What does it take to upgrade a MIG welder to with-gas?
 

A neighbor has a MIG welder which is setup without gas (flux core), but it has the option to do it with gas. I guess I definitely need hoses and tank but to be specific, what do I need to do to be able to weld it with gas? Is it simple as plug-in or do I need a pro for this upgrade?
Thanks.

If it REALLY is a dual purpose welder then what you need to buy is the regulator,tank of shielding gas, and possibly different tips depending on the wire size you want to use. When converting back and forth between mig and shielded wire you have to change two electrical connections inside the unit. Most machines have a decal on the raised lid panel explaining this connection in detail. That's pretty much it.

it should say in the instructions what you need specifically but i know for my lincoln 100 i needed to change the liner to accomodate a different size wire and the gas. Then obviously you need a regulator and hose and the tank itself with usually co2 somtimes a mixed gas like argon/co2 . Talk to your local welding suply shop theyll hook you up

Go on ebay under welding tools and if you know you model number of the flux unit they will tell you what you need. I did it and got a valve two gages with hose and a new shielding tip. The tank is up to you how big you want. It was a lot cheaper than getting it locally.

In addition, the welder has to be capable of being converted - it will need to have connections for a gas solenoid.

When I did my Lincoln 100, it took about an hour and a half, and I was working slow.

You need to a) make sure your torch is gas compatible, b) make sure you have a gas solenoid and the associated hosing c) rent a bottle of gas d) buy a gas flowmeter/regulator

Then connect it all together. And buy some regular welding wire.

Thanks guys.

Frustrated...
I finally went out and bought this MIG (with gas option for future) machine, below. Went home, got so excided opening the package, read several page of the manual and found that the machine is setup a little different already. Also, there is no power plug in the box. How the hell do they expect me to buy a machine and go out to search for a 220v power plug? Unless this is some gavernment regulation not to include power plug with welding machine.

There must be someone bought it, played with it, and returned it incomplete. I remember told the guy to make sure not to pick me the returned box and he said "yes I made sure this is an unopened one". Yes, I made sure myself. THe box look brand new with straps, etc. So I think Harbor freight don't really care when peolpe return their stuffs. They don't even send it back, just seal the box and sell it again. Don't you hate people who return stuffs but keep some accessories?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94164

You should not be surprised that you get skunked buying a complicated tool at HF. HF may be great for a hammer or a jackstand, but I'd stay away from anything more complicated. Buy a Miller or Lincoln and never look back. The Lincoln weld pack 100 is an excellent starter MIG and you can buy the gas upgrade kit (minus bottle) right there at Home Depot or Lowes. There are no open questions on what is required for the gas upgrade. All you need is a gas bottle and the kit ...

George

There are 2 different types of plugs that work equally well, they can never guess correctly what receptacle you have. Same holds true when you buy a dryer, they never come with a receptacle.

idontknow,
wait a min, do you mean the welder might not come with the plug, not that it's smissing? In that case, how do I get the correct plug? Do I have to order it through the manufacture or any electronic store will have one?

Go to Lowes, Home Depot, etc and they will have the right plug 7-10 bucks

Lots of people don't even use a plug, they wire directly to the receptacle.

HF has the lowest of the low prices, don't be shocked they didn't include something you might not need.

PBH,
I never seen any electrical device without a plug. If someone say a plug isn't needed, I am very suprise.

You can just wire it directly to a box. Dryers all have plugs now, but they didn;t in the old days.

A plug is convenient, it is not necessary. Unless your hydro code mandates it.

Anyway, I found that I don't have 220v at home. I finally brought it back (220v with gas option) and exchange for a 110v without gas option (I want the gas option but there is no such 110v with gas option). Then, I finally have some time to try some welding today. At the end of the day, I was so happy that I could actually "connect 2 pieces of metal together" but I created an ugliest weld ever seen, and there were so many of those bibi rounded balls scater and sticking around the welded area :(. I think maybe because the metal is too thick, will try something thinner tomorrow.
Is 2mm too thick for 110v MIG100? It said 90 amp max.

We regularly buy 10,000 thousand dollar welding machine for school and they never come with plugs on the end of the wire..

mmmmmmmmm, 110V, no gas mig, mmmmmmmmmmm. don't expect much.

LOL - you need to give up and return that POS. IMHO Welding with flux core is a waste of time. It will never look good. I'd consider it if I would build a fence, but never for automotive work. The core turns into gas and that's what creates a lot of small explosions that throw the liquid metal all over the place. That's where your pebbles come from.

So, listen: Bring that thing back for a refund or store credit. Then go buy a Lincoln weld pack 100

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100039229&N=1177+90401 &marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125

That welder runs on 110 nicely, comes with an instruction video and can be upgraded easily for about $150 plus a bottle from your local weld gas store. I had welded flux core with my weld pack 100 when I started with mixed results. Once I went to gas, I suddenly could weld ... For my cars I have welded anything from sheet metal to oil cooler mounts and roll bars.

George

Milller 140 is 110v, comes with hose & regulator: http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_140_autoset/

I have the older 135 model & love it.

Expect the splatters with flux core. You can minimize by spraying the area with anti-splatter spray, and use an angle grinder to clean up.

How sure are you? Sounds unlikely.

Every home has 220. He must mean that he does not have it wired in a convenient location.

George

mb911,
Thanks. I understand now. I didn't know that before.

dad911,
thanks dad911. So my comments are only correct with Harbor Freight' srules than.

aigel,
Yes I got a lot of bubbles and little metal balls around the area. Actually, I offered to create a fence for my dad's front yard but after looking at my welding results, he said "no, thanks".
The Lincoln weld pack 100 was the one I looked at Home Depot yesterday. I didn't think I will buy another similar welder again so I just looked and walked.
Are you saying the Lincoln weld pack 100 is simply better? The problem I have with this Chicago MIG 100 welder is that the weld could sometimes melt nicely at some points, but not at other points. Meaning sometimes it comes out nice, sometimes it doesn't. Will I experience this with all flux core welders, or is it because this machine is a BOS and the Lincoln weld pack 100 won'tdo that? I know it'll be "supper" with gas but will the Lincohn 100 be acceptable with flux core, knowing the MIG100 is a BOS.

PBH,
umm... If you ask me have I tried all the outlets at home. Yes, I know all the outlets in the house. But if I have to do some wiring, etc, then no I am not sure.

If you've got an electric dryer, it runs off 220V.

If you don't have a 220V outlet, you'd have to add a breaker in your panel and run wiring.

Even if you have all gas appliances, most homes still have a receptacle behind the range as an option.

note: you would have to downsize the breaker in the panel from the 40/50 amp breaker to a 30 amp breaker. The wiring would be oversized for the load but would be fine.

Thanks all for opinion and point me to the right direction. Fianlly I had to return the MIG100 even though the price is so good, much cheaper than the Lincoln weld Pak 100.

aigel,
I finally bought a Lincoln Weld Pak 100, and some kit for gas now I gotta figure out how to put them together. I also bought a small tank with full Argon from this guy and he said that Argon is for aluminum only. Now, I found that there are many types of gas: Argon, CO2, CO5, etc for different types of metal. At the beginning, I keep saying gas because I thought there is only one type of gas to hook into the MIG machine to make the weld smoother/nicer. Now I have to reseach some more to understand what type of gas I need and how to put things together :(

you need 75% argon 25% co2 this works best for your needs

I agree. I also have a Lincoln 100 and this setup with .030 or .023 wire will do what you need. I don't think I would try to weld 1/4" or over though.

mb911, wrecktech,
Thank you for the info. I will ask several more questions. Hopefully they are not too annoyed.
1- What kind of metal do this mixture (75% argon 25% co2) work for or is it for all kinds of metal, either mild steel, steel, or aluminum? Or do I need different type of gas for different type of metal?

2- I have a bottle of "Argon compressed". I guess it is Argon concentraded. What can I use it for? The seller told me it is for aluminum only. Is it true?

3- After I converted to gas (I have not installed the gas kit yet), if I want to weld without gas, do I have to convert it back, or can I just turn off the gas bottle? Will the weld quality the same as now (before convert). The reason I ask this question is because if I weld something simple for home use, I would want to spend $$ on the gas. Without gas, it look ok (I tried it today). The bottle I bought is only around a gallon only and the seller told me it cost $85 buck to refill with Argon. I know the bottle alone cost over $100+ bucks.

I made several welds today and wow, the world diferent. The Lincoln 100 gave me much much better welds compare to the Chicago MIG 100, much easier to weld too, even though the 2 machines are having the same specifications.

Again, thanks all for "pushing" me toward the Lincoln.

1/2. You need the pure Argon for Aluminum, there are a lot of different gasses for welding steel from CO2 to Argon/CO2 mixes. 75/25 will be fine for you.

3. With flux core wire you just leave the gas bottle turned off. But read the wire specs, some wires can be used with or without gas, and you might get better results leaving the gas on.