I want to learn how to weld.

Slightly related, a cheap stick welder and a manual tig torch to start learning tig. https://youtu.be/RyZVkGdfkDU
 
J-Rod10 said:
I was looking for a new torch for my Eastwood this morning, with a flexible head on it. Stumbled across a guy on eBay named usaweld. He sells a water cooling system for the Tig200.

I have one of his torches on my Eastwood. The air cooled one.
I may at some point get the water cooled version.
His torches are very nice. The hose is much higher quality than the eastood one. I broke 3 at the outlet before upgrading. Eastwood replaced them all, but I got tired of dealing with it. A worthwhile upgrade.
 
Also the Eastwood flexible head torch is junk. Doesn't stay put and leaks argon, it's also huge. They sent me one by mistake at one point. I think it's still in my tig drawer.
 
SONIC. said:
Also the Eastwood flexible head torch is junk. Doesn't stay put and leaks argon, it's also huge. They sent me one by mistake at one point. I think it's still in my tig drawer.
I was looking at his torches, are they junk, or the actual Eastwood?
 
An interesting read. I'm not a welder but equally I can't afford to pay to have things welded. I have a 110v. mig that I use for welding non vital tabs and the like. I wouldn't use it for anything I'd have to bet my balls on. If you do get a mig get a 220v. Pretty welds are lovely to look at. But without penetration you might as well use JB Weld.

I was surprised that no one mentioned a stick welder. I have an ancient Montgomery Ward 220v stick welder. I don't lay down pretty welds but I do get penetration I welded up my sidecar frame 9 years ago with the stick. Its been running at Bonneville and El Mirage for those years and no busted welds.

A mig is easiest. Almost like paint by numbers. Just remember weld penetration is the key.
 
J-Rod10 said:
I was looking at his torches, are they junk, or the actual Eastwood?

the eastood brand ones are junk.
The usaweld one I have is nice, but I have the strght head and can't speak for the flex head.
 
I really appreciate all the advice, guys. I'll make time to watch the videos soon.

I talked to a couple of buddies and they've both agreed to teach me. One is a maintenance mechanic where I work. He's retiring in February and lives about two miles from me. He said he'd be happy to help and that it would be easy.
The other has a background in electronics, but his fabrication and welding skills and professional level. He also offered to teach me.
Both pretty much echo what has been said about stick vs. Mig vs. Tig, etc.
The mechanic says he prefers MIG, but TIG is prettier. The other guy says TIG has the steeper learning curve but that's where you'll end up anyway, in the long run.
I'm looking forward to learning. Probably be after the first of the year, when all the holiday OT is over.
 
I hope you are aware that you get skin cancer from the radiation, wear long sleeves at least. And watch some youtube walkthroughs of the different methods. Cheap ass flux core migs ive never had any luck with, annoying, and bad ugly welds. Go for a tig, mig or oxy setup. Its really fun when you get past the "i cant do this" part. Been welding professionally for ten years myself, but i went to a proper school and became certified to work at nuclear plants a few years ago.
 
i got into welding a few months ago in summer and got a TIG machine as a present.YOU CAN DO THIS!i never ever welded anything and now I can connects steel,stainless and some ugly ass ally welds :)!
inform yourself, there´s a lot on youtube (weld.com, weldingtipsandtricks.com), but my advice is to directly shoot for a TIG machine,more money but in the long run you are way more flexible and can work more precise!
TIG welding is not that messy and you can adjust mostly anything!
 
What is wrong with Eastwood hand pieces as it relates to their ability to weld? It would be nice if I could blame my crappy TIG welds on the equipment. :) I did manage to "hot glue" some aluminum parts recently - not pretty but strong enough.

I also managed to burn straight through a leather glove and part of my right thumb when I accidentally grabbed the wrong end of a tube I was oxy welding. Not sure what was worse, the bite or the smell. Third degree burns in an instant - fortunately a small area.

Lesson - Be really careful when welding.
 
teazer said:
What is wrong with Eastwood hand pieces as it relates to their ability to weld? It would be nice if I could blame my crappy TIG welds on the equipment. :) I did manage to "hot glue" some aluminum parts recently - not pretty but strong enough.

I also managed to burn straight through a leather glove and part of my right thumb when I accidentally grabbed the wrong end of a tube I was oxy welding. Not sure what was worse, the bite or the smell. Third degree burns in an instant - fortunately a small area.

Lesson - Be really careful when welding.

Nothing that will effect your weld unfortunately :D
A gas lens will help if you don't have one. It will give you the ability to run the tungsten a little further out for better visibility, and you'll get better gas coverage over your welds. The eastwood torch is a standard wp17, any parts for that torch will work they don't have to come from Eastwood. Airgas carries all the parts.

I found that the hose itself gets brittle, because of the power and argon running through the same hose, the hose gets hot and eventually becomes brittle and cracks.
The rigid torch itself is fine, its just a standard 17 torch. The flexible one is crappy because it way bigger than it should be and the flex head isn't rigid enough to hold itself. You bend it where you want it to go and then it bends halfway back. Looking at them again I am referring to their "ergo flex torch" as that's the one they sent me by mistake.
 
Gotcha. Thanks. I finally got some thinner electrodes and thinner filler rod and that's making welding thin sheet metal much easier. Now I need to learn how to control the heat and do multiple tacks and not try to weld seams before it's all held securely in place.

I have a tendency to tack things up and if I start welding the seam and it's going well, I don't stop until it's too late and the parts are distorting. Patience is a virtue I need to learn with this stuff.
 
Heat is your friend and your enemy. Gotta get it hot enough to get penetration but too hot and you'll get the distortion. My boss taught me to weld, same as you, never held a stinger in my life, now I'm welding steel, stainless, aluminum, cast iron, etc. Tig gives you way more control and almost no clean up, but the cost of machines is a hindrance. If you go with mig, save yourself the headache and get a gas machine with hard wire. Still lays beads nice, good penetration and little clean up. Make sure to grab a couple cans of anti spatter and spray it around the weld area. Helps keep the ditty balls from sticking to everything.
As far as gear, I run a Miller auto darkening helmet with fine adjustment and 4 modes. Costs about 200$ but will last you forever. Gloves, just buy leather welding gloves, don't have to get fancy. And yes, long sleeves. Welders tan is nothing you want.
 
Back
Top Bottom