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Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

The cleanup issue I was referring to is the powdery slag residue. It bleed through paint and caused paint to lift. So brushing it out of crack and crevices is important if you plan on putting finish on your project.

Yes I saw that, the slag came off pretty clean with a wire brush. I will actually power brush all the welds. Thanks for the tip on the paint, I plan on painting this project. I didn't get any splatter to speak of ,so that was good .

I will do a simple bend test with this wire, what I am fabricating, there will be a bit of stress on them .

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Which Lincoln flux-core wire are you using? Lincoln has dozens of flux-core wires. If NR211 MP, some users prefer Hobart Fabshield 21B. Both are E71T-11 wires.

Thanks. Yes, it was the NR-211-MP. I will try them both on this project, I have the small sample roll of the Lincoln ,it won't last long.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

The cleanup issue I was referring to is the powdery slag residue. It bleed through paint and caused paint to lift. So brushing it out of crack and crevices is important if you plan on putting finish on your project.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Which Lincoln flux-core wire are you using? Lincoln has dozens of flux-core wires. If NR211 MP, some users prefer Hobart Fabshield 21B. Both are E71T-11 wires.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Absolutely pleased with this Lincoln 180 Pro Mig welder. I set it up with .035 flux core wire. Pretty darn smooth, can't see any reason to use anything else for what I do. There may come a day ,but the project I am working on its ideal . Very little if any splatter , just the slag. I am sure not all flux core wire is created equal, this of course is the Lincoln wire. Any recommendations on flux core wire .035 which looks like I will stick with for now. The Lincoln wire is okay by me, but if there is better out there, I will sure give it it a try. I don't want to get too caught up in price, but if the cheaper wire works well I am all for that .

I would like to ask, everything I have welded up until now at home has been with the Miller Thunderbolt 225 , and 1/8" 7014, some rods I have tried ,but always went back to 7014. Can I expect the same weld integrity with this Lincoln I have gotten with my Miller ?

I want to thank everyone again for their comments, experience, etc.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

With C25 shielding gas and solid wire the 180 has a nice clean running arc that has a good level of crispness to it. This would be my recommended set for solid wire. I find CO2 very annoying to deal with very window of operation were it produces ok results.

The feeder tops out at 500 ipm if you mainly going to be welding 1/8" - 1/4 ", with solid wire, I probably set this unit with an .035 solid to guarantee I could get the top end amps out of the unit. For 1/4" critical applications i go with the stick welder over the 180. With solid wire Lincoln 180 units and best on 3/16 and thinner. The top ends a little lean for 1/4" when you life depends on the weld. Self shielded fluxcore will burn in better on the 1/4". For handling load stresses a 7018 is gonna give you a superior weld to the self shielded fluxcore

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

Only issue I had with flux core was cleaning post weld spatter and flux can be nuisance, if cosmetics will be a factor. It is comparable to and versatile like 6011 rod. Also, there is difficulty welding thin material. It is a more expensive operation than MIG after setup.

If the machine were lighter I would use flux core for field repair in lieu of stick weld.

I will use the sample ,and see how much cleanup. Big reason we used a lot 0f .045 mig wire with CO2 was there was very little cleanup, especially the slag. Nearly all of our product was galvanized ,except for the C-10. So it had to be very clean for the galvanizing process. With our dual shield everything got needle gunned pretty good, as well as a bit of needle gunning on the mig as well.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

.030 solid wire is perfect match for that machine.


I'm a fan of using straight CO2. I get acceptable results and I certainly enjoy the portability of a 20lb CO2 cylinder instead of a 125CF mixed gas cylinder when I have to exchange bottles.

a 20lb CO2 tank yields about 175 CF of shielding gas.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Only issue I had with flux core was cleaning post weld spatter and flux can be nuisance, if cosmetics will be a factor. It is comparable to and versatile like 6011 rod. Also, there is difficulty welding thin material. It is a more expensive operation than MIG after setup.

If the machine were lighter I would use flux core for field repair in lieu of stick weld.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Maybe someone can give me some advice on weld wire before I invest in a bottle of gas. I am going to try the flux core wire that came with it to see how it welds. Pretty much everything I will weld is going to be 3/16 -1/4. The project I have started with my old Miller 225 is 1/8, and 3/16. Only experience I have with wire is .045 mig wire ,and straight co2, and dual shield 1/16 ,same co2. Never have welded with a flux core wire without gas. Some applications when I was working we used an Argon mix at times.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by ccawgc

Warranty will depend on who the seller is. If it is an authorized Lincoln distributor and the welder has never been sold before. It will have the full three year warranty. The sales receipt will be your key to warranty repairs. Try to get serial number preprinted on it. Not hand written. If the seller is a private party then the warranty expires 3 years from the date of manufacture. Look at the serial number the date is clearly there. first two digits are the country / plant code M3 is mexico plant 3.
Next two are the year 18 would be 2018, next two are the month. 08 would be August. M31808xxxxx. Technically The warranty is to the first buyer but nobody asks
if the welder is in by serial number. Long as the welder is in by serial number Lincoln has always honored the warranty.

Thanks , Its a private party, but as said its never been out of the box . Well it appears I got a pretty new machine M32005xxxxx . May 2020 so I assume I have only lost about three months of warranty ,and its been registered yesterday.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Warranty will depend on who the seller is. If it is an authorized Lincoln distributor and the welder has never been sold before. It will have the full three year warranty. The sales receipt will be your key to warranty repairs. Try to get serial number preprinted on it. Not hand written. If the seller is a private party then the warranty expires 3 years from the date of manufacture. Look at the serial number the date is clearly there. first two digits are the country / plant code M3 is mexico plant 3.
Next two are the year 18 would be 2018, next two are the month. 08 would be August. M31808xxxxx. Technically The warranty is to the first buyer but nobody asks
if the welder is in by serial number. Long as the welder is in by serial number Lincoln has always honored the warranty.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

Cool, Isn't it still in warranty?

I assume it is ,I registered it online with Lincoln.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Cool, Isn't it still in warranty?

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

I dont know. My 180 was purchased new and returned before the first weld with leaking power lug. My new 210 had known issues, lincoln released expecting to consumers to use the warranty. My shipped spool gun was missing parts.

The spool gun and 180 were taken care on by Lincoln. I sold the 210 with warranty and disclosure of the issue.

Lincoln does track/record common issues. Could be new-old inventory?

Its sitting in my garage, , it was still packaged with the shipping bands around it. There is a date on the warranty info of May 2018, so it appears it is new old inventory. Everything is there, and undamaged. Not a scuff mark even on the box. So its never been mishandled it appears. I'll register it, and see what happens . I will report back in a day or two, I'll fire it up ,and see how it welds.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

I dont know. My 180 was purchased new and returned before the first weld with leaking power lug. My new 210 had known issues, lincoln released expecting to consumers to use the warranty. My shipped spool gun was missing parts.

The spool gun and 180 were taken care on by Lincoln. I sold the 210 with warranty and disclosure of the issue.

Lincoln does track/record common issues. Could be new-old inventory?

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by Broccoli1

I see the 180 "Still in Box" on CL all the time. $550-650


The Pro Mig 180 will serve you well.

"Durable cast aluminum gear box delivers added drive torque and quiet operation."

https://www.lincolnelectric.com/asse...481-1/e727.pdf

Thanks, haven't heard anything too negative about them . The $550 seems okay to me, considering they go for around $700. Any upgrade is going to be close to $900, and a welder I really don't need for my use. So I'm thinking the same , it will serve me well .

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

I see the 180 "Still in Box" on CL all the time. $550-650


The Pro Mig 180 will serve you well.

"Durable cast aluminum gear box delivers added drive torque and quiet operation."

https://www.lincolnelectric.com/asse...481-1/e727.pdf

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

As suggested, get the code and call Lincoln to see if any issues with that batch. Early runs may have issues.

Early runs, I am thinking this a pretty new batch, being it never had the box opened yet . You are thinking this welder may have been made years ago ??

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

As suggested, get the code and call Lincoln to see if any issues with that batch. Early runs may have issues.

Not sure what you mean ,the code ??

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

As suggested, get the code and call Lincoln to see if any issues with that batch. Early runs may have issues.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Originally Posted by tapwelder

Owned the powermig 180c for 12 yrs. No complaints about performance. I cannot recall complaints about the pro-mig or weld pak 180. The tapped voltage setting is the noticeable difference. However, I use a larger tapped machine and have never missed the continuous voltage setting of my 180C.

Probably worth purchasing if the price is right. Are those dual input voltage?

Good luck

They are dual input voltage . I am wired in my garage with a 40 amp 220 plug for my Miller 225, so I should be good to go, they have same style plug .

The price is definitely right , its never been out of the box, and he wants $550, they retail right at $700, plus tax. May catch them onsale ,but I have searched the internet ,and haven't seen any sales so far. My only issue is warranty, doubtful I will have one.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

The Retail Lincoln 180's have a metal drive system.


The only difference between a LWS Lincoln 180 and a Retail model is the tapped vs Continuous voltage selection.

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Owned the powermig 180c for 12 yrs. No complaints about performance. I cannot recall complaints about the pro-mig or weld pak 180. The tapped voltage setting is the noticeable difference. However, I use a larger tapped machine and have never missed the continuous voltage setting of my 180C.

Probably worth purchasing if the price is right. Are those dual input voltage?

Good luck

Re: Lincoln Pro 180 Mig Welder.

Lincoln has many different models of the 140 and the 180 level machines. they have the home Depot retail level models as well as the " professional models ". Most of the differences in the quality of the internal components as well as the difference between the drive system being made from plastic or cast or machine metal. Durability reliability and longevity are all big factors in the difference between the price tags.
Check out the machines closely internally before deciding just on price.