I like the portability of a 115 v. unit. If you don't figure on welding steel
that is more than
3/16-1/4" thick, the 115 v. will suffice. Most auto resto work is on panels or
frame members that
fall into this category. I found that when boxing my frame and installing the
IFS and motor mounts,
good welds can be achieved by beveling the edges of adjoining pieces so that
your first few weld
passes fill up the groove ("prep" in welders lingo), then you can add a cover
pass. This results in
good material penetration. Thin body panels don't need this beveling. Another
good feature of the
115 v. welder is the ability to run thin wire like .030" or even .023" and with
some practice you
can lay down good welds on pretty thin material. I have been able to weld
.030" sheet metal without
blowing holes through it. Just takes some patience and practice. You may be
able to run this thin
stuff with the 220 v. version, I'm just not familiar with the specs on it. The
115 v. can be used
on an electric line with a 20 amp breaker (even a 15 amp one if you don't run
it at full power), so
that makes it handy for dragging to the job site.
Wally
> My concern at this point is what exactly to purchase. I am told Lincoln is
> good stuff but will I be seriously handicapped with the 115v system? What
> does that prevent me from doing that a 220v system can handle? Its just a
> hobby and I wont be restoring vehicles for a living, just one at a time.
> Since I own the building and had the foresight to wire it properly, I have
> 220 single phase, but then I cant move the welder to different areas or to
> other locations and be able to use it. So, can't I get away with 115?
> Opinions?
>
> Deve
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