Does anyone know anything about welding?

[itschris]

I've done a few welds here and there...nothing major just at a buddy's house. He helped me build a bigger attached table top for my big smoker using some angle iron and expanded metal.

He has the kind of welder that feeds the rod through. Seems pretty straightforward and quick to learn.

I have a lot of small projects and things that I'd like to do, some of which require welding... nothing too major... just angle iron, expanded metal, round bar... that sort of stuff. I'd like to get a welder but I know nothing really about them. I don't went to spend the money for a "starter" welder only to find 6 months from now it's powerful enough to weld bigger or heavier angle iron or something.

I'm open to any quidance.

 

[lsiberian]

I've done a few welds here and there...nothing major just at a buddy's house. He helped me build a bigger attached table top for my big smoker using some angle iron and expanded metal.

He has the kind of welder that feeds the rod through. Seems pretty straightforward and quick to learn.

I have a lot of small projects and things that I'd like to do, some of which require welding... nothing too major... just angle iron, expanded metal, round bar... that sort of stuff. I'd like to get a welder but I know nothing really about them. I don't went to spend the money for a "starter" welder only to find 6 months from now it's powerful enough to weld bigger or heavier angle iron or something.

I'm open to any quidance.

You really should probably start with a class. Weldingweb.com is a decent forum on the topic. I'm not a welder. My wife would kill me if I added another hobby.

 

[just-some-guy]

120v or can you do 240v ?

 

[Nestor]

I have both a MIG and stick. I started off with the stick welder, but eventually bought a Millermatic 210. I rarely use the buzz box anymore.

The MIG has several advantages:

1. By controlling wire size, feed speed, and voltage, thinner metals are easier to weld.

2. With gas, there's less smoke, and no flux to chip away from the weld.

3. It's easier to learn.

4. You can get 120vac wire-feed welders, though metal thickness can be will be limited.

There's some disadvantages:

1. They have limits for weld thickness and price goes up considerably.

2. Any air current can blow away the shielding gas during use, so it's inside only, unless you use flux-core wire.

3. Requires more prep of the joint to ensure a good weld.

A stick welder, aka "buzz box" can weld much thicker metals for a cheaper price, is more forgiving of joint prep, and can be used outside easily. Most require a 240v, 50A feed. Stick welding requires more skill since the only variable one can usually control is the current setting.

If you really want to get into it, TIG welders are tougher to master, but you can do a wide range of welds. Search in Weldingweb for people who have re-welded beer cans.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Good info above. I've only done TIG welding, and not much of it. Mostly from what I hear it is a very precise process that is why I was using it with bicycle tubing work. I once had a set of forks welded at a high school and the shop teacher who did it remarked about how thin the tubing was that was being used. People really are shocked by that.

I would think that you could get away with the buzz box stick welder for the time being if you are just getting into it. You will have to deal with the electrical issues, but it sounds like you may not be looking for precise work, but the ability to have some flexibility with your processes.

 

[Mika75]

I would suggest a lightweight, portable solution such as the Inverter type ARC welders.
http://www.tokentools.com.au/prod3.htm

 

[itschris]

I think I'd stick with 120v. What's an arc welder? How is that different from a mig? With a mig welder, are you constantl having to have precise settings meaning are you constantly having to change the kind of wire, adjust voltage etc. I'm not looking to be an expert or be able to do life saving critical welds. I just want to be able to make platform tops for my smokers and grills and other small project. I also want to make an adjult size go-kart.

 

[Warpdrv]

ARC welder is really just a stick welder or at least thats the way we always referred to them, and the other unit we have is a wire welder - wire on a spool...

Nestor covered it pretty well... heres some other thoughts.

MIG (Wire) Welding Benefits

* Easiest to learn
* Better control on thin metals
* Out-of-position welding
* Deep penetration for welding thick sections
* Same power source for solid & flux cored (gasless) wire

Stick Welding Benefits

* Skill level required: Moderate
* Suited for windy, outdoor conditions
* Forgiving on dirty or rusty metal
* Can weld at a long distance from machine

I learned how to weld through trial and error, with both stick and wire - we always built our own equipment and building - so the need was there for me to learn.... I always loved my dads approach to teaching, he gave me some stuff to weld, and after I finished he would come over to take a look and then he hit it as hard as he could with a big hammer ( HEY !!!!) - if it broke, he said you did it wrong, smiled, said do it again then walked away I got the hang of it after awhile.... LOL


Take a look here for some good articles of info... Miller has a vast resources and learning area worth spending some time at...

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/

 

[TLS Guy]

I weld frequently. It is a very useful skill to learn.

Most important just like soldering, all parts must be very clean.

Get 240 volt unit.

Miller make the units of choice. Everything else is pretty junky.

Make sure you have a unit that has inert gasses.

Make a metal work table.

Get lots of clamps to hold pieces in place, before the tack weld. You need a huge collection of clamps of various sizes and shapes.

You need a good vice as well. I made one from a semi wheel as the base. It is good and heavy and you can roll it, and above all get all the way round it.

You need a good air supply and a selection of angle grinders.

You will need a metal band saw.

A good drill press is a good idea. Working in metal, by the very best drill bits, from specialist outfits.

Above all get a good helmet. It is much easier to get one that you can see through to start, that electronically goes dark when you strike the arc.

Get good cloves that go up to the elbow.

When funds permit a plasma cutter really helps.

I took a few lessons from a farmer, who was the husband of an FNP student I was precepting. I got the hang of it very quickly.

Working in metal goes a bit slower than working in wood and its messy. However it is more forgiving, and you get to redo your mistakes fairly easily.

 

[Warpdrv]

Wow TLS, your gunna blow that mans budget with all those things.

Don't get me wrong, those are all excellent additional tools to have and I have them all, but I have a feeling he would like to start slow here.

I love working with metal and prefer it over wood myself as you say mistakes are easier to repair, just add more metal and grind away.

 

[TLS Guy]

Wow TLS, your gunna blow that mans budget with all those things.

Don't get me wrong, those are all excellent additional tools to have and I have them all, but I have a feeling he would like to start slow here.

I love working with metal and prefer it over wood myself as you say mistakes are easier to repair, just add more metal and grind away.

The problem is, you don't get very far unless you have them. You need to be able to cut and drill, accurately. You have to be able to clean surfaces and hold the pieces in place.

Above all you have to be safe.

A big air compressor and the tools for grinding are essential. You have to be able to grind out welds when doing repairs.

My instructor convinced me you have to put together a basic metal shop to do any good. I could see right away why that was so.

Getting a machine without inert gasses is a total waste of time. You will get nasty weak welds all the time without the gasses.

Air supply saves you money. Air tools are cheaper and you can build a good selection quickly. They are much tougher and last longer than electric tools.

A 60 gallon 6 HP compressor is a good start.

The other thing to remember about any metal project, is that the time spent actually welding is very small, about 1% of the time. The rest of the time you are using the other things I mentioned.

 

[just-some-guy]

some good advice here. though TLS wants you to go a lot more into it than you need.

get a lincoln/miller/hobart 140a mig 120v. a 80cf bottle of 75/25. a helmet (harbor freight has some "good enough" auto darkening ones for about $50 on sale = yes, they do work just fine). get some flux core wire for welding outside. a 4 1/4" angle grinder with cut off, grinding and "flap" wheels (flap wheels are AWESOME for finish work). some gloves.
and a working surface.

this here is about the minimum you will need to get rolling. you can add from there as your needs advance.

oh, and some practice metal, 1/8" is about the best to practice on .

PRACTICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i taught myself. while i am no pro. i have been known to better people who were said to be pro's. i have about $6000 in welding gear.

 

[itschris]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

[just-some-guy]

go here and tell em blown4.3 sent ya
http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/index.php