finally caved in

[KartFab]

Well, I have finally broken down and decided to get a MIG welder. TIG is great, but after this weekend, I got REALLY frustrated filling 1/4-1/2" gaps for a guy. Its definitely possible, but a huge pain in the butt with TIG.

Its a Millermatic 135 with what looks like a 40-80 cu/ft tank. gas line, regulator, gun, and a spool of solid wire. Its not too beat up, and it works, for $300. Seems like a good deal, and I can always sell it for $400 and keep the tank. I really don't feel like getting a larger MIG welder right now because I enjoy not sleeping on the couch.

 

[mckutzy]

40-80cuft is kinda small, most likely youll burn through that pretty quick. Id say if you can get a bigger one soon.

 

[devino246]

40 cu.ft. is plenty for hobby use.

I don't think you'll enjoy filling 1/4"-1/2" gaps with MIG much better. I'd be telling the guy to learn to fit his joints.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I don't think you'll enjoy filling 1/4"-1/2" gaps with MIG much better. I'd be telling the guy to learn to fit his joints.

That's just ridiculous! If the gap is wider than the thickness of the steel (or the electrode for that matter), you're in for a party no matter what process you use.

If this guy's fit-ups are that bad, you need to either a)Charge a lot more, b)do your own fit-ups, or c)Tell him to weld up his own disasters.

I had a guy that would do that. He only did it to me ONCE!

The Millermatic 135 is an awesome machine, and you really should have no foreseeable need to upgrade unless you're doing structural work or something similar.

 

[machinist@large]

I looked at the Miller when I was in the market for a mig box; for the money, very nice unit. The only reason I brought the Lincoln 135 home was because A] I needed to do some extreme emergency repairs on a neighbor's haybine, and B] I needed to get the welder to do the job.

The red box was on sale, at all three major welding supply houses I deal with. My neighbor didn't quibble that the price was part of the job (the fact that he knew I was a True Blue man, and was crossing the line to help him out...) and the fact that the price to replace the fractured weldment was a nice down payment for it's replacement...

Let me give you some info, then I'll stop jacking this thread. I'm a farmer who works in town (Fowler from Oz is as well). The damaged part that I was attempting to piece back together was where the drive box for the sickle bar that cuts the crop being harvested mounts to the main structure. Two cold lapped welds + one low lying fallen tree limb = looking at scrapping a machine that had (at the time) a $30,000.00 US replacement cost.... And that he wasn't done making payments on; just out of warranty, two more payments to go...

I stuck my neck out to piece it back together. His cost,~$2600.00 US, and as of last week, it's gone Five years with nothing more than routine maintenance.....

Now, as for the Miller/Lincoln debate between their comparable 110V models (now ~ 5 or so years old)? A former coworker and I took an afternoon and set 'em up side by side. Each of us liked them both; other than looking at the case to see what color it was, you couldn't tell them apart. Swapping back and forth between Lincoln and Hobart wire, on the same base matl., the only difference we could see was in each other's personal techniques.

If it's in good working order, you're really going to love that little Miller. And for those out there that see red instead of blue? Try it. You might like it.....

Thread jack over....

 

[KartFab]

I was charging him $40 an hour. it just cost him a little extra

Thanks everyone for the input, this one just happened to come along at the right time. On thurs I will have the equipment to mig, tig, and stick. I did it backwards by learning the hardest stuff first. I learned TIG first, then stick came naturally after watching a few videos. I hope mig will be super easy for me because I learned the other two first.

 

[KartFab]

Well, today was the first day I got to try out my 'new' millermatic 135 w/ 80 cubic ft tank.

When i purchased it for $300 w/tank from the guy, he said it works so that was good enough for me. It looks like he stored/ran it in the dirt or something as the bottom of the welder had a lot of dirt in it. After vacuuming, blowing the (mouse nest?) out of it, it turned on. I figured out how to adjust the wire tension and it had a full spool of wire in it too! Time was running out because I just took on two jobs for the day (my 'day off' ) and i had 10 minutes to play with it. I turned it on and the wire broke, cut it, re-threaded it, adjusted tension, started welding. It welded so smooth with the argon/co2 mix and a lot faster than I was used to, but since i just had to aim it, and pay attention to the puddle, it was super easy!

I welded up a few broken book carts for a large used book store chain, then off to fix a large automatic gate that had a broken bracket at a million dollar home. Welds looked great as i did small circles following the leading edge of the puddle, using the gas/solid wire. 4 hours of work today, earned $375, was exhausted from the TX heat. Glad I got paid, and earned back what i spent in a half day. Glad I have an office job so I don't have to do this everyday! (Otherwise I don't think it would be much fun)

 

[fowler]

ha
payed it off in one day
very nice

 

[machinist@large]

I told you you would enjoy using that thing.....