Welders?

[Sal-XK]

I figured we could start a conversation about welders. Which type and manufacture do you think is the best for the garage mechanic? I'm not sure about which manufacture is best but I was thinking that a AC\DC stick welder would be the most versatile welder for the DIY projects. What do you guys think? I'm talking about being able to weld rock rails, stingers, bumpers or just brackets for lights and stuff like that. Share your experiences and opinions so the rest of can learn from them. Remember were talking garage weekend warrior here telling us to by a $3000 miller won't help any:D

[Matt]

Here's a good "quick" guide: http://www.northerntool.com/catalog/buyersguides/welding/

I've also been eying up this kit: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200467213_200467213

I've been meaning to run this by the welding guru at work to get his take on it. But i think that's a sweet starter kit for a backyard mechanic and weekend warrior.

[Sal-XK]

Thats is pretty pricey bro. I can use my band saw to cut anything I would be making, a plasma cutter is over kill for me anyway. So you think a MIG is the way to go? if you can give your opinion on why?

[Matt]

They have kits without the plasma cutter... that's just one I was looking at. I have multiple ways of cutting metal too, but a plasma cutter makes some things MUCH easier. Not a necessity though at all.

MIG is very easy to learn. It's like the "gateway drug" for welding. I can pick up a mig welder today and put together a decent weld, and its been well over a year since the last time I used one.

[Sal-XK]

I'm guessing using it to tack stuff in place would not be an issue with MIG?

[Matt]

I never had an issue... but honestly I dont have a ton of experience here. I always used the shops or my friends welders and basically did exhaust and fixed trailers.

Would love for someone like Doc to fill us in. Or, if you have a welder you're interested in, post it up and i'll run it by our weld expert at work. I was going to consult him prior to purchasing anything regardless.

[Sal-XK]

I don't have a particular model or brand in mind. I want to get one for my winter projects so I can start doing my own stuff and not paying boat loads of coin for someone else's labor rate. Just want to get something that I can reasonably tackle projects and doesn't cost a small fortune to operate either. I know I will make light brackets for sure and maybe take on a bumper or a stinger or something a little thicker like relocating shock mounts or something.

[NeilSmith]

I did a lot of welding in school, from 6th grade thru high school and then auto body tech classes. I got pretty good at it, probably the best in tech class. Unfortunately, that was over 20 years ago and I havent touched a welder since graduating. Painters dont weld. :) I think a mig is more versatile for the average guy in his garage. I havent even seen a stick welder in a body shop. The mig would serve you better at small brackets and sheet metal, a stick welder would probably be better at real thick stuff although we have fabbed up some pretty neat stuff with 1/4 inch plate using a mig. You get a good mig and a nice set of oxy / acetylene torches and you wont need the stick welder unless you are doing what Doc does for a living.

[superacerc]

I was thinking that a AC\DC stick welder would be the most versatile welder for the DIY projects.
Is that the one that plays Hell's Bells or thunderstruck each time you put your welding hood down?

Sorry couldn't resist.

I think Mig is the way to go. Easy to use and a little more precise than sticks. The flux core type is nice so you don't have to have a bottle of gas sitting around. Northern Tool and some other companies have a few fairly cheap ones (around 140-300 dollars).

[Sal-XK]

Cool sounds like the MIG is the way to go then. My first project will be filling that huge hole that comes in the suspension skid :confused: I know they put it there so you can service the diff without dropping the skid but come on really that hole is huge big enough you can still hit your front diff IMO.

[hoaxci5]

I've got a cheapy Harbor Freight 90 amp mig welder. I haven't done a lot with it, but I did make a roof rack for next to my Yakima Skybox.. it didn't fall apart even running the Mojave Trail and we were bouncing down it pretty good at speed..

I have no idea how long it will last, I know it's not a "quality" welder, but it's done exactly what I wanted and it was right around $100. No need to wire the garage for 220 either. I have two more projects in my head but I'm not sure when I will start either one. But so far for everything I've done and think I will do it's the perfect BS tool. If it breaks it was still worth the $100 at this point.

[Sal-XK]

If you get a smaller one then it might be possible to run it off of the XK while on trail so it pulls double duty. Not sure how possible this is will have to do some research into how power these things take.

[hoaxci5]

If you get a smaller one then it might be possible to run it off of the XK while on trail so it pulls double duty. Not sure how possible this is will have to do some research into how power these things take.

In your case since you have dual batteries you would be better off learning to stick weld. You can do that with just wiring and flux. (I think I'm saying the right things, I'm just repeating what I've heard I don't know anything about it actually)

[Sal-XK]

In your case since you have dual batteries you would be better off learning to stick weld. You can do that with just wiring and flux. (I think I'm saying the right things, I'm just repeating what I've heard I don't know anything about it actually)

I've heard of that. People using stick welding off of a battery. Not sure how it's done I'll look it up.

[Sal-XK]

Found this on youtube. He uses three batteries but he's using a very thick stick. I think getting smaller stick the 24 volts might be enough to do a weld.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tHJ0NSjZnM

[Sal-XK]

Check this guys site out he made a few pretty nice how to videos for welding

http://kevincaron.com/videos.html

[superacerc]

You just cant control the heat when you use batteries. I've seen people do rudimentary emergency welding with two batteries. It works but it's just a bit harder to make anything nice.

[hoaxci5]

You just cant control the heat when you use batteries. I've seen people do rudimentary emergency welding with two batteries. It works but it's just a bit harder to make anything nice.

It defiantly does not take the place of a real welder, but Sal was talking about the possibility of using a small welder trail side which I think is a huge waste of space when you could just carry some wires and sticks and weld good enough to get home.

And my cheap HF welder only has 2 heat settings so it isn't much better :)

[superacerc]

^Absolutely. My dad has a pair of "jumper cables" made out of welding leads. Something nice and heavy duty like this would be a good way to accomplish double duty of having jumper cables and if you throw a few steel welding rods in to use for welding as well.

[Sal-XK]

The battery idea is just for trail repairs when its weld it or walk out.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2011/04/medianlid7097c288557hdfa0e19a839ae984975-1.jpg

[Sal-XK]

Ok anymore input on this subject I think I will be getting my welder next month. So far it seems were voting on the MIG welder.

[Tymac]

For light duty repairs I like my Lincoln 140 Mig. Plug it into any 110v outlet and connect a small bottle and you can weld up to 1/4. If you pre-heat the metal with a torch you can weld thicker material.

I built a couple of things and I usually tack them together, test fit, make adjustments and then send them out to a professional for a final weld.

[Sal-XK]

I'm going to look for a light duty one that runs off a 110 outlet as well.

[brendon]

I got a Lincoln Electric SP-135 years ago for $600 - wire feed, with the solenoid and regulator if I want to do MIG (I have only used flux core in it up til now), coninuously variable feed and current (no detents at A, B, C, etc), plugs into 110 but it needs to be a 30 amp circuit or you will keep tripping the breaker when doing thick stuff.

I managed to weld 3/4" plate to 1/4" plate cold rolled steel! It's not a pretty weld but it held up when dragging the Commander as dead weight behind my brother-in-law's bulldozer to test it.

[Sal-XK]

Anyone else want to chime in on this thread it's starting to get cold out so I'm looking to get one soon to get some projects done this winter.

[cico7]

Harbour Freight has low priced welders.
But do you want a cheapie light duty or
Solid more expensive one?

[Sal-XK]

Harbour Freight has low priced welders.
But do you want a cheapie light duty or
Solid more expensive one?

Some where in the middle I think. Don't want the cheapest one that will break or not get the job done and I don't need the best that can hold up to like a shop work load either.

[criket]

What I hear from the guys at work is that one of the cheapest/best set up is a MIG with gas tanks. That's what I'm getting for my garage at somepoint.

But it all boils down to what will it be used for the most.

[Sal-XK]

I'm set on getting Mig now for sure. Now I need to figure out what brand to get? I seen some that will go up to 1/4 steel and I think that's plenty thick.

[LWM]

Check out extreme 4x on the powerblock network, they did a show a while back on selecting the best welder for your needs. You can view it on line.

http://www.powerblocktv.com/site3/index.php/xtreme4x4-episodes?ep_num=XT2010-04&ep_sea=1001

http://www.powerblocktv.com/site3/index.php/xtreme4x4-episodes?ep_num=XT2011-11&ep_sea=1101

[Sal-XK]

Check out extreme 4x on the powerblock network, they did a show a while back on selecting the best welder for your needs. You can view it on line.
Cool thanks!

[superacerc]

I picked up a light duty model from Northern Tool for about 150. It's a 110V 125AMP model flux core. I won't be doing anything heavy duty just minor repairs and such. Just got it a few days ago so I can't tell about it's abilities just yet. Hobart and miller seem nice but somewhat pricey.

[GPintheMitten]

I need to weld a broken piece of sheet steel on my mower deck. I have a AC/DC Lincoln stick welder. I've welded thick mild steel but never sheet metal. Any suggestions for using my stick welder on it? I don't want to buy another welder.

[Sal-XK]

I need to weld a broken piece of sheet steel on my mower deck. I have a AC/DC Lincoln stick welder. I've welded thick mild steel but never sheet metal. Any suggestions for using my stick welder on it? I don't want to buy another welder.

On the inside cover it should have a list of metal and thickness and stick settings to use. See if it goes that low you probably have turn the volts way down.

[superacerc]

Stick welders are tough to use well on really thin metals. You will need to turn it down quite a bit. I would think a mower deck would be thicker steel though. The mower decks I've seen are pretty thick at least.

[GPintheMitten]

Thanks guys, it is actually a safety cover on the deck that covers the belt. It's thinner than the steel used for the actual deck. I'll have to get some smaller rods and turn it down. My welder is pretty old and doesn't reference metal thickness but does say what settings to use for certain brands and rod thicknesses. I'll give it a try and see if I can do it. I just don't want to burn through it.