Best Welder For Automotive Sheet Metal 2021

Welding is quite technical, which means it requires some experience which only comes with practice. The end goal of every welding project is to obtain long lasting, high strength bonds between two pieces of metals. When cars are involved, the metals of concern are usually sheet metals which can quite easily be put together if an ideal welder is used.

Metal sheet for auto body and even welding supplies are not difficult to come by. This guide is to help the inexperienced handyman looking to avoid the high cost of labor find one of the best welders for auto body.

Not only that, we hope our reviews take the stress off getting the perfect auto body welding device for professional welders. Let’s dive right in.

Top-rated Welder For Automotive Sheet Metal 2021

Last update on 2023-11-17 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

 

Best Welder For Auto Body:  Top 5 Product Reviews

1. MIG Welder Handheld

Last update on 2023-11-17 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Lincoln is one of the largest manufacturers of welding equipment worldwide both for personal and commercial/industrial use. Over the years, their products, especially the MIG welders, have gained recognition and hence, they have been found to be one of the most trusted brands. And this time around they present the Lincoln electric 120V Handheld MIG Welder, another high-quality product that will simply get the job done.

If you are looking for an MIG Welder which will offer you portability, superior performance and functionality, then this is for you. Welders are so much interested in this machine for home or commercial welding projects.

This is simply because of the ease with which it’s set-up and versatility. This offers a smooth start and produces low-spatter welds especially when using the spool gun option. The Lincoln 120VAC is far from perfect, it performs exceptionally beyond what you will expect from a lightweight and cheap MIG welder of this kind.

Lincoln did an excellent job making this welder lighter and more durable compared to other welders of similar specs. If you’re looking for the best welder for sheet metal work? This might just be it for you.

Pros

• Impressive performance
• Brass to brass gun connection
• Cast aluminum body
• Fully adjustable drive system
• 50 to 500 IPM wire feed controls
• Gas-shielded MIG welding or gas-free flux core welding options

Cons

• lower voltage 120V
• Not recommended for diehard welders
• High pitch wine for the fans

 

2. Forney 190-Amp MIG/Stick/TIG Multi-Process Welder

Last update on 2023-11-17 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Forney 324-190 amp MIG/TIG/STICK welder is a multipurpose welder that operates smoothly with both DC/AC, 220V or 120V on the 190 amps maximum output. It’s a versatile multiprocess welder capable of Stick, MIG or TIG welding.

This is particularly set-up to do Flux-core welding but can as well be switched to run mild-steel with gas set up. You will also find ground clamp and stinger for stick welding. This machine will work excellently for maintenance and repair, farms, boats, automotive, light industrial and general fabrication.

The machine is ready with gas hose and regulator to allow easy switching between welding processes. This welder is loaded with quality features such as spool gun option, standard MIG, Stick electrode holder, a quick euro-style disconnect torch extra longer torch, gun with common consumables, HD cast aluminum feed drive system having geared idler and drive rolls and long power cord.

The quality, value, and performance of this machine will really impress you. The TIG torch And foot-pedal are not included but available for separate purchase. The standard US Gas-hose set-up comes with easy-to-read quick start-up guide. The manufacturer gives the 5/3/1 or advanced replacement warranty for this unit.

Pros

• Versatility and Portability
• Easy to use
• Digital readout
• euro-connect MIG gun alleviates torch issues
• The cast aluminum drives system makes the wire feeder more rugged
• simple and quick adjustments

Cons

• The ON/OFF switch issues
• TIG Torch and foot-pedal are not included
• poor duty cycle

 

3. The LOTOS TIG200-200A

Last update on 2023-11-17 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Specially designed for professional welders, the Lotos TIG200 provides a much higher output than others in its class. It offers a superior duty-cycle that makes it ideal for industrial applications.

The Lotos 200 AC/DC offers a lot of important features that make it easy to use and always popular. Versatile, dual-voltage, and compact; the TIG 200 offers a user simple array of controls to easily and set the welder to perform perfectly under a wide variety of conditions. Featuring a square inverter technology that enables users to weld fine aluminum with full accuracy.

It also allows the user to conveniently switch from 110V to 220V with the adapter plug and producing 200 amps for both Stick and TIG welding. The auto dual voltage ability allows this machine to run smoothly on 220V 50/60Hz or on 110V 50/60Hz power.

Suitable for welding mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other metal materials. If you are looking for the best cheap welder for sheet metal with industrial quality features, then look this up.

Pros

• Auto dual voltage
• Square Wave Inverter technology
• HF start hand torch control
• Lightweight
• Durable

Cons

• Not meant for heavy projects
• lower quality welding thicker metals

 

4. SUNCOO 140 MIG Welder Flux Core Wire

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The SUNCOO 140 MIG welder will enable you to weld like a professional. This portable, compact and lightweight welder has a user-friendly interface that makes it perfect for the beginners. Because of its portability, the machine is easy to carry anywhere simple to setup and use.

This powerful MIG offers versatility for welders with 110 V and 230V plug options. Also has a convenient foot-pedal that allow safe management of the power as you go welding. Compact and exquisite; the SUNCOO 140 is made of a heavy-duty stainless steel body and painted black to ensure long-lasting lifespan.

As I will prefer to call it “the best MIG welder for sheet metal”, it uses a flux core wire and self-release metal inert gas while welding preventing the oxidation of the welded area. With portable design and wide applications, the SUNCOO features a variable feed speed controls and a rotary knob to easily adjust the current flow and wire feeding speed respectively.

If you need a user-friendly machine for your DIY home projects and general repairing work, this is all you need have.

Pros

• Minimal learning curve makes it perfect for beginners
• Compact and lightweight
• Stainless steel body
• Durable
• ON/OFF safety control

Cons

• Relatively lower voltage
• Lower-quality flux-core welding for thicker materials

 

5. Metal Man INVERTER 80 Amp Inverter DC Stick Welder

Last update on 2023-11-17 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The metal man inverter-80 is a compact lightweight DC Inverter stick welder. Uses 110-120V 60Hz DC input power on 20-Amp line. The Inverter 80 DC Stick Welder has a built-in Hot Start and Arc Force for easy starts.

This unit is ideal for DIY and small industrial projects. Stick weld with electrodes up to 3/32″. Features thermal overload protection to help prevent overheating. With this machine, you can perform DC TIG welding on Stainless steel or carbon steel with the optional TIG torch.

The metal man inverter is nice little welder that gives you the best when it comes to welding for it can run both TIG and MIG welding. Been costly isn’t something of concern for its worth every penny considering its performance.

This unit allows for several adjustments which make it ideal for welding metals of varying thicknesses. In addition, it’s lightweight, compact and easy to use. This is with no doubt one of the best MIG welders available for auto body work.

Pros

• DC TIG Welding plus optional TIG torch
• Portable
• Easy arc starting
• Durable
• Comfortable to use

Cons

• Not recommended for commercial use.
• Works great but sometimes shuts down during extended use under high settings.

 

Difference Between MIG Welding & TIG Welding

Speaking of the difference between the MIG and the TIG welding processes, the two methods are similar and at the same time very different.

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is a welding process in which an electric arc is formed between the workpiece metal and the consuming wire electrode, causing them to melt and consequently get joined together. A shielding-gas feeds via the welding gun alongside the wire electrode to shield the process from contaminants.

MIG Welding is great for the beginners. Very much easier to learn and do than the TIG Welding. MIG Machines cost less and are simple to maintain than the TIG welder. Works great for typical metals you can find on cars like stainless steel, light steel and aluminum. You can as well weld thicker metals with them

On the other hand, the TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is an arc welding process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode to weld. The electrode and the weld area is prevented from and other atmospheric contamination by inert shielding gas (helium or Argon).

In this process, a filler metal is often used. A direct current power supply produces electrical energy that is conducted across the arc via a column of ionized gas and metal vapor known as plasma.

The Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding process is much slower and difficult to do as compared to MIG welding. Nevertheless, the quality of the finished work produced by the TIG welding is by far better than that produced by an MIG Welder

Factors To Consider Before Buying Best Welder for Automotive

Whenever you are out there in the stores looking for the best sheet metal welder, there are some key factors to put into consideration to enable you to make the right decision. These factors include the price, power supply, duty cycle, portability, functionality and much more.

Power options

Machines having a higher out power often work perfectly with thicker metals, but most times, these higher voltage welders require special power supply set-ups. On the other hand welders with lower voltages are unable to handle heavy jobs. Their main advantage is that they can be plugged into any outlet. In summary, know what you the kind of job will likely use the machine to do before deciding on the outskirts power.

Power supply

Welders will either run a DC (direct current) that flow in a single direction and does not reverse or AC (alternating current) that reverses itself within intervals. Direct current provides a steady rate of energy that ultimately leads to hotter temperatures but deeper weld penetration. AC welders cost less than the DC Welders, only that the electrodes used are more limited for AC welders.

The DC welders are very costly but remain more popular for the offer higher power, a wider selection of electrodes plus a couple number of advantages like better penetration, simple arc striking, and improve control. However, the best welder for auto body repair have AC/DC combination.

Duty cycle

A duty-cycle is a period of time a welder can operate before it needs to be switched off to cool down. It is usually expressed in percentage. Generally, the less expensive ones have shorter duty-cycles, while the more expensive ones tend to have longer duty-cycles.

For example, a welder may have the ability to deliver 200-Amps of AC constant current power at 60% duty cycle, this means it can weld at 200-amps for six minutes before stopping. Then it must be cooled for the next 4 minutes to prevent overheating. Amperage and duty-cycle work inversely proportional.

Where increasing amperage reduces duty-cycle and vice visa. At 130 amps, a welder may have 80% duty-cycle, but when the amperage is increased to 300 amps, the same welder may be found to have only 20% duty-cycle capacity. However, Some welders have the ability to run continuously at 100 percent duty cycle at a specific amperage. The best welder for automotive use should have a longer duty cycle. This is particularly important for welding thicker metals.

Consumables

While using a wire-feed welder, a shielding gas is particularly used up as you weld. The same thing goes for wire, torch nozzles and contact tips. Without anyone telling you, you already know that your new welder will need care and maintenance as time goes on.

I bet you wouldn’t want to buy a welder whose consumables are lacking. Hence, make sure good quality consumables are readily available for your welder.

Spool Gun

If you are planning on MIG-welding, you then need to a welder that has the spool gun option. Some especially the smaller welders doesn’t include that. Therefore, make sure you look out for this feature. The best welder for auto body work has a spool gun with quick release feature.

Size

The ease of transportation is also an important factor to consider when choosing the best welder for auto body work. This also directly translate to size and weight. For those who may likely want to leave the machine in the shops after work, the weight is likely not going to be an issue. However, if you are likely going to be working in different locations then I suggest you go for the one with lightweight construction. Welders with inverter technology weigh less.

Conclusion

When selecting the best welder for automotive sheet metal fabrication, you need to look at important factors such as versatility, performance, price, consumables, size and portability. Do well to use pieces of information from our reviews and properly consider the advantages that each welder has to offer. For heavy industrial applications or lesser fabrication projects, we recommend the Forney 324-190-Amp Multi-Process Welder for its convenience and outstanding performance.