# mig welder



## jasonwenss (Oct 8, 2020)

wich mig welder for home use best any one hellp me


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

jasonwenss said:


> wich mig welder for home use best any one hellp me


This is a garden train forum. We don't do much welding. Try Discover Live Steam - they make the big stuff.


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## jasonwenss (Oct 8, 2020)

Pete Thornton said:


> This is a garden train forum. We don't do much welding. Try Discover Live Steam - they make the big stuff.


oh i'm sorry


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a Lincoln 100 welder which uses flux core wire. It runs on 120 VAC. I have used it to build bridges on my RR and for various home projects and have no complaints except the door hinge broke.


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Winn: Well at least you had a welder to fix the hinge.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Can you get lincoln welders in the UK? (note the OP's location)


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

The hinge is plastic!


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Jason,

I presently own and have owned several 120v mig welders at any given time over the last 35 years. Stay away from off brand stuff and the name brand stuff sold at retail stores such as Home Depot and the like The name brand units sold therein are NOT the same equipment as available from Welding Supply dealers even when like capacity ratings; i.e., (120V/125 amp welders). The 120v commercial equipment costs maybe a $100.00 USD more than the retail equipment and worth every cent IMO. I use the Inner-Shield or Flux core gasless wire and the typical CO2\Argon gas wire. I've purchased used/abused many different name brand 120v welders; the best experience has been with Lincoln and Miller equipment. We use the welders commercially, predominantly for welding .065-.1875" HREW tubing in structural rail systems. They work GREAT with an ADEQUATE power supply, short heavy gauge chords or none is best. 

Michael


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Jason, Sorry if you got a wrong idea of wrong question, there are lots of welders here. As a business owner of a steel fabricating shop, I totally agree with Michael in the above statement. The cheap welders from harbor freight, and other discount tool stores will provide you a very disapointing results. A good used Lincoln, Miller, Esab, will provide great results. Even if you have to take to a welder repair place to get the proper parts and setup, you will not regret to get it fixed and set properly. They might give you some basic instructions, worth a lot. I could give many stories of people being disappointed with cheap welders and then using a name brand with a little training getting some worthy results. Flux core does not require gas, a little messier but giving good results.
If you only want the cheapest way to go, I highly recommend just forget welding, find another method.
Dennis


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Do they have Harbor Freight in the UK?

Do they have home depot in the UK?

Did anyone bother to look at his profile?


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Greg,

I read the OP's post quite thoroughly and noted his location! As a matter of fact there are Home Depots in the UK... And I suggested "Hone Depot and the like". No Harbor freight, yet Amazon UK carries their products. That said my comments ring true matters not the location IMO. And YES Lincoln Welders are available in the UK too!

Michael


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Good, note that I asked if they were in the UK, not stating they were or were not.

Harbor Freight might not translate though ha ha!

I was more focused on the welder....

And by the way, I found many references that the Home Depot is NOT in the UK, including wikipedia.

Greg


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Yes I did notice his location, that is the reason I suggested ESAB . both Lincoln and Miller are available there Too.
Dennis


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, ESAB is what I found, was more about the Home Depot, interestingly none in the UK, they tried a merger/partnership with an existing UK "big box" store.

Good business on Lincoln and Miller, those are the two I have had the most luck with here.

Greg


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Although a different beast....Would love to get my hands on a nice ,powerful ( but safe ) resistance solderer. Would make soldering brass a breeze


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Greg,

My BAD, I did a search for Home Depot in UK, got three hits... Link below. Turns out even though two have homedepot.com on their webpage it appears to be in error.


https://www.bing.com/maps?q=home+depot+in+uk&cvid=775bf1603b864a4c93a95ff9e7bd8c4b&pglt=43&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=U531



I have good experience with ESAB equipment as well. 

OldNoob

Bounce me a PM, I have a couple resistance soldering systems, been thinking of selling one of them.

Michael


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Michael, drop me an email if OldNoob does not take one off your hands, I've always wanted to get one, to help our club members on bonding wires to rails.

Greg


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## David293 (Feb 19, 2021)

placitassteam said:


> I have a Lincoln 100 welder which uses flux core wire. It runs on 120 VAC. I have used it to build bridges on my RR and for various home projects and have no complaints except the door hinge broke.


Totally agree. A Lincoln welder is just great!


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