How to Use the Lincoln Electric Power MIG 140 MP Welder?

The POWER MIG 140 MP is a compact, lightweight, and portable multi-purpose welder that is compatible with 120-volt electric power.  

The machine is an excellent choice and can be used for MIG, Stick, Flux-Cored, and DC TIG welding. 

The user-friendly interface, effortless configuration, and a wide range of accessories included with the welder allow you to swiftly deal with a variety of welding tasks. 

In this article, I will be teaching you how to set up and use the Lincoln Electric 140 MIG welder. 

I have designed this article for beginners, so I will be setting up the welder with flux-core wire because it is easier and requires less time. 

The flux-core arc welding can be considered a type of MIG welding and is perfect for beginners. Later in the article, I will also briefly discuss how you can quickly change the welder settings to support gas MIG welding with solid wire. 

So, without any further ado, let’s start by setting up the Lincoln Electric 140 MIG welder. 

Setting up the Lincoln Power 140 MP

Setting up this MIG welder is a simple and straightforward process. However, without proper guidelines, you are bound to make beginner mistakes. 

Hence, I will be sharing a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you set up this MIG welder efficiently. 

Step 1: Beginning with the Assembly and Understanding of the Components. 

When you unbox your new Lincoln Power 140 MP, it will not be fully assembled. So, you will have to assemble it before you are able to use it. 

First of all, you can have your regulator and your gas delivery pipe set aside, along with the shielding gas cylinder. You won’t be needing any of those pieces for flux-core welding. 

For this purpose, you will need your welding gun, your wire lead, your ground lead, and your ground clamp that will be attached to your MIG welder one by one properly. 

Luckily, the Lincoln Electric 140 comes with all the items included that are necessary for both gas MIG welding and flux core MIG welding. 

So, both kinds of wires will be included with the welder. Including flux core and solid wire spools that are properly packed. 

The flux core wire works independently and doesn’t require the use of a shielding gas cylinder while the solid wire requires gas. 

We also have a few different tips included in the package. One tip is attached at the end of the gun by factory default. So, when you take it out of the packet, it will be attached. 

For setting up the MIG welder for flux core welding, you are required to use the small black tip that comes in the packet. 

For safety reasons, unplug your MIG welder as you are assembling it and then plug it in once everything is ready to be used.

Step 2: Installing the Wire Spool 

Open up the side door to look inside the MIG welder, where the spools are to be mounted. The spools that are included in the package are very small. 

If you are not a beginner, then you might wanna use a larger spool because the small one will run out very soon. 

However, for beginners who are using the machine for the first time, this one is good enough. 

The Lincoln Electric 140 is designed with an adjustable little adapter that can support pretty large spool sizes. So, the machine is versatile and comes with wide application compatibility. 

Installing the spool is a very simple process. All you have to do is loosen up the wing nut. 

Then there is a little spacer or washer behind the wing nut, you will have to pull it off. Then you can take the plastic piece off that is in place of the spool. 

You will always want to ensure, while mounting the spool inside the machine, what direction the wire is going to be. 

You want your wire to come up over the spool and lead directly into the drive wheel assembly. 

Unlike your Tissue Roll in the bathroom, you can’t choose to have it the other way around. 

It is common for beginners to place it in the wrong direction. I also made this mistake when I started it. So, you must always look for the wire direction during this step. 

If you get it wrong, the wire will get tangled or lined up. You want to avoid that at all costs. 

Once you mount the spool, you can place the washer and then reinstall the wing nut and tighten it. 

The wingnut should be tightened to a convenient point. Make sure not to tighten it too much. 

Overtightening it will get your spool stuck and it will mess up your welding process. It will hold your wire back. In simple words, you wanna snug it but not wrench it in. 

Step 3: Connecting the Welding Gun 

On the lead that is attached to your welding gun, you have two connections. The first connection that is hanging out of the main cord is for the trigger on the welder. It sends a signal into your drive wheel to feed the wire.

The main connector is directly linked to the wire feed. The small hole in the connector is for the wire feed and the top space is for the shielding gas. 

When you look at the MIG welder, you will see two connection points on the Lincoln MIG 140. The main connector will go inside the top left connector which is a larger side, and the trigger lead is connected to the bottom connector which is smaller. 

You will be able to guess it based on the appearance and size of the connectors. There is no rocket science here. 

There is a little lock nut on the inside which you might have to loosen up a bit according to your connector size. Just keep inserting the connector inside while loosening it until all the connector is in and it’s fitted. 

The connector is stepped, which means there are different levels of thickness which requires everyone to do the step-by-step rightening. This design is for providing a perfect fit on the connector so that it doesn’t get detached during the welding process. 

Make sure the lead goes all the way in and once it is done you can tighten the nut on the inside. 

The trigger wire is simpler to connect but also it is a delicate piece and has prongs on it that can break if you are not careful. Don’t try to force it in, rather try to rotate it and be patient until it fits. 

Step 4: Selecting the Polarity

On the door of the welder, there are diagrams that can help you set up the MIG welder for whatever welder process you are going for.  

Now, for flux-cored welding, you will see that you need to plug the wire electrode with the negative point. So, connect the little tooth to the connector of the negative terminal and plug it in and turn it clockwise to lock it into place.

The ground clamp will be connected to the positive terminal. But we will not do that at this point. 

For safety reasons, do not connect the ground clamp to the welder until you have assembled the rest of the welder and it is ready for use. 

Also Read: How Does a MIG Welder Work? Inside the Machine

Step 5: Getting the Ground Clamp Ready

First, attach the ground wire to the ground clamp to get it ready. For this purpose, you will need a small wrench. 

Run the wire up through the hole in the ground clamp and connect it with the nut. You will have to remove the nut, mount the connector and then screw the nut back on with a wrench. Don’t over tighten it. 

You should not attach the ground clamp connection to the welder yet. 

After attaching it to the workpiece later, you can plug it in. Otherwise, you might make an unwanted connection between the wire feeder and the ground clamp that can lead to unsavory results. 

So, after getting the ground clamp ready with its lead, come back to the welder to get the other tasks done. 

Step 6: Setting Up the Drive Wheel

Inside the MIG welder, undo the tensioner handle by pulling the top handle straight back, and the top of the drive wheel will pop up. Now you can feed your wire in. 

However, before doing that, let’s discuss a bit about the drive wheel to understand it better, specifically in the case of Lincoln Electric 140. 

On your drive wheel that is on the lower side, there are actually two different slots that are designed for different sizes of wires. 

You can also get different drive wheels for four different wire sizes. The default settings on the welder are for 0.025- and 0.035-gauge wire.

Now, what you have to do is undo the tensioner cap by pulling the black round piece and the drive wheel will come straight off. 

You will notice two grooves on it. They are for different-sized wires. One thing to keep in mind here is to always make sure that both grooves are nice and clean. 

If there is any dirt or debris settled on the groves, it will impact the wire directly which will lead to wire feeding issues. 

Since you have purchased this new welder, it will be squeaky clean, and shiny, but it is an important point to keep in mind in the future. 

You can get new and upgraded drive wheels that come in different sizes if the size doesn’t match your needs. 

The side you want to use will always go on the backside. So, use the 0.025 for this spool and place it on the back side while remounting the drive wheel. 

Step 7: Adjusting the Wire Feed

Now it’s time to take the wire from the spool. One important thing to keep in mind here is to keep an extra hand on the spool and tension on the wire. You don’t want your wire to come off excessively as it would create problems. 

Trust me, it is a nightmare to get the wire back on the spool. Especially with the flux-cored wire.

Now, when you take the wire off the spool for the first time, there will be a bend on it. Don’t try to straighten it and use the wire. Instead cut off the bend on the wire, always. No exceptions to this rule. Use a cutter for this process. 

Always make sure your wire is as straight as possible when you are putting it in the feeder. 

Now put the wire inside the drive wheel. It will go over the bottom drive wheel and into the gun assembly. 

You have to be extremely careful during this step. Make sure everything goes smoothly. Do not rush through the process and do not force the wire to go in. 

If you feel any kind of snag or block, then stop immediately, pull back a bit, and check the wire to see if there is anything on the tip or if the wire is bent. 

The process might take a bit of time as a beginner, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to do it much quicker. 

Also, make sure the wire is completely clean when going in. If there is anything on the wire it is going inside the lead and to your welding gun, it might damage the inner shielding. So, always make sure that you have nice clean wire. 

Normally, I would push about 4 to 6 inches inside just to make sure that I got past all the connection points and actually into the beginning of the lead. 

Don’t be shy if you make a mistake in the beginning and need to cut off a couple of inches. You can always try again. Just be mindful of the precautions I have mentioned above. 

Related: Why Is My MIG Welder Popping? Potential Reasons

Step 8: Reinstalling the Drive Wheel and Adjust the Tension

Now you have got the wire fed. Now, pull the top of the drive wheel back down and put the tensioner handle back on it just the way you took it off. The process is really simple. 

You can also see a diagram with instructions beneath the tensioner handle that tells you about various kinds of wires and where the tensioner screw can be set according to the wire type. 

Double-check with the diagram to ensure that you have set the tool to the right tension. So, for the flux cored wire, it should be 1-3. So, adjust it accordingly. 

Once you have it between 1-3, you are good to go. Then you can adjust it later on based on the specific requirements of the welding project. 

Step 9: Configuring the Welding Gun

Come back to the welding gun and unscrew the top nozzle. The default tip attached to the top of the welding gun is designed for running gas. Since we are using flux core wire, we won’t be needing it. 

So, you can put it to the side. After taking the nozzle off, you should also get the contact tip-off before you start the welder to get the wire to the tip. 

I personally do it because of safety and convenience. Sometimes, the wire can come all the way from the lead and then get stuck just at the contact tip which can mess it up. 

Now, plug your MIG welder in, turn it on and squeeze the trigger and wait for the wire to come to the welding gun.

I keep the door of the MIG welder open and watch the wire feed through for the first time. This helps me ensure that the wire is coming smoothly and is not getting stuck anywhere. This will also help you make sure that the tensioner is set correctly. 

You can see the spool spinning, and you will have to wait until the wire is finally out of the welding gun.  

Once it gets there, un-squeeze the trigger. Now you will have to put the contact tip back on. Then use the cap that is designed for flux-core welding and put it in place of the nozzle. 

The reason why you shouldn’t go with the same nozzle that was attached before is that flux core welding has a lot of spatters that can get inside the gas openings of a gas MIG nozzle. 

So, later when you are using the same nozzle for gas MIG welding, the shielding gas won’t pass through the holes which will impact the welding process. 

Additionally, the black tip designed for flux-core wire gives you a lot more visibility when you are welding. 

If too much wire has come out of your MIG welder, then you can trim the extra wire off using a wire cutter. 

Step 10: Attaching the Ground Clamp 

Now that the welder is fully assembled and ready, it is time to attach the ground clamp before you begin the welding process.

Turn the welder back off and connect the ground clamp wire connector to the machine. It is important to turn it off to avoid any accidents. 

Connect the ground clamp wire to the positive terminal on the machine. That’s all. Now you are all set for Flux-Cored welding. 

Using the Lincoln Power 140 MP MIG Welder

Now that the welder is fully assembled and ready for you. You will have to follow a few simple steps to start the welding process. 

Adjusting the Welding Parameters

First of all, you will have to adjust the welding parameters based on the specific requirements of the project. 

For different materials, you will be using different settings. You have to adjust the amperage and wire speed based on the specifics of the metal, that includes the nature of the material being welded and its thickness. 

As a general rule of thumb, you have to increase 1 amperage for every 0.001-inch thickness of the metal sheet. 

However, this rule is not absolute, and the exact settings will depend on other factors as well. 

You can look inside the side door for a chart that will provide you with the approximate value of amperage and wire feed speed for specific metal thicknesses and types. 

You can also use an online calculating tool to find out the approximate amperage and wire speed required. 

However, to get to perfection, you will have to fine-tune the settings by practicing on a piece of scrap metal and then adjusting the settings accordingly. 

Once you have the welding parameters set, you can begin the welding process. 

Wearing the Personal Protective Equipment

Safety is a must. You must wear Personal Protective Equipment to protect yourself from potential hazards before you start welding. 

The protective equipment will include a face shield or a welding helmet with glasses to protect your eyes from the excessive flash and spatter of the welding process. 

Then you have to wear fire-resistant apparel that is specifically made for welding. 

Wearing welding gloves and leather shoes is also a must, as it protects you from getting electrocuted. The gloves will protect your hands from the spatter. 

The welding process produces a lot of heat, and when dealing with flux-core wire, there is a lot of spattering from the process. So, you must never compromise on safety. 

Getting the Workpiece Ready

Next, you will have to get the workpiece ready. You have to ensure that the surface or edge you are going to be welding is free from any dust or debris. 

Since you are using flux-core wire for welding, one of the advantages you have is being able to weld through paint and rust. 

A flux-core wire is more suitable for beginners because they do not require much cleaning of the base metal. 

However, it is still wise to clean the base metal properly using a wire brush and proper cleaning equipment to get the best results. 

After you get the workpiece ready, you have to either attach it directly to the ground clamp or if you are using a workbench, then you can attach it to the workbench and the bench to the ground clamp. 

Make sure you have adjusted your workpiece tightly in its place to ensure that it remains stable during the welding process. 

Placing the Weld Bead

Finally, we are at the step where we will be using the Lincoln Electric 140 MIG welder to place the weld bead. Everything is ready and in place. 

Identify the kind of joint you want to place and then place the two metal pieces in place to start the welding process. 

Whether you should push or pull, and what travel speed you should go with will depend on the type of metal you are going to be welding. 

Maintaining a consistent weld speed is a must to get reliable and consistent weld beads. 

There will be a lot of spattering with the flux-core wire, so you have to ensure that you weld in a well-ventilated area and have clear visibility of the weld seam. 

Once you are done with the welding process, you should wait a little while before moving on to the next step. 

Post-Weld Cleanup

One of the disadvantages of using the flux-core wire is that there will be a lot of post-weld cleaning to do. 

One common mistake that people make at this stage is trying to rush through the process by rapidly cooling the welded area. They put water on it to cool it down faster. 

You should never do it. While water will help you cool down the welded area, it will also negatively impact the strength and reliability of the weld bead. 

The weld bead might start to crack or become weak over time, and hence you will ruin all of your efforts. 

Instead, you should be patient and wait for the welded area to cool down on its own before starting the post-weld cleanups.

You can use a grinder to clean the welded area properly and then a buffer to give it the shine if you require it. 

Appearance won’t matter much if your weld isn’t in an area that is going to be visible, but you still have to do some post-weld cleaning after you finish the process. 

Also Read: How to Clean a MIG Welder Liner? – Expert Tips

Shutting Down and Storing Your Lincoln Power 140 MP

Once you are done using this welding machine, you have to properly shut it down, take off the pieces just like you put them on, and then store it properly in a cool dry place. 

First of all, shut down the welder and unplug it. Then unplug the ground clamp wire. You don’t have to take the ground clamp off of the wire and can store them both together. 

Next, you can wrap the main lead wire and the welding gun on the welder and store them together. You don’t have to take the whole apparatus apart if you are going to be using the machine again soon. 

However, if you are not going to be using it anytime soon, then you should take the whole thing apart, clean it properly and store it just like the way you unboxed it. 

Cleaning and storing it properly ensures that dust and debris don’t settle inside the welding machine or any of its components. Hence, the machine will always provide you with top-notch performance. 

Related: What Can You Weld with a MIG Welder?

What To Do Differently for Gas MIG Welding in Lincoln Electric 140

First of all, you have to use the default nozzle and contact tip that comes with the welder out of the box. 

So, you won’t have to change the contact tip, which makes the setting up a bit easier. 

But on the other hand, you will have to attach the gas delivery system which means adjusting the shielding gas cylinder in its proper place, attaching the regulator and gas delivery pipe, attaching that to the welder, and then securing the connections properly. 

Once you have secured all the connections properly, then you can use the shielding gas. 

You will have to adjust the proper gas flow rate depending on the specific welding application, the type of metal you are welding, and the type of gas you are using. 

Adding to this, you will have to reverse the polarity. This means the welding gun will go to the positive terminal and the ground clamp will be attached to the negative terminal. 

The rest of the process is pretty much the same. However, you will get cleaner welds, and there will be less post-weld cleaning required. 

However, one advantage that gas MIG welding doesn’t have on the flux core is the ability to weld through paint and other types of contaminants. 

So, you will have to properly clean the base metal and not leave any minor residue on it. Any type of contamination of the weld pool will result in weaker and less reliable welds. 

Gas MIG welding is more efficient but requires proper learning. The process is a bit difficult to set up, but Lincoln Power 140 MP supports this welding process and provides you with good results. 

Related: What Gas Does a MIG Welder Use? Role of Gas in MIG Welding

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start as a Lincoln welder?

Starting the Lincoln welder is a pretty easy and straightforward process. Once you have set up the welder properly, all you have to do is plug it in and press the On button to turn it on. Then you can squeeze the trigger to start using it. 

How easy is it to use a MIG welder for beginners?

MIG welding is pretty easy to learn and use for beginners. If you are new to the welding world, then you should perhaps start with the flux-core welding process and move to the gas MIG welding later on. 

How thick of metal will a Lincoln 140 MIG be able to weld?

The Lincoln Electric is a compact and portable MIG welder, which means it won’t be able to weld through very thick metal plates. The largest you can go is 5/16-inch thickness which is equivalent to 7.9mm. 

What is needed for a beginner welder?

Once you purchase the Lincoln Power 140, you won’t be needing anything additional as a beginner. The welder comes with all the accessories and necessary equipment included inside the box that you will need for your first welding project. 

Can Lincoln 140 weld stainless steel?

Yes, you can weld stainless steel using a Lincoln 140 welder. The welder supports stick, MIG, and TIG welding. So, you can choose to use whichever method seems more appropriate depending on the specific welding requirements of the project. 

Wrapping Up!

Lincoln Power 140 MP is one of the most versatile, popular, and advanced welding machines that can be used in a wide range of applications. 

The welder supports stick, MIG, and TIG welding and comes with a complete set of accessories including the wire spools and contact tips. 

For a beginner, opening the box for the first time and seeing so much unassembled equipment can be a bit intimidating but now that you have assembled it, you know it is very simple and straightforward. 

Yes, there is a bit of a learning curve for beginners but once you get the hang of it, you will be on your path to becoming a professional welder in no time. 

I hope the above guide was helpful to you in learning how to set up and use the Lincoln Electric 140 MIG welder properly.

Got something on your mind? Drop it down in the comments section below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.