welder question-what to buy? Options

[rfuerst911sc]

Now that I have dug into my 914 project I'm going to have to do some sheet metal repair on the rear trunk floor. Also in the future will be various chassis reinforcements being added and possibly flares for the wheelwells. I have a oxy/acetylene along with a old 300 amp stick welder but I'm thinking a mig welder is what I want? Today I looked at Lowes,Home Depot and Tractor Supply at Lincoln and Hobart 140 amp migs that run 110v. So can I do this work with my oxy/acet unit or should I go mig? And if I go mig any preference to brand? I know that shielding gas is preferred over flux wire.Help me out guys. Thanks

[Twystd1]

rfuerst911sc

I look at a Mig from a "all around welder" perspective.

Too many times when I was younger and didn't know any better. I bought welders that were great on sheet metal. And sucked at building cages or was less that wat was needed from a fabricating perspective.

Cause once I got a GOOD welder, I found that the opportunitys to create new parts, build cages, fix lawn mowers, help a buddy out with a broken car trailer, etc.

Was only possible with a 220V commercial style welder that was both DC and AC. And had the balls to weld anything that came my way.

DC is especially good on verticles and upside down welding.

The welding opportunitys are greatly expanded with a high quality ac/dc mig welder.

There is also the the duty cycle question. With the bigger welders. You can weld all day. With the smaller welders, The duty cycle may be so low. The welds start to degrade as the windings and the diodes heat up. Then ya have to stop and let the welder cool off. Thats a pain in the ass IMHO.

A good example of this is welding up all of the chassis seams for a A/X car. The small welder "more often than not " will flat out over heat and start creating crap welds. Then ya wait a half hour and stick a fan on the welder to cool it off.

Then start again... PITA........


Commercial 220V welders ain't cheap brand ew..... yet they are SOoooo worth the extra dollars in my experience.

(used welders can be a great buy if ya know what to look for)

Then again.... If your holy grail is to only weld sheet metal and handle small projects. Dam near any 110 mig with a bottle of mix gas will suffice.
(NOTE: Bigger bottles are better)

Hopefully that answers you question...
Cheers,
C