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Introductory welder for my son?

blu67

blu67

Well-Known Member
My son has been learning welding in his high school and has been doing pretty well even though COVID has limited the amount of time he gets in the shop at school. I'm going to get him his own safety gear but would like to get an inexpensive mig welder for him to practice with at home. Are the welders from HF worth buying even for the purpose I am intending to get it for? I just want him to get more practice in and hone his skills. He has an aptitude to it and seems to totally focus when he gets involved with welding, grinding, cutting, etc. and my wife and I want to encourage him. Thoughts?
 
A cheap welder is not the type to learn on. If he wants to be a “welder”, get a quality unit.


Mark
 
I would agree with mark.

If he's serious about it no point in wasting money on a harbor freight job, only to have to buy a better one later.

Get one he can really grow into.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk
 
So, are there any recommendations for a welder that won't break the bank but is of good quality?
 
blu67 said:
So, are there any recommendations for a welder that won't break the bank but is of good quality?
Click to expand...

Sure, but it depends on max $$ you’re willing to part with. You could check locally for used equipment and buy better for less. I bought a 120V Daytona MIG back in 96 and I still use it! Sadly, they’re out of business, but the consumables are readily available. Lincoln, MillerMatic are really nice but pricey.


Mark
 
msell66 said:
A cheap welder is not the type to learn on. If he wants to be a “welder”, get a quality unit.
Mark
Click to expand...

Well , to certain extend I am with Mark.
Depends on how focused he is.
I wouldn't buy the cheapest but would buy a cheap one and see what he can do with it.
It will be a struggle but if he can weld with a lesser good welder , what can he do with with a pro-welder ?
I personnally think he learns more about welding with a cheap welder and will profit later on with a pro-welder.
MHO.

A good welder has always work/income and can easily make money after hours.
Or have an own business but then the paperwork comes along.
 
First question is 120 or 220 for power available. The latter is better but the former can suffice. The stuff at HF is much better than it used to be. They still have some crap but also some more than decent units. The Chinese are good at stealing/copying tech and the modern welding stuff is no exception. What I would strongly recommend is to get a unit that has adjustability beyond just static set points for voltage and wire feed. Or at least a real pot for the speed. So many variables really require that kind of adjustment to not just make a good weld but also learn what is happening and how to correct or improve upon it. Also, make sure it is capable of using shielding gas. Learning (or trying to learn) on a flux set-up was a disaster for me. Check your local supply options for gas. It can get pricey. You need to get a tank to start and then understand the refill costs. Around here the major suppliers want to get you into a rental agreement that gets costly. I found a place online that I used to get myself started on a bottle for my TIG set-up. So much cheaper. Hundreds. I was shocked they could ship a 120 lb bottle but they did.
 
The HF Titanium MIG 140 looks like exactly what I wrote about earlier. You can find all kinds of reviews on it online. I wouldn't be afraid of giving it a shot. You'd spend at least a couple/few hundred more for the same level machine features from the big name brands. This is the kind of unit he will never out grow and will do anything he/you may ever need to do short of full time professional job duty.
 
His school uses Miller equipment exclusively so he IS learning on really excellent stuff. I just want him to be able to practice at home since he is only going into class 2 days a week right now. Of course, learning on Miller and then coming home and practicing on HF could be a challenge but you never know.....
 
If he had something along the lines of that one I wrote about you'd be surprised, I'd bet.
 
blu67 said:
His school uses Miller equipment exclusively so he IS learning on really excellent stuff. I just want him to be able to practice at home since he is only going into class 2 days a week right now. Of course, learning on Miller and then coming home and practicing on HF could be a challenge but you never know.....
Click to expand...
You are probably correct.

Maybe look in to buying a good used Miller. Pawn shops? Craigslist? Facebook market?

Mel

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Good used welders are REALLY hard to come by. Those you find typically need some new parts, etc. to get back to decent condition. Keep that in mind when pricing stuff.

Another thought, don't get hung up on "brand continuity" either. Even if every Miller Model X set at x, y and z did function exactly the same (they don't) he may be better off with a second practice unit at home that IS DIFFERENT for the very reason he needs to learn how to weld and it would be beneficial in that process to have to understand what is happening and then what adjustments to make and how to make them to correct any issues when welding. The most difficult part of learning to weld, IMHO, is being able to deduce what is happening when things aren't right and what to do to fix it. There are so many variables each and every time you fire it up a good welder can sort it all out. A great machine doesn't make a great operator. Nor does an average machine prevent a good welder from having success. They are just tools the operator makes them work.
 
First and foremost, you need to be sure your home electrical outlet will handle the welder. I notice a difference with the 15 AMP circuits versus the 20 amp circuits (12-2 wire) when welding heavier material.

I got my first mig ~2001, paid about $600 for a "Weldmark" 135. It's really a Lincoln 135 Plus, has all the Lincoln markings on the inside, just painted gray and Weldmark logo on the outside. Not sure if Weldmark is still around, but they seemed to relabel different brand machines in the early 2000s.

I have a second garage now and wanted to get a second MIG. Inexpensive but not cheap was what I was after. Since I already had a 135 amp machine, really wanted a 175-180 machine. I almost got the Eastwood machine (~$530 with spool gun for aluminum), but ended up finding a Jegs 180 for under $300 and got that since I really wasn't planning on any aluminum work. I've only had it about 6 months, but so far it's been fine. It requires 220V electric. The ground cable and torch cables are shorter than the better units, but other than that it seems to work fine. Also, it didn't come with a settings chart to reference, so ended up using a Lincoln table for voltage and speed settings which seem to be reasonably close.

JEGS 81541: MIG/Arc Welder, 180C [220V AC] - JEGS

MIG/Arc Welder, 180C [220V AC]
www.jegs.com www.jegs.com
 
These are all good points to consider. Thank you, everyone. I've got some research to do...
 
Hobart Handler 140 is the most versatile welder you can buy IMO. I bought one Christmas 2019 at Tractor supply for 450. Got them to price match a sell Rural King had on them.


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I looked around and went with the Mig 135 from Eastwood. Good reviews and good for novice learners. Good for sheet metal work which is exactly what I want to learn on and my son can practice his skills. The fact that it has a 3 year warranty helps too. Looking forward to my first attempts at using it and the kid teaching me a couple of things along the way. Good learning for both of us together.
 
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I can't wait for the full review Chris. I need to pick up a unit and work on my welding skills too, I will let you be the Guinea pig! Make sure you keep us updated.
 
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