Guys I want to buy a welder mostly using it for small stuff but would like a option of being able to weld larger material. I'm looking for the best bang for the buck. I am reluctant to pull the trigger on one for fear of not getting the right one. I have a $50 coupon for Nothern Tool can any of you more experienced guys advise. Thanks Ray

Hobart welding machines are pretty good overall. As long as it's just for personal and occasional home use, you should be good. If you were using it on a daily basis I might not reccomend it as some of the internal parts are not made as durable as a Miller. You'll be able to weld about a max of 5/16" with a single pass with that particular machine.

Where is the spool for the wire attached? And remember your gonna have to get a bottle of gas.

It's got a door on the side that opens up. You'll be able to run one of the small 2# spools or 11# with the adaptor. You wouldn't necessarily have to buy a gas bottle if you wanted to run flux cored wire only but solid wire with gas is a lot smoother and will have a much better appearance.

If you get a wire welder (mig/flux core) I would get a machine that runs of an external wire feeder. Reason being is if the wire feeder goes out on the machine in the pic you have to get a new machine. If it goes out on an external feeder all you do is replace the feeder, machine is still good. And I would probably look at other machines with higher duty cycles. That one is only 30% at 130 amps and that is not maxed out.

Study the duty cycle, I got a nice Lincoln, its portable, and I can run it off me generator, I use core flux wire, only problem is it overheats and shuts down, I let cool down and go again, and repeat, and I'm usually making personal repairs, not building trailers, etc.

How are you stopping porosity without gas with flux core?

Wait until you find a good used machine at least 200 amp for home use. If you intend to do any welding thicker than 1/4" I'd hold out for a 250 amp machine. We have a Hobart Ironman 250 at our shop. It was the first welder I bought when we started doing metal fab. All our others are Millers. When I do weld, I use the Ironman, and it's the first one chosen by the guys when they are welding.

Having said that, the newer ones may not be worth a flip.

Miller and Hobart are owned by the same parent company. Most Hobarts have a good many Miller parts in them but they aren't the same.

There was a really good deal on a slightly used Miller 250something in the classifieds a while back. If the welder hadn't been in Mobile, I would have bought it.

Fluxcore wire is expensive, but doesn't need shielding gas. You can also use it if welding outside in the wind. We run gas and regular wire. No fluxcore. Gas is cheap.

The machine you have posted only has a 30% duty cycle. That's not good. You could only weld for 18 minutes an hour with it without it overheating.

Not to be argumentative but I would get a machine with an internal feeder. It keeps the wire MUCH cleaner and dirty wire is horrible to try and weld with. Yes you can put a felt cleaner on the wire but it's not going to get it completely clean. Wire welders at home dont get used much and that wire will get funky in an open environment. It's hard enough to use welders with external feeders daily in a nasty truck shop environment.

FurFlyin has said it all, best to keep sending him your questions, I would add, some of the larger portable welders are good generators for your home, that's what my next one will be.

I've been a certified welder for 23 years now and have also worked for two different welder supply companies. With that said, be very careful of welder a from big box stores, Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, etc... It may say Hobart but it won't have the same internal parts. Much like the way Lowes sells "John Deere". At the end of the day it isn't a true Deere. If ANYTHING internal goes out, you'll just about be better off scrapping the machine and buying another one as most supply companies won't have parts for them. I'd buy a used machine and get a true product.

Guys I really appreciate ALL the advice and input! Like I said I am a novice and nervous about getting a machine that is a good one and something I can use for multiple needs. Ray

I bought a miller 130xp and have been well pleased with it

After several years of running a wire welder I bought a Hobart 190 from Tractor and Supply. I use it to make metal doors and cages for air conditioners. I like this welder, it's fits the bill for me.

There are 2 basic types of flux cored wire, gas shielded and so called self shielded.
self shielded is supposed to produce enough slag and gas to keep our porosity. they usually contain lots of aluminum powder in the flux to tie up oxygen content, but trade off is less impact strength, tons of smoke and splatter. they have their place but will generally look like crap. just adding gas to self shielded wire does not help.

PM sent

How does one determine if it's s "true machine"?

God Bless,
David B.

My Millermatic 150 has served me well for over 20 years. I have spent some on repairs, but had no problem getting parts.

I bought a Millermatic 211 end of last year for $1065.00...after the $200 rebate, it cost me $865.00. That was the best deal I found. I was looking at those $600-700 Hobarts and Lincolns. But the Miller deal was the best deal I found. I would look online for any rebates that may be going on.