I need a good, cheap starter welder

[jaythornton000]

This might not be the place. If not, let me know and I'll restart. If it is, continue on.

I'm new to welding but showing promise due to my OCD and my usual 'get it done' personality. I'm working on a 74 honda cb360t, and looking to continue doing frame mods, brackets, seat pans, eventually tank mods and more. What is the best welder for the job. I would love to find one under $300. I know, it's cheap. But
Ike I said, I'm new. I would love to drop $3k on something crazy but I wouldn't use it enough to justify it. I'm looking for the starter welder that let's me learn and achieve.

Anybody?

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

In my rarely modest opinion, TIG is the only way to go. More expensive than a cheap MIG, but makes MUCH nicer welds. Expect to drop $600+ or so by the time you buy the welder, argon flow regulator, electrodes, welding rod, and lease an argon tank.

I am using one of those cheap Harbor Freight TIG welders. It's OK, but not as easy to use as a more expensive welder would be.

You can get quite a bit of professional welding done for $600.

You can also sometimes find a good deal on a welder on craigslist.

 

[dualitymike]

I'm a beginner welder too. After a lot of online research, I decided to get this one.
http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html
It's from Eastwood Co. They've been in the auto repair and resto game for decades and their focus is to offer professional grade tools at an affordable price. This is not cheap harbour freight quality stuff. Right now this welder is on sale for $299 so it fits your price limit, and it works on regular 110V A/C current so you won't have to install a 220V outlet in your workshop. And it has a three year warranty. If you plan to go with a TIG after all, they've got one of those too, but TIG is harder to learn because you've got the gun, the filler rod and a foot pedal to regulate the voltage as you go along. Might be a better choice for after you've learned the basics with a MIG. I agree that you can get amazingly precise welds with TIG but it's more than you need right now. MIG has been used in auto applications for years and is probably the easiest form of welding to learn.
Good luck!

 

[xb33bsa]

get an oxy acetylene outfit you can weld, braze, heat and cut
learning to weld with a torch also teaches you a very similar technique to tig welding

 

[SONICJK]

I'm a beginner welder too. After a lot of online research, I decided to get this one.
http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html
It's from Eastwood Co. They've been in the auto repair and resto game for decades and their focus is to offer professional grade tools at an affordable price. This is not cheap harbour freight quality stuff. Right now this welder is on sale for $299 so it fits your price limit, and it works on regular 110V A/C current so you won't have to install a 220V outlet in your workshop. And it has a three year warranty. If you plan to go with a TIG after all, they've got one of those too, but TIG is harder to learn because you've got the gun, the filler rod and a foot pedal to regulate the voltage as you go along. Might be a better choice for after you've learned the basics with a MIG. I agree that you can get amazingly precise welds with TIG but it's more than you need right now. MIG has been used in auto applications for years and is probably the easiest form of welding to learn.
Good luck!

I have the eastwood TIG. I would agree that its a good way to go, but I have to say I doubt their quality is a lot better than HF, but they have been in business forever and offer great warranties. So if its not something you're using to make your living, eastwood brand stuff is usually a good call.
Eastwood and Longevity brand welders are the same with different logos. The longevity has a longer warranty but who the hell knows if they will even still be in business in a few years. Eastwood will, and they have a reputation to uphold so repairs are quick and no questions asked.

I'm going to agree with ADC here, I have 2 mig welders and a Tig and I don't use the Mig for anything anymore, other than quick structural stuff that I don't care about the looks.
Tig is much slower, and much more difficult, but you get a better weld, and a better looking weld. But plan to spend a LOT of time practicing.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

I never found TIG to be more difficult, but maybe that's because I cut my teeth learning how to weld with oxy/acetalene. TIG contains the heat zone MUCH more tightly than torch welding, but the technique is very similar.

I tried MIG. Fuckin' hated it. Especially, the fluxed MIG wire. Makes an awful mess of the shop, almost as bad as stick welding. (I always found stick welding to be difficult.)

One of the things I like about TIG is that is is such a clean process. No smoke or spatter. Welds are pretty as you please. MIG welds look like someone shit the beads onto your work.

 

[D4N63R]

Ive used all forms of cheap sub $500 welders. What ive learned is they are all pretty much the same welder underneath, i can go around town and look at 4 welders that are all the exact same with a different paint job.

Now what I think you should look for.

1. used, you can get a few year old $600 welder for $300, just be sure to test it out or bring along a friend that knows whats up.

2. try to get something that comes with the regulator already, you dont need gas off the hop but its nice to have the bits when you upgrade to gas later (you will want to upgrade later)

3. The final appearance of a flux core weld comes down to how good you are with a grinder. use anti splatter stuff next to your joint and on the tip.

4. buy GOOD flux core wire, there is a big difference between the cheap stuff and the mid priced stuff

5. If you can, try to find something with a metal wire feed assembly, thats going to be tough but worth a shot.

6. Just buy one with a good warranty and start making metal stick together. Cheap welders are easy to re sell later if you want to upgrade or if you decide you dont want one at all.

It takes longer to learn to make a nice weld with a cheap flux core but you can reliably weld stuff together with one, and you can make acceptable welds. They will never be as pretty as something from a tig but you'll probably grind down and paint anything you're welding anyway.

 

[SONICJK]

I never found TIG to be more difficult, but maybe that's because I cut my teeth learning how to weld with oxy/acetalene. TIG contains the heat zone MUCH more tightly than torch welding, but the technique is very similar.

I tried MIG. Fuckin' hated it. Especially, the fluxed MIG wire. Makes an awful mess of the shop, almost as bad as stick welding. (I always found stick welding to be difficult.)

One of the things I like about TIG is that is is such a clean process. No smoke or spatter. Welds are pretty as you please. MIG welds look like someone shit the beads onto your work.

Yup.
I learned to weld on a mig, so tig was/is new to me.
It is a great great feeling after years of mig work to be able to lay a bead, and call it done. No wire brush, no grinder, no holes, just a good clean solid weld.