Hobart 125EZ for welding 18ga sheet.

[awolb69]

I was wondering what your thoughts were on using a Hobart 125EZ to weld 18ga steel replacement panels to an old car that I'm restoring. I have very little experience welding, and this will be my first welder. I like the feature of having a single control knob to set the machine up, as I'm not too familiar with wire speed setting and amp settings to use for this application. I will be flanging the joint where I have to use a patch panel not a butt type joint, and will probably use a stitch weld process to avoid warping the steel while I weld. I'm not making a career out of this so after I complete this project the welder might get used only a couple times a year for small jobs. Do you think it will work good, or should I go with something that I can use gas with to avoid heat warp with 18ga sheet steel?
Thanks,
awolb69

[locomoshun]

I'm new to mig so I don't know much, but I would recommend something you can use gas with unless you're willing to deal with lots of splatter. I shelled out the extra bucks to buy a Hobart 140 primarily for sheetmetal (love it), but the small Lincolns that allow C25 should work fine. I didn't know how to mig just a few weeks ago, but figuring out amps and wire speed was not hard once I realized that you can be more agressive with both than you at first think. I personally don't see why anyone would want the 125EZ that doesn't allow you to tailor your needs depending on the particulars of the job. JMHO

[Sandy]

18 gage is about as thin as your gonna want to to do with flux core to start with. Then the tack method makes for not a lot more than a bunch of cold starts. Flux core can be kinda porous (billion tiny holes) at times under those situations. Not saying it hasn't worked before, just don't want you to be fighting porosity as much or more than burn through. Porosity isn't good for auto body grade paint jobs.

The flange joint will definitely help a lot. Practice a lot first and specifically watch for those itty bitty pin holes. Try circlular/button welds, smaller than a dime.

[Dan]

I too definitely feel you'd be much happier with the results that solid wire will produce in this application over fluxcore.

Here's a solid wire unit you might want to consider. Haven't ran one myself, but it definitely looks like it has the potential to be fairly user friendly.

http://millerwelds.com/products/autoset/

[awolb69]

Everyone is right, I took the HH125EZ back and bought a HH140 with gas. I have been spending the whole afternoon today welding together scraps of 18ga sheet and I'm absolutely in love with this thing. I can't believe that Hobart pushes the 125EZ as the "easiest to use welder" when they tell you everything you need to do to set up the HH140 on the inside of the cover, and the results right from the get-go are soooo much better than the flux core wired HH125. It did however cost me about $300 more for the HH140 with a gas cylinder than what I paid for the HH125, but the immediate results made it more than worth it! Thank you all so much, I am a very happy camper right now!!

[locomoshun]

Glad it worked out awolb69. I personally think that Hobart is pushing the 125EZ toward those guys that normally wouldn't even consider trying to weld that cracked lawnmower deck back together. It looks idiot proof and it probably is. They fix the mower deck and put it away until some other household item breaks. I can't see anyone even half way serious about welding as a hobby being satisfied with it.

[Rick Moran]

I have a HH 140 w/Gas and love it too. Next one will be a TIG