Anything welding

for Tacoma work, what's the best machine?

Top 3 seem to be:
-Hobart MVP210
-Miller 211
-Harbor Freight Vulcan MigMax 215

-MVP210, costs a bit more than MigMax, but I guess has some more reputation.
-MigMax, used to be year return policy, but now is 90 days. Probably because people "rent" them. According to YouTube review by AvE/BOLTR, opinion of MigMax seems okay/decent/alright, and he had bad experience with Miller 211. Meanwhile most others seem to like 211.
-Miller 211. Costs the most. Miller currently not running the usual promo rebate to help with price

Last 2 (211 and MigMax) are both inverter. Supposedly better and lighter (40lb vs 80lb). Which may not matter. But may cost more to fix.
and if HFT runs their usual discount, if that applies to the welder, would lower cost even more.

edit: looks like I kind of asked half of this question the other day
am reading the responses now

Any plans to grind or paint the underside of that?

Nobody sells used Miller 211's

I will have to ask them about that
Saw on the site it says 90 days
but I guess at extra cost/purchase option separately it can go past 90 days

Exactly what AvE/BOLTR said in his video. That his 252 was the best, and that his new 211 came with problems

damn. More options on the table now.
-Omnipro, to TIG and Stick. Not sure how important that is given most stuff welded onto trucks are steel.
Seems more prevalent in performance street cars that tend to use a lot more aluminum.
HFT also has the Titanium 200 (green vs orange); not sure how it compares. Also has capability of TIG, Stick, and 240V at similar price.

Makes Hobart 190 sound appealing given it's cheaper than all that and despite being limited to only 240V, that's where most welding is done anyway.

 

Correct, you can buy a 1 or 2 year extended warranty for like an extra $90 or so.

 

Base warranty is 90 days with a restocking fee (20% I think) if just returning for refund - helps counteract the "I just need to weld a couple things" folks abusing the return policy.

You can buy a one or two year extended warranty. Although it's sold as a repair policy in reality it works out as a swap out policy. Bring the faulty welder to the store, walk out with a brand new one.

Be aware this fulfills the remaining warranty and you start over needing to buy a new extended warranty.

Worst case it fails on day 91 and you get a new welder in the time it takes to drive to the store vs. waiting for a repair ... but at the cost of a new extended warranty (~$99 depending on on welder).

Best case your machine "fails" at just before the two year mark and for the cost of a new extended warranty you get a new machine and another two years warranty coverage.

Look into AC TIG vs DC TIG - my understanding is for aluminum you need AC TIG and the Titanium 200 is just DC (fine for mild steel and stainless).

 

Those should last you your lifetime.

 

For those who have done metal fence posts, what protective enamel/coating do you use to protect against corrotion/rust. I will be making a metal frame fence and will be using 4x4 square posts set in concrete.

 

Non of the posts planted in concrete around here have any coating. The iron is just painted right down to the concrete.

Concrete is a base when wet. High pH materials do not attack iron.

 

Just cuz ya can don’t mean ya should.

 

Good to see cool things like that .

I would love to see How the Frames are spliced

 

Meh.

60S wire. 60k shear resistance. Better than anything GM ever put down the assembly line.... Bwahaha!

 

I just can't find enough positive aspects for a portaband.

No dust, ergo no black boogers.

Quiet.

Blades last a long time.

Bandsaw body last a long time. This one is a 1997.

Cut many different thickness materials with ease.

Blades last a long time.

Low vibration.

No fire hazard.

Cons:
May be a bit heavy and combersome.

 

In the middle of building a lift table.

 

Since the first time a Saw a Band saw used on Metal I was sold It has been Years since the Porta band came off the Welding Rig .

If I did not have the Horizontal Carolina it would see lots of use.

 

I wonder how often one pair loses contact with the road. Aren’t the rear pair normally a lot closer together? Turning radius must be orbital.

 

I don't think the turning radius would change - only the rear set of tires gets dragged sideways.

 

So the rear axle is passive? It just looks like it would be a pig to drive and that drag would affect the drive wheels. Hard to imagine no effect at all.

 

Saw this on reddit and thought you guys would get a kick out of it.

 

I assume so. Adding a steering axle would be quite a bit of work - and getting it in time with the front steering wheels...

I'm sure it's a pig to drive!

 

Messing with flux core welding for the first time. Different than I expected, which in hindsight, I’m not sure what I expected. The burn reminds me of stick welding which makes a lot of sense because of the idea is somewhat similar. I’m open to input. This is just for educational purposes and to save welding gas on this project.

Using a Hobart Handler 190.

First burn. I didn’t do a ton of prep since this is just a simple vice mount. Machine was set to 5/60 if I remember correctly.


Second burn. Still not great but better. Moved to 5/40 on this one.