Welder

Hey guys,
Well I am looking to pick up a welder here soon, and i was wondering what type of one I will need. I am prety much just going to be welding some patches on my Mav. Whats your opinion on this one? http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=98103-000001703-K1170 Will that work?

 

not that one

Hey Mavmonster
You dont want to get a "stick" welder or arc welder . Get a mig welder and make sure it has provisions for gas welding. such as a millermatic135 or 175, hobart 135, . You will lose any religion you have trying to weld patches on with a arc welder. I have a campbell-hausfield I bought from Tractor supply company myself. My brother had a craftsman which are both decent 110 volt mig welders. Expect to pay around $300 to get a decent one.
www.millerwelds.com www.hobartwelders.com www.lincolnelectric.com/products here are a few links to help ya out Later Tim "my comet gt"

 

I agree with tim, (I too have a campbell-hausfield) a gas no-gas welder is the best way to go if you are just starting. The argon mixed gas does a great job and is one of the cheapest ways to start.

The flux wire will work but the splatter and the end job won't be as clean.

I love my welder and can't remember how I got along without it.


As always just my 02

Terry

 

I had a Lincoln WeldPac 100. That is one nice welder. I can highly recommend it. They now are 125's I think, but its the same thing. Definately convert to gas. You can weld thinner metals alot better with gas. I recently sold it because I bought a big Miller shop welder. I wished I would have hung on to it and put it in my work truck. Our shop welder sucks.

 

i have a lincoln sp100 thats 110 volt and have used it to weld panels frame and rollcage and i have to say it was a very good investment...i bought it used from a friend which the only reason he sold it was to get a bigger one. i can also get a spoolgun for it and it also runs sheilded wire thru it. plus i can also get a stitch welder for it. am very happy with it

 

I am still using my 10 year old Lincoln sp100. Without a doubt one of the most important tools in my garage. Quality tools help produce quality cars. I also use the argon gas, I weld anything from sheet metal to sf connectors with it.
Dan

 

Hey, Dan, have you ever used straight CO2? I just wondered, because that's all I have ever used. I use Argon for the Tig, but that's another story in itself.

 

Here is a deal if I had some extra cash. I just got a catalog today from Eastwood and it is on sale for $379 and includes that cart:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy01.asp?Dep_Key1=WelDg&T1=19225&I1.x=49&I1.y=42

 

since the topic is posted i too myself will eventually get a welder (in a few months)but never even touched one before....are their any good books and or instructional videos that anyone has watch/read that really laid the whole process out nicely?

 

I have used strait co2 as well as the argon co2 mix........co2 works great for mild steel and is alot cheaper.......but on body panels the mix is better.........I was told a long time ago that the mix cools better and that is why it works better on thin metal.....

 

mixed gas

I use the mixed gas myself. All I have ever used.Mig welding is not hard but getting the welder set right is a differnt story. Play around with it and you will get it. Get a good shield also . the hand held junk that comes with most small welders suck. Practice , Practice , Practice and you will get it Good luck Later Tim "my comet gt"

 

I just got my welder home tonight (Millermatic 130) -- I can't really give an opinion yet, but I'm just so excited I had to say something. :bananaman I've got the mix on mine, so it sounds like I'm in good shape so far.. Got it all set up and threw some beads down, now I gotta get some sleep.

 

i use the mix on mine also except when i am welding stainless...the straight gas works better for it....as for buying welders guys i will give you some advice and i think dan will back me up onthis...dont buy the welders with only four heat settings on it. try to find one that is completly adjustable our sp100's adjust from A to I or H and is an actual reostat not just a switch especially for welding old steel because the heat setting has to be tweeked alot while welding...you will be much happyer with it. our wire speed is the same way which helps alot also

 

My weldpac 100 had 4 set heat ranges and I never had a problem with it. It worked flawlessly. While an infinite setting would be more desirable, I wouldnt pass up a good deal just because of this reason. The weldpac 125's have infinite settings. Most new welders come with a vhs video with a pretty good instructional on how to weld. Both my Lincoln and Miller had one.

 

Just a thought on learning to weld, went to work for a major railroad going on half a century ago. As an apprentice machinest was assigned to a old welder to learn, he was of small stature and kept a well used pipe between his teeth filled with a Prince Albert. First day on the job he was showing me around and asked if I had ever done any welding, being that I had built a stock car myself and rented a welder to do it, I replied "Yes, I already know how to weld" The man said "Ok" lets see how much you know. Later after some futile attempts to get a nice weld on some critical locomotive parts, he says to me "Sonny boy, I have been welding for forty some years and I am still learning the process." And he was so right, point is, try and get into a welding class near you, high schools and votech schools sometimes offer good basic welding classes as well as advanced ones. Well worth the small fee's and can be taken at night, also many good books at the library and the video's mentioned before are also good. Practice is the key to doing a good job at anything, the 110 volt welders are a good inexpensive investment for general use. If you have a bit more to do with heavier metal, then a larger capacity one should be given consideration. JMO.