Heavyopp
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Middlesex, NJ
Your best bet is a local store. They will give you good advice on a machine that fits your needs and budget. They'll also set you up with tanks, tools, and accessories.
Take it home and start welding.
This isn’t entirely true — I have a local airgas that will just plain run a newb right out of the store
I know I’m late to this thread but let me make some suggestions
1st of I’ve been welding for 25 years — never as a profession but I have made some money — enough to have paid for my equipment
I started out with a Lincoln weldpak 100 bought at price club - that’s Costco for you young guys — did a ton of work with that machine, easily weld 3/8” material with multiple passes — That welder was around for 10 years — remember that this was before the big box store welders — they are just not the same as a welder from a welding supplier
Shortly after the weldpak 100 I purchased a miller 250G engine driven machine — the weldpak 100 got me started, I soon realized I really enjoyed welding and it was time for a bigger machine but I didn’t have the electricity required to run a bigger machine — shop only had a 30 amp service
The 250g was a stick welder, mig welder with a spool gun, and a tig machine which could run AC for aluminum welding with the addition of a high frequency box — I had it all, acquired over some time — I still have this machine use it at that same location with limited power
When the Lincoln died I replaced with a miller 211 — this is a great welder — runs off both 110 and 220 and it’s plenty capable — weld exhaust pipes and sheet metal, then do 3/8 material with 1 pass
I also have a miller 280DX inverter machine — tig and stick weld with it — this machine is the cats ass
The point of all this — buy the most welder that you can afford no matter if you can use it or not — if you enjoy welding you’ll learn how to use you machine — don’t outgrow your welders capabilities, grow into your welder — if you find welding isn’t for you, you can always sell quality equipment for very little loss
I would strongly suggest the Miller 211 as your 1st welder
I would also suggest a quality auto dimming helmet with a large window — you must see what you are doing — spend $200 plus on your helmet