase box, so don't expect to weld up one inch plate. I have used it on both a 15 and a 20 amp circuit with no problems so far. Like Frazer, I am NOT a welder. In fact I had just started teaching myself welding before I started teaching myself blacksmithing! You Tubers is a wonderful thing when taken with a few pounds of salt. I too have welded up a hardy tool or two. Still waiting to test out the welds. I'll let you know how well my welding has progressed when I procure more charcoal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ac160 Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Check craigslist or facebook marketplace as well. Most welders I see in your price range are the lincoln tombstone style arc welders. Occasionally mig might be there. Try auctions to find one as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Alright Thanks to all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 is a welder like the one I showed gonna be able to work with a normal outlet? or do I need a generator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 It has a 20A plug where one of the pins (I believe it's the neutral pin?) is turned 90 degrees. It does come with an adapter so it can be plugged into a 15A outlet since many people don't have 20A unless they need it somewhere. So you'll be able to plug it in where you plug in your toaster or whatever, but you're going to trip the breaker pretty often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 You won't need much power to tack billets and other light stuff so it shouldn't pop 15a breakers. I've been running my Hobart 120 Hander on 15a circuits for more than 30 years and have never tripped a breaker. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 alright thanks I didn't wanna blow a fuse or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 I should add that I run my whole shop off one outlet at this point, which probably contributes to why trip the breaker if I go past a 7-8 on the welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 I do to so good to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 7 hours ago, Jaegers Forge and Foundry said: 130 Amp MIG Wire Feeder Flux Cored Wire Gasless Welder, I have a problem with their description. If it is a gasless welder, it is not a MIG welder. What else are they fudging on. MIG = Metal Inert Gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 I don’t do any heavy welding but I bought the cheapest flux core hobart welder that tractor supply had about 5 or 6 years ago I can’t remember, it’s a 125ez and I’ve used it much more than I thought I would. It still runs and I can say it’s definitely more than paid for itself on jobs helping out around the property and farm and occasional light customer repair. I think it ran me $250 or $300. The only thing I don’t like about it is it won’t take the bigger spools of wire but hobart now has an updated version that does take the 10 pound spools for around the same price I’ve been thinking about picking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 JF&F, if you go the route of a used welder, whether it be from a welding shop, individual, craigslist, newspaper, or whomever, be sure to try it out before handing over your hard-earned cash! If it's a flux core wire welder, you need no other consumables if the owner has a wire spool in it. If it's a gasser, then you won't have bottles at home to try it out with if you don't try it out where you buy it. Stick welder should have some electrodes you could use for a trial run with the seller. If it's a reputable seller, they should be more than willing to show you that the welder runs flawlessly. If not....run, don't walk, away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 when I got my used Century 100 at my welder supply shop, they gave me a welding hood and turned me loose to test drive it, paid $100 for it many years ago and its still working, It runs as flux-core or gas or dual shield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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