Welding - I want to learn ..need advice.

[flusher]

Also, you want to start welding two-handed. You'll have better control over the stinger (the welding electrode/rod combo). When you get more proficient, you can try one-handed welding.

And, surface preparation is very important, even with stick welding. So use that angle grinder for cleaning and beveling the work pieces. Get yourself a bunch of c-clamps and some welding magnets to hold the pieces together.

You'll need to become familiar with warpage problems when welding. You have to use tack welds to keep this problem under control.

 

[brin]

Wow - I am taking all this in and writing all this down. I sure do appreciate all the good information and instruction you fellas have posted and I am going to first read and re-read each of your posts and then begin my search on Craigs list for the right welder..I am a little intimidated by the voltage thing and have never messed with electricity but I will be very careful and do my homework first..I sure do wish I had taken my father in law up on his constant suggestion I let him teach me how to weld..they lived next door to us on the farm for 20 yrs. ..you would think I could have found time to spend a weekend at his side learning..but know...so learn a lesson for me ..you younger guys...never turn down an offer to be able to learn a new skill...look at me now I have the time and want to be able to create some things and will have to do it the much harder way --except you fellas have made it easier and pointed me in the right direction...Thanks again..

 

[BrentD]

Next, AC KILLS. If you are in a situation where you are "in the circuit" while welding, AC is more likely to KILL YOU.

This is the same Crap that Edison started back when he was fighting with Tesla in the great "Battle of the Currents". Basically Edison wanted the electrical infrastructure to run on DC. DC required burying HUGE cables and power stations to be located within only a mile or two of the locations serviced. When Tesla invented AC and distribution transformers that would allow much smaller wire to be used on transmission lines which run at extremely high voltage and are then converted to lower voltage and high current by transformers at each residence.

AC and DC are just about equally dangerous at equal voltages. Neither one can penetrate dry human skin until a certain voltage is reached. The 60-hz frequency of AC makes it a tiny bit more dangerous because the particular switching frequency is almost the perfect frequency to confuse the nerves that drive the heart and cause them to shut down. So AC can stop your heart easier than DC, but if you get an AC shock that stops your heart a defibrillator or CPR done quick enough can usually get it going again. If you get a DC shock that is strong enough to do stop your heart, it's usually going to be because the DC has cooked your muscles from the inside out. No amount of CPR or defibrillation is going to undo that damage.

Most welders don't produce voltage high enough to penetrate skin. Now, that can change if you're hot and sweat and manage to get yourself across the leads. That much current flowing from hand to hand directly across your heart is going to kill you regardless of whether you're using AC or DC.

It's not voltage that kills, it's current. (Actually a combination of both since you don't get penetration without enough voltage) You mention the VanDeGraff generator operating at 50,000 volts... Yea, that's relatively safe because it is a potential. There is no flow. Now consider this: The 1970's movie "The Entity" had special effects where a possessed woman shot lightning bolts from her hands. Those effects were produced by having the woman stand on the output terminal of a Tesla Coil producing AC voltage in excess of 1,000,000 volts and channeling the power through her body and out metal thimbles placed on her finger tips. The machine was built by a man named William "Bill" Wysock. The machine was perfectly safe because even though it operated at extremely high voltages it produced almost no current in the output streamers. (And no contrary to popular belief it wasn't due the the so-called "Skin Effect" of the RF energy in the output. That part is a bit of a myth/misunderstanding.)

 

[Soundguy]

DC will get you just like AC will get you.

also.. current is not measured in volts.

You just have to understand what 'ac' really is.. when you look at say.. a hosuehold ac plug and think.. gee.. that's 120vac.. what you are really seeing is 120vac RMS ( gives you an approximation to work performed by a similar DC current ). rms is roughly .7 of peak. peak is half of peak to peak.. Thus.. figure that when you see a standard 120vac wall outlet.. if you look at it on an osciliscope it will be 340vac peak to peak.

your 30vac rms figure is really about 85vac peak to peak.

voltage , enough of it, and current, enough of it, will BOTH kill hurt.. that was my point. don't believe me.. go 'hand' test a starting capacitor or 2nd anode on a picture tube.. ( no don't really.. you'l likely get knock down and a bad burn.. but heck it's only dc right.. that's safe stuff.. NOT )

oh yeah.. for the non engineers.. rms = root mean square.

soundguy

Soundguy, If I was in error please explain how I am kidding myself?

The body has about 24 to 36 volts resistance capability depending on the individual. DC is weldable from about 20 volt and up. AC is weldable from about 30 volts and up. current. AC will interrupt the heart rhythm. DC does not have that effect. Remember science class when the static electricity generator was producing 50,00 volts DC and your hair stood on end and all the class was amused?

I was taught AC KILLS. I believe it. If my instructor was wrong, I appologize for my stupidity. I am not willing to use myself or let anyone else attempt to contradict those theorys. The consequences are not worth it.
Again, if I am in error, I erred on the side of safety. Dave

 

[Jaylegger]

Keep it coming guys this is good stuff. I purchased a Lincoln 180 for hobby purposes which is a 250v mig/flux core welder a couple weeks ago and haven't even taken it out of the box yet. Thought I'd take a course first but $600 for a "Basic mig welding" 30hr course seems a little much. Every little bit helps.

 

[radioman]

brin- I have that exact welder from the exact same store. I am a beginner as well. The reason I bought it is because of the store marketing that says easiest to use. I never welded before and I am still learning. I started out with a old welders helmet from uncle and no safety gear. Let me tell you- if you dont have anything yet- plan on spending some serious bucks to get started. Get one of those cheap welding shirts first, find a old pair of leather gloves (thinnest ones you have for comfort and handling). Get a auto darkening helmet. I have one now from harbor frieght and it works good but TSC might be better and save your eyes. Nothing is more frustrating trying to see with a too dark lens that doesnt auto darken to see what you are doing!!!!! plan on wearing a old basebal hat to keep sparks out of your hair top too. Once you figure out you can do welding, you can move up in saftey gear and stuff.

As for welding cracks with ez125- it can be done no problem. just take your grinder and grind into the cracks making a groove about quarter way into the sheet metal of bush hog. This allows better heat penetration and give better cleaner weld.
before welding- a tip someone told me is to run a small bead along the side of the crack to heat up the metal before actually welding the crack. For reasons I don't understand yet- it makes a better weld esp. with thicker metal.
I made several things with ez125 hobart and it does the job for now- but as my confidence level go up and skills I know I need to go up in amps and volatage for better welds and thicker stuff. I also learned I cant weld more then 7-10 mins with hobart 125 since its a light duty cycle due to overheating. I wished I went bigger the first time.


So listen to the more seasoned welders. Going bigger then hobart 125 will save you frustration and time.

 

[swines]

While the majority of posters have been trying to convince you to buy their favorite welder, I'm going to tell you that they key to success is not so much the machine but you - and taking the time to properly prepare the joint prior to welding.

Buy some welding books: "Modern Welding Technology" is often used as the text for many welding courses as is "Welding; Principles and Applications." The books are expensive and worth the money as they will allow you to look at, and understand, different welding techniques and both have good sections on welding joint design.

 

[RPW]

All of the advice you've gotten has been pretty much on the spot. The decision to take a formal class or to wing it on your own depends on how you are able to learn. I.E. are you a DIYer and can take in a big picture and be able to extract the details? Then you can most likely pick up welding on your own. If you just don't quite see the picture then a class is more for you. I've slagged metal for years but am now taking a class at the local college and boy I've learned a lot and I'm not done with the class yet. As far as machines go it's up to you but from what others have said and for myself I'd be looking at a branded machine primarily for support. As far as power needed IMO a 240V machine will be of greater value to you and will probably decrease your stress while welding. Can you do it with a 110V machine? Sure, I have and do it on a regular basis. But.... It does have it's limitations and you need to be aware of them and how to compensate for it. Over the years I've acquired many machines (probably more than I need). I believe in the right tool for the right job.

Good luck

 

[cuoffroad]

Check out WeldingWeb - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts - Powered by vBulletin.

Bought my little mig welder about 3 years ago and have enjoyed welding ever since.

I knew basically nothing about welding other than the little I got from shop class in high school about 25 years ago . I taught myself by:

- reading a couple welding books
- doing a lot of searches on the web
- posting questions when I was stuck on an issue
- and...practice practice practice

Also if you can find a good welding supply store and a good steel supplier I have found they are very happy to help you as well.

Videos never really did it for me but that's just me.

Keep in mind I'm just a weekend warrior hobby welder so that's where my 2 cents is coming from.

I have very basic tools but they suite my needs. I started out with:

- welder
- gloves
- jacket
- simple Huntsman helmet
- 4.5" angle grinder and some grinding disks for it
- cut off wheels
- flap disks
- C-clamps I already had

I've built a trailer for my tractor, landscape rake, dethatcher, welding table, and a bunch of smaller stuff with just the above. Actually built the welding table last (go figure) so I built all this stuff on my hands and knees on the driveway. Used the cut off wheels to cut everything.

Now since then I've bought a bunch of clamps and actually just bought a little Jet badsaw to make things a bit easier.

I have my dethatcher and landscape rake sitting outside in the back of our property. This past summer I had the guy that sprays our lawn ask where I bought both because he thought they looked better than anything he'd seen in the stores. When I told him that I'd built them he asked if I did fabrication for a living....what do ya know about that. I'm no pro by any means but that makes ya feel good.

It's great fun, pull the trigger and go. Good luck to ya.

 

[dcyrilc]

Anyone have an opinion on this welder?
Miller - MIG Welding - Millermatic® 211 Auto-Set? with MVP?