Inverter Welders: Hype Or Useful?

[LeftyTom]

A few months ago I saw several ads for inverter welders; arc and TIG welding. Then the hoopla disappeared.

Has anyone tried one of the inverter welders (priced under $200)?

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[ptt49er]

I've got one my dad bought from northern tool (I think that's where he got it).

It works well stick welding (more capable than I am) and it runs just fine off a 20A 120v outlet.

 

[Michael Mathews]

I've got a Clark 130 amp MIG that was set up for gas. I added the gas bottle and regulator. It works great! I've had it for over 25 years. No shred of issue with it. I've even welded Aluminum with mine! I forgot to mention that I got mine and I bought one for my Dad at the same time. Someone had put them on Lay-away at a Tractor Supply. This was between Christmas a New Years. They were marked down to $199 each.

 

[Oka]

Depends on the brand, but Inverters are the standard these days for smaller units.

Any Welder you buy make sure you read the duty cycle.

The Minimum I would recommend would be 80%. This means in 1-hr of continuous welding you will only get 48 min 80% of an hour. So if you run it for 48 min it will shut off for 12 min(at least).

Also, use the 75% rule, if you need 140 amp strength, then look to buy a 200 amp rated unit. This assures you can use the unit all the time without over taxing it.

 

[Ted P]

I’ve had a Hobart 120v mig for 20 years or so. 1/4” steel is the heaviest I’ve welded with it. I use gas vs shielded wire most of the time. I have had no problem with duty cycle as I don’t do production.
A couple years back I sold my AC/DC stick welder because no longer used for the welding I do

 

[Mike Davis]

Do most of you just buy a unit and start playing around til you get the hang of it or do you take a welding class somewhere? There have been times I needed a small weld job but too expensive or cumbersome to take it to a welder or too small for them to bother with. Would be nice to be able to weld something two or three times a year. Is it worth $200 and a couple hours to have this ability?

 

[LeftyTom]

I’ve had a Hobart 120v mig for 20 years or so. 1/4” steel is the heaviest I’ve welded with it. I use gas vs shielded wire most of the time. I have had no problem with duty cycle as I don’t do production.
A couple years back I sold my AC/DC stick welder because no longer used for the welding I do

I have seen one that boasted a "20% duty cycle".

Weld for 12 minutes, take a 48 minute break.....

 

[LeftyTom]

Do most of you just buy a unit and start playing around til you get the hang of it or do you take a welding class somewhere? There have been times I needed a small weld job but too expensive or cumbersome to take it to a welder or too small for them to bother with. Would be nice to be able to weld something two or three times a year. Is it worth $200 and a couple hours to have this ability?

Like some, I did a bit of arc welding in high school. Tons of videos will help you sharpen your skills with small welders. Fixing mower eecks and such. You will have to dig to find videos that go into details for welding larger than 1/4" metal.

Taking a class can help you decide if purchasing a welder is suitable for you, as you find your comfort and skill level. You may meet someone nearby who has a welder, and offer you its use

Long term, if I will use it enough to save enough in time and money? Yes.

That is why I bought my Hobart Handler 140 Wire Welder a few years ago. I used credit card rewards to pay for it,so it was sort of free.

I am pondering an inverter welder for stick welding, to expand/ sharpen my skills.

 

[ptt49er]

Do most of you just buy a unit and start playing around til you get the hang of it or do you take a welding class somewhere? There have been times I needed a small weld job but too expensive or cumbersome to take it to a welder or too small for them to bother with. Would be nice to be able to weld something two or three times a year. Is it worth $200 and a couple hours to have this ability?

My career has kept me in close proximity to some really talented welders, which has provided a great resource when I run in to questions or need help.

But I'm pretty sure you could watch a few youtube videos and do a little reading and teach yourself Mike. Especially when it's not a safety concern.

 

[Mike Davis]

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

 

[mkepke]

I have seen one that boasted a "20% duty cycle".

Weld for 12 minutes, take a 48 minute break.....

Well, a person shouldn’t buy crappy equipment but in the context of a hobbyist that 20% duty cycle is equivalent to say burning *50 yards* of welds in an hour (150 ipm * 12 mins)

I’ve never come close to running that much material in a working hour using my Millermatic.

YMMV

-Mark

 

[oldtexasdog]

I picked up a Yeswelder MIG-205DS-B Multi-Process MIG Aluminum Welder a couple of years ago and it does real well. I am now looking to weld and make up a bistro table that I will mount a 3D falling block butcher block on for the top which is beyond my skills as a welder so I enrolled in a welding design class at the community college for a couple of hundred and it is coming along fine. Go for it!

 

[lhmayberry]

The best way for me to learn was taking some scrap metal and practice. I did have a one week class at Randolph CC ,and learned some basics and was told to practice a lot. I have recently in the past year bought one of the Yesweld multi units mainly for the plasma cutter and it has worked well so far. I also got this unit to learn tig welding. never mastered that yet.
Most importantly no one else has mentioned, pay close attention to eye protection.

 

[Wilsoncb]

I think it’s important to mention the difference between welding something and getting enough penetration to make it stick and getting a weld that does that, and looks good. For example (for most non professionals) a 110v mig without shielding gas can weld up to 7 ga., but it’s going to require a lot of grinding to look good. If you’re going to do any significant welding, get a 240v unit. If you’re just doing a little and don’t want to spend much money you can get by with a 110v unit…but plan on spending more time grinding than welding if you care about how it looks.

 

[Mike Davis]

My brother in law told me there are grinders and there are welders. Welders don’t grind.

He is a certified high pressure vessel welder and pipe fitter. His welds are x-ray inspected.

 

[lhmayberry]

Years ago, I was told that what makes a good welder is the grinder behind him,

 

[Mike Davis]

Years ago, I was told that what makes a good welder is the grinder behind him,

Probably told by a grinder.

 

[Oka]

Just a couple of follow up comments. Most inverters offer 110 and/or 220v. 110 power is too inconsistent for beginners IMHO.
220v offers a smoother arc and easier to learn on. 3 phase is even easier.

With penetration, the easiest way to learn and check penetration is start with 1/8 steel just surface weld a bead on the plate and move about 1 inch and weld slowly. then look on the backside right after you stop if it is bright orange you are getting penetration. That is how I learned, years later I eventually got certified. A useful skill, but for me, welding is not my thing.

 

[lhmayberry]

Probably told by a grinder.

Actually it was a welding specialist.
When I worked for A C Corporation back in the 1980's.

 

[mkepke]

Actually it was a welding specialist.
When I worked for A C Corporation back in the 1980's.

I think every trade has a variation of that same saying where a sloppy upstream job is fixed by the next person…

“ a little caulk, a little paint makes a trim carpenter what he ain’t”

Etc

-Mark