Picked up a new MIG today. Anybody ever come up with any ideas to keep it from getting all scratched up from grinding dust and whatever else? I thought about buying the Milller cover for it, but I don't think you can weld with it on there, as it needs to flow air to cool.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_252/

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p200/knaffie/DSCN3659.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p200/knaffie/DSCN3655.jpg

Leave it in the box.

as much fun as they are to look at, I like using my mm210 more than looking at it. I would recommend using car wax on it to keep things from sticking to it, and to keep it covered when ever not in use

Leave it in the box.

x2.

i like to keep mine clean so i just blow it off with the air hose and wipe it down with a damp rag every once and a while. i am not concerned about it enough to want to cover it though. if i am grinding i will move the welder if the sparks are aiming right at it. basically i just don't go out of my way to abuse it.

You know you aren't working hard enough if you can prevent items in the garage/shop from getting grinding dust on them. My shit in the rafters is covered with metal dust :D

Just blow it off every once in a while.

as much fun as they are to look at, I like using my mm210 more than looking at it. I would recommend using car wax on it to keep things from sticking to it, and to keep it covered when ever not in use

X2. I waxed my MM180 with a good car wax (not a cleaner wax) and cover it when I'm going to be grinding or otherwise throwing grit around the garage and when its not in use.

I don't understand the people replying that they don't cover it, it takes all of 5sec of effort and keeps your $$$ machine (at least to me its a lot of $$$) out of the metal dust/grim. :shaking:

Don't worry about it? Ours gets blown off when the shop gets blown out, not something we really worry about.

If you want to keep it shiney then dont wipe the dust and grinding grit off of it, use an air gun. Wiping it will turn the dust into an abrasive and scratch the finnish.

Having spent the last 13 years in and out of metal shops, I have yet to cover a welder, no need. Everything in a shop gets covered in dust, fact of life. Use a blow gun to get it off the shiney stuff and just sweep up the rest. For maintnance, pull the cover off every few months and blow the dust out, thats it.

Nothing else is needed.

Welder covers are just a way to get the weekend warrior to spend more money.

Build a bridge and get over it. :flipoff2: It will get scratched unless you never use it.

blue painters tape all over and no one will be able to tell the difference...:flipoff2:

No one has mentioned using a cover? Or did I miss it?

Just buy or make a cover out of flame resistant fabric for it. Problem solved.

No one has mentioned using a cover? Or did I miss it?

Just buy or make a cover out of flame resistant fabric for it. Problem solved.

It was mentioned, you missed it.

Waste of time, money, and energy.

I'd agree that it is a waste of time and effort, but if he wants a shiny welder that's probably going to be his only option.

You could always plan to buy a new sheetmetal cover for it after a few years of use. :laughing:

If you spend a lot of time worrying about it you are never going to enjoy using it.

just put the box over the top of it and hanging down the sides thats how the ones are at work then make a table that sites on top out of wood to hold your grinder and wheels and beer. works great in our shop.
our welders are 2 to 4 year old and only look like they have 6months use on them....

On complete accident I put a towel on the top of my DVI, it keeps it very clean, I am not afraid of scratching it be leaving shit on top. However I really dont care, its gonna get scratched.

If you're that worried about it - static cling window film is clear and peels right off with no residue. It's about $20 for a huge sheet of it. You know, the same stuff with the fake numbers printed on it you have to peel off the display when you get a new cell phone? You can get it from anybody that deals in window signs.

That sounds like a good idea. I'll have to check into that one.

My dad threw a fender cover over the top of his, keeps it from getting stratched when it gets bumped, then just blow off the dust every once and awhile. Mine looked like crap when I got it so I don't worry about it.

Usually, I'm of the opinion that stuff like that is gonna get scratched up. Last week, a friend of mine built a rollcage in my shop and now,e verything is covered with grinidng dust, including HIS welder. I have now realized that the life of such equipment is going to be increased if conductive dust is kept out of them.

Throw a towel or sheet over them. I worked with a guy last year whose Miller looked brand fawking new, mainly because he kept it covered and out fo the way when not in use.

Just keep the damned thing covered and you'll be fine!

Hell F all that... Let your machine become its own personality!!! Every dent and scratch will tell its story just like the underside of my rig:D

really though its going to be hard for it to stay looking brand new...

JOSH

It was mentioned, you missed it.

Waste of time, money, and energy.

Bad info here :flipoff2:

I have a cover on my lincoln power mig 215 and i really like it. When i'm not using the machine I keep the leads coiled up and on top of it - keeps them from scratching it all up. I also do a bit of spray painting in my smallish garage and i like to be sure no overspray gets on the welder.

Leave it in the box.

X2

Stuff is always getting set on them, leads scuffing them etc. The only thing I DO NOT tolerate is people setting their beverages on my 251 or plasma etc. They get told to get that the fawk off there!

Hell F all that... Let your machine become its own personality!!! Every dent and scratch will tell its story just like the underside of my rig:D

really though its going to be hard for it to stay looking brand new...

JOSH

x2, mine is all fucked up. one night my 2 yr old put the ground clamp on my truck and i didnt notice it, well lets say i didnt get out of the driveway without my welder fallowing. but hey now it looks just like the junk that it welds on. :flipoff2:

X2

Stuff is always getting set on them, leads scuffing them etc. The only thing I DO NOT tolerate is people setting their beverages on my 251 or plasma etc. They get told to get that the fawk off there!

what pisses me off is people setting/leaving fast food beverages on my vertical bandsaw table. if i don't catch it, when i come back in the next morning there is a rust ring where the cup was left.

I see that it came with wheels on it, but why not build or buy a cart/cabinet with a door on it? Like a cheap craftsman bottom box. Then you've got a few drawers for tips and stuff and a top for a welding table. Just open the doors when you wanna weld.
Something like the bottom part of this.

http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00959318000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

i cover mine with a towel when it sitting off to the side

Tools are just that a tool to get the job done.

Get the super long leads and place the welder in the corner of the shop.

Go to HF and purchase a cheap welding blanket and that way people will notice your burlap box with a tank sticking out the back:p

The best way to keep it looking new and shiney is to not use it.:shaking:

i cover mine with a towel when it sitting off to the side

i do to.

Get the super long leads and place the welder in the corner of the shop.


Have you ever tried to MIG weld with a 40' long torch? :shaking:

Its a welder........itll work just fine no matter what it looks like:shaking:

Sure will. But my junk will also be worth a hell of a lot more money when I go to sell it and it still looks like new instead of being all scratched up and looking like shit because it wasn't cared for. :flipoff2:

Sure will. But my junk will also be worth a hell of a lot more money when I go to sell it and it still looks like new instead of being all scratched up and looking like shit because it wasn't cared for. :flipoff2:
Sell a welder? I never sell tools. Id trade my wife first

I just got done stripping the paint off some tube and my cowl, and grinding some firewall. I had 1/4" of dust on the floor within a 5ft radius, shit all over the rest of the garage was covered too. MY welder was about 4ft away and I had part of my firewall on it to protect it :flipoff2:

If I had to worry about setting shit on my welder (other than liquids) I'd be a lot less fun to be around in the shop. You sit shit on there like a table when it's near your work area, it's great, it's usable workable space and works good for it.

Sell a welder? I never sell tools. Id trade my wife first

x2

Of course I hardly ever buy new so most of my stuff looks beat by the time I get it anyway.

X what the fuck ever on covering it when not in use. I know alot of people don't, and never have issues, but if you can avoid feed motor failure and the like, why not? throw an old blanket over it.

All tools get scratched eventually, being overly cautous will only make the first scratch hurt that much more.

Take it back to the store. The salesmen will keep it dusted and shiny. Seriously - I thought this thread had to be a joke when I saw the title.:shaking:

just send it to me.. than you cant scratch it

Get a screwdriver and hammer out and put the first scratch and ding in it then you won't worry about it anymore. :flipoff2:

Car dealerships have a low adhesive plasting that they put on floor mats in used car after detailing them. It would work great for this. Im sure you could get a lot tech to just give you a bit, hell they have big rolls of the shit.

Everyone has somthing to say about why you should trash your welder, hell they don't give a fuck why should you:shaking:

Next time you or somebody you know buys a new mattress save the plastic cover it comes in, cut it in half and you have two huge plastic covers for welders plasma cutters etc etc etc. Put em on when not on use to keep the grinding dust off, pull em off to weld.


If you're any more anal than that about scratches rhino line the fucking thing.

Get a screwdriver and hammer out and put the first scratch and ding in it then you won't worry about it anymore. :flipoff2:

I did this in the bed of my new truck the day I brought it home. My wife tried to strangle me when she saw me do it.