Time for a new MIG Welder- Buy New or Used?

My $80 HF fluxcore E36 M3box is well, well past its' prime. It's been broken and cobbled together in every possible way, and made many an exhaust repair, but with a rally car purchase on the horizon, it's time for a big boy welder.

Requirements: Gas shielded, 115V household current. Can weld roll cage tubing, 1/8" plate, you know, racecar stuff. The cheaper the better, max budget without the tank of around $400.

I see a number of "entry level" welders around this price. Most of what's on craiglist looks pretty beat. Is this something I want to buy new? Anyone have one of the latest cheapy Eastwood/Hobart/Lincolns and love/hate it?

I love my Lincoln 185, but it falls out of your budget and power requirements.

I do not know who actually makes some of the off-brand models but what I advise is to make sure that they use common consumables. This includes the Weld cable since the liners do wear out.

If buying used, you want it to come from a guy who had it in his shop cause he had a project and has not used it since. If used commercially, it will be wore out.

I would stick to Lincoln or Miller if it were me, regardless of new or used.

NOHOME wrote: I would stick to Lincoln or Miller if it were me, regardless of new or used.

^this

Bought a new Millermatic 185 on closeout back in the day. Commercial machine, 60% duty cycle, 3/8" single pass, turn it down for auto body. Ran over 100 lbs. of wire through it w/ no problem. Older machine now, maybe CL has some.

I've heard good thinks about the Hobart handler 140. We used to have a similar sized Lincoln and it was nice as well. That's all I got.

I have the Eastwood MIG 135. I have no complaints so far. My welding skills aren't great but the welder seems to work well. I have never used any other welders so I can't comment on how much better/worse it is.

Visit your community college and\or local fabrication places. Strike up a conversation. Sometimes they'll sell used equipment, or know someone who is.

I know two people with Hobarts, but neither of them welds anything with them I wouldn't do with my fluxcore, so I'm not sure if their use is any indication of anything. Copy that on Lincoln and Miller, I've heard nothing but good things.

Evan, what have you welded with the Eastwood? My primary concern is getting something I can dial in for sheet metal, exhaust tubing, plate, etc and not run into limitations with the current and wire speed.

Also check out your local welding supply. They will sometimes have a good deal on a used trade in or demo model. They are also a great source for learning about used machines since they sell the consumables.

I have a nice Lincoln SP-125 I'll sell you. It meets all of your requirements. I just now need something bigger. Let me know if you are interested.
I'm not sure what to ask for it. I paid $650 for it new, and it's pretty much like new, but I haven't looked to see what they are going for. I'm sure we could work something out under your $400 limit.

In reply to ¯_(ツ)_/¯:

I have welded exhaust, 1/8-1/4" plate and angle iron, 1/8" wall (I think) tubing to sheet metal for a dash bar brace, some more 3/4x3/4 square tubing for a skidplate mount. I haven't done much sheet metal yet.

In reply to bravenrace:

Maybe? It would probably depend on whether we're ever in the same place at the same time, shipping probably wouldn't be cost effective.

I have a Miller 140 that was $750 with the bottle and cart that has done everything I have ever asked of it. I've put probably 30 of the 10lb spools of .030 or .024 thru it doing everything from roll cages to exhaust to sheetmetal in both regular and stainless. It works as well today as it did when new and I've only ever replaced the tips and the liner (once).

I made a couple E36 roll bars and sold them to pay for it so I didn't have to buy a cheap junker. I'm still not sorry. I bought a cheap ass TIG and that hasn't worked out so well.

I have an Eastwood 135 and love it. I have welded sheet metal with it and it worked fine. I am by no means a pro welder though. I have also used a Hobart 140 and it worked great as well.

I've had 2 of the Lincoln 135s. Been happy with both. Last winter I bought the Eastwood 185/spool gun/plasma cutter combo for just over a grand. I like the Eastwood better than the Lincolns. Of course having a machine that runs on 220V makes all the difference in the world. Roll cage welds go down like butter.

I've got the Eastwood basic 110v MIG. I forget the model name, but I bought it about 4 years ago so it may have changed, anyway.

I've been very pleased with it. It is easy to weld with and it has been pretty durable. I haven't welded any roll cages with it, but I've done some fairly thick stuff with some success. I've mostly used it for sheet metal repairs. I'm just a hobbyist, though, so I have no idea if it would hold up in a more intense shop environment.

I had a leaking hose near the end of the 3 year warranty period and Eastwood sent me a new one with no hassle.

fasted58 wrote:

NOHOME wrote: I would stick to Lincoln or Miller if it were me, regardless of new or used.

^this turn it down for auto body.

I think it would surprise many that I do most of my tin-work with the welder set on the"C" position with max output being "E" on a Lincoln.

With tin, you wont be running any kind of a bead, just one fast trigger pull that puts a dot of molten steel on the seam. You want that one dot to go all the way through the panels. The trick to tin is to go in hot and control with trigger time. I keep telling people who want to learn how to do tin that they have to be able to count to two.

I spent $350, I believe, on my 120V Lincoln flux core welder earlier this year. I think you should go this route because no one wants to sell a good used one for $200-$300.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: I've heard good thinks about the Hobart handler 140. We used to have a similar sized Lincoln and it was nice as well. That's all I got.

I've got one that I purchased on sale from Northern Tool and it has performed flawlessly over the last two years. Every once in a while I wish I had more power not enough to justify the additional costs of a bigger machine.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: I've heard good thinks about the Hobart handler 140. We used to have a similar sized Lincoln and it was nice as well. That's all I got.

+1

So easy, a five year old can use it

(this one is now seven, but the picture is from when he was five)

I bought a MIG and Plasma from Northern Tool. It was less money than a typical new high-end name, but I have been pleased as punch with it. Nice units.

In reply to tuna55: Man... Wish I had you as a dad growing up...

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: Requirements: Gas shielded, 115V household current. Can weld roll cage tubing

Umm. . . that is a tough one. Anybody I know that works on cages is not running 120V.

Hobart is basically Miller's off brand. Plastic wheels, maybe assembled in China, I've had excellent service from the Hobarts I have used.

In reply to tuna55:

That photo should be used for an ad

NGTD wrote:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: Requirements: Gas shielded, 115V household current. Can weld roll cage tubing

Umm. . . that is a tough one. Anybody I know that works on cages is not running 120V.

Curmudgeon and I have done two cages with 120V. Either his Lincoln or my Hobart.

Hit the pawn shops. I picked up my Hobart 140 for $200. Throw a piece of scrap steel in you trunk to test it on. It took me about 2 months to find mine.