I'm looking to buy a MIG welder for working on sheet metal only. I don't plan to do any chassis welding and will leave that to a buddy of mine that does it for a living. What I don't want to do is buy too small of a MIG welder but want to find one fit for purpose i.e. handling the chore of installing a floor, firewall and patch panels. I've been told the HTP model 120 will handle this, but before I buy, thought I would poll the troops to see if anyone has any feedback about this welder.
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Fatstang

Bruce;
I imagine the model no. you give is the amperage of that welder. 120 amps is plenty you can weld up to quarter inch with it maybe more. I have a 250amp (different brand) and it is really touchy to adjust for sheet metal, it was a lot easier with my old 150 amp welder so I think you'll be fine. as for the brand, they have been around for some time and I have never heard anything bad, maybe others here have. However, I don't know if they have a dealer network-you may want to think about service in case anything might go wrong.
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Digger
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DSRA Member

I threw it away yesterday, now I have to go buy one

If you can't beat em, arrange to have them beaten.

I have been welding for many years and I have not had any luck at any setting with a welder that plugs in to 110 outlet, thats not to say they dont work, you can weld with them, they are just a tad testy all of them that I have used that plugged in to the 220 worked fine at low or high amperage, just my opinion for what its worth, I am sure you will get a scientific point of view from some others that have watched someone weld one time back in the 40s
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she didnt accidentally get good in bed

I have a Lincoln weldpac 100 with flux core wire and it works very good. I didn't get the gas assesories tho cuz gas type welding likes clean metal and I was working with a lot of rusty stuff. I bought mine in a lumber yard for 300 bucks. Being a lincoln, parts and service will be at your locale welding supplier. Dave
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Life's too short to drive an ughly car!

All the ones that I have used with the flux core wire work real good
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she didnt accidentally get good in bed

Hey Fatstang,
I use a Lincoln,110 volt, wire feed and it works
for me. There is a bit of a learning curve.
Practiced on a lot of scrap metal before I ruined
something decent.Can get parts & supplies pretty easily.
Good Luck with which everone you choose.
Bob

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Cruzin' BE Fun!!!!!!
Better than cleaning stalls!!
Bob

The 110/115 VAC units will serve you well for sheet metal and light duty projects. I would lean towards the Big brands. Lincon or miller (Hobart's the same). You will need the consumables. tip's wire. and hoprfully not parts. So why not deal in a brand that you can get locally ? I prefer the GAS over flux core for most auto/body work and if you go that route you'll need a welding supply hose to exchange your Co2 bottle at.

Wayne

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To soon OLD
To late Smart

I've been using a Craftsman 115 V Mig for awhile. Installed rockers, a firewall, and some patch panels, and it went smoothly. Don't let that name fool you, I think Hobart or Lincoln makes them for Sears.

The only thing you need to watch is duty cycle. If you get into extended welding periods, a lower duty cycle rating will leave you sitting, waiting for it to cool down and reset.

It took awhile to find the right wire feed rate , amps, and wire dia. combo. for sheet metal, but once you get it dialed in, it works great.
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MrWillys aka HRB
Member: Dipstick Street Rod Association
Paint don't make 'em any faster!

I have a little Craftsman in the back of the shop. If yours is over heating, put a Boxer or Rotron fan in it to keep it cool and it will never go into thermal.
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The "New" and Unimproved edcroozer... Charter D.S.R.A. member

Mine's alright, but I've seen some "econo" models that can't handle the extended load periods.
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MrWillys aka HRB
Member: Dipstick Street Rod Association
Paint don't make 'em any faster!

I don't know about the 110 units but the Sears 220 units are all built by Century I believe.
Lincoln, Miller, Century, Hobart it would be hard to go wrong.
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Digger
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DSRA Member

I threw it away yesterday, now I have to go buy one

If you can't beat em, arrange to have them beaten.

I have a lincoln SP170....we only have 240v here in OZ so voltage sag is not an issue, works OK once I figured out the settings . I have learnt that you don't try and continuosly weld on thin guage ( 18 guage and thinner ) as it will blow through. I now stitch weld in a bout 1/4" sections.This also keeps the heat down so warpage is practically zero....I did have a MiniMIg for a few years but that got stollen....with a bunch of other stuff...that was a good welder as well....I can't comment on any other welder except the one I got after the MiniMig...it was a brand called SIP....I found out what SIP means ..S---T, In, Production. It was junk..all sorts of problems. It got relegated as the garage door stop for a while, but it was taking up valuable room so I gave it away.
A comment on flux core. I have never used it but I have taken comments on board. Appears they do weld OK, but they leave a slag that has to be chipped off....also smoke up a bit. I could imagine that they would be good in out of position welding....vertically and under floors situations. To weld with gas in those positions takes a bit of practice....I generally just turn the gas up a couple of more pounds....see Argon is a heavy inert gas and tends to fall rapidly to the ground once it leaves the shroud so higher pressure would push onto the weld area better.....well thats my theory anyway.
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see ya
Pep

One more quick tip on the gas (75/25 Argon/Co2) for anyone just starting with a mig, you will have to shield your weld from any sort of breeze like if you have a fan going or welding outside etc. Any breeze will blow the gas away and you will get a garbage weld.
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Digger
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DSRA Member

I threw it away yesterday, now I have to go buy one

If you can't beat em, arrange to have them beaten.

Digger, have you tried 90/10 argon/Co2 or 98/2 argon/Co2. At work, I use the 98/2 all the time except for when we run out and then I switch to 90/10. 98/2 produces a much cleaner weld and very little splatter. Maybe this mixture is only available for industrial use. Just curious.
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Lynn Stallbaumer

Digger, have you tried 90/10 argon/Co2 or 98/2 argon/Co2. At work, I use the 98/2 all the time except for when we run out and then I switch to 90/10. 98/2 produces a much cleaner weld and very little splatter. Maybe this mixture is only available for industrial use. Just curious.
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Lynn Stallbaumer

Lynn;
No I have not used the Mixes you refer to. I have used straight Argon from the tig, when I have run out of the mix and it does produce a very nice weld. I would guess that would be very similar to the mix you spoke of. Most everyone I know uses the 75/25 mainly because of the cost difference.
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Digger
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DSRA Member

I threw it away yesterday, now I have to go buy one

If you can't beat em, arrange to have them beaten.

Thats the mix I use now...does work with less splatter but it has to be clean....but I think that has to apply to all welds...I did notice that I blow through a bit more with this mix, but then again it just might be me:-)
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see ya
Pep

I have a 220 lincoln and my son has the hobart we have had several others (cheaper) don't bother trying them you will be sorry. I use my welder a lot more now that I can trust it with the cheap models I was beginning to think I was unable to weld after I got my lincoln I realized it really was the tool that was causing my problems. I began to get better and try more difficult projects. I'm not a welder by no means but I can do a pretty good job now.
Dr. Pepper.