Ideas for cheapest welding tools that are suitable for a build?

Umusername

Umusername

Been Around the Block
To this point I have made do with bolt-on, fiberglass fab, and other ugly botch jobs. I want to know what the least expensive common option is for welding supplies that work on stainless? I was looking at harbor freight but the one they have on sale wont cut it (unless your wisdom says otherwise).
 
AlphaDogChoppers said:
Small TIG.

http://www.harborfreight.com/240-volt-inverter-arc-tig-welder-66787.html

You will also need an argon cylinder and flow regulator. Get a self-darkening helmet and stainless rod. I have 0.030" stainless rod that I love for sheet metal welding.
Click to expand...

Although it's cheap, that one has no flow control and no post flow. I personally hate the tiggers with the adjustment knob thingy. Can't work with them. My advice would be to invest in one with automatic gas flow (on/off) and post flow - especially when working with stainless.
 
I see I clicked on the wrong one. It doesn't even include a TIG torch.
I have a similar one. It has flow control and non-variable post flow. It doesn't have high frequency arc stabilization, so it can be difficult to keep the arc like at low current. It also is scratch start rather than pedal or trigger, and I hate that. I will be buying a much better TIG with square wave for welding aluminum when I can afford it. I want a water cooled torch, too.
 
Bert Jan said:
Although it's cheap, that one has no flow control and no post flow. I personally hate the tiggers with the adjustment knob thingy. Can't work with them. My advice would be to invest in one with automatic gas flow (on/off) and post flow - especially when working with stainless.
Click to expand...
Any inks to the kind you are talking about?
 
I downloaded the manual for this one, and it looks superior to the one I have. It has a trigger on the torch handle and high voltage arc initiation. Mine doesn't have that. I have to scratch start it, and all too often that causes the point on the electrode to get screwed up. You need a good point on the tungsten electrode to be able to effectively direct the arc. I have a whole box of electrodes, and I sharpen them as a batch so that I can change to a fresh electrode often.

Shit, I just may buy one of these myself, but I really need a TIG that will do aluminum.

Go to the Miller Welding Web site and look for their book on TIG welding in their tech section. It's a free download, and very informative. You need to know certain things, like the proper way to sharpen electrodes. (Yes, you can do it wrong.)
 
If TIG , DC and AC for Aluminum . Translation , dollars , cubic dollars , usually outside the realm of a hobby but oh so cool .

If MIG , don't even look at the Lincoln wire feed you see at Blows or Home Desperate .
the old hobart handler at a minimum or a Miller 250 , 251 , 252 or equivalent Lincoln .
CO2 and Argon regulators . Bottle of argon , CO2 and steel mix .
E71T .035 , Hard wire , Stainless wire , and a spool gun for aluminum if you just have to or it's cheap .

QXY/Acytl , get more bottle than you need but keep the torch small .

The low budget IGBT multi purpose boxes are getting better but with supply lines stretching into China I wonder ...

Have fun with your reading . I started in 1970 and I'm not near done yet .

~kop
 
Umusername said:
Any inks to the kind you are talking about?
Click to expand...

im sorry, im in the Netherlands so local links wont do you any good. If you go the TIG route, get a good one.

Cheap tiggers are like a wet sandwich. No good.
 
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