Welding Question: 120v mig welder, what is it good for ?

[chainsaw_louie]

Hi ,

Several years ago I bought a Lincoln sp 135 mig welder, it runs on 120v.
The literature said
     "Wide 30-140 amp welding output range.
     "MIG weld 24 gauge up to 10 gauge (.135") sheet metal in a single pass.
     "Weld up to 5/16" steel using self-shielded Lincoln Innershield® wire

I never got a pro to show me how to use this, I just read the manual and started.
Compared to stick welding, the results were disappointing because the welding didn't
melt into the steel being welded like a stick welder does.  Now I am comparing a 30A
220v stick welder to this little 120v 15A guy.   But still for a weld to be strong , it seems
to me that there has to be melting of the base metal (penetration) and most of my
welds are more like the bead sits on the surface...even when the juice is turned up
all the way.  From what the marketing materials say, I should be able to weld
up to 5/16" with this but from what I have seen it would not be a very strong weld.

So, is this a toy or am I doing something wrong?  I'm ready to sell it and get
a 220v machine.

Thanks,

Tim

[stonebroke]

Good for sheet metal, Stick with a stick for heavy stuff.

Stonebroke

[Mark K]

Got the same welder, good for tin and body work. I have a lincoln ranger 8 for my heavy work.

[mrcaptainbob]

I have a Hobart Handler 135 that welds well into 1/4" metal. Is the polarity correct for the wire you're using? Flux requirement is different than solid. What wire diameter are you using?

[Chuck White]

Yup, as said, good for sheet metal.

Really useful when repairing cracks on your tractor fenders, hood, etc.
Weld it up, then grind it smooth!

[isawlogs]

 One question comes to mind , are you using core flux or gas with the mig   That will be a big outcome on the weld with the little migs.
 Another thing that will affect the weld is the wire you use , the size of the wire also .
 I have bought some imported wire ( read China ) and it was good to use as electric fence for the goats ( read - no dam good )

  I have a small mig and have core flux and gas for it . Core flux , use a tip that is .oo5" bigger then the wire , it wont jam in the tip as it goes through the rollers . This causes the wire to squish a little and flatten out causing it to be a pain in the butt at times .
 
 With the right wire and clean metal they do a good job , not an excellent job   

[thecfarm]

I use to have a mig that ran on 110,got one now that runs on 220.What a difference.Probaly stick is better,been tossed back and forth on past threads.I use the flux core,because most of my welding is out side.Just like a lot of literature that is included with the product,it's a little on the seller side. 

[moonhill]

I am not aware of the ability to change the polarity on those small machines.  I know I don't like the flux wire, gas is better.  Just fool with the wire speed and heat setting and wire size.  It is a small unit, don't expect it to do thicker stock, as said sheet metal it should be ok.  I can turn the heat up on my wire feeder and melt 3/8" stock like it was sheet metal, even 1/2" will burn through if it is set to hot.  I just have to get all the tunings right.  

Keep it for the thin stuff and get a real welder.  Do you have a stick welder?  If so you can adapt this to it in 3 minutes and wire feed too.  It cost about the same as a mid line wire feed welder you are looking at but can do far more work, and it can be tuned down to do the thinest stock as well.  If aluminum is ever an issue it will do that as well, something the little box welder can't.  It also only uses one tip size, so every time you want to change  wire you don't have to mess with tips.

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/Profax01.pdf

Tim

[John Bartley]

I have an older one of these : http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_140_autoset/ , only mine is rebadged under the Canox name. I have also had a Miller 200amp stick welder and it worked very well also.

Except for the heaviest work, I prefer the little MIG welder. All the way up to 1/4" I would rather use the MIG. I have tried the non-gas (flux core) wire, and it sucks compared to a gas shield. The gas shielding gives a very smooth, clean, spatter-free weld, and the penetration is far better with the gas. The only other comment I would make about welding capacity with the MIG is that for thicker material the preparation has to be done properly. That includes proper cleaning and surface grinding of the surfaces to be joined. A heavier welder can burn through the crap to get the job done, but the smaller unit needs a bit of help.

Just my $0.02 worth.

cheers

John

[Chris Burchfield]

I had a Century brand 70/100 amp 110V that I chased with CO2. It was good up to 1/4."  I already had a Lincon 220 AC.  I've welded some pretty heavy stuff with it using multiple passes chipping and brushing the flux.  I later bought an Esab Model 215 220V unit that is a much heavier unit than the 110V.  I've enjoyed it and had no problems.

[Qweaver]

Pre-heating with a rosebud can help get better fusion if you are at the upper end of the range for your welder.  Cold laps are the most common defect with MIG welding.  So do not try to carry too much metal.  Multiple hot passes will help reduce cold lapping.  MIG welding can be a good welding method but I hate to buy anything MIG welded unless I know that the proper technique has been used...and that is hard to tell by just looking at the weld.

[ErikC]

 I use a little lincoln 110 for quick repairs on little things, and projects where the steel is about a 1/4" or less. Anything else gets the stick welder. But the little guy does alright, and sure is convenient. I use an oxyacetylene torch instead on some projects where I have thin metal, and don't want splatter. Using the flux core wire the little mig splatters a lot.

[wildtmpckjzg]

Hi ,

Several years ago I bought a Lincoln sp 135 mig welder, it runs on 120v.
The literature said
     "Wide 30-140 amp welding output range.
     "MIG weld 24 gauge up to 10 gauge (.135") sheet metal in a single pass.
     "Weld up to 5/16" steel using self-shielded Lincoln Innershield® wire

I never got a pro to show me how to use this, I just read the manual and started.
Compared to stick welding, the results were disappointing because the welding didn't
melt into the steel being welded like a stick welder does.  Now I am comparing a 30A
220v stick welder to this little 120v 15A guy.   But still for a weld to be strong , it seems
to me that there has to be melting of the base metal (penetration) and most of my
welds are more like the bead sits on the surface...even when the juice is turned up
all the way.  From what the marketing materials say, I should be able to weld
up to 5/16" with this but from what I have seen it would not be a very strong weld.

So, is this a toy or am I doing something wrong?  I'm ready to sell it and get
a 220v machine.

Thanks,

Tim
welding atlanta

so i have a Hobart 130 Mig welder that i use for odd stuff or just messing around.. and i am wondering would running smaller 024 wire vs 030 wire along with C02 vs C25 help it both penitrate better and also weld better as far as less problems with stubbing due to a lack of umph behind it..

[moodnacreek]

A 110 mig is handy even if you have a 220 machine because you can keep thin wire in it. My 110 was sold as a side kick to a larger welder.

[Brad_bb]

I use a Lincoln 120V mig welder more than 50 percent of the time.  I also have a Lincoln 220V TIG.  done a lot of sheetmetal/body work, but I've also welded up tubing and angle iron for things like a welder cart, auto body cart etc.  

I recommend using shielding gas.  You can buy that separate and addon.  At least you should be able to on most units.  I would say from what you describe that you are doing something wrong too.  There's no reason you can't weld 1/8- 1/4 inch material with good penetration.  Without being there, I can't diagnose the issue. Got a picture of the control panel?  Often they letter the amps.  For sheetmetal I'm close to the "D".  You don't weld sheetmetal continuously or you'll blow through.  Heavier material you do weld continuously. With a gentle back and forth motion.  Is your wire feed too fast?  That could be a cause of no penetration.  Are you not holding long enough or dragging too fast?  Could be another cause.

[21incher]

I have an old Lincoln weld pack 120 volt and it's good to 1/8 material with co2/argon 75/25 gas. My big Miller mig is much easier to weld with because of the electronics monitor the process. Preheating with a torch can help with thicker material and a 120 volt box. 

[Don P]

It fits on the seat of the truck and can be hand carried to the scene of the wreck. Sometimes its the only way to get the bobcat out of the basement  . When its home, warm and dry you can use the big stuff. That is why they are and for portability they cannot be beat. I've never had gas on one, that would get into the portability. The only other thing I didn't see above is watch your voltage drops. Use the shortest, fattest, most direct plug in you can, give it everything you can at the input end and it'll help the output.

*Look in the wall receptacle, if its 14 gauge hook up a direct path to the panel with at least 12. and check that the screws are tight, just stuff that has caused trouble coming to mind. 

[Tom King]

On the chart for settings of both dials for the different thicknesses of metal, notice what the settings are for the maximum metal thickness that the chart shows.  That's a much as the machine can handle, and it will work against you to turn those dials any higher than that.

I've welded 3/16 steel that's still holding after several years by preheating.

[goose63]

 

 

Ibuilt that boom with a 110 horart hard wire and argon gass

 

These logs are 15 ft Itryed to load one with the winc and boom all it did was lift the back end of the pick up off the ground the little 110 is a good weldre if you know how weld

[goose63]

Guys dont get me wrong I'm not saying you don't know how to weld I'm sorry if it came out wrong.