Welders - 120V vs 240V

[roadhog0]

I should probably say this real fast. A new Hobart welder is a Miller welder. All they do is make the Voltage knob not infinite, it's stepped. They also do a little packaging changing to make em a little cheaper, but it's the same welder Also if you can find a broken miller 135 I'll pass the secrets to fixing them on to ya.

[02again]

There was an old saying.......(from an old old BELL helmets ad). If you have a $10 head wear a 10 dollar helmet. To get something that works try to buy something that has been around and garners some respect. The 110 welders will All have a short duty cycle. If you want to weld more then 6 inches without stopping to rest, on more then sheet metal, you should look at the 240 volt units.

[rctid]

240 is the way to go, if your facilities support it. There is nothing wrong with a 120 welder for sheet metal work, and even smaller projects up to 1/4". Like many others here, I bought a Millermatic 135 w/ autoset and have had excellent results. The other plus is that they will hold their value and you can actually get some of your investment back if you decide to sell it. Not so with the cheap units.

As for duty cycle, for the first several projects, your welder will far outpace your skill level. By the time you have some experience under your belt, you'll have a better idea of what you want and what you need.

My $0.02

[mikeb]

I should probably say this real fast. A new Hobart welder is a Miller welder. All they do is make the Voltage knob not infinite, it's stepped. They also do a little packaging changing to make em a little cheaper, but it's the same welder Also if you can find a broken miller 135 I'll pass the secrets to fixing them on to ya.

I bought an almost brand new Hobart 140 off CL for less than $300 and it is exactly as described above - the gun even says Miller on it. Great welder. It has been used for everything from repairing sheet metal to welding a cage. I love it and suggest going the CL route. A lot of people buy tools with the best intentions and then never get around to using them resulting in a great deal for you.

[JackF]

I have the 135 and it is perfectly capable of anything automotive including subframes. Your first project should be to make the rolling cart it is going to ride on. Oh, and make it so you can put a nice plasma cutter above or below. You do not need auto set. The tables are readily available from Miller or Lincoln on settings. The problem with auto set is you have to adapt to "their" feed speed, travel, etc.

If you are going to be doing your welding all in one area then 220 is nice as the machine will be much more capable, but unless you are a hand, you don't need it.

spend some time on millerwelds.com