i am going to buy a welder this week. i am looking at something like a 175 or a 180.
the best deal i see so far is lowes has a lincoln pro-pak 180 for $669. it has a 30% duty cycle mig or flux core, which is fine for what i will be using it for. it looks like the same thing at the pro-mig 180 (all the same specs).
any one else have any sugestions for anything simular for about the same price? any place i havent looked?
I really like my lincoln sp175plus...IIRC the 180's about the same specs so I think you'd be happy with it for the kind of stuff we use them for. I've always had good luck with lincoln machines but miller makes a good unit as well. Check a couple of the local welding shops...the one over here by the NCC building did me pretty well on mine when I needed to replace my old welder. They gave me a killer deal on the floor model as it was the last one they had in stock at the time (and I tend to be an impatient bastard).
--Ian
Sp-175 Plus also, very happy with it.
sp-175 here as well..... just stay away from hobart, but you already know that....
sp-175 here as well..... just stay away from hobart, but you already know that....
What's so bad about Hobarts? I was looking at a Handler 187.
the old hobarts had a horrible feed system, I had 2 different hobarts and will never ever buy one again..even if the new ones are "fixed"
I have the Lincoln Weld-Pack 100 the thing that i like about it is that it is only 110v so I cane use it anyware. Not limited by not having a 220V line.
I have the Lincoln Weld-Pack 100 the thing that i like about it is that it is only 110v so I cane use it anyware. Not limited by not having a 220V line.
I don't consider mine limiting...I have a 50ft (or so) heavy gauge extension cord with a dryer plug so that I can use it at friends' houses (but it tends to live in my garage as hauling the welder, cart, and bottle aren't my idea of fun). Most bracketry/gussets/etc are >=3/16" on our rigs so many of the jobs are too much for a 110V machine making one not worth it for me. 
--Ian
Most bracketry/gussets/etc are >=3/16" on our rigs so many of the jobs are too much for a 110V machine making one not worth it for me.
--Ian
thats what i was looking at also. i could have gotten a 110v unit for alot less and not have to run new power and sub-panel to the garage bit i didnt want to be limited to what i could wled.
I have welded 1 inch hinges on a tug with that little Weld-Pack. Just had to make a few passes. Also I don't use gas because it tends to get blown away out side with any wind.
I had to use mine on barges with a small genset a lot of the time.
I have welded 1 inch hinges on a tug with that little Weld-Pack.
Hmmm...yeah, I don't even know what to say to that other than my SP175 isn't even suitable for welding steel that thick. 
--Ian
Had to cut a V and make a lot of passes. A LOT OF PASSES. But it was all we had at the time. A more powerful welder would have made it a lot easer.
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