According to Wolf Welding Company, welding is like sewing with fire, which is actually true only that the materials being stitched are made of steel or aluminum. A close look at the company’s welders reveals that they do strive to cater to every user, by providing them with versatile, durable and performance-oriented welders.
Welders from Wolf are available in both high and low prices and can be used by both the professional and novice welders. Wolf Gasless MIG welder also features a competitive price and runs on direct current only (DC). And given that the welder doesn’t utilize an attachable gas cylinder during use, it comes convenient for users who work from outside.
Wolf is a professional welder manufacturer with many years of experience in the welding industry, therefore, their products can be fully trusted.
What to expect from Wolf gasless MIG welder 130 review
At the face of the Wolf gasless MIG welder 130, there are some very easy to use controls however, beginners who are not conversant with the operations of a welding machine should always consult the manufacturer’s manual. The welder is compact thus easy to store and has been equipped with a comfortable carry handle that makes it portable to be used in different settings.
When compared to Wolf MIG 140, the gasless MIG 130 welder does come with few accessories such as the mini spool that contains the flux-cored MIG wire, a metal brush to take care of the excess slag. Also incorporated are contact tips necessary for the transfer of welding current to the consumable wire as it makes contact with the bore surface.
Users have also been provided with a 0.6 or 0.8 roller that is used for a smooth wire feeding process to the gun cable from the wire spool. Remember that for you do avoid a burn back or arc instability you have to set the proper tension, the reason being that when the drive roll tension is too tight you run the risk of attaining a deformed wire.
And if the tension is minimal then you will most likely experience wire slippage, so if you want to set the right tension then you should first release all the tension on the drive rolls. Other accessories that come with the welder are a hand guarded shield, a nonlive torch, and an earth clamp and lead.
What are the key features of the Wolf Gasless MIG Welder 130?
For starters the welder features up to four levels of power settings, users can, therefore, increase or reduce the electric current as regards the type of flux cored welding wire that they are using and the base material to achieve the required weld. The provided current range begins from 50 to 120 amperes.
The above amperage operating range enables users to work with both thin and thick metal plates. And at 230v, users who want to use the welding machine at home or other settings will have to seek the help of a generator. But if you have a welding workshop that can handle the 230v then you should worry less about seeking extra power support.
The one downside that comes with the Wolf gasless MIG welder is that it only has one feature that works to protect the welder from overheating and that is the cooling fan. While other competitors in the welding industry feature a thermal overload protection, and other features that help preserve your welding wire, as you get ready for welding, even when the machine is already on.
The IGBT inverter is also a necessary feature in most welding machines that helps to conserve power so users don’t have to deal with hefty power bills, but unfortunately for the Wolf gasless MIG welder 130 the protective and power conservation features have not been incorporated.
The above should, however, not scare you because Wolf ensures that all its products conform to the relevant safety standards and does offer safe accessories with some of their welders. The machine is also very functional and very light in weight at only 14.5kg thus enabling mobility. Another advantage of investing in the welder is that it comes with a 2-year warranty, which goes to show that the manufacturer has faith in the product and so should you.
What are the features to look out for in a good welding machine?
There are those significant features that any effective electronic equipment should possess that also enable them to function effectively. Therefore, a good welding machine should have some of the below basic features or characteristics.
Should be versatile in application– possessing a welder that can only work on specific types of metal is quite restrictive because you become limited on what you can do with it. The situation is even worse when you acquire such equipment for a welding workshop, therefore, a good welder should at least be able to handle different types of metals so that even the beginners can sharpen their skills by utilizing the welder on different applications.
Cost-Many people might not agree with this but a good professional welder doesn’t come cheap, not to say that the cheap ones are not effective, only that they have restrictions and might not be too versatile. However, a good welding machine should match cost with functionality, reliability, and durability. There are some budget-friendly welding machines that perform as good as the professional welders but in the end, it depends on what you want to use it for.
Ease of use– the one problem that many users encounter with electronics is used, some welders are too complicated and might even have you calling or emailing the manufacturer, while others feature a very user-intuitive design. Therefore a welder should be easy to learn and use so that you can work on as many projects as possible with ease.
Weld quality – If a welder cannot achieve a good quality weld then you don’t have any business with it. Besides welding is mostly applicable to construction, repair and in industries, now if the welder cannot effectively function in one of the above then you are better off investing in a more functional one because weld quality is used to determine the functionality of the instrument that you are working on.
Base metal compatibility– there is every possibility that your base metal could be distorted and this is something that a good welder should be able to prevent and control. As a welder be sure to check on the operational parameters recommended by the manufacturer, also the base material that you are working with should be compatible with the electrode or the welding wire that you intend to use.
Safety features – all welders come with a cooling fan, which is mandatory but the other advanced cooling features are usually an addition by the manufacturers such as the thermal overheat protector and the IGBT inverter, if you come across a welder with the above features then best you invest on it.
Ease of cleaning- cleaning your welder will enhance its durability but also it should be easy to access the parts of the welder that need cleaning.
Safety guidelines before undertaking a welding project
Welding is one of the careers that can be self-taught, but due to the risks involved, training is important especially if you want to join the professional sector and besides to earn the good cash you have to get a certification. There is so much that goes into welding apart from inserting an electrode in a welding gun and switching the power on.
One has to learn of the various types of wires their compatibility with the base metal, their composition, and their properties. There are also some basic safety precautions that need to be observed and one that an aspiring welder should be conversant with.
Have you ever given thought to the welding setup? The position with which you weld can either affect or enhance your health, most welders crouch and have to keep shifting because they get tired fast. So the best thing to do is to first ensure that the welding position that you assume will not eventually affect your posture or cause problems on your lower back.
If you can, it would be best to invest in a turntable to help move the workpiece, inhaling fumes is not very healthy and you should, therefore, find a protective mask or work in a well-ventilated area. Better yet you can use electrodes that are characteristic of less fumes.
Whenever you decide to take on a welding job it would be best if you allocate enough time, so that you don’t rush through and end up with an undercut. The latter is a result of incorrect electrode positioning, a poor welding technique and either a high or low current travel speed.
Pros of using the Wolf Gasless welder
- The welder is light in weight thus portable
- Features up to four power settings for use on different kinds of metals
- Has a cooling Turbofan
- Offers users up to 120 amps setting
Cons of using the Wolf Gasless welder
- Is a DC only welder
- Cannot be used with a household receptacle
View price on Amazon
Final thought
Wolf takes welding very seriously and values customer feedback, to which end they have created a Facebook community where they keep in touch with their clients. They also manufacture top quality welders that come at a fair price and offer clients after-sales service and parts support.
