Welder

[4WDKC]

Watch for used lincolns or millers on craigslist or welder repair places. If you save for a new one you might find a used one for the cost of the harbor freight stuff.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Inverter driven machines are the way to go. My TIG and MIG machines are both transformer driven but work well but then again they are probably older then alot of members on here lol.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Watch for used lincolns or millers on craigslist or welder repair places. If you save for a new one you might find a used one for the cost of the harbor freight stuff.

Around me, in Central Michigan, used welders are priced just like used trailers, about 75-90% of retail lol.

 

[Iowan]

Thanks guys!! this is really an emergency repair (to see a female friend truth be told) and will only be used very few times. I want to go with a Lincoln or Miller but for $100 and something to learn with I will probably do it (also my dad wants to learn as well) and keep an eye out on craigslist. @Jrgunn5150, we basically have the same truck. Mines an 80 made in Sept of 79 and has a 400, pretty cool. Thanks again and if anyone wants to give a great looking 15 year old a welder id appreciate it . Also would it e able to weld 1" x 2" .030 rectangle tubing or 2" x 3" .120 tubing? That's what it'd really be for. Thanks

 

[theblindchicken]

Thanks guys!! this is really an emergency repair (to see a female friend truth be told) and will only be used very few times. Also would it e able to weld 1" x 2" .030 rectangle tubing or 2" x 3" .120 tubing? That's what it'd really be for. Thanks

Hahaha I remember high school when you gotta try to trade favors for everything and anything just to spend time with the girl ya got your eye on.

Guaranteed you'll end up using that welder for quite a few more projects than you initially anticipate. Instead of it being the "nahh we can't fix that since we don't have a welder and it'll cost too much to have someone else do it", it's gonna be "yeah, gimme some free time and I'll build you an Eiffel Tower, no problem.


With welders, the only dimension that matters when knowing if a machine can handle it is the thickness of the metal. The .030" material will be a bit tricky to learn on since it's so thin. Fluxcore wireruns hotter than gas shielded solid wire, so you may have a bit of trouble burning through the material.

The .120 wall tubing should have no troubles with it. Just a lot of practice and you'll do pretty good with it. Always remember to practice on the scraps first when dialing in the settings, don't just start welding the finished project right off the bat.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Thanks guys!! this is really an emergency repair (to see a female friend truth be told) and will only be used very few times. I want to go with a Lincoln or Miller but for $100 and something to learn with I will probably do it (also my dad wants to learn as well) and keep an eye out on craigslist. @Jrgunn5150, we basically have the same truck. Mines an 80 made in Sept of 79 and has a 400, pretty cool. Thanks again and if anyone wants to give a great looking 15 year old a welder id appreciate it . Also would it e able to weld 1" x 2" .030 rectangle tubing or 2" x 3" .120 tubing? That's what it'd really be for. Thanks

Small world lol, that's awesome.

It will be able to Weld the tubing easily, it's just 2 switches, high/low, fast/slow so finding the sweet spot takes patience.

 

[Iowan]

Thanks guys! I was also gonna make a shop cart with some metal as well so I may use that as practice and a pull up bar, and I'll probably have my Uncle over to help me out as well.

Hahaha I remember high school when you gotta try to trade favors for everything and anything just to spend time with the girl ya got your eye on.

3 hours and some to go see her! She's worth it though. Country Girl for the win!!!!

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Thanks guys! I was also gonna make a shop cart with some metal as well so I may use that as practice and a pull up bar, and I'll probably have my Uncle over to help me out as well.
3 hours and some to go see her! She's worth it though. Country Girl for the win!!!!

A cart was my first project as well, helps get a feel for it. I also cut a metal dustpan in half and practiced on it for practice on thin stuff.

 

[4WDKC]

Thanks guys! I was also gonna make a shop cart with some metal as well so I may use that as practice and a pull up bar, and I'll probably have my Uncle over to help me out as well.
3 hours and some to go see her! She's worth it though. Country Girl for the win!!!!

First thing I built was a welding cart. I used 1/8" think 2x2 (IIRC) angle iron for the base sized to fit an old Craftsman tool box and the tank of Argon mix. I used supports inside the tool box to fasten the upper part of the tank, cut an old bbq in half and used it to store the extension cord on the other side of the tool box. Took another handle and mounted above the cord so I have a handle to pull it around with. I store all my metal fab tools in there so its close by when working on something.

Lets see if this works from photobucket.

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[4WDKC]

See what I mean.

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Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[Iowan]

A cart was my first project as well, helps get a feel for it. I also cut a metal dustpan in half and practiced on it for practice on thin stuff.

That works!

See what I mean.

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Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

I'm still looking, I don't even have drivers ed done yet so I have time.

 

[4WDKC]

That works!

I'm still looking, I don't even have drivers ed done yet so I have time.

I ideal plan would be to have it done when I got my license so I could drive it not, be just starting on it.

 

[smoothandlow84]

X4...Harbor Freight welders and anything electrical from them is absolute GARBAGE. Buy a well known dependable brand like Lincoln or Miller. I would trust chewing gum and duct tape before ANY Harbor Freight weld. Welders are an investment and worth paying a little more for quality, especially if your life depends on the welds.



Go with a wire feed with gas for cleaner welds and better penetrating welds.

 

[MikeB]

In 2002 I spent around $800 on a Millermatic 175 with regulator, tank, and cart. It's been absolutely great and reliable as a hammer. Other than a nozzle or two, I haven't had to replace any parts, but I'd bet most of them are still available from Miller. The 175 has been superseded at least twice with newer machines, but the cost has risen significantly.

I know a couple guys who started with generic 120 volt welders (Summit Racing & Eastwood), but they ended up getting Millers within a couple years. One of them does a lot of fabricating and has used the heck out of his 175, but it still works well.

As for flux core vs. shielding gas, it's night and day, mono vs. stereo, black & white vs. color...

 

[Iowan]

I ideal plan would be to have it done when I got my license so I could drive it not, be just starting on it.

Very true. And I'm going to look for the better welder. Thanks!