I want to get into welding and I'm looking at the Schumacher flux wire feed welder. It looks like something that will work with my limited 100Amp house service. It also looks like it would be fairly easy to use under the chassis while jacked up in my garage. The flux wire probably welds better pulling than pushing but I just need it for little weld jobs.
Anyone use this welder and who makes it for them? Century, Lincoln?
I can't answer your question but I have a Lincoln 110 volt welder that plugs into a 20 amp outlet, and I can tell you that you will be sorry if you don't get a welder with at least the option to use solid wire with gas. Flux core wire is OK for some jobs, but you won't weld sheet metal or even exhaust pipe with it.
Earle
I have a low amp setting on my Campbell Hausfeld flux core wire feed and it does a nice job on sheet metal. It also cuts sheet metal pretty good on high too, so if I had a rust chunk I wanted to cut out to replace away it goes.
The welder does work fine as a pusher, it makes a nice puddle, but takes some practice with the wire speed settings.
Mine also plugs into a 20 amp circuit and works on a decent extension cord fine.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sEarle Hort>
awesome! there is nothing i find more gratifying than welding....its my selfish little pleasure.
you arent looking at much. sorry. as a "professional" welder i have higher standards than a typical home type welder would, but even a home use welder deserves better.
most _any_ welder will work on a 100 amp service, so long as you arent running the stove, the dryer, and the heat pump at the same time.
unless youre in a very windy environment use gmaw ("mig") welding instead. in the end youll be happier.
possibly century, but any major brand like lincoln or miller isnt going to build crap. i encourage you to explore your options a little further before purchasing the unit youre looking at. lincoln and miller both build entry level units that may be a little more expensive than the one youre looking at, but in the end youll be glad you got a decent welder to start with. if you never listen to another thing i say, listen to me here. buy miller (although lincoln is acceptable). for a homeowner that doesnt get bit by the welding bug, i recommend this unit
worth mentioning, dont be thrown by the "list" price listed on the miller website. subtract about 25-30% from that to get a realistic price on what you can expect to pay. the last millermatic 210 i bought i got for $1095 + tax and the miller website lists it for about $1500.
and thats the problem right there. with welding equipment (like most other things), you get what you pay for. whats another $150 if it will get you a quality tool that will last "forever"? the schumacher line doesnt give you any room for growth as a welder. switching over to gmaw isnt possible, nor is adding a spool gun for aluminum. on top of all its other limitations, it has "self adjusting wire speed". wire speed is absolutely critical in fine tuning final amperage and without that ability (especially with an inexperienced welder) there is a lot of room for error. im also curious that i cant find any published duty cycle. i _know_ a lincoln or a miller will live up to the listed duty cycle, and i know they will last "forever". aside from its limitations, the quality of the circuitry is poor in walmart type welders. consistency is not comparable to a machine of comparable size by a real welding equipment manufacturer. ive seen xray shots of beads laid by walmart welders beside machines made by miller or lincoln and that tells the tale in terms of quality of the weld.
there are many tools where ill cut corners where i can, but welding equipment is not one of them.
I would suggest you look at a miller maxstar 140 or 150. This is a DC TIG/STICK welder, and with the addition of a Ready Welder spool gun you can also mig and flux core. Welding is no place for Taiwan tools.
-Joe
ouch....now youre talking $1000!
although i agree with the recommendation. its an unbelievable little machine. the only thing i dont like about it is the lack of foot controls and high frequency.
agreed!
Right but first I would have to upgrade my electric service. :-( I also want to get a oil compressor and a quite shop vac. :-) I already have my grinding tool which helps out with cutting, grinding and sanding.
I agree too. I've spent that kind of money on a washer and dryer but I would first need to upgrade my electric serice and in-house to garage wiring. I've only been a first time home owner for 3 years now and buying the little things for the last three years and I am still not finished. :(
If it wasn't for that broken skid plate nut. :) At least I have 5 good ones left and so they will have to do until I budget out the right garage upgrade plan.
not for a maxstar. weighs about 12 pounds or so, and is the size of a typical counter top toaster. amazingly, its one serious tool with the only downside being no mig setup, and no foot controls or high frequency for the tig.
hi peter, your washer should be on a dedicated 120v circuit, and your dryer should be on a dedicated 240v circuit. if you buy a 120v welder, just use your washer plug (but dont weld at the same time youre washing clothes) and if you by a
240v welder, just use your dryer plug. here is a write up i did on how to convert a dryer plug to a welding plug.
Not bad for the $650 price /w case. More info:
MILLERMAXSTAR 150 S
The Maxstar® 150 S uses advanced inverter technology to put a complete DC Stick welding package in your hands. All you need is some filler materials and you are ready to weld.
Maxstar 150 S arc welder weighs only 24 lbs and has a convenient carrying strap which makes it is easy to use in the work shop and out in the field.
Features:
Standard machine comes with 6-pin receptacle to run remote control number 194
969.Simple TIG starting with Miller's unique Life-Arc system
Fan-On-Demand operates the cooling system only when needed
Includes 7-1/2 ft (2.3 m) input power cord
Miller's True Blue Warranty; 3 years - parts and labor
Miller Exclusives:
Auto-Link ® - Automatically links the power source to the primary input voltage being applied (115V or 230V), without the need for manually linking primary voltage terminals.
Lift-Arc - Simply touch the tungsten to the work piece?lift?and the arc is initiated instantly and automatically.
Fan-On-Demand - Internal power source cooling system that only works when needed, keeping internal components cleaner.
Thermal Overload Protection - Internal components are protected from damage by thermal overload protection which automatically shuts down the unit if duty cycle is exceeded or air flow and cooling are restricted.
Comes complete with:
13' welding lead with electrode holder10' ground cable with clamp
Shoulder strap
Protective Carrying Case
QUICK SPECS MAXSTAR 150 S
Input Power Requires 1-Phase Power
Rated Output 80 A at 23.2 VDC, 115 VAC
100 A at 24 VDC, 230 VACOutput Power Range 5 - 110 A (DC), 115 VAC
5 - 140 A (DC), 230 VACWeight 24 lb APPLICATIONS PROCESSES
Light Industrial Applications ? Maintenance and Repair ? Steel Erection ? Mechanical Contractors ? Dairy Industry ? Food/Beverage Industry ? Experimental Aircraft TIG (GTAW) ? Stick (SMAW)
LOL! My washer and dryer are in the basement. My Jeep won't fit since I need to weld the frame. :)
I don't have a Maxstar yet, I was about to buy one but I got a ReadyWelder instead, to use as a spool gun for my MIG. As soon as I can afford it I think I will go for the 150 or 200. I can use the ReadyWelder with it making it a portable TIG/STICK/MIG. My current MIG is a 400 pound tub. The lack of a foot control is compensated by a hand control on or near the torch. Also I think the lack of Hi frequency for starting the arc is replaced by the "touch start". Never used a TIG though so I could be wrong.
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