Looking to get a small mig welder and wanting to set up for alluminum. What all I need and what brand is dependable?

Looking forward to the responses as I am wanting to do the same thing!

Miller 252
Esab 280pro

When u say small, what is your budget. The ones that pooldoo list are both beast.

We have a 180 (small) a 200 and a 252. The 252 is awesome if your budget allows but it is also 2.5 x the cost of the180

When u say small, what is your budget. The ones that pooldoo list are both beast.

We have a 180 (small) a 200 and a 252. The 252 is awesome if your budget allows but it is also 2.5 x the cost of the180

I looked at the Hobart 180, that seems to be plenty big for small projects. I was just wondering if there is like a secret on which weld machine to get or gun, what gas to run? I'd say budget be 1-1500

I'd say somewhere between $1000-1500. What kind of gun? Which machine? I looked at a Hobart which I think is made by miller? What's y'all's input?

100% argon

I have a lincoln 180 with the sg100 spoolgun. I'm not very good at welding, but it seems to be a pretty good and very capable machine. Have a few buddy's that are much more competent welders than I am and they all seem to like it. It would fit your budget, and you'd be able to afford a bottle, nice helmet, cart, couple spools, some flap discs, etc and still stay under 1500.

I just got a Hobart ironman 230 [250 amp] with spoolgun for $1849 shipped. read reviews it was very capable of making good welds.

millermatic 211 and a spoolmate 100 is a nice little rig.

Miller 211 w, spoolmate100
Is a awesome machine as long as your not planning on making a living with it
Its the setup I have and love it

Is the Lincoln 180 with the SG 100 spoolgun any good? Im thinkn bout gettn one myself.

I'm not a professional welder by any stretch of the imagination, but it's been good to me, and I've had a couple "welders" over at my house use it and they liked it.

When I was shopping, that was the general concensus MNGunner.

I ran a small Lincoln (can't remember the model) on 230 and wouldn't weld much. 1/8 alum was about all it wanted. But that was with the regular lead not a spool gun.


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Mine doesn't have any issue with 3/16, and got pretty good penetration in some 1/2 plate I was working with. I was just doing small stuff though, and it could use a lil more wire speed on the heavy stuff.

Which 180 u got cb? Seems to be several models of the 180

powermig 180c

And don't take my word as gospel. I'm super amateur. It's been good to me and I like it, but if some of the more knowledgeable guys say to stay away from it, I won't argue with them.

Look at a millermatic 180, excellent machine. Been running one daily in the shop for 5 years and is never had an issue on light stuff. Will overheat on heavy welding if you continuously run a bead but is a great machine for the price

Get a 220v machine first. The smaller 110v rigs, miller Lincoln all claim to weld aliminum, but the duty cycle sucks. I run a Miller 210 with the 3035 spoolgun. Again, like others said, it works great for my projects and I have built several boats. 100% argon. If I was going to do this as a business, i would invest in the 350P Miller like some on here have. They don't make my MM 210 anymore, I think its a 212 now, but anyway, my machine was $1400 and the spool gun was $500. Now these prices were several years back. Really depends on what you want to do.

For those who have used the millermatic 211 and spoolmate 100 did you have problems with 5356 wire feeding?

Gotcha..just curious what wire did you use with the 211 for a boat?

In addition to the welder, what other metal working tools are necessary to build a boat?

Thanks

4043 makes some pretty welds


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If y'all are looking for a machine for around the house aluminum and steel and maybe build a personal boat, look at the Eastwood 175. Comes with the spoolgun and is 600$. I use to have one and it does pretty good especially for the price. Their customer service is amazing or at least it was. They also have a package deal with a plasma for 1k$


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