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

[Matt]

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

I've also been eying up this kit: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...7213_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 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.