Lincoln 135

I have a chance to buy a near new Lincoln 135 110 volt with a full bottle of argon/Co2.(I would own the bottle)

This would be for the home shop, light useage, as I have larger welders avaiable.

Does anyone have or used one of these 135 machines? If so how did it work?

Does anyone know what they go for new

Hal

I have worked on a lot of these machines. It should do what you want to do. Is it the sp-135t or the 135+? What size of tank? New price around 500 to 600 new depending the deal you can work out with the weld shop. Also the first 5 digits of the serial will tell you when it was made. Like U1097 would mean it was made in '97.

But: In my opinion they are junk mechanically speaking. The drive motors are about a mabuchi 500 size motor with a plastic gear housing. Tiny drive wheel only available in a couple sizes. The power block that the gun connects is a substantial size piece of brass, too bad its just cageg in place with plastic. The gun connection is held in place by a 8-32 thumbscrew that takes pliers to move. Therefore the gun connection is rarely tightened fully and the connection corrodes and/or arcs out. Plus it is a set screw so it jut pushes the connector against one side of the block.

Electrically they are fine, though I really hate working on them. They cram so much stuff in them that you can hardly get your hands in. changing the rectifier is a nightmare.

Miller on the otherhand makes a great machine. A nice large feed motor with a solid aluminum drive housing. Large drive wheel. Lots of space in the case to work on. Fold down carry handle. Big thumb nut makes it easy to remove the gun and it is a split block tht clamps fully around the connector.

Hobart has virtually the same machine (Owned by the same company) Only difference is a plastic drive assembly and a slightly lower price.

The rest are hardly worth mentioning.

I've got an SP135 Plus and it is a nice machine, but...

It is a light duty machine. If you want to weld 1/8" or less it is a good choice. I am frequently trying to weld 1/4" and it is too small. I use flux-core exclusively. The low duty cycle is pretty annoying also. You better have a 20 amp circuit. I bought mine new for over $700. I think it is a good machine for thicker sheet metal fabrication or auto body work, but 1/4" angles max it out. I never really know if I have a good weld or a cold joint with 1/4". I can't really fault the machine, though. I should have bought a bigger welder.

Macona:

I'm not sure if its a 135t or the 135+. Whats the difference?

The guy wants $450.00 for the welder and a full bottle (80cf ? about 3' tall)that I would own.

Hal

The SP-135T is the tapped transformer version. Has 4 settings on the voltage knob on the front. The SP-135+ has "infinite" voltage control. Nice option if you can get it.

Sounds like a 80 to me. A new bottle is around $130 and we list a fill of 75/25 about $71.

All in all is sound like a decent deal if it is in good shape. I have seen these get pretty trashed. Last week I finished fixing one up, replace the front plastic, straigtend the sheet metal. What happens? The next day the customer drops it from 10' off a man lift. Says it still works...

macona, is that right $71 to fill a 80 cf bottle?

Yep, no joke. I went to fill my 160 AR last week and the list price to fill was $60. Since 75/25 is a two step process they charge more. Also there is apparently a shortage of argon so the price is going up.

Alays buy as big of a bottle as you can the first time! It will save you in the long run. And buy the bottle. DO NOT LEASE! Leasing is like free money for the weld shops.

We'll I feel ok then about paying $31 for a 80cf 75/25 this last week, exchange, I own the bottle on an exchange basis. For whatever reason that is the largest bottle that I can purchase and they will exchange without having to wait for filling and drive 20 miles. And of course have 2 each mix and argon so that I don't run out. Do you know what the compliance fee is for?

Yeah, you're complying with their demand for money.

Probably some fee to cover additional gov't regs for safety/environment/waste, and they didn't want to LOOK like they were raising their prices, so they added a fee that doesn't show up until you look at the statement.

I know that gas price seems to be geographically dependant. Even here in the portland area there will be a different price in gas depending on the store and it distance from the fill plant.

The price I gave you was exchange rate. Compliance Fee? I know there are additional fees on top of this or Hazmat.

I use a proportional gas mixer by Smith and just mix AR nd CO2 on demand. I have a 150 AR that is split between the tigs and the proportioner whih also has a little 5lb CO2 attached to it. With this I cand set it to 75/25 for short arc and change it to 90/10 for spray and even set it to 95/5 for stainless. You dont need trimix for stainless. Another thing invented sothey can charge more.

I have one and have used it with flux core and also with argon shielding gas for Aluminum.

Works great for steal. Welds Aluminum ok also. you will get wire jams from trying to push the soft Al wire throught the hose.

I have one... GREAT for body panels and light duty welding. I have not touched anything over 1/8th inch and the 135T had done it all. The low duty cycle is not an issue for me as most of my work is automotive body panels.

I have the 5 ft tall bottle (no ideas how many cf) and it lasts about a year... signigicanly less if I forget to shut off the regulator

I use the MIG wire from Harbour Freight... bout hald of what lincoln charges. .023 and they also have tips.

THE ONLY thing I do not like is that there is no guard around the trigger.

You mean a spark guard or just so you dont accidently hit the trigger?