pricing welders LINCOLN electric @ home depot

i think the capabilites of the person welding is also a big factor in what machine you choose. ive welded 1/2 thick steel w/ a 110 welder w/ .027 wire....

I bought a hobart 175 and im happy with it. The only problem I had with mine was the power block where the gun cord slips into and tightens overheated because the finger screw got loose and the nozzle end wasnt making good contact to the power block. I had to buy a new gun. You have to run the oem gun on the hobart. You cant pick up a cheaper tweco or anything like that. The hobart is basically a miller except the hobart has a plastic drive system and the miller has a metal one. Same power supply and gun.

If i had the extra 100 bucks or so, i probably would have bought the miller.

You can penetrate more also if you use flux cored wire, but you have to clean up the sheilding slag on the top.

I have a lincoln 135. The thickest i have welded with it has been 1/8 inch, and it handled the job very nicely, had no problems welding the 1/8 at all. I think an accomplished welder could probably have decent results with 3/16"

I didnt go with the plus because people told me that the infinite voltage controls can be a pain in the ass, that it's kind of nice to just clunk the heat into whichever setting you need, and then make fine adjustments with wire speed. I'm sure there are plenty of arguments for and against it, but so far i have not found myself wishing i got the "plus" model. Obviously this is personal preference.

I have heard from more than 1 person that the HD Lincoln welders are not the same as the welders you get from lincoln directly, or a welding supply store, that they are cheaply made. I dont have any proof of this, i dont know how to find out if that's true or not, but i have been told the same thing from a few different people. Take that for whatever it's worth.

Finally, i purchased my welder from weldingmart.com, they frequently have sales i jumped on one around the holidays. I picked up a brand new lincoln 135, came with sheild (lame sheild) a spool of wire, regulator, gune etc. etc. and a cart (which i highly reccomend) for under 440 shipped. No shipping or sales tax really saved me a lot.

All in all, i am very happy with my welder, it has had no problems doing what i need, i had to spend an additional 100 bucks for a bottle and fill, but that bottle is gonna last me forever with the little amount of welding i do. If i was doing lots of heavy welding, framework, notches, serious chassis fab, i think i would have wished i picked up the 175. But all i have been using it for is brackets, tabs, racks, etc etc. pretty much nothing thicker than 1/8, so i am very happy........ hope that's some helpful input.

my lil bro has the 3200hd, you have to work it right to get good penetration on frame work, it is pushing it

i have a hobart 140, works great. welded up my front end, does sheetmetal. cost about 500 bucks with shipping, and its made by miller. Tried a few 110v lincolns but the adjustments kind of sucked, but i made them work. hope this helps

Originally posted by ih8bumps



My buddy just went though the same thing...What ever you do don't get the 110 crap and read the fine print. He picked up a Lincoln from there and because it said it welded up to 1/4 inch on the box he thought great and thought he'd just get the mig kit and he was set...Well comes to read the fine print and the shit only welds flux core wire up to 1/4 inch thick steel and can't weld anything but sheet metal on gas with good penetration...So what ever you do read the fine print...Anyway here

One more thing.... Hobart is made by Miller, just has cheaper parts in it, and is not as adjutable as the Miller. Hobart has like 4 fixxed settings for the voltage, and Miller is infinately adjustable troughout it's range.

I bought the 3200HD back in Nov. I havent had any problems with it at all. I use it every day at work(for sheet metal bodywork). I used it for all the welding on my buddys Taco, it will penetrate .120 wall tubing with ease not even on the highest heat setting.Its a good little welder and will get most things done but if your gonna be welding more than 3/16" all day long of course it wont hack it.

I want to buy a welding for frame work. Like building stock floors but a grand is my limit and thats pushing it any ideas what would be good to use? I have access to a 220 outlet to, what would be the best?