Welding HELP, Please ???'s

adriannarnold

adriannarnold

Coast to Coast
Hey guys,
I am thinking about picking up a welder to tinker with. I would obviously use it for my motorcycle projects (nothing structural or frame altering yet), but I have absolutely no idea what to even look for or consider.


What should I look for?
Cheap would be good, there is a few on my local Craigslist for pretty cheap, but don't know if they are the right kind. Like I said, I know NOTHING.


Thoughts...Thanks
 
If I were buying one personally, I would a small and portable MIG welder that would plug into your 110 outlet in your garage and it would use argon. In addition, it should have simple dial features. I would also opt for the roll around cart it would fit on thats probably for sale right next to the welder.
 
Small and portable would definitely fit what I am looking for as it will be stored in my dads garage for now. What is the difference between all the welders? TIG, MIG, ARCH, etc
 
Same here. I've been checking out auctions to get set up. All I know is stick, but looking into tig or mig
 
Personally, I HATE stick welding. I find it to be the most difficult to get nice clean welds, and it spews smoke and shit EVERYwhere. It makes a horrible mess of my entire shop. Even with vigorous ventilation, it fulls my shop with smoke that then settles black dirt covering every surface.

Fluxed MIG isn't much better. Doing MIG with argon isn't bad, but I don't like the way the welds look.

TIG is my welder of choice. For one, it is CLEAN. No smoke, no splatter. It is a slower method of welding, but you have MUCH more control. You can download a book from the Miller site that gives the technical low down on how to TIG weld. You will have to spend a bit more money. You will need an argon cylinder and flow regulator, and you will need to get a box of thoriated tungsten electrodes. You have to keep your electrode sharp, and if you stop to regrind your electrode every time the point needs renewing, you will hate it. I sharpen all my electrodes at once, and it only takes a few seconds to change.

Harbor Freight has a small TIG set up that works reasonably well. It doesn't have pedal control, or arc stabilization that nicer welders have. You have to scratch start the arc, and until you get the hang of that, it's easy to fuck up the point of your electrode. It also won't do aluminum, which is the biggest limitation for me.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/tig/
 
You know TIG is the hardest to learn and most expensive to set up yet you recommend it?
Why not recommend DA/O2 welding?
It's the most versatile, better than TIG for a lot of operations (try and heat up a seized bolt with TIG, or MIG ;D )
You can use 'gas' for frame brazing, real old school race frames were braze welded
'Dracken' is still making custom frames with SIF Bronze, as seen on Cafe Racer TV- Norley build
Only real advantage of TIG is ability to weld aluminium (if you have the right machine)
Otherwise it's just expensive and slow, particularly if youer welding 'frame' thickness material
The guy may not even take to welding, not everyone does (same as machining or even motorcycles in general)
Cheap stick welder may be a bit frustrating to use, but, at least you won't be out a couple of grand if you find you don't like welding
Also, you don't need Argon or Helium for mild steel, cheaper gasses work just as well (as you gas supplier will explain)
 
I found TIG to be the easiest to learn, and stick welding to be the most difficult, by a wide margin.

I have only about $500 invested, total. I lease my argon cylinder. Gas is MUCH cheaper with the larger cylinder than if you buy the smaller cylinder.

I also have oxy/acetylene, but I rarely use it for welding. I weld a lot of 16 ga sheet steel, and gas welding causes way too much distortion compared to TIG. I use the gas outfit mostly for heating things, and occasionally for brazing.

Pretty much anything someone buys to weld with can be resold for close to what is invested. I bought a stick welder for $50 a few years ago. I used it a few times, then put it up on craigslist for $50 after I got the TIG. People were falling all over themselves to pay me what I had in the machine. Shit, I could have even made a profit on it.
 
Thanks guys for all the input. I think I may pursue this one just because its so cheap and looks to have what I would need.
 
AlphaDogChoppers said:
I have only about $500 invested, total. I lease my argon cylinder. Gas is MUCH cheaper with the larger cylinder than if you buy the smaller cylinder.
Click to expand...

That's cheap for TIG
I can't find anything decent for less than $800~$1000 locally (with high frequency inverter for Aluminium)
I can get one that does stainless a lot cheaper but, I rarely work with SS.
 
I've been thinking about building a high frequency inverter for my Craftsman AC/DC stick welder.
Unles I start making stainless exhausts, I really have little interest in TIG for general work
There are plenty of 'how to' plans around for the conversion, just need some money and inclination ::)
 
Buy the right stuff or spend the money on some-one who has the right stuff. You simply can't do everything. Practice makes perfect and with welding, it's MUCH practice... When you plan to weld "3 times in your life" a advice you to find a good welder in your area.

Sticks = Hard to learn. cheapest. Thin materials are hard to weld. everything over 3mm goes flawless. Huge weld.
MIG = Easy to learn. expensive. Thin/thick can be adjusted on machine. Huge welds also.
TIG = Very hard to learn. Most Expensive. Thick or thin can be adjusted. Pro result.

I have a sticks machine for kicks and bring tuff stuff to a friend (welder)
 
The best advice you are going to get is to start with learning and then buy your equipment. Many technical high schools and colleges offer night and weekend courses for welding, often with certification options, that will give you a good foundation for welding. I've met a lot of self-taught 'expert' welders who have done nothing but make pretty welds that aren't very sound and practice a lot of bad habits. It is possible to become a good welder without any instruction but it's not an easy road at all unless you are only interested in sticking pieces of metal together. If you are dead set on buying a machine, start with a Lincoln or Hobart 110v wire-feed setup and spring the extra cash for the gas equipment (MIG or GMAW). Flux core has it's strong-points but a lot of people become frustrated with the ugly welds and spatter. A wire feed machine will likely be the easiest to learn and the least frustrating if your setup and prep is correct and will give you a feel for how steel acts in it's liquid state. Stick (SMAW) is very versatile and is a relatively cheap to start with but the technique is a little difficult to learn properly without instruction. TIG or Heliarc is expensive and requires meticulous setup and prep but does make beautiful welds and will teach you most of what you need to know about torch welding technique. Practice relentlessly until you are comfortable with the process you choose and your results and make sure you share your technique and pictures of your welds with professional welders so they can help you out. There are a number of very good welders on this forum and dedicated welder forums that would be happy to give constructive criticism. I started welding almost 15 years ago and I'm still learning new things! Feel free to shoot me a PM if you need any advice.
 
<<TIG [snip] will teach you most of what you need to know about torch welding technique.>>

This may be why I took to TIG welding so easily. I was accomplished at torch welding before I started.
 
<<Tig [snip] cannot be done outside in windy conditions.....blows the argon away from the weld.>>

Very good point. I turn off the ceiling fan in my metal shop area when I am using TIG.

I am not quite sure why everyone thinks TIG is so hard to learn. I found it a LOT easier to learn than stick welding. (Again, that could be because I am well practiced at gas welding.) The technique is very similar. I am also ambidextrous, and can weld in either direction with either hand.

A good TIG is especially easy. With the high-frequency arc stabilization, you just hold the electrode 1/4" away from the work, hit the pedal, and the arc starts.

I have found that I like to use stainless filler rod when welding mild steel a lot of times, especially on thin work like exhaust pipes. The stainless conducts heat much more slowly, and helps to minimize the heat zone.

One other thing I will add to the discussion...Whatever kind of welding one chooses, it is MUCH easier to use a self-darkening helmet. You can see what you are doing before striking the arc. With the old fashioned helmet, you have to strike the arc blind. MUCH more difficult.
 
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