got a new welder today

Topic: got a new welder today (Read 725 times) previous topic - next topic

got a new welder today

March 05, 2008, 09:38:12 PM

this should be a much bigger improvement from the 85a 110v craftsman shiznitbox i had.

its a lincoln 175HD 220v. paid $450 off craigslist, and it was rand new in the box. this meant i had to add a 220v outlet. so, i got that done today, too. i so miss fiddling around with welding.

got a new welder today

Reply #1 – March 05, 2008, 09:56:40 PM

I haven't been pricing them lately, but that looks like an awesome deal. Way to go. You will definitely love having that around. Congrats!

got a new welder today

Reply #2 – March 05, 2008, 09:58:42 PM

they're around $600 new at home depot. sears sells the same one for $749.

got a new welder today

Reply #3 – March 05, 2008, 10:03:22 PM

I have a very similar lincoln setup but mine is 110v

got a new welder today

Reply #4 – March 05, 2008, 10:05:17 PM

Nice one, my 140c was about the same price. did it come with the gas setup?
If anyone is interested, Indiana Oxygen has the cheapest prices on the net for welding supplies

got a new welder today

Reply #5 – March 05, 2008, 10:08:10 PM

I had the 115v version of that welder (called the Weld Pak 110 I believe) and i loved it. I sold it long ago because I didn't have a garage to use it in. Now I've got a garage but am stuck with a cheap 85-amp 115v wire feed welder that won't even accept gas. It sucks for welding thin metal as the .035 flux core wire is just too thick (it either pops and spits because it won't get hot enough or it burns through because it gets too hot), but it's great for welding thicker stuff, which is fine by me - most of what I weld is 1/8" thick or more.

If I ever do upgrade I'll also have to upgrade the garage wiring - the garage is fed by an underground 10/3 cable with a 30 amp breaker going to a small panel with four circuit breakers in the garage (two 15A, 115V breakers on each of the two 220V phases). Since a 220V outlet alone would require a 30 amp breaker I'd definitely have to upgrade to a thicker cable and bigger breaker in the house.

That 10/3 cable also serves to feed the house power from the garage when the power goes out. I've got a 6750 watt generator in the garage, and when the power goes out I just flip the main breaker in the house, then go to the garage and flip a transfer switch and start up the generator. It's enough to power the whole house if I choose my appliances wisely (turn off the water heater before turning on a stove burner, for example). The only downside is that because the house's main power switch is turned off I have no way of knowing power is back on in daytime without shutting the generator down and flipping the main breaker back on to check. At night I can go by the street light at the top of the hill. Still, it's better than freezing in the dark (it runs the furnace).

...And I have no idea why I just told you all of that :hick: I guess it's because I've been wanting to upgrade the garage wiring and typing out the reasons for doing so is helping to push me into doing it :D

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Back on the subject of welders/welding - I've got a lot of it to do this year. Gotta make a utility box to replace the rusted out box on my F-150 (I made a wooden one for my old Dakota, but I want to do metal on the Ford), gotta do some serious modifications to my utility trailer (install new axle with 15" wheels, new sides, and two ramps, one front and one rear), and gotta make another utility trailer for my father. Gonna be a busy summer...

got a new welder today

Reply #6 – March 05, 2008, 10:20:05 PM

Just add another 6 or 8 wire to what you have. Add another sub panel in your house to keep your main panel on and still use your generator. just separate a few emergency breakers for power failure.
But you probably already knew that.

got a new welder today

Reply #7 – March 05, 2008, 10:24:27 PM

nice deal! I was looking at a new welder, but ended up buying a new washing machine instead (ours quit a day after the check was deposited). tax money come and gone. Maybe next year.