Anyone using the - Hobart Handler 140 Welder

[sebtarta]

So I am in the market of getting a welder for the first time. actually 1st time using a welder too. Had some schooling done here at work at the machine shop.

Been looking around and found the Hobart Handler 140 Welder. From the reviews I have found for example here (http://reviews.northerntool.com/0394/1646140/reviews.htm)...

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200306073_200306073

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Brand: Hobart
Process Type: MIG, Flux Core
Welding Amperage Range: 25-140 A
Input Voltage: 115 VAC
Weld Thickness: 24 ga. - 1/4 inch - Single Pass
Duty Cycle: 20% @ 90 A, 19VDC
Width: 10-3/4 in.
Length: 19-1/2 in.
Height: 12-1/2 in.
Weight: 66 lb.
Warranty: 5-Year/3-Year/1-Year, Parts & Labor



It seems to be a very good all day small welding jobs. All I will be doing with it will be replacing the floor pans and maybe adding a mini-tub to the car. Then a few extra things here and there, but nothing major.

Would this be enough for that?
Thanx for the help.

Sebastian

[critter]

It will be perfectly adequate for that use. I have one and so does my brother in law. As a matter of fact, it's his welder of choice in the shop for his body work. You'll want to spend the money to go ahead and set it up for gas use when doing the body panels. The flux core stuff just doesn't work well for thin metals and, besides, you'll get a much prettier weld with a gas shielded puddle.

[sebtarta]

Yes I was reading about the gas, and that is why i was looking at this one as it comes with the option for the gas. Which i will get here when the time comes.

Haha! I feel like going now and putting this on a CC, but no, rather wait till I have the $$$

[69stang]

I have one, no complaints. It does what I need it to do. Works fine on .120 wall tube and sheetmetal. Thicker stuff will require chamfering and/or multiple passes. I tend to chamfer most anything thicker than sheetmetal anyhow.

[XLexusTech]

i love mine! check tractor supply they sell them cheap i paid 400.00 for mine off eaby (New)

AND BTW if you get it they ship it ready for Flux core.. you will need to swap polarity for Gas.. which is the only way to go..

[sebtarta]

Thank you, yes Tractor supply here close to home have them. I might have to order online and pick up at the store.

I will order the gas from there too.

[John Wright]

I have an older version of that welder...the Handler 135


Great lil machine for what it is....a little machine.

If ya need mo powah, get a larger machine, but for most things car related it does fine. rarely do you run into heavy materials on a car....although if you need to weld thick aluminum you might want to swap up to the next model and get the 185 or larger....for mild steel, it does great.

[sebtarta]

honestly all i might be doing is a mini tub and maybe the firewall delete.

I might do a few more things like the exhaust etc....but nothing crazy.

[69stang]

Here's mine, got it locally at Weiler Welding 4 years ago for just under 500 with a bottle, a spool of flux core and a spool of .020 wire which I just recently ran out of and replaced.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[sebtarta]

Quick question. Yesterday I was trying to fix my friends chassis.

But every time we went to weld we found our selves melting the metal chassis.

I lowered the voltage to 1 and the wire speed to 10. This is with flux core wire .30mm, and manage to more or less cover a small hole.

Would it be recommended to use the gas with the solid wire .20mm for welding on the chassis?

[mikey]

Never use the flux core with gas. It's hard to say exactly what dia. wire to use without knowing the thickness of the metal your'e welding. I have the miller version of this at home and mostly use .023 wire in it I do have .030 for thicker materials though.

[sebtarta]

Never use the flux core with gas. It's hard to say exactly what dia. wire to use without knowing the thickness of the metal your'e welding. I have the miller version of this at home and mostly use .023 wire in it I do have .030 for thicker materials though.

Yes, made a mistake on my post. I mixed up the wires. I meant to say solid not flux.

Going to try with the solid .23mm The gauge of the chassis is about 20-18 gauge

[John Wright]

I welded in my floor pans with .030" E71-T11(self shielded flux cored wire)...and it did great...ran the voltage on 3 and the WFS somewhere around 45-50...the trick was to let it blow a hole then keep feeding the puddle so that it filled the hole as you travelled along....the resulting bead was full penetration with a slight reinforced bead on the bottom side and fairly flush on top.

[sebtarta]

Thank you will try that too then.

[TRANSAMERICAN 79]

I have that welder, it's a good work horse.turn it on and go with minimum drama.

[5spd540]

I like mine also

[WS6]

What a timely thread. I was coming here to search for info on these as the local ACE has started caring them, but I didn't know anything about them. Sounds like they could really be an economical option for me. I, like most of you, only want to do simple car related stuff like panel replacements or fabbing some sheet metal components. I would want to be able to weld in sub frame connectors and maybe even headers but that wouldn't be often. Anyone tried that with the 140? I think it might be pushing the limits welding in SFC's to the car.

Thanks

[bretcopsey]

I've used mine for sheet metal repair and on 3/16" steel plate for frame work on my 51 truck. Seems to work great for everything I have thrown at it.

[sebtarta]

Update, my little 140 welder still kicking. I have used it for numerous things, even for house projects.

Love it.

[minendrews68]

i love mine! check tractor supply they sell them cheap i paid 400.00 for mine off eaby (New)

AND BTW if you get it they ship it ready for Flux core.. you will need to swap polarity for Gas.. which is the only way to go..

OK, I have one of these too. I was using the flux core wire then went and bought the bottle and using solid wire. I've as of yet to get this thing to weld correctly. I have used every setting I can think of and nothing seems to work right. Then I come across this (above) "you will need to swap polarity for gas..." What is this? I haven't swapped polarity on anything. Anyone got any insight on this, or how to do it?

thanks,
Carl

[sebtarta]

You need to switch the cable inside. Lift the side cover where the table of thicknesses and the suggested settings is, there you will see (as well) what and where to change polarity.

Any questions keep asking

[GrabberGT]

I've had no problems with mine either. works well on everything up to 3/16. not sure I'd go much further than that with it though but then again what more do you need.

[minendrews68]

You need to switch the cable inside. Lift the side cover where the table of thicknesses and the suggested settings is, there you will see (as well) what and where to change polarity.

Any questions keep asking

Well I'll be...There it is! After I change and try again I'll post results. Probably this weekend..

thank you

[minendrews68]

Night and Day !!! changed the polarity and ran a bead this morning. works like a champ. I was beginning to think I had no idea how to weld. Man, I'm glad I read this thread.