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Hi everyone. The local tool store is having their big annual welding sale this week and I am thinking about buying a small mig welder to have around the shop to make custom sign brackets and real estate sign holders, & A-frames etc. All pretty much light duty welding. Even though I do have a 220 volt power supply I think that I want to get a 120 volt machine for portability. I am looking at the millermatic 135, the hobart handler 140 or the lincoln sp135. Any suggestions?
-------------------- Julio Tome Affordable Graphic DeSIGNS Co. Surrey, B.C. email@affordablesigns.ca Posts: 34 | From: Surrey, B.C. | Registered: May 2004
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Hi Dale. Since you have both of those miller machines, I was wondering which one you use more? Do you like the millermatic 135? Would you recommend it for a small sign shop or is it not adequate enough?
-------------------- Julio Tome Affordable Graphic DeSIGNS Co. Surrey, B.C. email@affordablesigns.ca Posts: 34 | From: Surrey, B.C. | Registered: May 2004
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I've used the Miller 90, 110, and love them both. Great for light (and sometimes medium welding) I am sure what you are looking at would be great for what you are describing.
Bob K.
-------------------- "The 3-4 minute mark of "Freewill" by Rush.
Bob Kaschak Artisan Sign And Design Peru New York Posts: 1875 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Jul 2002
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I have the Lincoln sp-135 and really have a blast using it.
If you pick the Miller or the Lincoln, either way you will be happy with your purchase.
Just make sure you get a CO/Argon blend gas and regular welding wire. The flux core stuff will spatter all over your work and require lots of clean-up.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I just bought a Hobart Handler 180 over the weekend. It is 220 v and ranges from 25 amps to 180. Hobart has been sold to Miller recently and a lot of parts had Miller logos on them. I bought an entire boxed kit with welder, cart, 20 cf bottle, guages, auto darkening helmet, two spools of wire and a few more things for $729. I bought it at TSC (Tractor Supply Co.) This is the first time I have ever mig welded. I usually use my old 335 amp arc welder. They say if you get a teflon liner, use 100% argon, and use aluminum wire you can mig aluminum. I'm gonna try it.
-------------------- Jerry VanHorn, Pres. Pure Sports Designs, LLC Pro Sign Design / United Wholesale Signs www.prosigndesign.comwww.unitedwholesalesigns.com West Liberty, OH 937-465-0595 866-942-3990 Since 1990 Posts: 925 | From: West :Liberty, OH | Registered: May 2004
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whether you purchase a Miller, a Hobart (which is now owned by Miller) or a Lincoln, you cant go wrong with any of these three brands. Any other brand is questionable whether you will be able to find parts readily available or service for that matter, I have a Miller TIG machine and love the heck out of it and I also have a Lincoln portable MIG welder and that thing hasnt let me down yet.
Like Mike said, spend the extra money and get yourself the upgrade kit to work with the Argon/CO2 gas on the portable MIG welder. The only advantage to flux cored MIG welding is that you can use it outdoors effectively, whereas the gas/wire method will let you down if the slightest wind kicks up while your welding. So if your looking to be able to use this MIG welder outdoors I recommend that you keep the flux cored wire setup.
GOOD LUCK!!
Wait till you see all the things you didnt think you needed it for before you had it.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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I had a 110v machined (to small for some 1/4" Material)and changed it for a 220 (hobart175). Need only 20amps at 220v and my generator could supply that so it made it really portable and I can still do big jobs.
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I have both Miller and Lincoln machines all 220 volt and heavy duty.
Personally I would stay away from Hobart... too many plastic parts from what I hear. My buddy wasn't very happy with his.
I would go with the 220 as well instead of the 110 version... to light to be of much use in my experience. You will always end up doing heavier work than you currently plan to now.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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I went to welding school and all we used was Miller and Lincoln. Both brands are excellent but I think that gererally Millers were a little bit smoother and nicer to use.Buy the "biggest" you can afford.
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dennis...you and harris bothers.....????????????????? heheheheheheehehehehe
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Julio, We use the Millermatic 250 80% of the time. It has a longer duty cycle. If you're just doing small stuff it's overkill (I would never admit that to the wife though)
The smaller one is good for lighter work (thin plate 24 gauge to 3/16")
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Thanks for the input guys! Anybody else had any experience with this size of machine? I actually went to another sign shop today and they had a millermatic 135 with a spoolmate spool gun to weld aluminium, that they used to make awnings. Like I said before I liked the fact that I could plug it into any 120 volt outlet and use it. I think because when I bought my compressor I started off with a direct drive 15 gallon and when I brought it home I had second thoughts so I returned it for a 25 gallon belt drive compressor. I brought that one home and thought hmmm for only $100 more... so back to home depot I went and returned with a 60 gallon belt driven, twin cylinder, cast iron pump compressor. Now granted the larger compressor is awsome, and it will run all the tools I hook up to it including air grinders, but their are times when I'll be somewhere or even in the back yard when I could use a compressor but I cant because its not portable, and I think to myself I should stayed with the smaller unit. So I think that is why I want a smaller welder. I dont think I will ever weld a large trailer, or a chopper frame or stuff like that. I just need it for general sign making stuff like coro sign holders for real estate signs, sign brackets etc. So anyways anyone else have an opinion on those models? The prices are hobart handler 140 $649cdn including cart & electronic helmet, millermatatic 135 $769cdn including cart & electronic helmet or a lincoln sp 135t special ordered thru home depot for $750cdn but not cart or helmet. all come ready for gas welding. Any suggestions.
-------------------- Julio Tome Affordable Graphic DeSIGNS Co. Surrey, B.C. email@affordablesigns.ca Posts: 34 | From: Surrey, B.C. | Registered: May 2004
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Just a reminder Julio... When you weld outside you have to go to a flux core wire. Gas shielding doesn't work very well in the wind. I use my 220 volt welders all over my 1 1/2 acre yard when I am building fences and such... that's what cords are for.
Now we have four welding plugs at critical points in the yard so I no longer have to string out miles of the heavy cable.
Welders are best used in the shop where there's no danger of tipping things over, especially the bottles which can become litteral missiles if you knock the valves off. Be careful!
I use my suitcase wire feed unit and smaller (but still very heavy duty) power unit on a small trailer behind the lawn tractor so everything is nice and stable and SAFE!
Welding out in the yard is also a great way to attract attention both from the neighborhood kids and unwanted authorities. Watch everyones eyes. Welding isn't legal in many residential communities. I'd keep it under wraps in the garage as much as possible.
Have fun with your purchase. You will find it gets much more use than you ever imagined!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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If you can afford a larget unit, go for it.
Even with the small units, portability flies right out the window real quick.
1. The small welders are 50lbs - still not exactly portable to carry any decent distance.
2. You'll need to carry the grounding cable and torch cable in your other hand, which means.....
3. you won't have a free hand to carry the gas cylinder with you, not that you could actually lift the cylinder to begin with because of its weight.
So, since you'll have to buy or build a cart to wheel the welder/cylinder around anyway, a larger unit makes sense if you can afford it.
If you want to weld aluminum, that spool gun is your best bet to keep the wire from getting caught in the torch cable. Now I kinda wish I could weld aluminum but at the time I bought the welder I figured by the time I was ready to weld aluminum I'd already have a TIG welder - hasn't happened yet.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I have a 6000 watt generator ($550 from Lowes) with 220 plug. I made a cord to go from the generator to my arc welder (330 amps) and am able to weld anywhere.
-------------------- Jerry VanHorn, Pres. Pure Sports Designs, LLC Pro Sign Design / United Wholesale Signs www.prosigndesign.comwww.unitedwholesalesigns.com West Liberty, OH 937-465-0595 866-942-3990 Since 1990 Posts: 925 | From: West :Liberty, OH | Registered: May 2004
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I would use anyone but Old Paints brand because his is not thumb compatible
-------------------- Gavin Chachere Plotter in the garage,New Orleans La.
"Sgts Shugart and Gordon again request permission to rope down to crash site two" Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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