Welders

[melking]

I am curious. I want to learn how to weld, and I think I am going to start with a stick welder. Any suggestions? I currently only have 110 to the barn, so I think I will need to stay there for the time being.

 

[jedstivers]

If you only have a 110 don't even start. Go 220 and you'll do better. Don't buy the cheapest either, I hate those cracker box welders. I know so little about new ones I can't say which to get ours are older and I also like wire better but they both have there place and we use both. Everything we do takes lots of heat.

 

[skyhightree1]

Melking I do not fool with stick welders I know just enough to be dangerous and make one ugly arse weld with a stick welder. However this is what I have and I can make some pretty welds and guess what they even hold :lol2: I love wire welders.

oops forgot the link viewtopic.php?f=10&t=81506&p=999429&hilit=mig+welder#p999429

 

[dun]

I like stick, have an older Lincoln that's just like the new lincolns. Less to learn with a stick. Use 6013 rod and it's hard to make an ugly weld, although I have succeeded at it more then once.

 

[jltrent]

I have a Lincoln AC/DC and a Hobart Mig welder. Get the AC/DC welder if buying new as the 7018 rods for DC make a pretty weld, but using the 6013 on AC burns in good also. For lighter metal the Mig is hard to beat.

 

[Kingfisher]

By a Millermatic 200. It wire welds and stick welds I believe. You can also outfit it with a spool gun to weld aluminum. They are not expensive last time I looked at one @1600

 

[fitz]

If you only have a 110 don't even start. Go 220 and you'll do better. Don't buy the cheapest either, I hate those cracker box welders. I know so little about new ones I can't say which to get ours are older and I also like wire better but they both have there place and we use both. Everything we do takes lots of heat.

On the stick I agree. With carbon steel, ideally, you want to learn with 6010 and progress to the 7018. Unless it's just something you want to play with. You'll get by but never know how good you can stick weld messing with 110.

fitz

 

[B&M Farms]

You will need 230 power with a 50 amp service to hook up any welder worth having. Miller makes some of the best electric welding machines I have used and they make some 110 volt welders, but they max at 110 amps and only have a 20% duty cycle. If you go electric get a welder with DC capabilities and you will make smoother welds because of the linear arc flow. Dc welders can use all rods and AC welders can only use AC rods. Another alternative would be a gasoline driven welder like a Miller Bobcat or Lincoln Ranger. The plus side would be they are portable and can double as a 11,000 watt generator but they are a little more expensive. I pasted links to some Miller stick welders just to give you some ideas.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/sti ... del=M16100
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/sti ... 250_ac_dc/
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/eng ... del=M90334

 

[Hook]

You guys must be rich. I couldn't in good conscience recommen a 1600.00 welder to someone that just wants to learn. Much less a stand alone jenny unit.
For about 690 bucks you can get a hobart or Lincoln 190 amp 80% duty cycle 220v mig welder. Brand new. Or, watch craigslist for a 220v mig. I don't like stick welders, mainly because I couldn't get the hang of them. But a mig ain't bad to get used to and is more versatile. Just my .02

 

[Bigfoot]

IMHO a stick welder is his best option. Its affordable, and I think the makes a stronger weld. A lincoln buzz box should do the trick. I bought one on sale, less than two years ago, for $299. Learn with a 6011, because you can see your puddle. Then progress to a 6013, or 7018 rod.

 

[M5farm]

I learned on a Lincoln tombstone and still use it 30 yrs later. I have taught myself how to weld flux core and when I have used a "real wire welder" it was easier to weld. I plan to upgrade and get a good wire welder one of these days. I weld something every weekend for someone and I do it with my stick. I use a 6013 for rusty stuff that just need to be held together and a 7018 when I need added strength to the weld. You get better penetration IMO with a stick welder.

 

[highgrit]

A stick welder is the most versatile. And a wire feed is the easiest. See if you any technical schools close by that hold night classes for welding. That's the best way to learn. IMO

 

[dun]

I learned on a Lincoln tombstone and still use it 30 yrs later. I have taught myself how to weld flux core and when I have used a "real wire welder" it was easier to weld. I plan to upgrade and get a good wire welder one of these days. I weld something every weekend for someone and I do it with my stick. I use a 6013 for rusty stuff that just need to be held together and a 7018 when I need added strength to the weld. You get better penetration IMO with a stick welder.

I thought all metal was rusty, mine sure seems that way.
There used to be a rod called "Beauty Rod". I swear you could drag the stinger across a piece of metal by the cord and get a clean bead. I priced it once about 20 years ago and it was about 10 times the cost of any other rod. When I first started welding my FIL gave me 10 pounds of it from where he worked. I thought I was some kind of good welder when I used it.

 

[M5farm]

I learned on a Lincoln tombstone and still use it 30 yrs later. I have taught myself how to weld flux core and when I have used a "real wire welder" it was easier to weld. I plan to upgrade and get a good wire welder one of these days. I weld something every weekend for someone and I do it with my stick. I use a 6013 for rusty stuff that just need to be held together and a 7018 when I need added strength to the weld. You get better penetration IMO with a stick welder.

I thought all metal was rusty, mine sure seems that way.
There used to be a rod called "Beauty Rod". I swear you could drag the stinger across a piece of metal by the cord and get a clean bead. I priced it once about 20 years ago and it was about 10 times the cost of any other rod. When I first started welding my FIL gave me 10 pounds of it from where he worked. I thought I was some kind of good welder when I used it.

Never seen a beauty rod. when I started using 7018s I tried to weld rusty metal with it and it was a nightmare. When you grind it down and get a clean brite surface a 7018 will give you the best bead.

 

[dun]

If got a box of 7018 that I've probably had for 20 years or more.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'd first think about what I was going to be using it for and how much welding you are planning to do. If you are just going to tinker around the barn there is no need in tying up a bunch of money but if you require a fair amount of welding on real stuff rather than what not's then getting a mobile unit is the only way to go and it will pay for itself in no time. Don't know how it is there but here for a welder to come on site its $150 then they charge from there so it really doesn't take many jobs to pay for a good all around welder like a Bobcat. Also having the option of electricity wherever you go is priceless when building pens and stuff.

Just depends on what you are going to do with it. And if you find you don't use it that much then you can always sell it.

 

[wbvs58]

Hi Mel. My recommendation would be to buy a small inverter type welder. They are a DC stick welder that you can also plug a TIG torch into but you certainly don't want to do that at this stage. They are small in size but have plenty of punch and are very gentle on the power. I don't know much about your 110V there but I would think you would have no problem getting one to plug in to it, may have to file the earth pin down if you guys have them on your plugs if plugging into regular point. They are very easy to strike up an arc and produce a very smooth weld. As you know my power is totally solar off the grid and out at the farm here I usually plug it into the generator and it is very gentle on the capacitor in the generator whereas older style welders keep blowing them out. The other day I had a small job to do and thought I would try just plugging it into my normal power point running from the solar system and my inverter handled it fine, it is very gentle on the power requirements. They used to be fairly expensive but now you can pick one up over here for just a couple hundred dollars. They are easily distinguishable from a regular transformer welder as they are a small size and are very light.
My other advice would be to spend the money and buy yourself a good quality electronic welding helmet. Being able to see what you are doing as soon as you strike up the arc is the key to being able to weld two pieces together. I bought the top of the range helmet about 10 years ago after having a cheaper version for a couple of years and it has been one of those things that I consider has been a great purchase. It is well designed and seems to keep the fumes out, the clear screens are cheap and easy to replace as the front ones invariably get splattered after a while. I wear my glasses inside the helmet but have also used clip in magnifying lenses when I was doing a bit of stainless TIG welding several years ago.
Ken

 

[MO_cows]

You guys must be rich. I couldn't in good conscience recommen a 1600.00 welder to someone that just wants to learn. Much less a stand alone jenny unit.
For about 690 bucks you can get a hobart or Lincoln 190 amp 80% duty cycle 220v mig welder. Brand new. Or, watch craigslist for a 220v mig. I don't like stick welders, mainly because I couldn't get the hang of them. But a mig ain't bad to get used to and is more versatile. Just my .02

Nobody said he had to go buy it brand new. Estate sales, auctions and such, you can get a used one.

 

[Hook]

True. I forget that equipment is more available in other parts of the country than it is here

 

[dun]

True. I forget that equipment is more available in other parts of the country than it is here

Saw one at a farm sale a couple of weeks ago that looked brand new, the stinger looked like it had never had a rod in it, 40 bucks. I wished I needed another one just to take advantage of the price.