welding....

**Triggerh4ppy** · May 24th, 2007, 09:37 PM

hey im getting into welding got my dvds,watched almost all of em gonna watch the rest tomorrow,took notes surfed on the net to look it up,taking notes from a welding book.

theres gotta be a few welders in this forum,tell me what machine would be the best to start out with,give me your opinions on them and pros and cons.im learning this subject on my own and i need a few words on the subject.

thx all

Triggerh4ppy

**27hand** · May 24th, 2007, 10:01 PM

What are you going to want to do with a machine?

What materials will you want to join. Mild steel, aluminum,sheet metal?

How much cash do you want to spend?

Alternating current machines are generally cheaper than Direct current machines.

Mig machines have Continuous wire feed from spools attached to the machine and fed through the handle. These usually limit the thickness of material you can join but are relatively inexpensive for initial outlay of $

TIG Tungsten Inert Gas(non consumable electrode which is Tungsten(pure for aluminum, 2% thoriated for mild steel) and needs a shielding gas source( argon or some mix of CO2 and other gas)where stick welding uses the flux cover to shield the weld.

As in handgun and longarm manipulation, you should get professional instruction.

Stick welding (consumable electrode) will probably give you the best overall value for a multitude of uses.

I have not priced machines for 15 years and know the technology in this field has changed consideraby in that time.

A class at some community college or trade school should not be too expensive.

If interested, take one.

27hand

**Triggerh4ppy** · May 24th, 2007, 10:14 PM

Something for all around welding tasks,like i need to be able to make ornamental garden sculptures and crap,fix a patio furniture(a chair) and a folding chair i fished out of a dumpster to practice on(steel)

somthing you would recomend to a noob i have i can buy a machine as long as its not 2000 dollars unless i absolutley need it lol.i was thinking about oxy acetylene so id have the torch as well as a welding tool,but i dont want to have to get the tanks filled all the time.

and another thing i live in the lancaster area ,can any of you point out some good welding supply stores?

**Chevmeister** · May 24th, 2007, 10:19 PM

i have this one i have welded all sort of small parts, from a wireframe smowman to a tailgate on one of my trucks.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...llermatic_140/

**PA Rifleman** · May 25th, 2007, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by Triggerh4ppy

...i was thinking about oxy acetylene so id have the torch as well as a welding tool,but i dont want to have to get the tanks filled all the time.

If you plan to use acetylene or MIG, you'll need tanks, and a place to store them. The "G" in MIG is gas. FYI, they're very high pressure and bad things happen when they fall over and rend the valve off the end. So, chain 'em to a wall. Without gas, your options will be limited.

I learned stick, MIG and acetylene in the early 1980s. MIG was the easiest and produced the most consistent results with the least amount of slag. Acetylene was the hardest to master, but is extremely useful as it can also braze, solder and cut with a different tip. MIG made the least amount of heat warping in thin sheet metal, acetylene was the worst and burned through until I learned effective heat control. Even afterwards, acetylene warped more than MIG.

Acetylene's a prankster's dream come true, as acetylene gas makes a very sharp report when ignited in the presence of oxygen or air. My father, an incurable pranskter, worked in a steel mill in the 1930s & 40s and recounted many stories of unexplainable explosions happening in the strangest places. But, that post is for another time.

**normanvin** · May 25th, 2007, 05:26 AM

we have a miller power unit at work. we can switch between stick mig and tig. this unit is not really for the guy just starting out. however since i do have access to it i use it. i to am learning how to weld. i can run a bead on all three. i also have access to some guys to coach me as needed. but comes down to practice practice and practice.

and not being afraid to screw up once in a while.

**Lucas** · May 25th, 2007, 07:11 AM

If you're just starting out (sounds like you are), and want a MIG welder, take a serious look at Hobart machines. Cheaper than Miller or Lincoln, uses Miller parts, and all the ones I've used work very well. They are great for farm or hobby use. If you were planning on welding for 8 hours a day 5 days a week I'd suggest buying a Miller or Lincoln with very high duty cycle. Things to consider when buying a welder are the amperage (how much heat it'll put out), duty cycle (how long it'll do it without a break), and the feed system of your choice. Do you want a stick welder, or a MIG? Oxy-Acet welding is another option, as is TIG. Take into consideration what you plan to do with it, and then buy a machine bigger than what you think you'll need. What tends to happen with a lot of beginners is that they rush out and buy the cheapest wire feeder the can find, then decide the want gas shielded, or try to weld material thicker than a small machine can handle.

As far as actually learning how to weld, you can read all the books, and watch all the movies they've ever made, but you still won't know how to weld. They'll give you a decent idea, but thats it. The best way to learn how to weld is to weld. Get some scrap pieces, clean 'em up and start gluing them together.

**Holleta** · May 25th, 2007, 07:52 AM

Stroll on down to your local Home Depot or Lowes and walk out with a Lincoln Mig. Should run a little under $500 and have everything to begin flux core welding (No gas) when you get home and with the addition of a tank from your welding/gas supply house you can due true Mig welding (with gas).

It's VERY easy and most people can just pick it up and start welding. Your books, research and DVD gives you a serious head start. Hobart, Lincoln and Miller are all good machines that won't break the bank.

**Xringshooter** · May 25th, 2007, 09:23 AM

I have a small MIG unit from Lowes for doing repairs around the house and it does what I want. GET AN AUTODARKING HELMET, cost a little more but makes a world of difference, especially for the novice welder.

**Atomic Dog** · May 25th, 2007, 10:31 AM

I have a lincoln stick welder out in the barn and it works very well. I can't weld to save my life and never took a class, but can work it well enough to stick something back together even if it looks like poop.

I don't know what they run in price but the thing is a beast and a half.

Good luck and take a class.

Brian