i would like to know what kind of welder to get, so i can do repairs on my maverick. i am only looking to do my own repairs,and saw some ones at this junk store (harbor freight). they had, arc,mig and easy mig. all under $200. i spent 30 years in machine shops, but only used a tig welder when i had to, and had not a minute of training. the welding i did was to make fixtures and was on thick steel. i worked as a cnc machinist-programmer.( i miss working! this ###### muscle disease) try to keep it simple, as i have a simple mind and i drive a simple car.
Get a mig welder, but you need to realize that most 110v migs draw upwards of 18-20 amps and will require their own dedicated circuit (at least 20 amps). Don't bother with an easymig/gasless unit. You'll be able to do a much better job if you get one with a regulator and sheilding gas. Most important, practice a lot before you do anything on your car. Good luck,
I had a Lincoln Weldpac 100 for many years and it did an outstanding job on many cars. I can highly recommend it.
i have a welder i bought from harbor freight about 8 years ago, still works fine. not a heavy duty unit but i've done repairs to the trailer and stuff like that. harbor freight is a pretty good store. not a junk store. i bought 2 batteries for my makita there last sunday. i guess if i made my living every day from tools i would buy a better brand but there good for the backyard mechanic.
I've got a Hobart Handler 175 (220v) works great and compact in size you can setup to weld either gasless or with gas. A TIG welder and a Plasma cutter are on my wish list!
The little 100-175 amp machines are great for small jobs, with .023 wire they're super for bodywork. If all you're going to do are small jobs and general car repair then you'll be happy with one and it would be a waste of money to buy a larger machine. What I would do is go to a welding supply house, most places have demo machines so you can try different welders before you buy. Just remember, anything can break, so pick a machine thats easy to get parts for: Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, all are good- easy to repair if you ever have problems.
NO, its a mig. They probably dont make that specific model any more but I believe its the same family as the SP series. You might be able to find a used one at a decent price.
Something you might look into are the finance plans that some companys offer on their welders. Miller has a purchase plan that I used, made it easier to buy a nicer machine. Was even easier to buy the second......
I don't think they make the sp125 anymore.. they make a sp100 which is gassless (uses the innercore wire) that you can buy a conversion kit to upgrade to MIG.. the next one up is the sp135 and sp135+, all 115V, then the sp175 which is 220V.. Personally, I'd go for the MIG welder as opposed the the gassless (Called FCAW, Flux Core Arc Welding), as it looks much neater, and there is no slag to remove.. Plus you can weld thinner metal with it. It's much better for body panels, plus the CO2 that you use for shielding gas is pretty cheap.
I've been eyeballing this setup: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00920740000 It's currently out of stock. A couple of weeks ago they had a rebate so shipping was free. Sucks that they can't deliver free to the store ...
Looks pretty good.. Hobarts a good welder. At Lowe's they have a Lincoln SP135 for $457. I've used that welder before and it works really well.
