New Hobart Handler 187 Dials in Ease of Use and Greater Arc Control

New Hobart Handler 187 Dials in Ease of Use and Greater Arc Control

Tired of settling for "close enough" instead of "perfect" when MIG welding? Then try the new Handler 187 MIG welder from Hobart Welding Products. This industrial-grade welder offers a seven-tap voltage selection control.

Tired of settling for “close enough” instead of “perfect” when MIG welding? Then try the new Handler 187 MIG welder from Hobart Welding Products. This industrial-grade welder offers a seven-tap voltage selection control. These features enable users to make arc adjustments in finer increments and simplify creating the classic “sizzling bacon” sound that signifies a perfect arc.

“The Hander 187 features an increased voltage selection paired with enhanced magnetic inductance for a smooth weld,” stated Dave Enneking, product manager, Hobart Welding Products (think of inductance control as an electrical “shock absorber” that stabilizes the arc).

Combined with the seven taps, better inductance enables the Handler 187 to provide better arc starts, smoother arc performance, create less spatter for less cleanup and create weld beads with a professional appearance. Anyone welding stainless steel will especially notice beads with a flatter crown and good wet out at the toes of the weld. Competitive testing indicates that the Handler 187 welds better than any other machine in its class.

The hallmark of the Handler 187 is an extremely stable arc when welding steel as thin as 24-gauge steel while maintaining this performance on materials up to 5/16-in. thick. The Handler 187 weighs 68 lbs. and has a welding output range of 25 to185 amps.

The Handler 187 works well in home hobby, farm/ranch, maintenance/repair, auto/truck body and light industrial applications.

“I like the three extra voltage settings on the Handler 187 because they give me extra control on thinner material. With my older welder featuring five taps, I seemed to end up with too much or too little heat,” said Daniel Thom of Beverton, OR, who used the Handler 187 from 8 to 16 hours per week in automotive applications.

The Handler 187 operates on standard 230/240-volt household power and accommodates a 4 or 8 in. spool of wire. A dual-groove drive roll accommodates .023 – .035 wire diameters. The Handler 187 is designed for welding with .023-.035 mild steel or stainless steel, .030-.045 flux cored or .030-.035 aluminum welding wires. The Handler 187 is available to the U.S. and Canadian markets and has a suggested list price of $820; actual selling price varies by retailer.

SEVEN TAPS BEAT FOUR
The seven-position tapped control simplifies voltage (or “heat”) adjustment compared to the previous machine, which featured four taps. By adding three additional taps, the Handler 187 enables users to select a more precise voltage range, which in turn provides greater control over heat input. This helps when welding on a variety of metal thicknesses, as well as to accommodate welding preferences of travel speed (“fast and hot” to “slow and deliberate”), joint design, welding position, wire diameter and shielding gas composition. By having seven voltage taps, an operator can choose more precisely which setting best suits their style.

The Handler 187’s wire feed speed tracking function provides a larger window of operation for the wire feed speed control which makes it easier to tune in the arc for the desired sweet spot.

READY TO WELD
The Handler 187 comes out of the box ready to weld with or without a shielding gas. Unlike units for “gasless” flux cored welding only, the Handler features a built-in gas valve and comes with a dual gauge regulator and gas hose. This enables the user to MIG weld with gas-shielded solid wires – the preferred method for thinner metals and stainless steel and required for aluminum – without purchasing additional kits. A built-in contactor keeps the welding wire electrically cold until the trigger is pulled. Without this feature, the wire would arc if touched to the work-piece.

Hobart backs all power sources with its 5/3/1 warranty, which covers the transformer for five years, the switches, controls and valves for three years and the torch for one year. For a detailed spec sheet or free literature, visit www.HobartWelders.com, call 1-877-HOBART1 (462-2781) or write to Hobart Welding Products at P.O. Box 100, Lithonia, GA 30058.

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