smeltmaster1

i am thinking about this

http://www.tractorsupply.com/hobart-...7#BVRRWidgetID

everyone is giving it great reviews and it is able to weld the sizes i need it to and everyone says its user friendly and its made in the USA

Thekid320

I have a miller 211 and love it I also weld for a living and I would recommend a smaller dual voltage machine like that. it's nice to bump up to 220 when welding anything over 1/8" material

motorcharge

I've never used that particular model, but I've got no complaints about any Hobart machine I've used and know plenty of people who swear by them.

Thekid320

They are actually made by miller

xjmarc

Love my Hobart but it's an old one that isn't made by Miller like the new ones. The Handler series is great.

Tural

miller 211 is the last welder you'll ever buy. portable, powerful, gas or flux, 110 or 220, spool gun welds almost as good as a full size welder
you're probly thinkin... yeah, another guy talkin about crap i dont wanna spend big money on, but the better the welder, the easier it is to sharpen your skill. flux is harder to learn on than gas

PingPong

I have a Hobart 210 MVP. It runs on 220, and 110. Yeah PITA to switch polarity(5 minutes) and wire, but my setup is portable. I would NEVER recommend a GASLESS machine to anyone... it limits you in how much you can do.

fallenknight308

Op: that Hobart is a fine machine, you'll enjoy it for years to come.

smeltmaster1

ok i have a change in direction bc the guy at work has a arc welder called the miller thunderbolt and he said he would sell it to me for 250$ i am thinking of going with that. i am gonna still get a mig just want to get this bc it is better for my budget as of now. i am gonna be welding mostly 1/4 and 3/16 tube square and round for rocker replacements and fender guards as of now

motorcharge

Have you ever arc welded before? It's not all that easy.

smeltmaster1

yeah 2 times and i lay a better bead on arc then i do with flux just getting the damn sticks started is hard but i am learning to drag instead of tap. i am not gonna just go into welding up my jeep i am gonna go to the scrap yard and buy some metal and practice first so the jeep dosent fall apart i have till march to get this crap done so i got some time just want to play in some snow and take it out ice fishing

PingPong

STick welding is 10x harder then mig welding. Mstly due to the choices of rods, and the different heat settings. I recommend you take a welding class at the community college before you go for the stick welder. You will save yourself time and money learning that way.

smeltmaster1

i can learn for free at work and like i said i have a guy that has been welding for about all his life and he says that i was better at stick then mig so i have to find a pic of it bc when i did my nut strips for my gas tank skid i first used the stick and it was a nice bead and then it was getting to hot and melting the strip and then i went to mig and buggered it up lol

smeltmaster1

i can just use 6013 rods

here is some mig flux i did on my rear fender before i polished it down not so great but it was a crappy welder i think snapon or something like that creep and i had to keep the heat at one bc at 2 it would pop holes and they were hard as f@ck to close up lol i am learning but hate school and i ain't paying to take no class i like to learn by trail and error

Thekid320

Just something to think about flux core is more for thicker or dirty metal it digs more than solid wire due to the fact that you run it on straight polarity you want to be using solid wire on fenders and thinner metals