Hello,

I'm buying my first welder to start repairing my car. I've read the difference between tig and mig, and have decided to go with a mig.

I've picked the Hobart Handler 125EZ MIG Welder



Description_
The Hobart 500521 Handler 125EZ Flux Cored Welder features a unique single-**** control that makes it extremely simple to set up and easy to use. The Handler 125EZ comes ready to weld 18 Gauge to 3/16-Inch thick mild steel with .030-Inch (0.8 mm) self-shielding flux-cored wire so it does not require a separate shielding gas bottle. It can also use .035-Inch (0.9 mm) flux cored wire with a .035-Inch (0.9 mm) contact tip. Features: Simply adjust the **** to select the thickness of mild steel to be welded and you're ready to weld.


I am hoping to install new quarters and outer wheel wells, install bucket seat mounts, and plug up the existing seat holes. Also any other metal issue I might encounter.

Is she a good one?

 

This machine is on the small side but is probably good enough for the sheet metal work you anticipate. Do not use flux core wire. It leaves slag that makes for a messy weld - not what you want on body panels. Spring for the gas conversion kit and use the shield gas.

 

just picked up a lincoln 140 mig pac.it can be used with flux core or gas,plus an opional spool gun for alum.price was right at less then $500.00 cdn.have not used it yet but heard good things about it.

 

sheilding gas? thats just a gas to keep the oxygen away from the weld right?

I'm trying to stay under $600, and keep it at a 110 outlet since I dont have a 220..

I forgot to say I'm planning a ls1 conversion in the future so I might need to weld motor mounts.


thanks

 

Joe's right, you'll really want the gas.
I have the same welder and the splatter from the flux core wire is terrible.
I bought it to build a top for a polaris ranger, after using bed liner to paint it, it turned out all right, but I'm switching to gas when I start welding body panels that I'm gonna have to grind and sand!
(And you'll be surprised how far away from the weld that you'll find the little "BB's" stuck to stuff that you'll have to clean off.)

 

Go for a 140 i dont know if the 125 has provisions for shielding gas. Look on ebay for a tank i found a 80 cf new for reasonable. Getting a tank filled is cheap and wire is cheaper than flux core. Also when i was lookin for a welder the hobart 140 is what i was gonna buy it looks identical to the miller 140. its 110v. If you watch Tractor Supply has them on sale alot. We use a miller 140 at the bodyshop were i work and it gets used alot and works great.

 

I agree with the 140 and you definitely want gas. I have Century 140 and it has worked great for what sheetmetal work I have done. My dad has a Lincoln 140 which I have used in the past also. I bought my Century from Welding Supply USA because they had it on special with the gas regulator and a cart.

This is the Lincoln welder I was looking at buying before I found the Century.
http://weldingsupplyusa.com/index.ph...emart&Itemid=1

 

I got the lincoln 140hd coming next week. Now I need a sheilding tank.

What size sheilding tank should I get? My biggest project is going to be quarters, outer wheel wells and the trim that follows the end on both sides, doesnt have to happen all at once. Also some tanks say mixures, so does that mean I can get one tank for argon and co2? What do the tanks cost to fill up?

I can't wait to build my welding cart, then move on to putting my quarter on.

Chris

 

It should use c25 shielding gas. I got a 80 cubic foot tank off of ebay for my welder thats prob all the bigger you would need.I put a complete set of floor pans in a car and the tank hasnt run out yet. Its strange that the first thing people do with there welder is build a welding cart. I built mine out of an old bed frame.

 

jep c20 or c25 is just fine to use on steel.

fore use with stainless i gonna use a differend shieling gas next time.

and try it on a piece of metal same thickness as your sheetmetal to adjust your welder ,searching for the best setup.

 

But I am also going to upgrade my mig for this seasons build and in my opinion you will have to get shielding gas to do a decent job on the quarters.

I do not only believe you need to worry about the spaltter from flux core but also the size, I am planning on using the .23 wire and 75/25 argon-co2 mix they say the welds with the thinner wire will reduce distortion etc...

I did the floors with flux, and it was B'fugly, before grinding....

I would have rather went back and brazed it with my aviation torch and good ol oxy-acetelyne LOL... well almost...

just my thoughts no expert here...

 

I was able to find a metal cart that was used in a school to carry a projector around on. It has three shelves and I cut a hole just a bit bigger than my cylinder in the top two shelves, so I just drop the cylinder into the holes and no worries. The cart also had a long extension cord with plugs built in which comes in handy.

A cart isn't needed, but it will make things easier for sure.