Want to get into welding

[Finnigan]

Never welded before, goal is to practice and learn to eventually weld my own frame mods and custom exhaust some day. I don't have the means to store gas bottles so I'm hoping to get suggestions on something (even if it means grinding down dirty welds later) I can learn on and be suitable for what I want for around the 1000$ mark. Thanks in advance!

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Try a 110 volt wire feed with flux core wire and take a night class at your local community college.


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[killerx]

See what classes are available in your area. Then decide what you want/need to use at home.

 

[Brodie]

I have a cheap flux core, aka "gasless might". It does everything I need it to but the welds are quite ugly.

A few of the older blokes at work swear by a stick welder.

Few choices for a small and portable welder.

 

[J-Rod10]

Roll in to Tractor Supply and pick up a Hobart Handler for half your budget.

I hate flux core, but it'll run it, along with the ability to add a bottle later.

 

[Hurco550]

Roll in to Tractor Supply and pick up a Hobart Handler for half your budget.

I hate flux core, but it'll run it, along with the ability to add a bottle later.

^this.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[wozza]

My main advice is to get a welder that has variable current settings..most of the entry level welders have presets and tend to be to heavy duty for automotive work and thin metals
Gasless has some advantages in that you can weld in windy conditions and you don't need to clean the parts as well....But its messy and industrial
For flux wire try 0.8mm as a starter and grab a roll of 0.6mm...I had a bit of stick welder time prior to getting my wire feed, but still spent a lot of hrs watching Youtube vids and joining any scraps of metal I could find laying around ...... Oh yeah another tip is to cut the gas shield tip back so the copper feed electrode in the tip is proud....this gives you a clearer view of the weld pool and allow the flux gasses a quicker exit.....

 

[pidjones]

Roll in to Tractor Supply and pick up a Hobart Handler for half your budget.

I hate flux core, but it'll run it, along with the ability to add a bottle later.

And get a GOOD autodarken helmet.

 

[Brodie]

And get a GOOD autodarken helmet.

Yep, keep it charged as well.

I always remember to put mine in the sun for a little while I get the welder out and setup. The one time I didn't I knew all about it.

 

[2_DONE_THE_TON]

Hey man,

I started welding about a year ago.Made a small course on TIG welding and never looked back.
Its quite an investment but imo if you want to fab stuff for your motorcycle TIG welding is the way to go.
Bought a "cheap" chinese TIg welder, about 1000 Euro altogether.

What I like about TIG welding is that you have 100 per cent control over the welding and you can weld pretty much any material and thickness.

 

[LMCol]

I'd 100% recommend proper MIG over flux core. You can just get small disposable gas bottles if storage is that much of an issue.

That said, stick would be the best purely from an educational point of view. Once you've mastered stick you will find MIG a piece of cake, and tig will be a much less severe learning curve.

 

[2_DONE_THE_TON]

The truth is, that you should start with soldering/oxy acetylene torch welding.
When you master this you should move on.

I started with TIG, now I´m going into the acetylene welding.
TIG is hard to master but very satisfying!