Need a little help

[JCutter]

Ok i dont know what i want to get the ol'man, either a inverter or portable welder?



I dont want some cheap piece of crap but not a gold plated one either. He doesnt weld to much, it would only be used in his travel trailer or maybe piddlin around. I would like one for alum. also. Looking to spend about 3-500 maybe.



The inverter would be just to charge up battery packs or power his laptop (little stuff). What do i need to look for?



TIA Jeremie

 

[Coalsmoke]

given your budget, stick with the inverter.

 

[JCutter]

What kind of portable welder and how much. Ive growed up around the old arc welders and have only used a mig a few times. I would like to get him one if not way out of reach. I could go more i was just kind of fishing. Hed only be using it ot weld up brackets and braces, little stuff. Doesnt need anything with a 100% duty cycle, 20 would probably.



Inverters ive never delt with so i need help on getting a good on and also what to look for. Just looling for experienced knowledge.



Thanks Jeremie

 

[Hoefler]

You can get a good gas-less mig around $350 that runs on 110 volt. Check Lowes, they have Lincolns on the shelf.

 

[JCutter]

Thanks, i forgot about them.



Jeremie

 

[WilsonJ]

The gas-less migs would probably work the best for the price you want. Inverters are pricey and only the $2000 models with all the bells and whistles will do aluminum. I don't quite get what you mean by charging up batteries and such with an inverter. Anyway, some home mig machines also have a way to hook up gas which is great especially if your going to run dual-shield wire with CO2. The normal flux-cored wire will weld without gas but runs a better bead with gas if you want to use it.

 

[Coalsmoke]

ifr you're lopoking at migs, look at the Miller MM135, or MM175, or the new Hobart 187 the best of the three if you can afford it.

 

[JCutter]

Im sorry i must have run both of them together.



The inverter is only for his laptop and battery charger for hand tools, little stuff like that. It would be nice to be able to run the welder but one that big would not fit into the budget.



The portable welder would be for little stuff like brackets and guards or sheet metal work. NOTHING like welding a pto shaft back together or anything. It would be nice to find one that could do alum. also but i guess you would still need gas with it.



Sorry for the confusion and thanks for all the help.



Jeremie



p. s. the one in norther mag. had one that was a battery charger and had plugs that converted it to 110v.

 

[Coalsmoke]

you will not get a good aluminum capable welder for the price you are looking at. Simple as that. Therenis more to it than putting in a role of aluminum.

 

[terrywerm]

One thing to keep in mind while you are looking at MIG welders: check the length of the torch/gun cable. Many of the cheaper models have a very poor wire feed drive, and as a result will have a shorter gun cable (because the cheaper drive can't push the wire through the longer cables). I've got a Hobart wirefeed with a 10 foot gun cable and I wouldn't want it to be any shorter! Some of the cheap units only have a six foot cable - trust me, 6 ft. is way too short!

 

[OL RATLR]

ifr you're lopoking at migs, look at the Miller MM135, or MM175, or the new Hobart 187 the best of the three if you can afford it.

I have a Century 165 for 8yrs no problems. Oo.

 

[Coalsmoke]

I have a Century 165 for 8yrs no problems. Oo.

A Century can get the job done, no doubt about it, but while its heads and shoulders abve the import junk, its not the cream of the crop. The sweet spot is quite narrow, the inductance changes as the machines heats up and cools down, and ever since lincoln bought them out and ran them into the ground (on purpose) some years back, it has been very hard to track down parts if you need anything more than a liner or diffuser. I have a Century 220V 145A in my mig lineup, its earned its keep, but I wouldn't opt for another. If a person can afford it and are somewhat serious about welding, they should look at the MM210. But, that sort of runs away with the budget