Lincoln 140 Mig Welder Review: Specifications, Features, Pros and Cons
The following Lincoln 140 MIG welder review will inform you about all the product’s specifications, features, pros, and cons. By the end of this article, you will decide if it is worth purchasing or not this welding machine.
Founded in 1895, Lincoln Electric is an American multinational, a world leader, manufacturer of welding machines and consumables, plasma cutting equipment, and robotic welding systems. They are located in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lincoln 140 MIG Welder Review
Are you looking out for a reliable welder that stays with you for ages and permits you to conveniently and quickly repair sheet metals or frames without any professional help?
It is an ideal choice even if you have little experience because the Lincoln Easy MIG 140 is specially designed for beginners and small-scale welders. It works great for homeowners, smaller DIY workshop projects, or automotive use.
Lincoln Electric produces different versions named 140. The Easy MIG version performs two types of welding, MIG and flux-cored, while the MP version, which stands for Multi-Process, performs: MIG, flux-cored, Stick, and TIG. As for the other 140 packages that are available online, Weld-Pak or Pro MIG, also refer to Easy MIG and MP units, but with different lists of accessories.
This review will focus on the Easy MIG 140 model, with a section dedicated to comparing the MP version.
Lincoln Electric Easy MIG 140 K2697-1
The Lincoln 140 has everything you need to start, just plug it, and you are ready to work. The only reminder is that you will need to add the shielding gas cylinder for MIG welding, while there is no need for gas when working with flux-cored welding.
Voltage and Output Range
The Easy MIG 140 requires only 120V power to function effectively, operating properly using a standard outlet. The company manufactures the gearbox using the finest quality of cast aluminum, giving solidity and allowing it to run silently.
Dual Function Welding Process
Thanks to the two-knob control, you can select:
- Gas-shielded MIG welding, to work on thin gauge steel, stainless or aluminum
- Flux-cored gasless, to weld thicker metals that require deeper penetration
However, if you often work with heavy and thick metals, it would be better to use a 240V machine, like the Hobart 210 MP.
Fully Adjustable Wire Feeding System
In order not to compromise the quality of your welding, it is important that the wire feeding system works well.
This welder comes with a versatile and top-quality drive system, which provides a super smooth wire feeding and helps greatly in alignment, eliminating the trouble of tangling.
Furthermore, the easy-turn numeric drive tension indicator permits to recognize of optimized ranges for different wire diameters effortlessly.
User-Friendly
The lightweight, along with the large top carrying handle makes the unit fully portable, facilitating mobility while working.
The simple to understand calibration reference chart on the inside door panel makes the installation process trouble-free. Here you will find indications for the correct setting of the voltage and amperage, which is very useful in order not to make mistakes that could be harmful.
Accessories and Tools
- Better arc performance is ensured by the brass-to-brass gun connection to enhance the conductivity.
- Despite the portability of the device, if you need to use the gas cylinder, the welding cart helps mobility during work (sold separately).
Lincoln Welding Cart
- Spool gun: if you often weld aluminum, then this plug-and-play tool will improve your welding results.
Specifications
- Model: K2697-1
- Input Power: 120V
- Rated Output: 90A
- Input Amperage: 20A
- Output Amperage: 30-140A
- Duty Cycle: 20% at 90A
- Process Type: Flux Core, MIG
- Sold wire size range: .025-.035 in.
- Cored wire size range: .030-.035 in.
- Wire feed speed range: 50-500 ipm (1.3-12.7 m/min)
- Dimension: 13.7 in x 10.15 in x 17.9 in (357 mm x 258 mm x 472 mm)
- Weight: 50lb (22.7kg)
- 3 year warranty
What’s Included?
- Magnum 100L gun and 10ft (3m) cable assembly with brass connection
- 4-pin MS-Type connection for trigger control
- Contact tips .025″ (0.6 mm) and .035″ (0.9 mm)
- Gasless nozzle
- Wire diameter dual track drive roll .025 – .035 in. (0.6 – 0.9 mm)
- Harris gas regulator and .52″ hose
- .025 in. diameter MIG wire
- .035 in. diameter flux-cored wire
- Work clamp (with 10ft. cable)
- Instructional DVD with detailed user guide
Pros
- Fully portable, allowing us to carry it anywhere. Moreover, it can be conveniently plugged into any standard electrical power outlet, as it only requires a 120V input voltage.
- Two-knob control makes it ideal for beginners, allowing the individual to operate and control the welding machine programs without any difficulty.
- You don’t need to carry separate machines for different welding processes. This welder can be used for both gasless flux-core and gas shielding welding.
- Beginners will find it very easy to set the correct voltage and amperage.
- The superior quality of die-cast aluminum makes the unit hard-wearing and provides a longer life expectancy.
- The excellent drive system, which assists in proper alignment and offers super smooth wire feeding.
- Spool gun plug & play ready
- Already included calibration reference chart, detailed user’s guide, and instructional DVD educate the beginner’s about this welding machine in the best possible way.
Cons
- It is not suitable for longer welding tasks; hence, you can’t use it on a large scale.
- Some users reported motherboard problems that disrupted the procedure while feeding the wire.
- The duty cycle (automatic shutdown) is 20%, not among the best.
- For some, the sound produced by the fan is annoying.
Who Should Buy The Lincoln 140 Easy MIG Welder?
Are you new to welding and unaware of how a welding machine works?
If so, the Lincoln 140 Easy MIG Welder is an ideal option, thanks to its ease of use. Moreover, you can effortlessly master the functioning techniques thanks to the included instructional DVD, detailed guide, and calibration reference chart.
It is also a perfect choice for small workshop owners as it can be easily stored without taking precious space.
Or, it is the ideal choice for those working as a freelancer welder in spare time, as the portability allows the user to carry the unit anywhere, without any trouble.
What Do Online Customers Of The Lincoln 140 Say?
There are ambivalent reviews about the Lincoln 140 Easy MIG. However, most of the customers have left back positive comments about this great welding machine.
One of the complaints is that the customer service does not answer instantly and takes a good amount of time to solve any problem faced with the product.
Others complain of poor power.
But one of the most frequent critiques is the frequent stops of the machine. This is due to the duty cycle, which is 20%, which means that after two minutes of operation, the unit must cool down for eight minutes.
In this regard, it is necessary to reiterate that the Easy MIG is certainly not an industrial welder nor for professional use.
On the other hand, most customers are very satisfied with the outstanding performance at such an affordable price.
Which One to Choose? Easy MIG 140 Vs. 140 Multi-Process
While Easy MIG 140 supports the flux core and MIG process, the 140 Multi-process welder performs flux-cored, MIG, plus Stick, and TIG welding.
Hence, the Lincoln 140 MP can operate various welding types using the same input voltage as Easy MIG 140, 120V.
The 140 MP weighs around 34.5 lb, making it easier to carry when compared with the Easy MIG, which weighs approximately 50 pounds.
As with the Easy MIG, the MP version can not operate heavy welding tasks all day long. However, there is a marked difference regarding duty cycle, 20% Easy MIG against 60% MP.
Both welders come along with a complete instructional guide and DVD to educate beginners about all the parts and their functioning.
FAQs
What other accessories do I need to work with the Easy MIG 140?
The Easy Mig comes with all the basic parts. You can start performing flux-core welding without gas; however, you will need a gas cylinder, as always with MIG welds. Other items required:
Welding gloves, helmet, jacket, pants, and boots. You will also need pliers and a wire brush. A spool gun is recommended if you weld aluminum.
Advice for welding aluminum: to weld thin sheets say less than 1/8″, it is usually best to use a TIG welder. Furthermore, a bit of experience is also necessary. Aluminum is a much softer metal than steel or iron, and it is very easy to melt or pierce.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
To avoid serious damage to health, never weld the Aluminum without ample ventilation and a respirator with a suitable filter.
What is the purpose of shielding gas?
For better welding quality. The gas has the function of protecting the molten metal with the air,
thus preventing a reaction with oxygen and nitrogen and preventing problems such as excessive porosity and splashing.
What kind of gas do I need for MIG welding?
It depends on the metal and the welding process. Find a useful table on this Lincoln Electric manual.
Do you need gas shielding to weld stainless steel with the Easy MIG 140?
Yes. The recommended gas for welding stainless steel in MIG mode contains 90% helium, 7.5% argon, and 2.5% carbon dioxide.
Which generator do I need for the Easy MIG 140?
For better welding, you should use a 2500W generator.
Can I use an extension with Lincoln Easy MIG 140?
Yes, but not just any. As recommended by the pdf manual, Lincoln Electric recommends a 12-gauge cord, 50 ft maximum.
Review Summary
The Lincoln Easy MIG 140 welding machine is one of the most reliable and exemplary selections that a hobby or novice welder can make!
This lightweight unit comes with a detailed guide and DVD to teach those who need it about the product’s functioning. Also, it includes a full three years of warranty offered by the company itself.
Yes, it is not compatible to perform heavy-duty tasks. Still, it is the perfect appliance to perform a gasless flux-cored welding process on thick steel and to conduct gas-shielded MIG welding on thin gauge steel, stainless, or aluminum.
However, for MIG welding, you need to carry an additional gas cylinder with you (always required when you need to perform a MIG weld), which is not an easy task to do.
At a pocket-friendly price, it provides its customers with a long-lasting welder with remarkable performance and excellent results.
The Alternative
Suppose you wish to expand your choice, then another welder with great precision, flexibility, and specific turning points. In that case, it’s Hobart Handler 140, which is an excellent substitute for Lincoln Easy MIG 140.
Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V
Both of these units have a similar duty cycle, input voltage, weight, and many other features.
The Hobart 140 is slightly more desirable due to the longer warranty period and because of the five welding output controls, increasing the overall flexibility of the product.
Warranty:
- 5 years for transformer
- 3 years for the electronics
- 1 year for the welding gun
To summarize, the Hobart 140 is a bit cheaper, has greater flexibility and an extended warranty, which makes it, perhaps, the most obvious choice.
