Topic: Welders Thread

[UnCrash]

That thing looks the business!

Thanks for pointing it out dummkauf.  Now on my wishlist.

[mark]

it still looks like $400 for an oxyacetylene torch. and nothing else. you still need tanks, regulators, etc.
cuts like plasma and welds like a tig. duh. plasma is an electric cutting torch and tig is an electric welding torch.

If gas is what you're after, $300 at you-know-where gets torch, regulators,tanks - the whole deal.


$400 in the want-ads, craigslist, flea market, whatever, should buy a name-brand(Victor) setup with bigger tanks.

[Artfrombama]

Even though I learned to gas weld first (coathanger/oxy/acetylene) not as steep a learning curve and produces a much stronger weld to MIG.

If you've never welded before, you're gonna burn a lot of holes no matter what you use.

[Popwood]

I've been using the Hobart rig for a couple years and I'm quite happy with it. And do follow up on those classes. It's something I need to do, as well. Being self-taught takes a a lot of practice and I'm sure some guidance would be most worthwhile.

[coyotecowboy]

it still looks like $400 for an oxyacetylene torch. and nothing else. you still need tanks, regulators, etc.
cuts like plasma and welds like a tig. duh. plasma is an electric cutting torch and tig is an electric welding torch.

If gas is what you're after, $300 at you-know-where gets torch, regulators,tanks - the whole deal.


$400 in the want-ads, craigslist, flea market, whatever, should buy a name-brand(Victor) setup with bigger tanks.

Try cutting 16ga. with that and find out how good your bodywork skills are, cause it's gonna warp anything thinner than 1/8th in.

[UnCrash]

Try cutting 16ga. with that and find out how good your bodywork skills are, cause it's gonna warp anything thinner than 1/8th in.

That's what I really like about Henrob, the fine tuned abilities it // different tips // gas mix etc.

[Terry in Australia]

That's it mate, Mark is assuming that the Henrob is just a fancy torch on an otherwise standard oxy welder kit, but it's like comparing a Harley to a Britten by saying "Well they're both big V Twins, blah blah blah". Seriously, unless you've used one, you'll just never know...........

[dummkauf]

I guess I shouldn't say I'm a complete welding noob(well pretty much a noob).  I spent one summer in high school(a decade ago) working as a welder      However, I got about 10 minutes of training working a wire feed welder(thinking it was a MIG looking back now, the training wasn't very thorough).  My job consisted of bending metal rods into shapes for christmas lawn decorations(santa, reindeer, etc...) and then welding them together to make the ornament.  Then someone else would take it and wrap tinsel and lights around it......while the welds were NOT pretty they held the lawn ornaments together and strenghth wasn't too much of a concern since lawn ornaments aren't a real high stress application

I picked up the Monster Garage "How to Weld Anything" book yesterday and from reading it pretty much sounds like I could weld anything with a gas torch(just has a steeper learning curve) , or I should drop a couple grand on a TIG, they made the MIG out to be good for speed and low strenght welds.

My end goal is to be able to make an aluminum gas tank for my bike myself, however body work is quite a ways off right now until I get the engine put back together.  In the mean time I was planning on spending some time learning to weld so that when the time comes I'm profecient enough to make a solid, quality weld.

[dummkauf]

That thing looks the business!

Thanks for pointing it out dummkauf.  Now on my wishlist.

No problem.....always glad to help

[mark]

That's it mate, Mark is assuming that the Henrob is just a fancy torch on an otherwise standard oxy welder ...... blah blah blah........

okay. It's a really fancy torch.... but my point was that for your $379+freight... all ya got is a torch. Take it out of the box and put a sparky thing to the end and nothing happens because you haven't bought the tanks, regulators, etc. You still need the rest of an otherwise standard oxy welder blah blah blah. 

........ I have been looking for a cheap setup for my garage to learn with, ..........

like $1,000 into an oxy-gas rig? 

......, or I should drop a couple grand on a TIG, ...........

now we're talkin'.

............
My end goal is to be able to make an aluminum gas tank for my bike myself, ........

ask anyone who has ever built a gas tank(or anything else aluminum, for that matter) whether they would use TIG or an acetylene torch.

[Artfrombama]

ask anyone who has ever built a gas tank(or anything else aluminum, for that matter) whether they would use TIG or an acetylene torch.

Caroll Shelby's AC Cobra bodies were gas welded together. I see guys at swap meets/flea markets welding up holes in pop cans with gas.

[Retro Rocket]

I know of a "high end" panel beater that uses the Henrob torch for everything, from thin panels to chassis repairs to alloy and stainless fuel tanks......They are the sh1t..

Mick

[coyotecowboy]

You could probably do some kickass brazing with one (GT40 A-arms come to mind )

[Retro Rocket]

Gt-40.......now there's another favourite......

Mick

[TheFox]

     I've got a Hobart handler 120 just sitting around the shop I might be willing to sell. Lets say, $150+ shipping. Still in pretty good shape. You can do hard wire or innershield, although it's a garbage weld. If all you're doing is welding tabs on your bike, a wire feed welder will do just fine. Once you start doing aluminum, you'll want a TIG for sure. For a first time weldor, I wouldn't recommend trying to do gas welding. You'll probably end up burning and setting more things on fire than it's worth. Plus, it's not an east heat to control if you're not used to it. You can even pick up a small Lincoln wire feed at home depot. As for me, it's easier to just TIG weld everything because it's less messy and I know what the hell I'm doing. 
     Don't get ahead of yourself. Start off easy and upgrade as your skill level grows. There is plenty of advice on here, not all of it good. Do yourself a favor, become friends with a fabricator who has equipment like that. Help him out and maybe he'll let you use his #$%*.

Brad

[Terry in Australia]

That's it mate, Mark is assuming that the Henrob is just a fancy torch on an otherwise standard oxy welder ...... blah blah blah........

okay. It's a really fancy torch.... but my point was that for your $379+freight... all ya got is a torch. Take it out of the box and put a sparky thing to the end and nothing happens because you haven't bought the tanks, regulators, etc. You still need the rest of an otherwise standard oxy welder blah blah blah. 

Yeah mate, you do, but we're talking maybe 25% of the price of a good TIG for a complete kit with the Henrob, that will (with a good welder operating it) weld most metals as good as a TIG, and also bend steel bar, cut like a plasma cutter, (it really will, I've done it with mine, it shiits all over a standard torch on thinner plate) something that a TIG won't ever do.

........ I have been looking for a cheap setup for my garage to learn with, ..........

like $1,000 into an oxy-gas rig? 

So when did it cost 600(+) bucks for a couple of regulators, bottles, and a length of hose? Especially when you've previously said that the 300 buck complete oxy kit is a better option? I'm guessing that 500-600 bucks for the complete kit with the Henrob torch is more like it?
 

......, or I should drop a couple grand on a TIG, ...........

now we're talkin'.

Talking shiit that is, 500-600 bucks for the complete Henrob kit, or four times that amount for the TIG, plus he'll still need something to bend bar, shrink, stretch, silver solder, remove paint, heat treat steel or cut metal with?

............
My end goal is to be able to make an aluminum gas tank for my bike myself, ........

ask anyone who has ever built a gas tank(or anything else aluminum, for that matter) whether they would use TIG or an acetylene torch.

Ahhh, the sweet voice of naivety, "ask anyone who has ever built a gas tank(or anything else aluminum, for that matter) whether they would use TIG or an acetylene torch."

That's kind of a loaded question, 30+ years ago when EVERYBODY was welding aluminum with an oxy acetylene rig, they wouldn't have known any other method.

I'm talking old timers like (as previously mentioned, plus a few more) Carroll Shelby, the Rickman brothers, Colin Seeley, Russ Collins, HRC, Repco-Brabham, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Mercedes, Fritz Egli, etc etc.

Nowadays, a good AC/DC TIG is the ducks nuts, (Aussie for really very good) and like a MIG, a trained Hampster can do good welds with one, so ask the young blokes at OCC, and they'd say a TIG, because that's probably all they'd know.

So the bottom line is, a good gas welder can save a couple of grand just by upgrading his oxy welding kit with a Henrob torch, or a noob fabricator can just buy a TIG and enjoy the simplicity of the system.

Of course he'll still need a lot of other items including an oxy rig for cutting, bending, shrinking, stretching etc, but that's life, (with your advice) he's chosen the big buck option, so I guess he'll find the money somewhere.............. 

[manjisann]

Sorry to start another "what welder should I get" string, I have searched several of them and found some excellent info. I sold my current ride  for several reasons, one of which is because I wanted to buy a welder. I have a decent oxy/acet setup, and I am aware that in skilled hands it can weld air planes, but I am very far from skilled. I would like to buy a decent mig welder to make stuff not only for my bike(s) (trust me, there will be others  ) but also for repairs and building other things. I want one that is capable of welding on trailers, and welding frames etc. I know KingsKustomCycles said he uses a 110v to weld his bikes, so they will obviously do those, but do I need to go 220v for stuff like trailer frames? I will admit, I really don't know what you weld trailers out of, just trying to plan for the future. Anyhow, was surfing eBay looking and found that I can get them approx $200 cheaper than at my local welding store. Here are some of the listings I found, and I would like comments, and opinions. My overall budget is $700, so I need to try to have that include the argon gas and bottle(s) as well as a welding mask as I am not sure the one I use for my oxy setup is dark enough.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110394076160

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220420945088

I know the 220v will weld up to 1/2 inch, but do I really need that? I'm not planning on making a battleship. I can get a 220v into my shop, but it does limit being able to take it to friends places to help them out with stuff.

Anyhow, thanks for all the input.

Brandon

[mark]

$700 should get a pretty decent welder off craigslist, if you look a bit.

here's that $449 sp135 with a tank, cart, auto helmet, gloves for $450  http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/1181264398.html

and here's a 180 for $550.... http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/1178553722.html

I'd be looking at a little older and a little bigger.

a 110 welder isn't going to live long building trailer frames.

[new2novas]

110v is good for sheetmetal i love my millermatic 135...however you can still weld sheetmetal with the 220, they generally cost 4x as much but are way more versatile, but then again you have to be wired for it, i can take my welder anywhere with an outlet and spark it up....i would not weld up a trailer with a 110 (3/16 probably and yes they claim they can weld it but the truth is it kinda sucks)...if you get a 110 definetly get gas and if your gonna get a 220 get a bigger one than shown, you should be spending around 1500 or so for a good welder (if new)....buy the best you can afford, i am a big miller fan, no particular reason, just have quality stuff, but lincoln is no lower...maybe i just like blue

[rhinoracer]

Problem with 'which welder?' threads is that you'll get all sorts of opinions. That been said, here's mine:

1. Get the best welder you can afford even if it's not the largest
2. Get the largest welder you can afford.

For 700 you can get a TIG welder on CL if you search . A TIG welder is the best for frame building, it'll also do Aluminum and Stainless (none of which can be welded with a MIG).

A 120VAC can weld 3/16" iron easily plus you have the advantage that you can weld thin sheet metal with it. It will even do some 1/4" iron but it's not the best for that specific job.

[Retro Rocket]

I hate to throw a spanner in the works but you Can weld aluminium with a mig, i have a mate that builds his Aluminum boats with a mig and he's built a few.

Mick

[B.O.X.N.I.F.E.]

I hate to throw a spanner in the works but you Can weld aluminium with a mig, i have a mate that builds his Aluminum boats with a mig and he's built a few.

Mick

My 135 lincoln (which I love and has never been 'not enough') will supposedly do aluminum, with the correct gas and wire. I need to try it.

[rhinoracer]

I hate to throw a spanner in the works but you Can weld aluminium with a mig, i have a mate that builds his Aluminum boats with a mig and he's built a few.

Mick

I knew somebody would say that, and you're right. It's just not as easy, it takes a lot more skill and practice and the welds just don't come out as clean as with a tig. Also aluminum wire is too soft and doesn't feed right thru the welding hose so you'll also need a trigger spool which will cost another 400. But you're right, I take that back.

[rhinoracer]

My 135 lincoln (which I love and has never been 'not enough') will supposedly do aluminum, with the correct gas and wire. I need to try it.

I bought my Millermatic 135 because it could weld aluminum but not even the store rep cuold pull a clean weld bead. Besides the gas and wire you need to change some connections to reverse polarity in the welder.

[fuzzybutt]

i have had my lincoln pro mig 140 for about 3 years now and never a problem with welding heavy stuff as well as stainless and aluminum. it takes ALOT of practice to get aluminum right though. that and a different gas mix than if youre welding mild steel. you want 100% argon when doing aluminum and an 85/15 argon/co2 mix with steel i'm told.