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Every garage where work is performed needs a welder. Maybe a MIG, maybe a TIG, or maybe even a Stick machine. Real men and garage personnel know how to use one or more of these. Maybe a metal shelf or table in the house needs fixed. A nut might need welded to a broken bolt to get out. Projects may have large portions of fabrication work that need welded. I once had a mechanic tell me I wouldn’t have made it in the old days because I couldn’t fix anything without a welder. So without further adieu, here are six multi process welders for your garage. I believe one will fit your needs and your budget.
The Hitbox is the most basic welder in the pack and also comes with the lowest price tag. At just under 150 bucks, this machine can MIG, TIG, and Stick. It does not come with a TIG torch and only MIGs gasless which is actually just wire feed welding, no gas, and the flux cored wire required shields the weld from contaminants. Just so we are clear, if you’re not gonna buy the gas and the bottles, you can still weld by means of wire feed and do small jobs. The Hitbox claims to weld up to 4mm thickness or about 25ga. It does not come with a TIG torch and there is no max rod diameter claimed, but I’d bet if lit up a 3/32″ 7018 it would “hum like the fat lady warmin up”. This is the bare budget pick. It can get your through a project.
the azzuno
The Azzuno is a 200 amp machine. That means you have some muscle to back up that trash talk. This a capable machine up to 14 gauge steel. The gas option is available which is a must for pretty welds. It can handle .035 wire and a 1\8″ 7018 will burn smooth as silk. TIG torch is not included. For the price this is a nice little addition to the garage.
the awt
The AWT wins The Best Looking Welder award in the line up. Also a 200 Amp machine, it claims to be a 8in1 machine, although the TIG torch, spot welding attachment and aluminum spool gun are all sold separately. It can weld up to 5\16″ and handle .040 wire. Its a powerful little weapon in the garage and its easy to use and learn on.
the arccaptain
The Arccaptain is also a 200 amp machine claiming six processes. It does not come with a TIG torch or spot welding attachment. It can handle 5/16″ steel and .040 wire like the AWT. What sets this machine apart is its brain. Kind of a smart welder I guess, it is capable of storing ten preset settings. This lets you go back to the settings you used the last time you worked on a certain project instead of tinkering and tuning to set the machine each time you use it. A very handy feature for a welder.
the yeswelder
The Yeswelder is also a 200 amp machine. It is also capable of MIG, TIG, and Stick. It can run .035 wire with no problem and 3/8″ steel won’t even slow it down. The kicker on this machine is it has a built in Plasma cutter. The TIG torch is included with this machine as well. It also has smart memory and reset. It’s great addition for any garage.
the lincoln
Making a living as a welder in my early years, I developed a great love for Lincoln welders. I felt it should be included in the line up even though it really is a professional machine. If you plan to weld ten or more hours a week, a pro machine would be better for you and this one meets the specs of a pro. Built to take the heat, this thing can sail into 3\8′ or 1\2″ and weld with the big boys. However, the difference in quality and capability is noted in the price.
summary
Each of these machines is capable of garage/home welding projects from basic to extrodinary. The Hitbox is the bare bones machine and the Lincoln is top of the line and top of the price tag as well. For once a week use somewhere in the middle is sufficient. The Yeswelder is the only one with a plasma option which is huge, the best in class for about a grand. In the middle the AWT is the most bang for that buck and rated best looking machine as well. Happy welding.