I am looking to do some body work replace the floor panels that are rusted out. Was looking at getting a welder from harbor freight and was wondering if I could get any suggestions to the type I should be looking at for this kind of work
What type of welder?
- Thread starter Seanu30
- Start date
Flyer58
YJ Addict
I bought a Harbor Freight Vulcan 220 MIG welder used and it's done everything I need from floor pan, sheet metal, and frame patches.
Watch out for the smaller MIG welders because I found the wire is hot all the time when the welder is turned on and the trigger only controls the wire feed. You could get some unexpected lightning if you touch the wrong thing.
Look into PrimeWeld welders because they have a 3 year warranty which you be hard pressed to find anywhere else and they get great reviews. I bought one of their plasma cutting torches at a big discount during the Black Friday sale and I'm very pleased with it.
At that price most are Chinese made but to get one made in the USA (maybe) it's well over $1000.
Watch out for the smaller MIG welders because I found the wire is hot all the time when the welder is turned on and the trigger only controls the wire feed. You could get some unexpected lightning if you touch the wrong thing.
Look into PrimeWeld welders because they have a 3 year warranty which you be hard pressed to find anywhere else and they get great reviews. I bought one of their plasma cutting torches at a big discount during the Black Friday sale and I'm very pleased with it.
At that price most are Chinese made but to get one made in the USA (maybe) it's well over $1000.
Stoopid Jeep
YJ Enthusiast
If you can swing it, the Hobart Handler 190 with spool runner is hard to beat. I bought the Handler 140 because I only have 120v in my shop right now. (also it was cheaper) The 140 has been a great little welder but there is no spool gun available so there is no option for welding aluminum with it.
Setting that aside, I have been 100% satisfied with my little handler 140. If you are just looking for a 110v suitcase mig, the 140 is a great option.
Setting that aside, I have been 100% satisfied with my little handler 140. If you are just looking for a 110v suitcase mig, the 140 is a great option.
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Flyer58
YJ Addict
One more thing is there's a 1000 hours of youtube videos out there for comp airing welders or reviewing them along with different methods for performing each weld you'll need to do.
Watch all of them.
Watch all of them.
I have a Hobart 140 and a 230. I started with the 140 which works good for 1/4” or less. I can weld aluminum with it but need to make sure that the hose is kept straight and you will need a separate tank of Argon gas. The main down side of the 140 or any 110v welder is the limited settings available. I love the 230 as it obviously has more power for welding thicker material for a longer period of time and has more settings available.
The cost of a welder is just the beginning you will need to factor in the cost of a gas tank, a welder cart, a good helmet along with other supplies. I also picked up a small welding table from Northern Tool which came with clamps and fixtures.
I personally would stay away from Chinese stuff due to the fact that there is no support when you need parts such as a new liner for the wire. This is a long term investment so the cost will be amortized over a long time.
The cost of a welder is just the beginning you will need to factor in the cost of a gas tank, a welder cart, a good helmet along with other supplies. I also picked up a small welding table from Northern Tool which came with clamps and fixtures.
I personally would stay away from Chinese stuff due to the fact that there is no support when you need parts such as a new liner for the wire. This is a long term investment so the cost will be amortized over a long time.
Stoopid Jeep
YJ Enthusiast
You can weld aluminum with the 140?
Are you using a spool gun? ( I couldn't find that is compatible)
I would love to have the ability to make minor aluminum repairs.
Please tell me more.
Yes I’ve used it to make short aluminum welds. The lead must be kept as straight as possible and I put on a new tip.The wire does jam once in while but it gets the job done. The down side is that I need to switch to a tank of Argon gas. I bought the 140 used and it came with standard gas and Argon gas tanks.The 140 served me well for a lot of years but the 230 is far superior. I have not used the 230 for aluminum but I would need to use a spool gun because the lead is much longer so the resistance on the aluminum wire would be too great.
Below is the setup label on the 140.
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