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Hello all, I wanted to get some advice from the experienced readers on here. I have a project I am dreaming up in my head for the m715, and figured its about time I learn to weld. So, what is the best type of welder to learn on that will be heavy duty enough to weld a roll cage, motor mounts, cross members, etc. There are some cheap ones on craigslist in my area but I want to get one that will penetrate the heavy duty metal I will be using. Thanks
You can get away with a 140amp - I've done it. I have a 140amp Snap On that I built an entire 12 foot stakebody out of. I then bought a 220 volt Solar 250 amp that does real heavy stuff.
Personally, buy the most amps you can afford. Look on craigslist - you can usually find like-new MIG welders for half of what a new one costs. Good names are Snap On, Miller, Solar, Lincoln, etc. Even Craftsman units are decent.
I'd stay away from anything from Harbor Freight or no-name welders since you may find it difficult to buy replacement items like tips, internal parts etc.
Also HTP weld - check their website. Their replacement parts/wire is cheaper than anywhere - even with shipping. They are tops...
it would be well worth the tuition to take a nite class at the local community college, a few hours there with an experienced instructor will save you hundreds of hours/dollars and frustration not counting wasted material. he can show you tricks of the trade and you could hit the ground runnin.
i concour that a good brand name 150 amp mig is the beginners way to go.
yes, yes, yes. what he said!Quote:
Originally Posted by 5quarter
I recommend not buying a flux core machine if you go mig--spring for the gas shielded ones. The only way I'd say flux core may be better is if you're outdoors in a breezy area, but even then, I really prefer the gas. If you buy a stick machine, make sure you get one that has DC as an option if you plan to weld out of the flat position--which you will have to many times.
I started with a 120v mig and got a 275 amp stick unit shortly after. I am now looking at unloading both of them to look for a mig/tig/stick. I am out growing my shop at an alarming rate. I think a 120 mig and stick for thick stuff would work well for you the smaller mig will do thicker steel than its rating if you pre-heat both pieces. Welders are EXPENSIVE!
I started out with a Lincoln crackerbox stick welder. I got to the point of being passable.
Then I broke down and got a Lincoln 140C MIG. Like night and day. The 140 "C" is the model that has infinately adjustable settings so you can really fine tune your weld's. I got the welder, bottle, regulator and cart for less than a grand.
Thanks for the help guys, best advice around once again. I will look into a class as well, seems like a good investment.
I also second that about getting a MIG that'll take gas. it makes it SO much easier and faster. if you do use flux core, or stick for that matter, be sure to thoroughly clean the area to be welded after each and every time you pause, or the next weld will be no good. (by thoroughly clean i mean hit it with the wire brush two or three good strokes, not spend hours polishing it... don't go crazy, but wiping it off with a cloth won't do the trick, either. you gotta get rid of the byproducts or it'll shield the material from being welded at all...)
also what someone else mentioned about the infinitely adjustable ones... definitely helpful. the ones that just have a few notches on each adjuster... much harder to get a nice weld out of. they'll still work, but it's more work.
I third the gas sheilded MIG and with welders what you buy is what you get. Definetly get a name brand welder and if your budget or garage will permet it, go with a 220 volt. A good 220 will do up to 5/16 inch steel, more than thick enough for the heaviest frames, but you can turn it down so it will do very thin sheet metal.
I personaly have a preferance for TIG weilders, they can do up to 1/4 inch steel and sheet metal that requires very little clean up. But they cost more, and take a little more skill to use.
I know very little about TIG... tried one once at school, played around with it for an hour or so. very different than MIG, which I have lots of experience with, and stick, which I have a little experience with. Now maybe it was just the settings I was using cause I didn't know what I was doing, but it seems to me that TIG is a LOT slower than MIG or stick. Seems like you could have somewhat better control, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by kndllmtt
My only other experience with TIG was indirect -- when I was working as a welder one of my coworkers convinced the boss to buy a TIG machine, how I don't know, we sure didn't need one for what we were doing. Anyway he spent way too long setting it up and when he finally started playing with it, he kept blowing one of the main fuses to the building. I don't know if it was something wrong with the machine or what... If memory serves it was a 100 AMP unit and we *should* have had enough power to the building but he kept blowing one of the legs nonetheless. So I guess my second question is - do TIGs use more power??
No they don't. I just bought a Lincoln squarewave 255 TIG water cooled machine. It will go from 5 amps to 315 amps. AC and DC for the exotic metals. In the process of looking at craigs list every 15 minutes for the welder I wanted I pass up tons of wire feeds. Cheap also. Definitely get the gas shielded model.
TIG is slower and makes less heat. I was able to fuse weld the sharp edges of two razor blades together. Not pretty yet but just wait...:D
The thing about a welder is getting one you can grow in to. Get the biggest one you can power up and afford. I will never buy a welder unless it has infinite amperage control. I will be in the market for a good mig some day. I have a miller thunderbolt stick welder and my new TIG. I would trust a stick weld ten times over a wire feed weld. But they make ugly welds compared.
I also took a class at the local community college for mild steel TIG. I recommend it if it is convenient. The internet is also a great source of information. I am considering going back for Aluminum training but my try it at home with no instruction gene is throbbing at the moment.:D
Try the welder before you buy it. I had to buy a new lead for my water cooled torch. What I am saying is don't buy it, unload it and go on vacation for a week and then try it out. I got it fixed but I could have talked down the price by a mile if I had known. It apparently worked when he left for the 4 hour drive. The bouncing on the trailer must have fractured the copper lead inside. Works well now. Typical...