Welding 110 vs 220

[Zaskoda]

Oh Hai. I want to fabricate some stuff. Currently, my garage is only wired for 110. I know 220 welders are more efficient, but to use one I'll either have to rent space at a local workshop coop or wire the garage for 220. My question is, how far will 110 take me?

I'll want to do some basic stuff like building a plate to make the swivel seat mount I picked up at the junk yard bolt to the seats I bought. However, I also want to do some heavy duty stuff like rock sliders, roof basket, and bumpers. Can 110 get me through this?

I haven't welded since high school...

[LeadDoggy]

Don't think that a 110 welder will do bumpers but it might do your swivel seat stuff. Wiring for 220 is a simple job as long as you have space in your power panel. If you can install a 220 recepticle and afford a 220 input welder, that's the way to go!

Check out Lincoln, Miller and Hobart web sites for Mig welders. Stay away from the cheep stuff.

[woodbee]

Originally Posted by Zaskoda

Oh Hai. I want to fabricate some stuff. Currently, my garage is only wired for 110. I know 220 welders are more efficient, but to use one I'll either have to rent space at a local workshop coop or wire the garage for 220. My question is, how far will 110 take me?

I'll want to do some basic stuff like building a plate to make the swivel seat mount I picked up at the junk yard bolt to the seats I bought. However, I also want to do some heavy duty stuff like rock sliders, roof basket, and bumpers. Can 110 get me through this?

I haven't welded since high school...

Zaskoda,

I have been using a Millermatic 130XP at home for about 6 years, it is great. I use .030 flux-core
wire. I use the flux-core wire because I don't have to worry about a little wind while welding. With bare wire and gas shield you can't have any wind. You can weld up to 3/16 inch mild steel in a single pass. You end up with the same weld as using 7018 welding rod on a 220 volt DC stick welder.
I use my 220 volt DC welder for heavy welding (my rear receiver hitch with a 7/8 inch 8 1/2 ton shackle).
The Millermatic MIG welders are a very forgiving machine. Just practice. Take two pieces of 3/16 inch mild steel flat plat, each about 4" square. Tack them together, one laying flat and the other vertical making a right angle. Now run a nice weld the full length. It helps to move in small circles as you are welding. You want about 3/16" to 1/4" across the weld. Slag the weld and brush it with a wire brush. Check it and make sure the weld looks good (no pin holes or undercut.). Let it cool. Then bend them together until they break. Look very close and make sure you had good penetration and the weld is clean, no slag or pin holes.
With practice there should be no problem.
Just practice, practice, practice.

Woody

[FISHBREATH]

Get the 110v wire feed, you will be suprised as to what you can weld. If you have anything thicker to weld you can fab it and tack it together.......then take it to the bigger welder.


DAVEF

[WVvan]

Be sure to check craigslist. A lot of people buy welders thinking they are going to learn welding and end up never using them.

[Stumpalump]

Get the 220. They weld even small stuff smoother. All you need is a 50' heavy duty extension cord from Home Depot. Cut off both ends and wire one right to the inside of your welder. On the other side put a dryer recepticle from the electrical isle on the other end. Now you just plug in your welder to the dryer outlet. You just want the plug that matches your outlet. The have scews inside to wire right onto. Simple to do and welds great.

[FISHBREATH]

Originally Posted by Stumpalump

Get the 220. They weld even small stuff smoother. All you need is a 50' heavy duty extension cord from Home Depot. Cut off both ends and wire one right to the inside of your welder. On the other side put a dryer recepticle from the electrical isle on the other end. Now you just plug in your welder to the dryer outlet. You just want the plug that matches your outlet. The have scews inside to wire right onto. Simple to do and welds great.

If you do get a 220v welder and want to use your dryer recp outlet in most cases you will be limited by the 30 amp breaker and wire size for that breaker. I would be carefull with the above mentioned extension cord. 50 feet is alot of cord and you experiance a fair amount of voltage drop. if you do choose to go the 220v route I would choose a cord with # 10 conductors copper, you would need two insulated conductors and a ground.

Davef

[Stumpalump]

I used a 50' 12 guage one that cost about 40 bucks from Lowes not HD. It was thicker than the stock cord on my Millermatic 180 but the length is long and is why I wired it direct to the welder. I guess cutting it shorter would be a good plan. Don't spend the money on a Miller. Others are just as good for less $$.

[LeadDoggy]

Originally Posted by Stumpalump

I used a 50' 12 guage one that cost about 40 bucks from Lowes not HD. It was thicker than the stock cord on my Millermatic 180 but the length is long and is why I wired it direct to the welder. I guess cutting it shorter would be a good plan. Don't spend the money on a Miller. Others are just as good for less $$.

Same here but I just put in a receptical that's tied into two circuit breakers rated at 20 amps each and have not yet tripped a breaker. I can run my Miller 180 at full power without any problems. Extension cord does not even get warm after an hour of welding.

But do spend the money on something good. Those cheep welders from places like Harbor Freight are something that I would not purchase.