Why You Need This MIG Welder
Today we’re going to talk about the MIG 175 and just how versatile it is. If you’re looking for one machine to do it all this is the one. It’s perfect for auto restoration because you can weld anything from thin sheet metal up to 5/16 plate. If you put some .023 wire in you can hang a quarter panel or fix your floor pan. If you put some .035 wire in you can work on your chassis or welding tabs on a rear axle.
You can do just about anything with this machine plus it comes with a spool gun as standard for welding aluminum so you can do some curb rash repair on an aluminum wheel or weld a tab back on a transmission.
This machine has been the workhorse of our welder line and we’ve had the opportunity to refine this machine over the last ten years and it’s the best possible welder for the DIY enthusiast. a
Inside our MIG 175 you’ll find our high quality virgin copper well transformer. You’ll also see that the lamination stack is welded and setup. This is going to ensure that no voids hum or develop over years
This is the rectifier that you’ll find inside the machine. It’s got a nice aluminum heat sink to dissipate heat and ensure that it’ll last for years to come and you’ll also see our new and improved metal drive motor. This is designed to give a nice smooth consistent wire feed which is going to translate into a nice smooth, consistent weld.
Outside the machine you’ll find an industry standard Tweco-style torch. This torch takes common consumables that are always available at Eastwood but are also available at welding supply shops across the country.
The MIG 175 has infinitely variable wire speed and heat settings. This is much better than the old tap-style transformer where you may have four or five heat settings. Our infinite settings feature really allows you to dial in your weld.
Now that we’ve talked about the MIG 175 let’s get it set up and ready to weld. Insert the brass body of the torch lead through the front of the machine and then tighten the torch tensioner. Then connect the metal plug for the torch trigger into the front of the machine. The ground lead connection gets run through the front of the machine then up the wire loom on the backside of the panel. This secures the ground wire inside the machine. You can attach the ground terminal by using the black knob. You want to always make sure to flip the switch inside the machine to the welding gun position.
Now let’s install the wire spool. First remove the wing nut, The spacer, and the plastic adapter. You’re going to set the plastic adapter aside because that’s only used with 8-inch spools. Then install the wire spool in the shaft followed by the spacer and then the wing nut sets the tension on the wire. Tighten the wing nut until there’s just a little bit of resistance and feed the wire into the drive motor and over the roller and then into the torch hole. You can then drop the rocker arm down and lift up the pressure adjuster to lock that wire into place.
Lastly we need to run wire through the torch so we can start welding. Remove both the nozzle and the contact tip. This helps the wire run through the lead without getting stuck. Pull the torch trigger to feed the wire and once your wires through the torch replace your contact tip and the nozzle. You’re now ready to weld.
Hopefully that quick overview and review of the Eastwood MIG 175 welder is helpful and gives you more details about the business end of the welder. If you want to see our full line of welders you can view them HERE.