wirefeed welder question

A gas mig isn't gonna work well outside if there is any breeze at all. Flux cored will. Most of my welding is done with an old buzz box, but would dearly like to have a mig, mostly production.

You need to check duty cycle on each.

I had a Clarke Turbo weld 120 en (120 volt) could use gas or flux core. It was OK and did a lot of welding light square tubing. Years of it. However I want decades out of a welder so I'm looking at a Lincoln (forget the number) mini welder in 220 v My generator (Honda) will run it if needed. Flux core is ugly and harder to use but has some outside use advantages where there's wind. Never sell your stick welder either, one of those life lessons I learned!

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

I know Square D has half sized breakers... two individual breakers will fit in the space for one regular sized breaker. I don't know, off hand, whether they make a 220 that'd sit in a regular sized breaker slot. Check your breaker brand, then visit the hardware store.....

I have put a sub panel on a regular panel (when I ran out of space... as long as I wasn't getting too many amps for my service) to put a/c's and other devices like stick welders. I'd have the electric company pull the meter, before doing that. I've done it hot, but it's not safe, at all. My BIL 'respects' (rightfully so) electricity... "there are two things in this world that'll get you killed quick... messin with a married woman, and electricity"... I don't mess with the married women, but sometimes I do mess with electricity.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

The comments about 120v flux wire welders, being "worthless", are non-sense, IMO.

I've used one with great sucess countelss times, on lighter materials, especially cattle panels/ light angle iron. Most of my welds don't look great (Lincoln 100HD), but they hold and I save seen an experienced welder, lay perfect beads with my welder. I don't have the MIG conversion, for this Lincoln, but if I ever even need MIG, I would probbly go for a large 230v model. I have purchased a old stick welder for the heavy stuff.

If one has 230v power and lots of money, then sure, go for a bigger MIG welder. Setting up the shielding gas, can be a large expense, in itself. But if one's means are limited, these inexpensive welders, will get the job done on thinner metals and that's supposed to be what it is all about.

These welders are perfect for repairing cattle panels, inexpensively. Don't know about using one with that generator, but they don't appear to really draw a lot of power. I have use them with long 14ga extension cord, with no problems.

Be careful to watch your welding fumes/smoke, as you will be welding galvanized metal, on the cattle panels.

Cattle panels are galvanized- welding them is a sure way to DIE. Look up Zinc poisoning.

It accumulates in your liver and even weiding something 5 yrs later will add to the poison.

You also will get better results using an angle grinder to clean metal down to bright and shiney bare metal, scrape off any paint/galvanizing/etc.

The cheap migs are flux core only and they do have a very limited range of welding ability. You cant do very thin metal and you arent going to do over 1/8 inch metal. They dont have the range of settings that more expensive migs do and you do need the shielding gas for very thin metal.

You can weld with the 120V migs using a smallish generator. I worked for a guy in early 90s that raised emus and he'd go take an afternoon nap and send me out in hottest part of day with generator and mig to weld extensions on his steel fence posts.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

For those that weld, NOT welding galvanized metals, is usually not an option.

There are proper safety procedures, for welding galvanized metals, such as proper ventilation, wearing a respirator, or grinding off coatings, as Hermit had stated.

http://www.welding-robots.com/articles.php?tag=593

[QUOTE=plowjockey;5576159]For those that weld, NOT welding galvanized metals, is usually not an option.

Sure it an option. I was a professional welder for over 20 years. I did weld across a stock tank one day and was sicker than a dog. I had stopped in the welding supply shop and the ensuing conversation with others made me STOP welding anything galvanized forever.

My first cousin died of kidney and liver failure from zinc poisoning. He wore all the safety stuff too (union shop). It can soak right through your skin. Remember that nasty taste in your mouth after welding galvanized? Thats zinc poisoning.

I turned down a lot of work but I'm alive.

the zinc does not remain in the body forever and the effects are not cumulative.

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Deja Moo; The feeling I've heard this bull before.

[QUOTE=oldasrocks;5576184]Interesting point.

I was always taught, that most any problem with welding galvanized metal, could be eliminated, just by grinding away the coating, prior to welding, which under most conditions, one would grind (to clean) the weld fillet area anyway, if possible, prior to welding.

Staying alive is a good thing, for sure.

I have a hobart 110 welder flux core or gas, I've welded half inch thick metal on my disc with it. Grind the the metal back making a V groove and build a weld. Did the same with my swather, both welds are still holding. The welds are pretty too after you chip the slag off. Merry Christmas

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