just bought a welder

[pockets]

i'm looking to get a welder sometime this summer and have been reading a lot about what others have and suggest. Anything in particular lead you to get that Hobart?

[k1rodeoboater]

Originally Posted by pockets

i'm looking to get a welder sometime this summer and have been reading a lot about what others have and suggest. Anything in particular lead you to get that Hobart?

Yeah three things.
[LIST=1]
I was originally looking at a Lincoln sold at Lowes, and on paper they looked exactly the same. The big difference, price aside, was that the Hobart had a variable adjustment for the wire speed vs the Lincolns click settings.
[LIST=2]
Hobart and Miller share parts compatibility and most of the welding supply places around here carry Miller parts. Some carry Lincoln, but I'd probably be "married" to Lowes to get most of the stuff since they're a lot close (15min vs 30+ drive time). I don't know how much of a seller welding stuff is for Lowes and if they'll end up dropping the line. Tractor Supply will likely keep selling Hobart for some time to come too.

1. Price wise the Hobart is cheaper. It doesn't come with the extra fluff that the Lincoln had but I really didn't care about their hand held face shield, hammer, or any of the other crap they tossed in. I plan on using a grinder with a wire brush/flap disc/grinding/cut off wheel for my cleanup anyways.

Either way you go you won't be buying crap, that's for sure.

[72chevy383]

I picked up a nice cart at Harbor Freight for 50 bucks, not bad I thought. I'll get a pic and post it in a few. They also have 20% coupons in the truck mags you can use.

[72chevy383]

Originally Posted by 72chevy383

I picked up a nice cart at Harbor Freight for 50 bucks, not bad I thought. I'll get a pic and post it in a few. They also have 20% coupons in the truck mags you can use.

Oh and when you do get a bottle, Northern Tool I think is the cheapest on filling them.

[k1rodeoboater]

Originally Posted by 72chevy383

Oh and when you do get a bottle, Northern Tool I think is the cheapest on filling them.

The nearest one is up in Raleigh, and that's about an hour away. TSC I know is a rip off.