Northern Industrial MIG Welder - 115 Volt, 22-135 Amp, Model# MIG 135 Review

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(More customer reviews)Got one of these when Northern had a store wide sale, priced right, took a little adjusting to and after a month, the feed for the wire inside quit, so I returned it for a new unit. Works well, but a little touchy on the range for the feed rate. Seems to blow out the circuits in my garage (on a dedicated line) when running on high for any "extended" times, like longer than five minutes. It took a little bit of finagling to get it set-up, but does a decent job otherwise. I used both the flux core wire and eventually bought an airtank for "no slag" welds. I'm used to the Hobart 135 (now the 140 series) which I use a fair amount at work. It is a lot more forgiving, and I'm selling this and getting one of the new Hobarts. Last I checked, Northern didn't have these on their website, but may still be the stores. Good deal if you want an inexpensive, basic set-up. Welds thin gauge to 1/4", but anything bigger, you'll need more power.

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The MIG 135 welder from Northern delivers industrial quality and performance at an affordable price. Can be used right out of the box with included flux core wire, or with shielding gas. Versatile MIG unit handles mild steel, aluminum and stainless steel. Protected by a 3-year limited warranty. Volts: 115, Amps: 135, Duty Cycle: 20% at 88 Amps, 115V, Mig Ready: Yes, Wire Feed Speed Control: Yes, Weldable Metals: Steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Weld Thickness (in.): 22 guage to 3/16, Clamp Cable Length (ft.): 10 ground cable and removable MIG gun, Regulator and Gas Hose Included: Yes, Shielding Gas Required: No for Flux core, yes for solid wires, Welding Wire Diameter (in.): Solid wire - 0.23, 0.30, 0.35; Flux core - 0.30, 0.35, Power Cord (ft.): 8, Cart: No, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 17 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 14 3/4

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Lincoln Electric K1170 AC225S Stick Welder Review

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(More customer reviews)I received this unit a few days ago.
It only took about 30 minutes to assemble the electrodes and strike an arc.
This is a proven, quality designed welder that will do everything most home or farm shop users will need for welding. The design is a proven design from the 1930's and 1940's. It is sturdy, reliable, and, isn't hampered by "digital hocus-pocus." You turn it on, adjust the control to the correct voltage and weld . . . . You don't have to spend days of your valuable life memorizing arcane sequences of digital button inputs to get it work . . . . A BIG PLUS!
You won't be able to weld pipelines, 8 inch I beams, or, heavy duty frame joints. However, it is more than adequate for 99% of sheet metal fabrications and repairs, or, simple angle iron constructions in a home, farm or small business shop.
The helmet is enough to get started, but, I wouldn't rely on it for more than practice. It took almost a half an hour to assemble, and, it is so flimsy it is likely to break (especially the ratchet) after a few good swipes moving it up or down on your head with your gloved paw.
I purchased another welding helmet with a solar activated auto-darkening feature. I purchased the Auto-Helm pro-series helmet on Amazon and it has every feature one could want in an auto-darkening helmet. Auto-Helm Pro-Series Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets New
These take a little getting used to, but, they have become an indispensible tool for anyone who is welding even on an occasional basis. If nothing else, they allow you to focus more of your attention on safety and proper welding that if you constantly have to raise and lower your visor and adjust your helmet.
This package does not come with gloves, I purchased an excellent pair of Hobart's at a VERY reasonable price here on Amazon. Hobart 770439 Rust/Black Welding Gloves
I also purchased the wheel package for the welder. It isn't available on Amazon, but, you can get it for about $11.00 plus shipping at most online welding supply places. You will need the wheel kit for, if nothing else, safety purposes so that you can reposition this unit away from flammables (inlcuding wooden walls and woodwork in your garage). This unit ships by freight at about 120 lbs. and you need the wheels to move it around.
To use this welder, you will need a 220/250 line. I had three outlets installed in my garage at a cost of about $125.00. It uses a standard NEMA 6-50 plug and any qualified electrician can wire your shop for it.
Some DO'S and DON'TS:
DO shop around for the best price. Most retailers simply drop ship from one of Lincoln's facilities. You are paying the retailer mostly just for marketing and order taking. I was able to find it for $60.00 cheaper than the lowest price available here.
DON'T overlook the safety brochure. Give yourself time to experiment with this unit and get used to welding in your own personal evironment. It may be a light duty welder, but, at a max output of 225 volts in can pack one heck of a wallop if not properly grounded, etc.
DO purchase a good welding manual: The best I could find for refreshing my Vo-Tech course I took five years ago is "Welding Essentials - Questions and Answers." This book has ALL of the important fundamentals of welding and will help you troubleshoot your efforts at home or in your shop. Welding Essentials
DON'T be in a hurry to strike your first arc with this unit. I took at least a couple of hours to review the safety brochure and my welding manual(s) before striking an arc. I practiced moving around the electrodes in the shop without the unit being plugged in. Then, I practiced again with the unit plugged in and the switch off.
DO make your welding area safe from flammables. My first use of this was to weld an electrical socket onto the back of my tractor. I used a pneumatic wire brush to clean the surface on the tractor to which I was welding the socket. I then cleaned it with mineral spirits to fully degrease the metal. I left the towels which had only a little mineral spirits on them from the cleaning, and, forgot they were tucked into the tracks of the crawler; the first arc ignited them from a distance of about a foot. DO have a fire extinguisher very close by . . . I was lucky to have such a gentle reminder of the need for safety when arc-welding.
I successfully welded my socket to the tractor - backwards - I was so focused on being safe that I didn't notice I had clamped it backwards before welding it.DON'T screw the pooch! Have fun.

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The Lincoln electric AC-225 compact stick welder produces an extremely smooth AC arc for welding a wide variety of materials including carbon, low alloy and stainless steels as well as cast iron. Ideal for home, farm, shop, repair and maintenance, build-up welding and light fabrication. Easy to install with attached input power cable and NEMA 6-50P plug, plus it's easy to operate: a full range 40-225 Amp selector switch quickly sets the welding current and ensures a uniform arc each and every time you weld. Smooth arc makes it easy to weld with different electrodes, including mild steel, low hydrogen, stainless steel and hardfacing electrodes. U.S.A. Volts: 230, Amps: 40 - 225, Duty Cycle: 225A / 25V / 20%, Amperage Adjustments: 40 - 225, Range Selection: 40 - 225, Weldable Metals: Carbon, low alloy, stainless steel, cast iron, Weld Thickness (in.): Up to 1/4, Electrode Size (in.): 3/32 to 5/32, Electrode Cable Length (ft.): 10, Clamp Cable Length (ft.): 10, Power Cord (ft.): 6, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 12 x 17 1/4 x 24

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Hobart 500500 Handler 140 115-Volt 25-to-140 Amp Gas/Metal/Arc Single-Phase Wire Welding Package Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this machine (Hobart Handler 140) more than a year ago and have put it through its paces. It comes with the regulator, switch and hose so you only need the tank. Of course you can use flux core without the tank. Remember that you can get away with welding stainless with Argon but Trimix or an Argon/CO2 mix it recommended. I already had a helmet etc. so another $120 for a new full R40 Argon tank and I was MIG welding aluminum.
This is a fully functional MIG welder that runs on 115V (20 amps) current. It is well made and I haven't had any problems with durability or malfunctions, it is quite reliable in that respect. It is quite portable and I like the safety switch which is only live when you're actually welding. I also called support once (about the liner) and they were prompt and helpful. It does have one tiny annoyance that the door latch is made of plastic and doesn't usually latch properly, but since the door hangs down when closed anyway, it really doesn't matter.
I've welded various thicknesses of mild steel, Stainless and Aluminum with it and, for the most part, it has performed as advertised. I've also used both the 1lb roles and the 10lb rolls. One tiny problem, the spring is a bit too long on the small rolls and you have to put the lock nut for them on backwards in order to get low enough friction if you're using aluminum wire.
The machine does indeed weld 3/16" steel in one pass if you go very slow and have a smooth technique. If you are looking for something to weld heavy steel often, get a stick welder for half the money, or move to a 220 machine that will run heavier wire. With respect to heavy steel, I wanted this machine just for occasional smaller welds and it delivers there. On light sheet, it is like a glue gun for metal and fully in its element. It comes with Miller type tips but I actually prefer the shorter, flat nosed, Lincoln tips (which fit perfectly) for steel.
I've also welded a lot of stainless in the 12-18 ga range with it and it has been great at that as well.
Welding aluminum with this machine, as with every MIG except a spool gun in this power range, is a tedious process. On thinner material, you need to be very fast and very smooth. On thicker material, it can be really good IF you have good karma, think happy thoughts and have everything right - see below. If you're buying it primarily to weld aluminum though - this is not the appropriate class of machine for you. Depending on what you want to do, look for a 220 machine with intelligent speed control, or a TIG, or even a henrob torch or Al "brazing" rods. No matter how good you are, it is a pain and you'll end up with at least a few bird's nests per project with this machine.
How to weld heavier aluminum with this machine.
1. use a .045 tip. The machine only takes .030 aluminum wire and they recommend a .035 tip for aluminum but it isn't big enough. You really need to move to the .045 tip for aluminum or you aren't going to weld more than a couple of minutes before you start a bird's nest factory. Tips are only about a buck a piece.
2. Keep the gun hose very straight, especially on the machine end. This is tedious and difficult sometimes but it makes a big difference.
3. Use 5 series wire (e.g. 5356 - app. $5/lb. from several online sources like weldingsupply) instead of the 4043
that you see at home depot or harbor freight. Especially at the highest amperage, the 4043 is virtually unuseable in this machine (at least without a lot of headaches), even with the nylon liner. One annoying thing is that the 5356 is harder to feed near the end of the role and will be more prone to kinking. The 5356 does seem to require a slight bit more heat so you need to always push the weld and go slow on thicker material - ideally with the material flat. This machine rates at 5-10 amps more than the other machines on the market (140 vs. 130-135). It doesn't sound like much of an advantage but I read elsewhere that you can't get penetration with the 5356 in 115V machines and that just isn't true with this machine. I have a 450 gal 1/8" aluminum hot tub to prove it.
4. Use a nylon liner if you plan to weld a lot of aluminum. They are $17-$25, mine is from Miller. Also make sure that it is perfectly cut and aligned to the drive wheel.
5. Make sure that the aluminum is very clean.
In general, it is a good machine with good support and versatility. In its niche, it is a very good choice in relation to the other brands. I don't give it all the stars really only because they should be a bit more up front in their advertising that while it does weld aluminum, the machine (like others in its class) really isn't a great choice for that.

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Hobart\'s 500500 Handler 140 wire-feed welder offers industrial-quality performance on standard home circuitry and is expertly capable of running mild steel, stainless steel, flux-cored, and aluminum wires. Rugged and portable, this handy MIG welder\'s diverse applications for use at home, on farms and ranches, and for light fabrication projects make it ideal for machinery and car repair, fences and gates, grills and smokers, window security guards, signs, and more.
Features It\'s able to operate on 115- and 120-volt, 20-amp home circuits, and the broad output range of 25 to 140 amps allows for the welding of 24 gauge up to ¼-inch steel. Four output voltage settings with wire-feed tracking make the unit easy to set and adjust for different materials and thicknesses, and its integrated wire feeder with quick-release tension lever delivers positive feed with adjustable tension, which provides easy access for threading wire. The built-in contactor serves as an optimal safety feature that makes wire electrically "cold" until the trigger is pulled. Dual-groove drive rolls make it easy to switch between .023/.025-inch (0.6-mm) and .03/.035-inch (0.8/ 0.9-mm) wire.What's in the BoxOne Handler 500500 140 wire-feed welder, comfortable 10-foot (3-m) H100S2-10 gun; 10-foot (3-m) work cable with clamp; built-in gas solenoid valve and dual-gauge regulator with gas hose; spool hub assembly that accommodates 4- or 8-inch spools; sample spool of .03-inch (0.8-mm) self-shielding flux-cored wire; .03-inch (0.8-mm) contact tips; power cord with plug; weld set-up chart; and owner\'s manual with parts lists and installation, operation, and maintenance guidelines.

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