Where is the best place to buy used welders? FB Marketplace? I need a machine that I can weld pipe fence with at our place. I have a tombstone welder and a flux core process welder, and they are super great and handy, but they aren't any good outside of the shop. I started learning a couple of years ago with easy small non-crucial projects, and now I am welding tailgates for my trailers, hitches, things I need fixed, etc. I am not at all worried about the strength of the welds and not completely embarrassed by their appearance (most of the time). I probably use them once a week for something or another. Now, I need to make a modification to my pipe fence, but I can't.

I think something in the Miller Bobcat line is what I am looking for, perhaps a Bobcat 225. However, I see used ones that are in the 3,000+ ballpark. Is that what used units go for? I am afraid to buy something used because it's a fair bit of money not knowing how it was treated. At the same time, a new one for twice that isn't going to happen at all.

What do you guys suggest? Anyone bought used equipment like this? Where can you get it and know you aren't buying someone else's abused junk? I'm not far from San Antonio.

6 months ago I sold a 2009 Lincoln Ranger 225 with leads and low hours for $3500. Everyone and their cousin was messaging me on Facebook. I couldn't believe the amount of messages. Everyone wanted to give 3. Eventually sold to a really nice guy that builds metal buildings for full price. He said he runs multiple machines all the time and that he's finding it really hard to find decent used ones.

You may look into new ones. You may find under 6k. If you're going to keep it forever it might be worth starting fresh and knowing how it's taken care of.

A bobcat 225 is pretty great for welding pipe fences. We have one here at the farm and typically when we weld we'd rather use it vs the welder in the shop.

My son is taking welding in high school now and he loves it. Can lay down beautiful beads with the miller but the old cracker box is much more difficult for him.

New Hobart machines are around $4,500. They would be good machines for the type of welding you are doing. if you do go the used route on FB marketplace or elsewhere, take some scrap metal and rods with you to run some beads before welding.

Just know, if you have a welder like that, it's also a great generator to have around if your power is out.

I agree on the Hobart comment. My grandpa has a Hobart and we have a Miller at the ranch, both have been great. They both have Koehler engines I believe. At tractor supply, they are $4,100 currently for the 225 model.

Back in the spring I bought a used Miller bobcat 225 from a guy that builds metal buildings who had just bought several new units. I assumed he bought them because the depreciation was up on the ones he had but the local welding supply guy is who let me know this guy might be selling some of his older ones. If you have a local welding supply shop, I'd go visit with him and see if he knows of any good used units for sale. I paid $3,500 but the one I bought only had 7xx hours on it. It was the backup machine when one of the main ones went down. I had to clean the carburetor out but it runs like new. Good luck sorting through the marketplace riff raff. There are some great people selling legit stuff on marketplace but there is also a ton of junk on there.

If you're interested in a project, I have an older Miller Big 20 that is for sale. It belongs to the ranch I work for but we are asking $1000 for it. I have no idea how well it runs or anything. Years before I went to work at the ranch they said it was running but it has always been parked in the shop since these folks bought the place as far as I know. I have it at my shop now but I haven't gotten very far in going through the carb and cleaning the tank out yet. I elected to use my own welder while working on things at the ranch and have plans on getting the Big 20 running and selling it but like many of my projects, I haven't got to it yet. My email is in profile if you have any interest in the old machine. I have a brand new battery for it and it will include the leads.

Get an older transformer model. The newer inverter models are hard to find for under $3k.

Don't buy one that is too old to get parts for. Like with lots of stuff these days, they get obsolete due to availability of parts. We live in a throwaway society.

Also I said $4,100 above and that is accurate for the Weatherford location. Stephenville is $4,300 so apparently pricing varies by location. You can change stores on their website to see cheapest in your area or maybe they price match to other locations

Thanks for the info, folks! It's one of those things I've needed for a while, and eventually I just find a workaround and forget about it. But eventually it gets to the point where it just needs to be a tool in the shop. I did 3 sets of ball joints on my vehicles before buying a 200 dollar press for them. Same with this. It's time.

I'll look up the Big 20. I don't know a thing about them. Perhaps it would suit my needs. I have no problem repairing equipment. I just tore down my old dead leaf blower to scavenge parts to save a new one. Lol. I'm cheap like that.

Is the Big 20 a multi process machine?

Hobart and Miller are the same company, hence very similar products.

I bought a Miller 225 Bobcat in 2004, mounted it on a 5x8 trailer, with an ox/acet rig, and a toolbox. It has served me well, the Miller has never needed repair, always runs, even with s*itty ethanol gas in it long-term.

And as mentioned, it's my biggest backup generator. I have a 50A dedicated breaker and power cord at the meter pole.

Plan on a bank loan, to buy the leads . Mine are 65ft of stinger, 35 ft of ground. Gotta be worth some big $$.

I have couple hundred yards of pipe fence around the yard.
Put it in myself 20 years ago

Used an inexpensive 220V Hobart Handler MIG with fluxcore so no inert gas used.
Powered it with a gasoline 5500W generator.

Set the generator, welder, and my tools on a small 4x8 homemade trailer and pulled it around with my ATV.

Raining so took photo from the front porch.

Wrong thread. Please delete.

I have 75 acres of used oil field pipe fence around the home place. I take care of it with a Hobart Champion 145 welder/generator. It has a brigs 10HP engine. Takes care of my needs in repairs and building new fence. Has about a 4K generator on it enough to power my grinders and metal saws. It starts on just one pull.

Let me ask this: If I were to get a generator to run my welder (Since I already have them), would this be big enough?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Westinghouse-WGen9500c-Portable-Generator-with-CO-Sensor/5005494877

I have a Lincoln Tombstone AC225 and a Lincoln Weld Pak 155. Lincoln support said it will run my 155.

The main breaker on this unit is 40A, which should be enough for the small welder.

RANCHER: I love your idea and it's a good one, and that's what I would do but I already have the welders here and I hate to buy a new full Machine.

ANIMAL: Your setup is what I'm exploring since I'm sort of halfway there already.

Lincoln support says I need a 8,000-9,000 watt generator. Which is what I have above. But the Hobart CHampion is doing it's thing with it's own generator at 4,000 watts. Doesn't make any sense. Why do I need twice the power for a machine that is probably not as fancy as a new Hobart Champion 145?

Since you have those machines, they may work with the right generator. Why not rent a few size generators to see what you need. Renting is always cheaper than buying in the long run till you reach that happy place. Plus you do not have the headache of maintenance. A quick word of advice buy you a cold cut saw for cutting the pipe. Not cheap, but well worth it. I never use a torch anymore, everything is with grinders and cold cut saws. There is also a company call CBI that sells cast saddle caps if you are doing fish mouth on rails they have these saddle caps in all sizes. Well worth the money in time saved,

Try all of the rental companies also. United, Herc, sunbelt, but also the smaller ones in your area. Should be low hour units that were maintained

Call as many as you can. You might get sticker shock on some as replacement equipment is hard to find still. But you will find one or two stores that need to meet their year end numbers and might have a deal.

I'm "resourceful "(not cheap) & did the same thing to meet my infrequent field welding needs.

Tell me about cold cut saws. They look like my chop saw. I very much dislike my chop saw with an abrasive wheel to cut. What do you have for yours?

I bought a 14" Milwaukee dry cut saw when I built the pipe fence around our house (somewhere around 800'). This was after burning up an abrasive saw on the first couple joints of used oilfield pipe. Yep, I let the smoke out. My cuts went from a long time and a lot of frustration to mere seconds. The blades aren't cheap, but hold up well if you use them properly. Many of the carbide blades can be sharpened, some can't.

Unlike an abrasive saw, you can trim a blade width or less off your work piece and make much cleaner and more accurate cuts. For me it was money well spent and cut days off the project. I have two abrasive saws I have touched in a long time.

GSS said:

---

Hobart and Miller are the same company, hence very similar products.

I bought a Miller 225 Bobcat in 2004, mounted it on a 5x8 trailer, with an ox/acet rig, and a toolbox. It has served me well, the Miller has never needed repair, always runs, even with s*itty ethanol gas in it long-term.

And as mentioned, it's my biggest backup generator. I have a 50A dedicated breaker and power cord at the meter pole.

Plan on a bank loan, to buy the leads . Mine are 65ft of stinger, 35 ft of ground. Gotta be worth some big $$.

---

are you able to power your central air with that bobcat 225?

That Milwaukee saw has been discontinued. Gotta find something else. Definitely looking at the cold cut though.

I got my cold cut saw at Northern Tool. They had best price plus I think it was on sale.. Best purchase I made in pipe fence repair and building.

Attached is the link to the one I purchased, it currently sells for $299 with blade.



Ironton Dry-Cut Metal Saw 14in., 15 Amp | Northern Tool

HoseMad said:

---

GSS said:

---

Hobart and Miller are the same company, hence very similar products.

I bought a Miller 225 Bobcat in 2004, mounted it on a 5x8 trailer, with an ox/acet rig, and a toolbox. It has served me well, the Miller has never needed repair, always runs, even with s*itty ethanol gas in it long-term.

And as mentioned, it's my biggest backup generator. I have a 50A dedicated breaker and power cord at the meter pole.

Plan on a bank loan, to buy the leads . Mine are 65ft of stinger, 35 ft of ground. Gotta be worth some big $$.

---

are you able to power your central air with that bobcat 225?

---

I suppose it depends on the size of the A/C unit, but it has handled our 4-ton with no problem.