Home Welding Rig - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1970 Bowtie · 07-14-2009, 07:25 AM

Looking to buy a welder in a couple of weeks and was wondering what others are using for their resto projects.Just looking for something for the home shop but not sure what rig to buy.

my67chevytruck · 07-14-2009, 07:38 AM

typically a 135 or 140 AMP 110 DC mig welder will do, unless you plan on fabbing a frame. Hobart, miller, lincoln. I am using a 135 amp northern tools brand welder and have not had any issues

bigsnookmaster · 07-14-2009, 08:17 AM

I use a 130 miller,110 volt,with the gas.Real nice little welder. I also use a miller 250 Vintage for the larger stuff.The duty cycle is shorter on the 130, but it welds up to 3/16 nice.Good luck!

Sinister · 07-14-2009, 09:04 AM

I have a Lincoln Weldpak 3200HD. Gas or fluxcore, 140 amps, 110 volts, I'm pretty happy with it.

caja_larga · 07-14-2009, 11:44 AM

love my miller welder!! Buy the most welder you can afford. You will not be sorry.

grayw0lf · 07-14-2009, 02:01 PM

I love my Lincoln. Again, get the best you can afford & go ahead & get the CO2 setup so you can do MIG & not just flux core. MIG is much much cleaner & much better suited to auto body work. (Make sure that whatever you buy comes with a regulator/gauges, otherwise keep looking).

PanelDeland · 07-14-2009, 07:16 PM

Miller has a great website to help you get more info.I'm not saying buy a Miller but use the info they provide to help decide what welder works for you.I don't have a link but it should be on any search engine.They also have ongoing articles on welding to help you improve your skills.

**mr48chev** · 07-14-2009, 09:40 PM

Sooner or later you will have to get it serviced unless you just flat don't use it much and Millers, Hobarts and Lincolns are the three that you can usually get serviced readily.

The Millers are usually sold by welding supply houses and that is where you have to take any welder you buy to have repairs done or usually buy expendables.

I've got a Lincoln 175 that I picked up barely used for the on sale price around here for a Hobart 140. We had to put 220 in the garage to use it though.

One advantage to a 110 rig is that it is a lot easier to plug it in and with a decent extension cord you can get pretty mobile around the home front. My buddy rolled his Miller Sidekick out to the front of his place to weld up a steel pipe fence he built across the front. He also has welded everything from chopped tops to his wrecker boom with that 110V Sidekick.

shortbed70 · 07-14-2009, 09:49 PM

Stick with name brand and make sure when you buy you can get parts like leads and drive wheels at your local supply store because alot of cheaper welders you cant get leads for like mine so I have to be real careful but its getting me buy for now till I can get a miller or hobart 220.

1970 Bowtie · 07-15-2009, 10:35 AM

Thanks for all the responses and all the usefull info.Yall cleared up alot of questions I had about them.I now have a much clearer picture of what to look for in a welder.Thanks again,Mike

07-14-2009, 07:25 AM	#1
1970 Bowtie It's all in the timing Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lake Mary,Florida Posts: 600	Home Welding Rig Looking to buy a welder in a couple of weeks and was wondering what others are using for their resto projects.Just looking for something for the home shop but not sure what rig to buy.

07-14-2009, 07:38 AM	#2
my67chevytruck Under Construction Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Midlothian,TX (DFW) Posts: 4,555	Re: Home Welding Rig typically a 135 or 140 AMP 110 DC mig welder will do, unless you plan on fabbing a frame. Hobart, miller, lincoln. I am using a 135 amp northern tools brand welder and have not had any issues __________________ Heath subscribe to the board here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/payments.php http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=157669 FAQ how to's 1956 Chevy Apache 1967 C10 SWB FleetSide (under construction) 1969 K10 SWB FleetSide (Future Build) 1972 C10 SWB Stepside (Future Build) 56 chevy truck : http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2955823/1 67 truck build: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=281357/1 69 k10: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=389470

07-14-2009, 08:17 AM	#3
bigsnookmaster Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: St.Petersburg,Fl Posts: 1,267	Re: Home Welding Rig I use a 130 miller,110 volt,with the gas.Real nice little welder. I also use a miller 250 Vintage for the larger stuff.The duty cycle is shorter on the 130, but it welds up to 3/16 nice.Good luck! __________________ greg http://community.webshots.com/user/68406Stepside

07-14-2009, 09:04 AM	#4
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	Re: Home Welding Rig I have a Lincoln Weldpak 3200HD. Gas or fluxcore, 140 amps, 110 volts, I'm pretty happy with it. __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match...

07-14-2009, 11:44 AM	#5
caja_larga Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Az Posts: 172	Re: Home Welding Rig love my miller welder!! Buy the most welder you can afford. You will not be sorry.

07-14-2009, 02:01 PM	#6
grayw0lf Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Clanton, AL Posts: 1,253	Re: Home Welding Rig I love my Lincoln. Again, get the best you can afford & go ahead & get the CO2 setup so you can do MIG & not just flux core. MIG is much much cleaner & much better suited to auto body work. (Make sure that whatever you buy comes with a regulator/gauges, otherwise keep looking). __________________ 85' CUCV M1009!!! The newest addition! 6.2diesel, Th400, NP208, & only 36k miles! 70' C-10 LWB Fleetside - Looking good these days! 05' Dodge Neon 88' Winner Escape Sport 1750 - 4.3v6 94' Seadoo SP 84' Honda TRX200, bare nekkid. Just a frame & tires. Always looking for another project or any good deal!

07-14-2009, 07:16 PM	#7
PanelDeland I am a Referee of life. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro N.C. Posts: 13,993	Re: Home Welding Rig Miller has a great website to help you get more info.I'm not saying buy a Miller but use the info they provide to help decide what welder works for you.I don't have a link but it should be on any search engine.They also have ongoing articles on welding to help you improve your skills. __________________ The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil"

07-14-2009, 09:40 PM	#8
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,639	Re: Home Welding Rig Sooner or later you will have to get it serviced unless you just flat don't use it much and Millers, Hobarts and Lincolns are the three that you can usually get serviced readily. The Millers are usually sold by welding supply houses and that is where you have to take any welder you buy to have repairs done or usually buy expendables. I've got a Lincoln 175 that I picked up barely used for the on sale price around here for a Hobart 140. We had to put 220 in the garage to use it though. One advantage to a 110 rig is that it is a lot easier to plug it in and with a decent extension cord you can get pretty mobile around the home front. My buddy rolled his Miller Sidekick out to the front of his place to weld up a steel pipe fence he built across the front. He also has welded everything from chopped tops to his wrecker boom with that 110V Sidekick.

07-14-2009, 09:49 PM	#9
shortbed70 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Forney TX Posts: 4,512	Re: Home Welding Rig Stick with name brand and make sure when you buy you can get parts like leads and drive wheels at your local supply store because alot of cheaper welders you cant get leads for like mine so I have to be real careful but its getting me buy for now till I can get a miller or hobart 220. __________________ Troy 1965 Chevy Bagged,361 sbc,voodoo cam,1.5 full roller rockers,patriot 185cc vortec heads 2.02-1.60,vortec weiand polished intake,demon carb my truckhttp://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=332884 Big Red Dog build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=572274

07-15-2009, 10:35 AM	#10
1970 Bowtie It's all in the timing Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lake Mary,Florida Posts: 600	Re: Home Welding Rig Thanks for all the responses and all the usefull info.Yall cleared up alot of questions I had about them.I now have a much clearer picture of what to look for in a welder.Thanks again,Mike



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