Hello everyone.
As far as welding I am very limited with electrical based welding setups. I have used an old transformer style stick welder, but would hardly consider it experience as it was only a few beads here and there to get the job done.
I have used oxygen acetylene torch setups with great success though.
The only wire feed style welder I have ever owned myself was an imported 80-90 amp machine that had difficulties feeding the wire, was constantly on the overload light, and just didn't seem to have the power needed to do anything useful.
However a quite a few years ago when my father was redoing his truck he mentioned how it would be nice to have a mig welder. It was close to Christmas then and I had the cash so I went to a local tool only store and asked one of the store hands for their advise.
He pointed me to a Hobart 140 and said it should do sheet metal work great. Also recommended a spool of wire and told me where to get a bottle of argon/co2.
Needless to say the welder worked great.
Now years later I have decided it would be nice to have one for my projects also. Except I typically mess with things considerably thicker than auto sheet metal. I really wanted the ability to weld 1/8" to 1/4".
A guy that I know that welds explained to me that with thicker metal a 230/240v machine would be more suited for the job. However a lot of them were out of my price range. I certainly didn't want to buy another import welder. Then I came across a deal for a Hobart 187 that was factory reconditioned.
After some thought I decided to purchase it.
When it arrived I was shocked. Other than the plate on the back stating it was factory reconditioned it appeared new. So I have to say I am a happy camper.
I haven't gotten a bottle hooked up to it yet but that will be coming in short order.
Hopefully I can learn a few things while hanging out here and become a little better with mig.
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