5 Best Budget Gasless MIG Welder

Welding is the joining of two metals or thermoplastics. This can basically be accomplished by welding the two materials you want to join or by forming a weld pool with a filler. Once the melted material has cooled, you have a very sturdy dependable joint. 

There are several welding processes that are commonly used: TIG, MIG, and Stick. Welding should not be confused with soldering which doesn’t include the melting of metal to create the weld. 

Here we look at gasless MIG welders for a very limited budget and our team of pros all agree that the Forney Easy Weld 261 120V 140FC Welder is a great choice when looking for a budget-friendly option.

Our Overall Top Choice Budget Gasless MIG Welder

1.) Forney Easy Weld 261

A true DIY welder for repairs and maintenance, this budget welder welds mild steel up to a quarter-inch thick. It features easy speed control for wire and is simple to set up. An all-metal case guarantees durability long-term. 

Conveniently portable weighing in at 19 lbs., it uses 0.30 flux core wire. The welder comes with an 8-foot MIG welding gun, 8-foot ground clamp, and 20A-15A adapter.

This is a particularly good machine for beginner welders. It also boasts a voltage regulator for added protection from electric shock.

Features:

• • • Voltage: 120V
    • Amps: 140
    • Processes: TIG, MIG, Stick
    • Duty cycle: 30% with 90 amps
    • Wire: 0.30 flux core
    • Wire rolls: 2lbs, 10 lbs.
    • Weight: 19 lbs.
    • Warranty: One year

Pros:

• • • Easy control of settings
    • Handles large rolls of wire
    • Lightweight and transportable
    • Integrated cable wrap

Cons

• • • Reported slow wire feed rate
    • Only compatible with Forney parts

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Other Competitive Choices 

2. Goplus MIG 130 Flux Core Welder

Manufactured in stainless steel, this is a compact small welder, perfect for household DIY projects. The flux core MIG welding keeps small projects free from oxidation.

Adjustment for current flow is made simple with minimum and maximum buttons. A rotary knob makes wire feed adjustment quick and easy with ten levels of wire feeding speed.

A convenient carrying handle makes it easy to transport wherever you need to weld. The torch offers off/on safety control and this machine boasts thermal protection.

It also features two vents for cooling and comes with the welding gun, ground cord, reel, welding wire, mask, tip, and a brush.

Features:

• • • Voltage: 110V
    • Amps: 130 AMP
    • Processes: Flux core
    • Duty cycle: 30%
    • Wire: 0.30 – 0.35” flux core
    • Wire rolls: 2lbs.
    • Weight: 35 lbs.
    • Warranty:  –

Pros:

• • • Thermal protection
    • Air vents for heat dissipation
    • 10 levels of wire feed speed
    • Stainless steel build

Cons:

• • • Reports of inconsistent wire speed
    • Lowest speed too fast
    • More adapted to hobby projects or small home repairs

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3. Super Deal Commercial MIG 130 Flux Core Welder

This Flux Core Welder by Super Deal offers great features for a budget-friendly price. It is manufactured in PVC making it lightweight yet durable with a comfortable grip for transport. It boasts precision welding in an easy-to-use machine. 

The interface is a simple digital soft key panel featuring four Minimum/Maximum buttons to adjust current flow control and can be accessed even if you are wearing safety gloves.

A rotary knob adjusts the speed of the wire feed. Perfect for home improvement DIY welding, it features thermal overload protection and a cooling fan.

This welder comes equipped with everything you need such as welding wire, wire brush/chipping hammer, a 2.5M torch, a ground cord, 2 extra tips, and a welding face mask.

Features:

• • • Voltage: 110V
    • Amps: 50-120 AMP
    • Processes: Flux core
    • Duty cycle: 10% with 105 amps/35% at 60 amps
    • Wire: 0.30 – 0.35” flux core
    • Wire rolls: 2lbs.
    • Weight: 38 lbs.
    • Warranty:  –

Pros:

• • • Easy setup
    • Simple control of settings
    • Portable and lightweight 
    • High-quality PVC casing

Cons:

• • • Lowest feed setting may be too fast

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4. Amico MIG 130 Amp Flux Core Gasless Welder

This is a perfect affordable home welder for small maintenance and home projects. It offers dual voltage 110V/230V. 

A precision drive system avoids wire tangles and advanced IGBT inverter technology controls amps and voltage for perfect stability during arc burning. Wire feed speed will be coordinated with the current automatically.

Lightweight and aesthetically attractive, the machine switches easily between 110V and 230V. The welding machine comes with a 7-foot power cord, a 10-foot 300 amp ground clamp, 10 foot MIG torch and a 110V/230V adaptor.

Safety functions include overload protection and automatic voltage fluctuation compensation. A fan featuring automatic temperature control is installed and the machine is very quiet when in use.

Features:

• • • Voltage: 110V/230V
    • Amps: 130
    • Processes: Flux core
    • Duty cycle: 80%
    • Wire: 0.30 – 0.35” flux core
    • Wire rolls: 2lbs.
    • Weight: 18 lbs.
    • Warranty:  –

Pros:

• • • Very lightweight
    • Dual voltage
    • IGTB inverter technology
    • Overload protection

Cons:

• • • Can use only 2 lb. wire spools
    • Better for small repairs and projects

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5. Etosha MIG 140 Welder

Manufactured in quality stainless steel for durability, it features automatic thermal safety protection, and overload protection as well as an electric choke.

This is one safe little machine. Ideal for household repairs and jobs, it requires no voltage or feeder adjusting while you work thanks to a synergic adjustment capability.  

IGBT inverter technology makes this welder stable and dependable. It is made with fewer electrical components, but with improved circuitry. A tip in copper helps to avoid or reduce slag.

The design requires little storage space and makes it conveniently transportable anywhere. The machine comes with a welding gun, a grounding clamp, reel, welding wire, brush, and mask.

Features:

• • • Voltage: 110V
    • Amps: 140  AMP
    • Processes: Flux core
    • Duty cycle: 25%
    • Wire: 0.8 mm – 1.0mm flux core
    • Wire rolls: 1 kg.
    • Weight: 18.76 lbs.
    • Warranty:  –

Pros:

• • • Stainless steel case
    • Fantastic cooling system
    • 140 amp output

Cons:

• • • Some reports that it needs to run on high for a good weld
    • Some reports not good for thinner metals

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MIG welding is one of the easier procedures in welding if the correct welding machine is used. The two principal types of MIG welding are gas MIG welding and gasless MIG welding.

Gasless MIG

A gas MIG welder will require shielding gas for your welding activities while the gasless MIG welder does not. The gasless MIG welder will use flux core wire that is fed from a tubular wire spool.

The compounds used in the wire form their vapor gas shield, and this, in turn, protects your weld from oxidation. Let’s consider the advantages and disadvantages of gasless MIG welders.

Advantages of using a Gasless MIG welder

1.) Convenience. Here a gasless MIG welder wins hands down. It weighs less making it more portable. It also won’t be necessary to clean the surfaces because gasless MIG permits you to weld through galvanized, painted, or even rusted surfaces.

2.) Outdoor Welding. Here again, a gasless MIG welder is the better option because you can weld in bad or extreme weather conditions with no need for a gas cylinder. Windy weather will affect a MIG weld with shielding gas adversely, compromising the weld. Gasless MIG welding avoids this problem.

3.) Material. When choosing your welder, the material is a consideration. A gasless MIG welder will provide exceptional penetration and strength. Some gasless MIG welders can work with thinner metals. They are also capable of welding thicker metal than a gas welder.

4.) Position. A lot will depend on the position you need to use to weld. For some out-of-position welding, the gas MIG might be more appropriate, for example, vertical upward weld.

If you will be doing basic welding chores, a gasless MIG welder will probably be more than adequate and can be used in all positions if you have the correct filler material.

5.) Gasless MIG welding has high productivity and rate of deposition.

Disadvantages of Gasless MIG welder

1.) Safety. While all welding requires the correct PPE, a gasless MIG welder will inevitably produce more fumes than a gas MIG welder. However, with the correct personal protection equipment, a gasless MIG welder can be used without any more risk than a gas MIG welder.

2.) Clean up requires more time due to splatter and slag produced

3.) It can be used for welding some thinner metals, but it is not an ideal choice.

4.) It is much more difficult when welding vertical or overhead positions.

To Gas or Gasless Weld?

There are some key differences between the two methods of welding. While both make use of the MIG (metal inert gas) process, a shielding gas is required to prevent contamination in gas MIG welding, and this is where the main difference lies. 

Gas MIG welding needs a shielding gas from an external source like a cylinder or a tank that passes through the welding gun together with the wire in order to protect the weld. Gasless MIG welding uses flux core wire that is self-shielding eliminating the need for a gas bottle, tank, or cylinder.

While the gasless MIG welder does not have an external source of shielding gas, it is not technically gasless, because the flux core wire produces vapors that act as a shielding gas.

These vapors also produce slag that acts as an additional layer of protection. The slag will need to be cleaned once the welding is finished.

Gas MIG welding will also produce little or no smoke during welding while gasless MIG will produce much more. Some of these fumes will be toxic and can be the cause of nausea or even dizziness.

Gasless MIG welding should be done in a well-ventilated location or outdoors. For outdoor welding, gasless MIG welding is preferable because it is not at risk for contamination in windy situations, as gas MIG welding would be.

Gas MIG welding requires a good deal of preparation with super clean surfaces before welding, gasless MIG welding, does not need a lot of preparation time. Welding capabilities are therefore different:

Gas MIG welders

• • • Weld aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel
    • Weld metal from 1/16-inch to one half inch
    • Weld clean metal that has no dirt, rust, paint, etc.

Gasless MIG welders

• • • Weld mild steel and stainless steel
    • Weld metal from 1/16-inch to one inch
    • Weld dirty metal

All MIG welding machines make use of a wire that is fed into the welder from a spool inserted in the machine, A gas welder will use a solid wire, while gasless MIG welders use flux core wire.

Polarity settings will also differ. Gas MIG welders use the direct current electrode negative setting (DCEN) while gasless MIG welders use the direct current electrode positive setting (DCEP).

Gasless MIG welding needs negative torch polarity. Gas MIG welding requires positive torch polarity. This, together with the correct type of wire is fundamental to your welding success, especially if you choose a multipurpose welder that permits both welding processes.

Cleanup! Gas MIG welding is a very clean procedure with almost no splatter and no sanding or chipping necessary. Gasless MIG welding produces both splatter and slag that must be cleaned up once your weld has cooled.

Factors that you should consider before deciding to use gas or gasless MIG welding:

1.) Metal thickness. Gas MIG welders are easier to use with thinner metals. Gasless MIG is better if welding thicker metals.

2.) Metal Type. Gasless MIG welding is used predominantly on steel.

3.) Welding location. If you are welding outdoors, gasless MIG is your best choice.

4.) Welding Skill Level. Gasless MIG welders are easier to operate.

5.) Cost. Gasless MIG welding is less expensive because it requires fewer materials and has a high productivity output.

6.) Aesthetic. Gas MIG welders produce no slag, little or no splatter, and rarely burn through.

7.) Transport. Gasless MIG welders eliminate the need for a shielding gas cylinder or tank.

The Final Verdict

If you are on a tight budget, the Forney Easy Weld 261 120V 140FC Welder offers a good little welder for the money you spend.

It’s specifically designed for flux core gasless MIG welding and can weld steel up to a quarter of an inch. At 19 lbs. it is incredibly lightweight for its welding capabilities.

Plus, it can handle both 2 lb. and a 10 lb. roll of wire. The unit comes with a one-year warranty. Thank you for reading and we hope our research will help you find your best budget gasless MIG welder.