jacob27

Hey everyone!

I had a question, and was wondering if anyone would mind letting me know, or make suggestions here. I'm in the market for a MIG Welder, for small to medium projects I have on the side. Looking to mostly weld aluminum.

I came across a company called Longevity and they have a Migweld 140 that looks reliable. I talked to someone in sales and they gave me a great price and its also spool gun capable which i like. Just wondering if anyone has had experience with their welders? I would appreciate the feedback before i make my final decision

Thanks
Here's the welder:

http://www.longevity-inc.com/migweld-140

camptappakeg69

IMHO if your going to weld aluminum I would look into a tig welder.

indysupra

iTrader: (3)

I would look on welding web. They don't have a great reputation.

zeke

140 with a spool gun will weld a beer can. you need 200 amp if you want to burn 3/16 aluminum
in the welder line is like anywhere else you get what you pay for I have all miller and Lincoln machines
although I do here great stuff on thermal arc.

Vinny P

I agree with Zeke. Don't waste your time and money on that welder. Not enough power, more importantly, if you want to weld aluminum get yourself a TIG welder. Maybe a Miller Diversion 180.

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

You most likely never welded aluminum with a mig welder based on the fact your thinking about a 140 amp. When you mig weld aluminum and dont have alot of amperage you will find yourself having to preheat the work and use small wire, Small wire burns back so fast it instantly clogs tip and then wads up the aluminum wire in the feed mechanism. It also has no ability to "burn " the work clean and boil out the impuritys so unless you using brand new alumium it will weld like total ****. Being you dont have enough amperage you will not get any real penetration on anything thicker than sheet metal, find a used tig welder if you plan on welding alot . BTW,before i bought my Tig welder I used my lincoln 180 amp mig wire with a new liner in the feed and aluminum to occasionaly weld simpler stuff, didnt work great unless everything was perfect, Smitty

FIXX

iTrader: (2)

+1,, if you are looking for production you can get a tig welder and set it up with a wire feeder that feeds like a mig but gives the aluminum weld excellent penetration and a nice row of pennys..i for one have a miller ac/dc..you will need a ac welder to tig weld aluminum..if you want cheap look into the everlast 210..it seems to be a really good welder..just add a wire feeder ahd your in biz.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YySwRTJ25Y

FIXX

iTrader: (2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eICgOrvyhDQ cold wire feeder..search youtube theirs a lot of info on their abbout it..

Jonesyfxr

iTrader: (1)

I have a Lincoln 180 Dual. I can weld almost anything and the price is right too.

Jpzaluski

I've been in welding and machine my entire adult life, so I've seen this plenty. I definitely appreciate your enthusiasm, and encourage any DIYer to jump in, get their hands dirty, and learn. However, learning with subpar equipment will leave you frustrated beyond reason, and probably teach you habits and procedures that are not proper. The first thing you need to ask yourself is what exactly are you going to be welding? Am I repairing cracked skegs? Am I building fuel cells? Am I welding up aluminum boats? Aluminum and TIG gets a bad wrap, because people feel it's a very tough process and material to weld on, but truth told, with proper equipment and setup it can be picked up in a few weeks. I often tell people we reserve spool gun and pulse MIG aluminum work for dump trucks and tractor trailers. Trying to repair small parts, or make small aesthetic weldments with a wire feed on aluminum will not happen. If this is a home machine, I encourage you to maybe look into a used Miller Syncrowave 180SD. They are old, transformer based machines, but rarely break and will probably be more then enough capacity for the home DIYer. Great machine to learn TIG on, and while it's not the latest and greatest inverter based machines, it holds its own in capable hands. The ONLY downside to the transformer type TIGs such as the Syncrowave for home use, is that they are power hungry and require 40-50 amps of 220 hung wide open. For a wire feed MIG (steel only) try to find yourself a used Miller 251 and make it the last MIG you ever buy. A little more spent now will make you a better fabricator, and save you money down the road.