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If you are in the welding business or weld occasionally, and you need to expand your tooling with good equipment, you need to consider the Hobart Handler 140 wire feed welder (500559).
Hobart is a well-known manufacturer of excellent welding equipment. This piece of equipment is made in Troy, Ohio, USA. This MIG welder is considered to be an efficient gas metal arc welder (GMAW).
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- 5-position voltage control selector adds a smooth, stable arc at all welding thicknesses
- Welds 24 gauge up to 1/4 in mild steel; Weldable Materials: Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Welding Processes: MIG(GMAW), Flux Cored(FCAW)
- Operates off 115V standard household current; Wire Feed Speed Range 40-700 IPM, 50-740 IPM at no load
- Welding Amperage Range: 25-140 A; 20% duty cycle @ 90 Amps, 19V
- What's Included: 10ft HR-100 MIG gun, 10ft work cable with clamp, Power Cord, Dual-gauge regulator with gas hose, .030 in. contact tips, Quick Select drive roll, Sample spool of flux-cored wire and Material thickness gauge
Metal arc welding involves heating metal at very high temperatures, causing it to melt and fuse. During the process, an electric arc forms between a piece of the target metal and a consumable wire electrode. A shielding gas, along with the wire electrode, passes through the welding gun to avoid air contamination.
The process can either be automatic or semi-automatic. For the performance of metal gas arc welding, the required equipment includes a wire feed unit and a shielding gas supply. Additionally an electrode wire, power supply and a welding gun. Now let’s dig into the details of the Hobart Handler 140.
Hobart Handler 140 review – advantages
Portable welder
One reason that makes the Hobart Handler 140 desirable is its portability and flexibility. With a weight of 57 lbs, the Hobart Handler 140 still allows the user to meet and work with the clients at the point of need.
The machine still boasts a level of versatility that is way above many other welding equipment. Because of the 115 V household plug connection, you can use the Hobart Handler almost anywhere. You can pair the welder with a power generator to be even more flexible.
Versatile for various applications
The Hobart Handler 140 is a system that is capable of MIG welding as well as flux cored welding.
You can use the Handler 140 for typical welding applications like:
- BBQ grills
- Fences, gates
- Machinery repair
- Auto repair
- Steel design
- Garden tools
- Trailer frame weld seams
- Yard art type projects
Find more ideas for welding here.
Easy weld parameter setup
The best part of this welding machine is its simple setup.
The Hobart 140 provides a chart on the inside showing its basic set up, making it comfortable for beginners to chose voltage and speeds. A five voltage control with 5 different positions and the wire feed speed knob makes it easy to chose the correct setup for a smooth, stable arc on all thicknesses.
Included thermal overload protection makes sure your device is not being damaged because of overheat.
Read this article on how to set up the gas regulator on a MIG welder.
back to menu ↑Hobart Handler 140 review – disadvantages
Of course there are also some limitations with this welder. Because of the low duty cycle of 20% @ 90 amps, this welder is not ideal for continuos high power welding. It is better for small repair and manufacturing projects.
Moreover, because of maximum output weld current of 140 A, the machine is limited in power. This is not the right machine for pipeliners. There are better MIG welding machines on the market for thick steel.
In addition, if you need a very portable and lightweight machine, there are MIG welder with even less weight.
Also, the Hobart Handler is limited to 110 V household plug. You can not use it with 220 V.
back to menu ↑Hobart Handler 140 video review
Check out the following video to learn more about this solid piece of welding equipment.
back to menu ↑What comes with the Hobart Handler 140?
Included in the package is the Handler 140 with the built-in gas solenoid valve. Additionally, you get the dual-gauge regulator with gas hose. Thanks to the industrial grade cast aluminum wire drive system you get a robust wire feed system that works hand in hand with the heavy-duty grounding clamp.
Package includes
- Handler 140 with built-in gas solenoid valve
- MIG gun, dual gauge regulator with 10 ft. gas hose
- 10 ft. work cable & clamp
- 10 ft. power cord
- .030″ contact tips
- .030″ flux-cored wire sample spool
- 8″ spool adapter
- Manual
- Set-Up guide
Read also: Best MIG welder Review
back to menu ↑Hobart Handler 140 specifications
Hobert Handler 140 (Product #500559) has the following specifications:
- Duty cycle 20% @ 90 A (18.5 VDC)
- Input voltage: 115/120 VAC, 60 Hz
- Min. input power (generator): 2760 W
- Output welding current range: 25 A – 140 A
- Wire feed speed control 40 – 700 IPM (50-740 IPM at no load)
- Voltage control with 5 different positions
- Weight: 57 lb (26 kg)
Source: https://www.hobartwelders.com/products/wirefeed/handler140/
Hobart’s 5/3/1 warranty gives you a five-year warranty on the transformer, three years on the electronics and one year on your MIG gun.
Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V
- 5-position voltage control selector adds a smooth, stable arc at all welding thicknesses
- Welds 24 gauge up to 1/4 in mild steel; Weldable Materials: Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Welding Processes: MIG(GMAW), Flux Cored(FCAW)
*Affiliate Disclosure / More Information
Weldable materials
Hobart Handler 140 lets you weld steel plates with a thickness of 24 gauge (0.51 mm) up to 1/4 inch (6.35 mm).
It’s quite a challenge for a 115-volt welder leaving weld seams like that on 1/4 inch material.
Thicker materials can be welded using minimal grinding power, and the device is maxed out with the use of flux core wire. Welding up to 3/16 inches in a mere single pass, the handler oozes an impressive power. This equipment is suitable for both beginners and intermediate welders in the field.
Despite this tool being low priced, it is durable and hence a good investment due to its good performance.
back to menu ↑Compatible weld wire
The Handler 140 is compatible with the following weld wires:
- Mild steel / stainless steel .023 – .035 in. (0.6 – 0.9 mm)
- Flux cored .030 – .035 in. (0.8 – 0.9 mm)
- Aluminum .030 in. (0.8 mm)
Handler 140 review – power requirements
How to MIG weld
This product can operate on a regular or standard household power output with just 115V.
Please make sure to use a generator with at least 2760 W power output to operate the MIG welder.
If you are not too sure about its power needs, you will do well to check its manual or contact the manufacturer. Otherwise, the simplicity of this equipment should make it easy for anybody to operate it efficiently.
back to menu ↑Hobart Handler 140 additional equipment & accessories
The following items can be additionally ordered and will fit your Hobart Handler 140.
- Protective Cover 195186
- Small Cart/Cylinder Rack 194776
- H100S2-10 Replacement MIG Torch 245924
- Power Source Drive Rolls
- Contact tips
- Tip adapter
- MIG nozzle
- gasless flux-cored nozzle
Conclusion
The Hobart Handler 140 is a portable and versatile device for occasional professional and home use. Thanks to the easy set up you will get a hassle-free welder.
If you need a device with even more weld power, you can take a look at the Hobart Handler 190.
Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V
- 5-position voltage control selector adds a smooth, stable arc at all welding thicknesses
- Welds 24 gauge up to 1/4 in mild steel; Weldable Materials: Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Welding Processes: MIG(GMAW), Flux Cored(FCAW)
*Affiliate Disclosure / More Information
