Looking for welding equipment advice...

[Moose-Hunter]

Howdy All....

I realize this is not "directly" fishing related but you folks are such a wealth of knowledge, I just had to talk to you about it....

I'd like to get into welding. Not commercially. Just for my own projects. And some of these ARE fishing related!! I've got a ton of them "on the board" and for the money I'd pay someone else to complete my jobs, I could probably pick up some equipment and do it myself.

I've done some gas welding (Oxy/Acet.) in the past, but would rather not go that route. As far as material, I don't think I'd ever use anything thicker that 3/16". MAYBE....1/4". I'd also like to be able to do aluminum as well as steel. The ability to do stainless might not be bad either, but not real necessary.

I'm sort of a fish out of water here. So if you need more info, please ask...

I am sort of on a tight budget here, but I typically don't "skimp" on tools. (I can usually justify ALMOST anything.... I'm single LOL!!!)

With all the different types out there (TIG, MIG.....) What kind would you recommend for a novice such as myself?

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M-H (aka: Dan)

[Kevin Turner]

Moose Hunter, If saving $ is your goal, you may be better served to find an after hours skilled welder to do your work. I've seen many DIY's paying to have thier "learning experiences" corrected. On the other hand, if you just like tinkering and doing things yourself, shop for used equipment. I see many used units at bargain prices in the sunday paper. Kevin

[1DIRTBALL]

Since you are a novice, I would think that you might do OK starting out with a wire feed welder. You can buy a new one for around $300.00. Or try HSOList for a used one. Or go to farm auctions. Wire feed is for light duty stuff. You would not want to weld your trailer with it.

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YOU CAN'T talk AN OLD talk'ER!

[joshb]

i would definatley go with a MIG welder, they are IMO the most versitile welders made. as far as wire feeds only being used for light duty - if you consider 3/4 inch plate steel light duty than you should be fine. you can find a real nice wire feed for $1500 or so. miller makes a real great product IMO. they also make a combo unit that has a mig - and a aluminum gun on it to, which isn't as good as a striaght TIG but you will be able to do both. if you can afford it this would be the way to go, anything over a 200 series will be plenty for what you'll be doing. remember to get bigger than you think you'll use - you can always just turn it down a little.

[Paul Rohweller]

I use miller welders everyday, good units, if I was single and wanted one for use around the house I'd opt for the miller 200 I think it will even come with an aluminum mig gun and spool, gas tanks will be required tho, also something to consider. The 200 with .030 wire will turn down low enough to weld 16 gauge no problem and with PROPER weld preperation up to 1/4 thick plate in one pass, thicker plate with multiple passes and .035 wire. I know miller makes a smaller 220 volt suitcase style mig welder that does a nice job also for quite a bit less money. Feel free to drop me an email if you have any more questions! I use an old miller thunderbolt stick welder myself.. Have fun and be safe! Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
pinetoprairie@netscape.net
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[gailray]

I know what everyone is telling you to get a wire feed but it is bad advice. THey are hard to maintain tempermental and not very versital the only reason they are so popular in welding shops is because they are fast. I have done precision technical welding for 35 yrs.and have done it all and there is very few metals i havnt welded.My advice is to get a linclon sqaure wave machine or a competiters equal. This gives you a tig torch with a high frequancy start for aluminum, stainless steel and light gauge carbon. You can then switch to the stick side of the machine for the heavy carbon. You can get into hard to reach places with the tig or stick but cant with the mig gun.Try looking for a used machine in good cindition, I picked one up at an estate sale for $700.00.you will need to take some welding classes. these can be taken at any votech or trade school at night or day.Good luck and dont give up all it takes is practice practice and more practice.

[Phred52]

I have to ditto gailray 100%, I've been welding (mig, tig& stick) with different jobs for the last 35 years and he put it about as well as it can be put! Take a class or two and practice, practice, practice! Migs and tigs are great, granted. Your basic skills/ knowledge will come from the stick welder, and the more you use it the more competent you'll become.

[ScottL]

I don't want to start an arguement here, but this is my opinion. For a novice welder (someone without much if any welding experience) I would go with a MIG welder (wire feed). They are by far easier to learn to weld with and adjust than stick, TIG or gas. They are used in manufacturing because of their weld speed, the non existance of slag and splatter that occurs with stick, and the most important reason, that a friend that use to be a shop foreman said "you can train a monkey to pull a trigger"

Stay away from the 110 volt models, that use flux core wire, these are the ones that you can buy for under 400.00 new. They don't have a high enough amp rating to make acceptable welds on anything over 1/8" thick and they have a very poor duty cycle. Look for a 220V 185 Amp or bigger wire feed.
Also if you are looking at buying a used one out of the paper, make sure that it matches up with your available power supply. A lot of welders used in an industrial setting are either 3 phase or 460 volts or both. If you are going to be using this in your garage or shop, chances are that your power supply is 220 volt, 1 phase. That is what the tag must say on the welder you purchase, or it won't work.
You will also have to either lease or buy a tank of shielding gas such as CO2(Carbon Dioxide) or 75/25 which is a CO2/Argon mix

Welding stainless and aluminum can be done with a wire feed. Welding stainless would require the use of stainless wire and a different gas than what you would use on mild steel. Welding aluminum would reqire what is called a spool gun with aluminum wire in it, because of the softness of the aluminum, it cannot be pushed through the normal welding lead and gun. The spool gun is just that a gun with a spool on top that pushes the aluminum wire just a few inches.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Scott Lee

[woodyjdh]

I am a Woody of all trades, master of none. I've been welding (steel & aluminum) for the past 7 years, nothing compaired to some in this post. At work I run Miller wire feed, and TIG. At home I got a helluva deal on a Century 175, 220V wire feed. I would have rather had a Miller at home, but the price was too good to pass up on this. I agree that you ought to stay away from 110V units, and flux core wire. Absolutely horrid welds! But another thing to consider is the gas. It cost me $150.00 for a 10yr lease. Which in itself isn't bad, but another added cost on top of the welder itself, and not to mention the wire! Personally I prefer the MIG, but only because I do not own a Stick welder. Either way you decide, take you time, and think it through and you should be happy with the results. Otherwise, if you live in the Alexandria area...look me up!

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

Did you plan on spending thousands of $$$$$$?

I have been in the metal (welding included) my entire life.If you can butter a peice of bread,then you can certainly learn how to wirefeed.By far the best for a home/fishing/hunting project.These guy's are telling you to buy some pretty expensive equipment you may never need -or- use.I do agree with "Miller" brand.This is what I have at work and in my home shop.

try harborfreight.com

[joshb]

i cant even believe you guys that would suggest a stick arc or tig for this guy, not only that but did you even read what he'll be using it for?. i think there are times and places for all welders, ie; like when your welding I beams together for a office building you'd probably use a stick arc, or if your welding body parts you'd probably use a tig, right?. but in no way do those two specialized peices of equipment represent the multi project spectrum that a mig does. no nasty slag, easy to use from ANY angle, difficult to maintain? NO WAY, tungsten is spendy. not to mention i'd like to see someone that hasn't been welding tig for ten years try a vertical butt weld!!!, or fill a hole with a stick arc on 14 gauge sheeting!!!

[This message has been edited by joshb (edited 07-21-2004).]