I'm thinking about buying a welder within about the next six months. Home Depot and Lowe's sell this welder for a pretty reasonable price:

Lincoln @ Home Depot
Lincoln @ Lowe's

I'm pretty sure they're the same welder just with different model numbers.

I'd be looking to use it for welding rocker skids, making fairly small repairs, etc. I realize they're not professional quality, but I don't think I need that. The nice thing about these is that they're 120 volt. I don't anticipate having access to 208/220 volt any time soon, as I live in a rental.

So, does anyone have experience w/ something like this? (The Lincoln or a comparable Hobart or Miller). How did it work? Would you recommend it? This is supposed to be good for up to 5/16" mild steel. How realistic is that?

TIA,

-Jim.

EDIT: The Home Depot link won't go directly to the product (I guess the product page is dynamically generated). It's the Lincoln 3200HD; if you want to look at it just type lincoln 3200hd in the search box and search. It's pretty much identical to the one at Lowe's (the Lowe's link does work).

According to Lincoln Electric, the HD unit comes with a rolling cart. The Lowes unit doesn't.

Other than that, they're the same.

Right you are, Ray <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />. I guess I'd buy it at HD, since the price is the same in both stores.

That's the one I got (Home Depot). Just started to learn how to use it. Have done a few little things so far. The big first nut will be when I get to the sliders...

it seems like it would work. but, if you are just getting into welding you may not want to drop all of that money.
a guy in my club just got a welder delivered to his door for $100. i think he found someone selling it on the Pirate board.
he has done an entire solid axle swap and is currently moving his axles forward 6 inches. the "cheap" welder he uses is more than adequate.
you should be able to find something that will do everything you want for less than $250.

Probbally a Stick welder.....Good for SAS, but not good for sheetmetal work....Not good for alot of things a nice mig is good for.

I have a Hobart Handler 135, which is identical to the Miller 135, and made by Miller. It has the gas conversion kit, no dolly, had gun and cable and some consumables (tips). I paid just over $600, including an auto-darkening good quality helmet/shield, chipping hammer, couple of big rolls of wire (flux core and plain) and a spool gun for aluminum wire (alumimnum wire tends to bend up and bind in the cable, so you feed wire at the gun).

I ran about 50' of learning beads and spot welds, butt and angle welds, and went out and built 4 wrought iron handrails with loose parts (birdcage newels and spindles, 3.4" uchannel top and bottom frame, rail cap, and rail cap returns). It came out really nice (IMHO), but you've got to have a good grinder or two.

I did all that with flux core wire, but I've tried somebody else's gas shield Hobart 135, and it runs a MUCH nicer bead, much cleaner with very little spatter, and seems to get better penetration.

I've welded 3/8" with mine, but I chamfered the edges to thin the meat, and used two passes on the bead. when I cut it apart, I had excellent penetration.

I went with a 120v machine so I could take my 2500w generator and welder into the field. Both sit together in a 3-4sqft footprint (gen uses a vertical shaft motor with spark maker underneath). 135amp is about as big as 120v MIG welders get.

Now if I just had a TIG, and a torch, and a plasma cutter, and one of those nifty tube notchers that uses hole saws, and a 3hp die grinder......

Quite the setup for trail repairs <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> !

So, it sounds like overall you're pretty happy with it??

That does sound like a nice setup.

Back to the original question, you can find some good deals on used equipment. A lot of guys like the idea of a welder, but they never actually use it after they get it. The auto-darkening helmets can be had pretty cheap, these days, too.
Some companies (and a lot of my friends) recommend that you lern to weld angle iron and make your own cart. I thought it was a little tough for a first project, but it is a cool project. On the other hand, Lowe's has given me grief about returns and service, before, and the local Home Depot has always been very cool about stuff like that.

Good luck! I used to use some very nice Lincoln and Miller welders (and plasma cutters and acetylene torches and...) at work. I always look at the small welders and think 'Oh, I can't weld 1/2" plate for 4 straight hours with THAT!' Duh. I won't need to. And neither will you. Find a friend that can weld and practice. It's a lot of fun.

I have a hobart handeler and I think its great!

Dont use it all that much but when i need its worth every cent I paid.

I had a doubt about my converter.. Thought it might be restricted. However no way to see in side unless I cut the pipe.

Good thing I had the welder to put it back together.

Kevin