[AT] Mig welders for antique tractor sheet metal work??

[Billy Hood]

Dean
Welders are somewhat like tractors--one is never enough and if two are good, several are better.  Hobart is built by Miller.  I have no experience running one, but have worked on the wire feed for a 135 and the parts are directly interchangeable with compatible Miller.  I have had more wirefeed problems with MIG machines in the last 35 years that I have owned MIGs than any other parts.  I started with a Miller years ago and have owned Lincoln SP 175,  and currently have a Miller 210 in the shop here and an old old ESAB 300 amp at the other shop.  I sold a Lincoln to buy the 210 as I had replaced drive motors and rollers on the Lincoln several times.  This is with the admission that I had ran hundreds and hundreds of pounds of wire.  

I have MIG(GMAW), TIG(GTAW), Stick(SMAW)-- ac and ac/dc, and a portable--eight in all and a plasma torch scattered over 3 shops--and would buy a bargin tomorrow.   Boss lady knows about them all, so I am ok.  II have never ran flux core on anything other than to try it. It just does not leave as clean a bead and has more splatter.  We had a fab job onetime that called for flux (FCAW)and we used flux core with 25/75 gas over it.  It was welding the hinges on some instrument cases.  I also recommend 75/25 gas if you are only doing steel.  I keep argon, helium and 75/25 in my shop but for tractor work the blend is much less expensive.

Bear

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dean VP<mailto:deanvp at att.net> 
  To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com<mailto:at at lists.antique-tractor.com> ; AT JD<mailto:antique-johndeere at lists.antique-tractor.com> 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 10:04 PM
  Subject: [AT] Mig welders for antique tractor sheet metal work??


  About every 6 months I fall into lust attack for a Mig welder. Never have
  owned one but would like to some day. I've kept an eye out for a good used