best welder to learn on

[99stocksport]

towards the end of the summer after i have saved some money form my summer job i would like to buy a welder. nothing big just something that i can plug into a standard 115 volt outlet and weld things such as steel to make a bumper. but, my problem is i do not know anything about welding and will have to teach myself as i go. my question for ya'll is what type of welder would best fit my situation/applications?

thanks

-Davis

 

[j602]

MIG (wire feed). These things couldn't be easier to learn on. I was laying down a pretty solid bead in 15 minutes. I also used this welder to put my spring perches on for my SOA. I have a Lincoln, I think 115.

 

[Brian_B]

Mig is definately easier to learn on. We have a 220V loncoln we use at home.

 

[mechanix]

I would also suggest the mig welder. But for the best and cleanest welds I would get a mig with gas. I have seen a fwe mig's that use 115 volt that are gasless. These welds leave a crappy arc like weld aperance behind when done welding. I have not used this type of welder myself, but I prefer my gas mig. I have a Snap-On 220v, it welds nice. I think Lincoln makes the best welders hands down. If you are real serious about welding I would also suggest a auto-darkening helmet. They are very NICE to have.

This welder here uses a flux core and solid core. Flux Welder

 

[Brian_B]

We use gas on ours as well. We started with CO2, but switched to a tri-mix when that bottle was empty. It gives us a much smoother weld with less spatter. The small lincoln 220s are a more versitile welder compared to teh house current ones. It will weld from very thin up to about 1/4" plate with the correct wire.

Our small lincoln is the only little one I have ever used. I am used to the larger industrial type.

I have never used the 110 (house current) ones, but I have heard they won't handle thicker material. They are a lot cheaper to buy and I do not know if you can hook gas to them. Sorry, no experience with little ones.

The auto darkening helmets are awesome, but expensive for a good one. HF has cheap ones for about $50 that work ok. They did not have such things when I was young and was working in a steel fab shop.

 

[Bronco638]

From the little research I've done, it appears that the 220V units are more versitile than the 110V units. It's not hard to install a 220V circuit in your house, provided you have the amperage available and slots for the circuit breakers in the panel. I think it would be better to buy something that will be capable of handling your projects as you improve instead of being stuck with something that is no longer sufficient. While Lincoln and Miller are the most popular brands, I have heard the Hobart Handler 175 or 180 is pretty good, too. Another thing to consider is the duty cycle. You'll want a unit that can handle continuous use as opposed to something that has to cool down.

 

[99stocksport]

thanks yall

 

[Broccoli1]

http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p002054.htm

This comes with the gas regulater so all you have to do is buy a tank.

As mentioned a 220v is a better choice because you get twice the welder for just a bit more money.
But at 370.00 this 115v is a sweet deal. You can do heavier material, you just have to do multiple passes as well as prep the material and you can use a Fluxcore wire without the gas.

Hobart is manufactured by Miller

the Hobart Handler 140 is a good 115v unit as well.

 

[wired_af]

the Hobart Handler 140 is a good 115v unit as well.

I second that.

 

[Hotweels]

i use a lincoln mig pak-15 230V
werks fair for 1/4" plate with flux core wire
rated for 1/8" with solid core an gas so it's got some ball's to it
buddy of mine has a miller 175 with a bottle and that lil beauty haul's ass and the arc and feed are super stable, if yer gunna spend the money get the 230V miller 175 or go a bit cheaper to the mig pak-15, both are very capable welders for stikkin a bumper (or tracbar) on a frame.

i had a 110v lincoln mig before.... ya u kin do 15 passes on 1/8" to get a good strong weld but why bother for the extra couple hun a quality welder will run ya?

 

[Broccoli1]

Hotwheels,

You should be geting better performance out of your 230v welder. It should be able to do 1/4, solid wire with gas.

Ed

 

[Broccoli1]

Check out this thread:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129935&page=2&pp=20

 

[boble86]

i would suggest using an arc welder first. better to learn on than u understand how the metal melts and works. it will be a little harder, but if u can arc weld real good than mig will be even easier.

 

[spindlecone]

Guess I live in the past, still use Oxy acetylene gas, may need to upgrade to the new electrikle stuff.
Me thinks if you can weld with gas, you can weld with anything.
Your metal prep is everything,JMO

 

[jimbo74]

what you do is take a welding class at a comunnity college... then you learn all types and dont have t ohave your own equipment yet... i actually learned how to ARC weld on a 220 v big old lincoln in high school... when i got my own little mig welder, it was soooo easy..... but i had by that tiem already been welding for 2 years with a huge arc welder... they say mig is easier than arc welding... and it might be, they both seem to be the same to me, but i suppose i did learn to do the harder one first, and with the technique down already mig was the same

 

[Broccoli1]

Ok.
Mig is Arc.
Arc is electricity.
Stick is Arc.
Arc is electricity.
Tig is Arc
Arc is electricity.

Spindle is correct- If you really want to start with learning how metal reacts an O/A set up is where you start. You weld with that and you are good to go. Mig, Stick, tig all follow.

Mig is the easiest to get going and have a few projects done. Nothing wrong with starting that way if you just want to fabricate some stuff. If you really want to get in to it then you will eventually get a O/A set up because you can heat up material to bend, cut etc. With the Arc welders you can only weld- no cutting.

 

[ryf]

well, broc, there actually used to be cutting rods for arc "stick" as you call it, may still be able to get them from a specialty house, I've still got some old old ones, prolly 20+ years old, not very good from absorbing moisture, but they work, take some 6013 on thinner mild steel and turn the amps way up... it'll cut for you, of course they call it blow through I think, but it works, and don't think I haven't done it when an O/A torch or sawz-all wasn't on site, or I was too broke to get refills!

If I were you I'd start with a mig, I learned on ARc "stick", and yes it makes it easier to switch, but its also a somewhat large 220v tool that will cost $200+ or more new, shop space can be expensive, lets not be tooo wasteful.

I can buy alot of flux core wire for $200 to learn with (and make extra passes if need be). once your feel good about your flux welds, upgrade to a GAS so buy an upgradeable flux-wire welder, go to gas and you'll find it even easier, and cleaner. some people it takes a month, others years, give it a spool of flux to train on, since its paid for.

good luck with your projects.

 

[ryf]

instead of paying for a class, go to the library and get a book, or buy one, theres lots of books about welding, the local colleges do have the class, I'd suppose they have books on it as well, would be the expensive way I'm sure, so buy the book used in a "used college bookstore" since welding hasn't changed much lately, it doesn't really matter for the basics if its last years version or not.

 

[Broccoli1]

my bad- it's just that people "recommend" a welder by calling it an Arc welder-this leaves the recommendation a little open, don't you think?

It's the same as "get your self a locker".


You can still get the rods:

//www.jwharris.com/welref/techguide/misc_items/arc_goug/

 

[vervepipes]

what about stick welders? they're often dirt cheap at Crappy Tire on sale