Looking to purchase a Mig welder

[cpierce18]

I’m looking to buy a new Mig welder. My current one is little 90amp Harbor freight model. It’s done it’s duty, and now that I need a little more power and better appearing welds, I need to purchase a new one.

My current welder only has control for wire speed and high/low heat. I’d like something a little more advanced, but I’m not sure what all the bells & whistles do.

Mig Volts, Arc Force, Pulse Volts, Balance??? I’m not sure what any of these settings go. Can anyone explain a little to me.

The max I can see needing to weld is 3/8”.

[CGCINC]

Power I-Mig 200 sounds like it might be a good choice for you.
I am planning to get that one as well.

Voltage is basically like your heat setting on the Harbor welder only this one is adjustable. The more voltage the thicker you can weld basically.

Arc Force... Not too sure on that with Mig but I think it controls penetration of the weld. I'm sure others who know more than me will be in here soon!

This will help... http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...1941-I-Mig-200

[performance]

Arc force controls the "pinch point timing" of the wire, or actually the current rise time. Without getting too technical, it does affect arc width, stick out, and bead profile, along with making the arc seem stiff or soft.

[DaveO]

Here's a clip from the IMIG manual (just citing the source, not saying "RTFM"):

Arc Force Control: This feature allows you to change arc qualities. When used in MIG mode, it helps to control wire burn back and stick out. These two factors help in start/stopping activities such as spot welding. When used in Stick/MMA/ SMAW mode, increasing or decreasing the “dig” can make the arc crisp and sharp or soft and buttery. This is helpful for making quality welds in and out of position. Some experimentation may be required to deter-mine the best setting for individual tastes.

I've been reading up on pulse MIG and think I've got a general idea, but not enough to explain to someone else. Lincoln gives an explanation here:
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...ig-detail.aspx

As with any purchase you have to decide if the bells and whistles are worth the additional cost, and whether you'll be able to take best advantage of the feature. To me it's telling that both Mike and Mark (technical mods here on this forum) would do without it if given a choice of machines.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...05-Pulse-info?

[performance]

Dave,
That Lincoln article is a good general overview for sure. What it doesn't say is that there are a couple of types of pulse migs, single and double. It discusses current but fails to identify that the "current" being pulsed is actually voltage. Due to the factors at play Pulse MIG and Pulse TIG though similar in some ways are completely different in most ways...Effect can be the same, but setup is way more complicated for MIG.

One thing that people erroneously think is that they can pulse short circuit. The IMIG 205 is a 200 amp welder, which is on the threshold of the spray trasfer range of larger wire. And you must use a special gas. 75/25 gas mix on a pulse mig welder is useless as... well..you know the saying. People purchasing the 205 pulse mig need to realize that it will shine with aluminum because it sprays at a much lower level, and possibly only .030 wire on a limited bases. Pulsing in a short circuit mode does no real good.

As the article correctly points out it is a form of spray transfer...a generally hot welding process suitable for flat welding only...What it does is bring down the spray transfer to a cooler level, and allow it to be used in the way and on metal similar to short circuit transfer. In my opinion, it won't allow you to weld thinner metal necessarily, just thinner metal than normal spray transfer.

Don't get me wrong. My 250 amp MIG welder from ESAB spends most of its life in spray transfer. I am typically welding 3/16 to 1/2 inch material. Thinner than 1/8" I can get in serious trouble with spray transfer...and warpage is a concern. But with pulse mig, that would lower the heat and allow me to use it on thinner metal, and in out of position areas.

Again, most people don't understand the spray or globular transfer type of welding with a mig, and aren't prepared for the cost of the higher % argon or pure argon required to weld with it.

Our welders are not "synergic" as the article makes a comment about, and are similar to those 80's pulse units, that needed a skilled welder to know how to set up and that understood what was going on.
So...it boils down to the fact, that unless you are a skilled welder, pulse MIG may be very difficult to get the pulse humming along correctly.

It is no coincidence that most pulse mig welders start at a 250 amp range or greater...because of the voltage required to cross into spray transfer range for steel and stainless.

[Brian Ski]

Just for my 2 cents... I have a HF 185 MIG and it has done me well. I bet Everlast has a good price on a similar one. I have skipped over their MIG section since I am looking for a TIG. The one thing I highly recommend is to go with a shielding gas (tank) over a flux core welder. From what I have seen the Argon mix is by far the best way to go over a flux core wire.