Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
 | | 21 Jun 2010 09:02 PM |
| Something to chew on... http://www.wcwelding.com/welding-projects.html http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=31280 |
| |
|
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 22 Jun 2010 11:12 AM |
| If and when you buy a Mig welder, I highly recommend the 'instant on' welding mask. It senses the bright light and darkens when you weld, Instantaneous. So much better than the standard masks or the one that might come with your welder that has to be held in your hand. Got mine at Home Depot for $99. If you have 220 in your shop great but the 120v Lincoln is really good for general stuff. Again, Home Depot. Craig, if you can make little circles with the tip of a pencil, then you can Mig weld. It is really not difficult and you are probably right that a one shot class can teach you the basics really fast and then it is just practice and developing your technique. I thought it was beyond me but my friend gave me a 5 min. lesson and I was off to weld stuff. |
| | |
|
Brett Curry
Basic Member
Posts:199
| | 22 Jun 2010 12:36 PM |
| The MIG stuff really impressed me as well. I'm liking the idea of the 120v Lincoln or Miller. That way I can take the welder to the project instead of the other way around. If I run into anything too big for the 120v to handle, I'll head into work and use the big machines.
I was hoping to get a self darkening. I'm new enough at it that it's still hard to line everything up, nod the mask down, pull the trigger, and have it all be where I want it. Sure it would come with time. The self darkening seem to also be good since you can keep it down while chipping, grinding etc. |
| | |
|
Andy Berglund
Tacoma, WA
Veteran Member
Posts:3453
| | 22 Jun 2010 12:45 PM |
| A word about Home Depot and other big box stores. Their welders are of an inferior quality compared to the items you can find in a proper welding shop. It probably won't make a huge difference for hobbyist welders but there is a reason the welders at big box stores are less expensive.
Also, the auto helmet from Harbor Freight has been given good reviews from the folks on weldingweb.com. Its reaction times are equal to the more expensive helmets. The only thing I have seen with the nicer helmets are cool paint jobs and harness systems. My HF helmet with an extra sweat band is super comfortable. Either way, having an auto dark helmet is super handy for all the reasons mentioned.
Finally, for you guys who are planning on doing a lot of stuff for your trucks in terms of sliders, bumpers, and other stuff that will see real use, I'd really suggest getting a 220V welder. It isn't that hard to wire in and the additional juice and duty cycle you get from those machines is really worth it. I promise. Otherwise, you'll end up spending a bunch of time prepping the joint, welding, grinding and prepping again, welding again, etc, to be certain you've achieved adequate penetration.
A |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 22 Jun 2010 01:17 PM |
| Andy, Not meaning to dispute you but I didn't think that $650 for a 120v welder inexpensive at the time.. But then, I am not doing professional stuff like many of you do. I do agree that the 220v would have been a better choice but I used the stimulus money that the prez gave us a few years ago, that was all I had at the time. If I were to do bumpers, tow points, or anything that would risk my vehicle or life I would fab it up, tack stuff in place and take it to a real shop for the final welds. To me it is worth the money to hire the pro. I just do hobby stuff. I make tables, gates, shelves and such. ...and, I just spent $750 for a plasma cutter. We'll see how that goes. |
| | |
|
Andy Berglund
Tacoma, WA
Veteran Member
Posts:3453
| | 22 Jun 2010 04:34 PM |
| Morris- I wasn't pointing a finger at you or anyone else. I also owned a 120V welder. That's how I became so familiar with the process involved in fusing anything thicker than two pieces of paper  I bought my welder online to save some coin but I should have looked on craigslist and pirate4x4. Now in hindsight, I'd do things a little differently. Anyhoo, the step up to a 220V isn't nominal but for people that can see that they are going to be doing a lot of fab work, it could prove itself useful. As Dan or any other professional will tell you, the most important part of any weldment is in the prep and technique. That's why a class like this is so cool. MIG makes things seem easy but looks can be deceiving. Anyhow, deals can be had and much information can be wrought from the aforementioned weldingweb.com and Pirate's welding forum. What I like most about those forums is the fact that they are in essence a "test bed" for different things. Pirate found a plasma that was dirt cheap and could cut real thicknesses effectively. Enough people used them on PBB to make me feel comfortable getting one (if I had something worth fabbing  ). |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 22 Jun 2010 07:33 PM |
| Andy, No problem, we're cool. My Dad was a professional welder and he would not teach me to weld, told me to stay away from it. Guess he didn't want me to travel the same road as he did. Wanted me to be successful...so I became an Architect. Guess I showed him. Ha. |
| | |
|
Andy Berglund
Tacoma, WA
Veteran Member
Posts:3453
| | 22 Jun 2010 08:45 PM |
| I'm just glad I didn't offend you. It seems that even though parents want the best for their kids, the kids are the ones that decide they think is best. Oh well. There is more benefit to the trades and stuff than they are given credit for, even by the people who practice them. It's too bad.
Back on topic: the weldingweb thread is great. It's super cool the things they are able to create upon the theme at hand. Some of the guys on that board are geniuses without exaggeration.
Andy |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 24 Jun 2010 09:27 AM |
| My new welding table. Harbor Freight rolling cart ($35) with 3/16 plate welded to angles for a top. Has shelves and room for the welder and plasma cutter (that I have yet to use). Also a small vice for holding stuff on one corner. |
 Attachment: DSC00041.JPG
| | |
|
Andy Berglund
Tacoma, WA
Veteran Member
Posts:3453
| | 24 Jun 2010 02:46 PM |
| Is that a Hobart brand cutter? Looks good. You need a cool holster for the MIG gun and plasma torch. I like it. My "welding table" consisted of a thick piece of plywood over two sawhorses. There were many fires.
A |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 24 Jun 2010 04:01 PM |
| Yes, it's a Hobart. AirForce 250CI. They had a special at Northern Tool for free shipping. |
| | |
|
Brett Curry
Basic Member
Posts:199
| | 24 Jun 2010 04:29 PM |
| That's nice! Which Lincoln is that? How do you like it?
I've got a pretty tempting price on a 115v mig. Foreman at work called his welding supply place for me. They've got a Lincoln that they are willing to take out of the rental fleet. Very little use. Go through everything and sell it to me. Warranty intact, regulators. Retails for $650-$675, I can have it for $400.
I do agree with the above conversation about bigger is better. I'm stuck in a rental house with no 220v, don't think the landlord would like me modifying. The other nice thing is if I run into something that the little one won't do, I can tack it up at home and come into work and take my pick of welders...or have a professional do it for me!
Have to see if I can squeeze it in the budget.
Already collecting scrap metal from work to practice on. |
| | |
|
Alex Kogan
Basic Member
Posts:429
| | 24 Jun 2010 04:50 PM |
| Posted By Brett Curry on 06/24/2010 4:29 PM
That's nice! Which Lincoln is that? How do you like it?
I'm stuck in a rental house with no 220v Do you have electrical range or dryer? It's not that hard to fab an extension. |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 24 Jun 2010 05:07 PM |
| It's a Lincoln WeldPak 3200 HD. It works great for me. My talent is minimal and getting a bit better as I go on. I have several projects in my head that are ragin' to get out. All are for the pinz to make it a bit better to live with. Just made some seat bottoms from 1/8 plate to install the (new) Honda seats. Really comfortable. |
Attachment: CIMG3760.JPG
Attachment: DSC00017.JPG
| | |
|
Brett Curry
Basic Member
Posts:199
| | 24 Jun 2010 05:09 PM |
| Gas Dryer, Plug in for range is behind it (no easy access). Several guys at work really like the lincoln 120v. Some of them are good welders too. I think it helps to know the limits. |
| | |
|
Brett Curry
Basic Member
Posts:199
| | 24 Jun 2010 05:14 PM |
| Morris, that's almost the same welder I'm looking at. Happy with it? |
| | |
|
Alex Kogan
Basic Member
Posts:429
| | 24 Jun 2010 05:30 PM |
| $400 still seems like good chunk of money when myself I got something like this Millermatic 35 only for $200. it's ancient but works greate. Can weld pretty much anything. it can go 3/8" in single pass. For welding MIG don't forget you need a gas bottle as well. |
| | |
|
Morris Yarnell
Advanced Member
Posts:771
| | 24 Jun 2010 06:16 PM |
| Brett, It's my first welder but I like it. Alex, No gas bottle, but I do know that it world reduce my splatter quite a bit and I would have to change the wire as well. My son-in-law gave me a 10 lb spool of wire cause he has a shop and uses the gas with his Mig setup. I just grind off the bumps. |
| | |
|
Andy Berglund
Tacoma, WA
Veteran Member
Posts:3453
| | 24 Jun 2010 07:58 PM |
| Brett-
I'd go with the Lincoln. It's from a known quantity in terms of who you're getting it from and that really means everything. Like you said, it will do just about everything you want and when you need more resources, you know where to go.
A |
| | |
|