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🔧 Technical Going on a welding journey.....

GTPpower

TCG Elite Member
Jun 5, 2012
6,295
9,611
Nebraska
You know I'm an x-ray certified welder, right? MIG welding is all in getting the machine dialed in and getting your metal CLEAN. After that, I could have my wife laying perfect beads in minutes! If you want me to stop by on a friday evening I can probably get you tooned up...

Also, not sure you're gonna need 220v for anything you're gonna do in your garage, but I've never used a Hobart machine. My go to portable 120v MIG machine of choice are the Miller Autoset 140/141, and I've used them to field weld up to 4' diameter plates that are 1/2"-5/8" thick on boilers for burner conversions. And that's laying about a 5/8" bead.

How in the world do you weld that thick with a 110v welder?

I ask because I was tig welding 1/2" aluminum plate last year with 220 and I struggled big time. It's only rated for 3/16 though.
 

greasy

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Jun 25, 2007
36,909
28,931
Went ham on the welding table last night, started of with only one of the top corners welded up and got it 90% done. Still need to weld in a middle support for the lower portion, cut the top plates to size and tack weld those on, and finally fab up the leveling leg adjustments for the casters. Overall I’m happy with the work, some welds looks great and others are just ok. I was having a bitch of a time grounding the top for welding because all of the tube was closed of. I was able to open the clamp to get around the tubing, but it wasn’t the best. The table is solid and standing on its own which is always a positive! ???

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cap42

Restoration Hell
Mar 22, 2005
2,763
2,430
Bolingbrook IL
Get yourself one of these and you'll never have an issue with the grounding clamp not fitting.

 
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Smokinhot

3-man rules!!!!
Jul 4, 2007
14,060
1,836
Lansing, IL
Real Name
IM me if you wanna know more ;)
Get yourself one of these and you'll never have an issue with the grounding clamp not fitting.

Unless you do stainless [emoji13]

Awesome piece to have [emoji6]
 
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Jeffs FRC

TCG Elite Member
Aug 10, 2006
6,187
10,381
Lakemoor, IL
How in the world do you weld that thick with a 110v welder?

I ask because I was tig welding 1/2" aluminum plate last year with 220 and I struggled big time. It's only rated for 3/16 though.
Heat cranked as high as it'll go and weaving like a sob! lol

The machine would overheat after a good 30 mins of straight welding, but after it cools off you're back at it!
 
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justbob

Just a grandpa car with a vacuum leak.
Jan 23, 2010
324
352
Behind that famous burrito joint
Real Name
Bob
220 is nice for welding at home if you don't have enough current at you subpanel in the garage. If in welding aluminum on AC with my TIG welder, it seems to be happier in 220. On 120 you may get some lights flickering.

^This^

I own the same Hobart 210 and I’ve only used the 120 once and HATED it! These machines put down a much much more consistent bead using a 240 source.

I also have a tank for mild, one for Stainless (which the 210 loves doing), and a third for Aluminum with a spool gun. I’ve only TIG’d once on a demo at Terrace paint supply and because my extensive background in oxy-acetylene I was able to run a bead on my second attempt, more like dime/nickel/nickel/dime but still impressed the sales guy LOL. With that said I’ve practiced a few times using the Handler w/spool gun and still struggle.. I can now successfully do anything over 1/8” but ugly AF.

With the Handler set up for 240 it will blow your mind on how much less effort it takes to get that perfect bead every time and this machine has an excellent cooling fan and has zero issue burning for several hours straight. Helpful tip to get started, I have found the best setting 85% of the time is normally 1 heat and equally lowered speed lower than what the label says. (Unless you are mass producing and hauling ass)

Mine is now probably four years old with well over 100 hours of burning and probably four times that in idle time and I kid you not I have yet to feel a difference between this and our 252 Miller at my shop (which has seen two new gun/hose assemblies now from overheat and leaking out most of the shielding gas pre gun..) Other than that I love the larger Miller and Hobart equally.

You have a great machine to learn on and you’ll do great. Guys that use $300 no name machines especially using flux core garbage have no idea how hard they are struggling.


Anyways there’s nothing better than fabricating your own stuff! A couple of many things I’ve made considering I own a Marauder that nobody makes anything for.

Raked and lowered Radiator crossmember.
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Six speed conversion trans crossmember.
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This is my fifth ladder rack I’ve made for our service body fleet at work. First one I did at home using my welder because the lift and my cheap Menards fab table just make it sooo much easier. Plus working at home just wins anywho. [emoji6]

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