[AnimalChin]

Quote: Originally Posted by maladjusted That's not entirely true. Little wire feeds that don't have enough current can fuck your shit up real quick. A stick welder run by somebody who knows how to use it can weld anything. A $250 stick rig can weld 1/2" plate if it's chamfered and pre-heated (well maybe not half inch but fucking thick)

agreed all around, but it's just been my personal experience that stick welders are to be avoided if possible.

Quote: And "easily get a MIG" means big buxxors. Maybe I get the $150 cheapo wire feed and the $99 MIG kit for it.

i hope you do so you can tell me if it's worth it cause i want a little mig welder too.

Quote: I rented a cheap wire feed one time and it didn't have enough current to do anything but make little blobs of weld. I have 220, why not get a 220 rig?

all i know is our little lincoln was a badass little wirefeeder. i can't answer for any other model as that was the only little one i used. as far as 220 goes, i just assumed that it would be 1) too expensive and 2) more power than you need since i am also assuming you are going to weld once every couple of years.

Quote: Yes. My pa has a stick welder and a ox-acetylene setup. He weldered big boats for teh Navy in Brooklyn Naval yard. $10 he can make better beads on 1/4" plate with a cheap stick welder than you will ever make w/ a MIG. Of course years of practicing all fucking day might have something to do with that.

i'd bet you ten grand he could make a better weld than me using jb weld (lol hondo) than i could with a mig. i am no pro welder by any means.