Seriously Considering Hobart Handler 140 120volt Mig Welder

I am just a hobby welder so take my opinion for what it's worth... I'd say go for it. I have settled on 120v flux core as my go to welder for almost everything I do. Gas is getting stupid expensive and I'm pretty much always welding outside anyway. For big stuff, I take it to a guy that does arc welding and has all the fancy gear.
 
Fordiesel69 said:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...VkMZbqCeiXV7BaIe3nBjBd7Cy4O3wehMaAufaEALw_wcB

Am looking for a very basic no frills, durable mig welder to do general automotive welding and outdoor power equipment. Most likely will not need a 240volt unit, and if I do, I know several people with them, and better welding skills than I have.

Is there any better considerations?
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I get buy just fine with my little 120v mig welder but I also have a deep freezer sized miller stick/tig welder.
I say run L56 wire, 25 or 23 thousands the smallest one and CO2.
If you want to do auto body get 90% argon 10% CO2.
 
ripcord said:
I am just a hobby welder so take my opinion for what it's worth... I'd say go for it. I have settled on 120v flux core as my go to welder for almost everything I do. Gas is getting stupid expensive and I'm pretty much always welding outside anyway. For big stuff, I take it to a guy that does arc welding and has all the fancy gear.
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CO2 is cheap I get 50lb for $50.
A big 300 cubic foot argon mix cylinder holds like 22lb of gas and is well over $100 now.
So 50lb of CO2 for $50 is a deal. Even if you're getting ripped off and it's $100 a cylinder where you are it's still more than 4x as much gas.
 
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I am going to learn with regualr wire and gas as that is what all my buddies run and they will be teaching me. I cant ask them about this welder as they want me to get a 240v big beast and buy it one time instead of my buying this and having to upgrade again. They dont beleive in 120v. But here is the kicker, I will only be doing basic stuff I have zero interest in being an expert welder and taking on work on big thick steel jobs. Basically rust repair panels, mower decks, and pickup bed supports. Occasionaly a plow if I break it.
 
I was looking at one of these ~25 years ago and settled on a Millermatic 135 because of duty cycle and the ability to weld thicker material. Yes the 240v can be a pain, but I have not had issues yet. I also will not weld anything unless I have gas. No fluxcore for me, it is too dirty.

Just my $0.02
 
I was looking at machines like that a couple years ago when I wanted to weld for the first time in many years. I ended up getting a cheaper inverter machine, and I've been happy with it using both fluxcore and a small 40 CF bottle of CO2/Argon mix which lasts me quite a while. But yeah, you can do quite a bit with a little 120 volt machine and that seems like one of the good ones.

I haven't wanted a bigger MIG machine, but I do have the itch to learn TIG or have the capability to work with aluminum. The biggest barrier for me is that, with such infrequent use, I don't want to have more gas bottles around.
 
I remember when those Hobarts were $399 at Tractor Supply. What happened?

For hobby and home use I use a cheapy ArcCaptain mig130. It's flux core wire and stick weld capable and capable of using solid wire with gas if you buy the appropriate handle and gauge set ($59,99). You plug it into any outlet in the house and off you go. You can't weld a ship hull or patch the county water tank but for light duty around the house it's impressive. And... it's $149.
 
FowVay said:
I remember when those Hobarts were $399 at Tractor Supply. What happened?

For hobby and home use I use a cheapy ArcCaptain mig130. It's flux core wire and stick weld capable and capable of using solid wire with gas if you buy the appropriate handle and gauge set ($59,99). You plug it into any outlet in the house and off you go. You can't weld a ship hull or patch the county water tank but for light duty around the house it's impressive. And... it's $149.
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I think I paid $349 for mine 20 years ago.
 
Not that one specifically, but I have a couple of 120V(or rather dual 120/240V) inverter-based welders. I've never MIG/wire welded, but have a basic stick unit, a low end TIG, and a fancier TIG that I bought to do aluminum(has AC as an option for TIG).

Just in general, the 120V units have served me well. The electric service in my house is such that 240V is basically out of the question-we don't even have an electric dryer that I could borrow power off of.

Yes, 220/240V is a lot more capable and versatile, but inverter technology lets them pack a lot of punch in a small and(relatively) light dual voltage unit these days.

The one thing I would caution is that a lot of these units(don't know about this one specifically) do come with super short cords, so extension cords are a practical necessity. I spent a not insignficant amount of money-probably as much as a dirt cheap Amazon inverter stick welder-on a 25ft 10AWG extension cord. If you're going to run any kind of extension cord on one of these, this is NOT a place to cheap out. Aside from potentially being dangerous, running at full power you might only be getting ~90V to the welder if you try to use a common 18AWG cord. Of course you could make your own heavy gauge cord if you were so inclined, but I decided against it by the time I priced out heavy-duty plugs for both ends and an appropriately flexible wire.
 
Fordiesel69 said:
I am going to learn with regualr wire and gas as that is what all my buddies run and they will be teaching me. I cant ask them about this welder as they want me to get a 240v big beast and buy it one time instead of my buying this and having to upgrade again. They dont beleive in 120v. But here is the kicker, I will only be doing basic stuff I have zero interest in being an expert welder and taking on work on big thick steel jobs. Basically rust repair panels, mower decks, and pickup bed supports. Occasionaly a plow if I break it.
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All I can say is don't be naive, it's truly nice to have more capability. With welders and tractors, everyone always wishes they'd purchased one step bigger.

Now, you can regard that as the masses talking down to you, or the voice of experience. Your choice.

The Miller 211 multi-voltage is a sweet machine, esp at ~40 lbs with inverter tech. My Hobart 210MVP which is still transformer is more like 90 lbs -- borderline impractical for mobile use. My already-once microdisectomy'd back is no fan of loading the 210MVP into a truck.

I will grant you the M211 is quite spendy at Great Reset pricing, but still an investment for life.

DO NOT be afraid of flux core. It burns hotter and digs deeper. If you really think you're gonna repair plows with 110V, please consider using flux.

Finally, if you've made it this far, it's not just about capability. Like most things in life from vehicles to power tools, more power means a better user experience. A 240V machine lays a better, smoother bead while allowing greater travel speed, and even that isn't an accurate description.

It's the difference between pulling 10k lbs with a 1/2 ton, vinyl floored V6 vs a fully loaded 1 ton diesel. You don't have to use the extra power, but when you need it you didn't even realize any additional effort was expended.

Hobart makes solid machines with great tech and warranty support, so if you want the H140 it's a good choice. I still don't trust Harbor Freight machines no matter how great the reviews.
 
I will also add, the two buildings the welder would ever be located in, has very limited electric. That is the other reason.

Major excavating on the one building and an update to the main panel would need completed before it could ever be considered, and the second building I do plan to redo the entire electric service from scratch but that is going to be 5 yrs from now.
 
Fordiesel69 said:
I will also add, the two buildings the welder would ever be located in, has very limited electric. That is the other reason.

Major excavating on the one building and an update to the main panel would need completed before it could ever be considered, and the second building I do plan to redo the entire electric service from scratch but that is going to be 5 yrs from now.
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Which is why multi-voltage is an elegant solution.

HOWEVER, if you're set on talking yourself into the H140, it can always be a good second machine. I keep one loaded up with .023 for exhaust and body work, and my Lincoln 256 stays loaded with .035 for everything else.

Once you can melt metal together a whole world opens up. You might be surprised how much you want to weld.

When it comes to cords I'd also at least call the local electric supply house (CED, whatever) and see if building your own isn't more affordable. Esp for 110V don't go any longer than absolutely necessary.
 
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