is there one welder for me?

[weldingisfun]

I have been studying the specs of about 30 different welders at miller's website and reading a ton of stuff on this website and hobartwelders.com and my head just keeps on spinning. My welding experiance stems from light fab MIG work and stick work at work but what I want to do is mostly automotive work at home and when I say automotive I mean EVERYTHING automotive. I would like to do everything including bodywork, exhaust, header, chromoly rollcages, head or block repair, and still be able to do light fab work with ss, alum, steel and thin cast. The specs that I have to maintain are NHRA specs.

You all are very helpful and I hope you guys can help me. I'm so lost right now I can't even narrow my choices. I used to think I could do what I wanted with a syncrowave 180 or 250 or maybe even an MM251 but now I have no clue...my brain is mush please help

Thanks,

Chris

[cope]

TIG is preferred for chrome moly tubing, but it isn't the best for everything else. You may need both TIG and MIG to cover all the bases. The TIG machine will also give you stick capability. The 180 plus a 210 or 251 Millermatic would just about cover it all.

[HAWK]

Is There One Welder For Me?

weldingisfun,

I think you're on the right track: Mig and Tig. I'm with cope on this one-sync 180 and the MM210. Got to have the TIG for head repair. You may prefer a step up in power: the sync 250 and MM251X.

[ASKANDY]

Right on guys.
This is a 2 welder man!

A MM210 and at least the Sync 250DX Tigrunner. I sat the Sync 250 because of your intent to do heads or blocks. You may even want to step up to a bigger unit if this is going to be a full time job thing on the heads. If it's just for yourself, the 250 should be fine.


A-

[weldingisfun]

Thanks guys I really appreciate your input. I was afraid that I was thinking right and I needed two machines oh well better start saving some more scratch I guess. These machines will only be for myself and whatever my track buddies might need help with. So I guess a MM210 and a syncro 250 it is. Just one more question: Can both of these machines use a NEMA rated plug or can I just create two different fusible disconnects coming off the panel, hard wire them in and use one machine at a time?

Thanks again guys

[PISTOL8]

one welder?

MY VOTE IS WITH COPE & HAWK & ANDY I HAVE A MM210 AND A180 WHAT I CAN'T DO WITH MY 210 I CAN WITH MY 180 AND ALL THE STUFF IS TOP NOTCH AND THIS FORUM IS GREAT FOR PICKING BRAINS. NOTHING IS MORE FUN THAN CARS AND WELDING(FABRICATION) HAVE FUN PISTOL8 S0RRY I STOLE THE HAVE FUN FROM ROCK

[HAWK]

Originally posted by weldingisfun
Thanks guys I really appreciate your input. I was afraid that I was thinking right and I needed two machines oh well better start saving some more scratch I guess. These machines will only be for myself and whatever my track buddies might need help with. So I guess a MM210 and a syncro 250 it is. Just one more question: Can both of these machines use a NEMA rated plug or can I just create two different fusible disconnects coming off the panel, hard wire them in and use one machine at a time?

Thanks again guys

weldingisfun,

Good luck on getting your machines! You might want to check with MAC702 on the NEMA specs and/or fusible disconnects. He is listed on the forum as a welder, electrician, and engineer. It sounds like he's in the know.

[weldingisfun]

Thanks again hawk. I appreciate it

[weldingisfun]

I hate to bring up an old thread but I have been on vacation for a while and have been fiddling with an oxy/act kit my boss gave me. Anyway, as I stated before I have decided to go with a MM210 and a syncro 250 but I was wondering which machine I should get first? I can't afford both right now and I don't really see myself repairing any major components yet so I was thinking I should go with the 210 first, what do you guys think?

[ASKANDY]

weldingisfun,
If you see yourself doing mostly steel for now, I would lean towards the 210. I would love for you to spend the extra money on a Sync package, but if steel is going to be 80% of your work, do the 210.

and yes...weldingisfun!!

Andy

[HAWK]

weldingisfun,

Funny you should bring up the mig again. My mobile welding truck is in the shop along with my Trailblazer. The only access to welding equipment I have for now is my Dynasty 200. I'm in the middle of extending the light brackets on a client's drop gate trailer. I am not real happy with the time I've invested in tigging 1/8" square tube and 1/4" plate to extend these brackets. I really miss the mig on my Trailblazer with the 12RC wire feeder. I know I could have run rods, but I really don't like to weld plate with rods-Too used to burning pipe-that's just a personal thing.
GO FOR THE MM210 UNLESS YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH LOTS CLEANING TIME WITH STICK WELDING OR LOTS OF UNDER THE HOOD TIME WITH TIG-IT'S GREAT, BUT CAN BE PAINFULLY SLOW ESPECIALLY DURING THE LEARNING CURVE.

[weldingisfun]

Yeah thats another thing. I'm 22 yrs old but my back feels like its 72 whenever I'm bending under the hood for a long period of time. I can't be going into work every monday with a hurt back because I've spent too much time under a hood. Not to mention I only have about 5 hours total experience with a tig. So I think I will go for the MM210 with a spool gun and probably get the syncro 250 after I buy my dad's house(hopefully) next year. So I can turn his block shed, next to his 3 bay 30x60x14 foot garage, into a machine shop

[weldingisfun]

Andy, I will be doing mostly manifold, exhaust piping and body work for right now. The 210 should suit me fine for now, I think? The syncro will come when I think manifold, rollcage design, and more precision welding become a better part of what I want to do. Hopefully the wife will get me a plasma cutter for christmas

Hawk, OUCH MAN! tigging 1/4" plate takes forever! I think I probably would have said screw it and busted out my ancient lincoln(sorry, I know thats a swear word around here) 225 buzz box with a box of 6013 and been done with it. How long did it take you to finish up that project?

[HAWK]

weldingisfun,

Still working at it. It's a freebie because this client runs a lot of motorcycle and ATV events. This modification will be seen by hundreds of people throughout the year and my name is attached to the work. Most folks don't know a good weld from a bad weld. However, people do know good looking workmanship from average or bad. That's the only reason I'm tigging the @#$#@^%& thing anyway. As for the time I'm 8 hours into it with an aching neck and still got more to go. I'm a glutton for punishment and love good advertising. Your right -the 3/32" 6013's look tempting at this point!