Bare-bones tools necessities for "home" shop????

[Big Wave D]

Iplayfarmer,

I've seen some sale fliers for some really big equipment auctions that had several days before hand some times that you could come and inspect the items for sale.

How does it work for a farm/estate sale? Do they have an "open house" period for one to inspect the items you're interested in? Or, is it just the day of the sale?

Also, if it is equipment with an engine, does one get to hear it run?

Trying to learn a few of the ropes, so to speak.

 

[schmism]

-220v Mig welder with gas
-4x6 horizontal cut off bandsaw (also doubles as a small vertical bandsaw)
-4.5" angle grinder
-drill press
-O/A torch
-quality tap/die set


Kinda need to specify what kind of projects you want to tackle..... farm projects go with a 220v stick welder as NOTHING is small and every thing you weld is THICK

but if you want to restore cars and do body work, 110v mig with gas is FAR better than a stick welder. Your going to want tools to work sheet metal like a 3 in 1.

gonna be doing a lot of fab work for your 4wheel drive/circle track/dirt track car... gonna need a tubeing notcher and bender.

a welding bench is nice if your constantly working on smaller projects that can be easly handled.

 

[toy]

Iplayfarmer,

I've seen some sale fliers for some really big equipment auctions that had several days before hand some times that you could come and inspect the items for sale.

How does it work for a farm/estate sale? Do they have an "open house" period for one to inspect the items you're interested in? Or, is it just the day of the sale?

Also, if it is equipment with an engine, does one get to hear it run?

Trying to learn a few of the ropes, so to speak.

Most of the fliers that I have seen will list a time when you can inspect the items or a time frame. If they don't have the time that you can view the items before the sale but have a phone number listed then I would call that number and ask to see the items. I went to a sale once and they had a time that the bidding would start and a time just prior to the bidding [same day just earlier] that you could view and inspect the items.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Iplayfarmer,

I've seen some sale fliers for some really big equipment auctions that had several days before hand some times that you could come and inspect the items for sale.

How does it work for a farm/estate sale? Do they have an "open house" period for one to inspect the items you're interested in? Or, is it just the day of the sale?

Also, if it is equipment with an engine, does one get to hear it run?

Trying to learn a few of the ropes, so to speak.

I can only speak for the sales that I have gone to. Every one has a preview at least an hour early to allow inspection of the merchandise. There's usually someone there to answer whatever questions they can. I've gone to the sale site days ahead of time and had access to see what I needed to. The ring men are a great source of information. They'll usually know what the item will sell for. They see enough stuff bought and sold that they have a pretty good idea of value.

Anything with an engine is started and run before the bidding starts on that item. Anything that is not started is considered to be in non-running condition.

As a separate note, the big equipment auctions are where I get the best deals on the little stuff. The buyers and sellers are most interested in the stuff worth 6 digits or more, and the little stuff is sold cheap and quick.

 

[Big Wave D]

This is a question for schmism or Mark or anyone knowledgeable about such things,

I know a Mig or Tig welder is the best for say welding up the sheet metal on a car or any other thin metal for that matter.

Alas, I don't have one nor will I be getting one anytime soon. What I have is an A/C only Lincoln stick welder.

So, here's the question. Can you weld very thin metal with this (i.e. rocker panels, floor boards, etc.) setup? If so, what rods and amperage settings allow this? Can it be done better/easier with a D/C stick welder?

Thanks again to all

 

[gauthier]

Well,probably on ac a 6012/6013,maybe a 14? little rod,1/16th,or no bigger than 3/32. Amps,what you have to have,to run it,if your burning holes,you're to hot. Little dia rods take less amps.
And as to dc,yeah it might run smoother,but sheet metal with stick is one place ac might be better.
I can weld down to about 1/8 thick stuff pretty easy with 3/32 6010 plus rods,of course on dc reverse,but you got to turn it down:laughing:

Forgot to add,if you got a choice on verticals,go downhill instead of up hill,on thin stuff[course I generally always go downhill on anything],but,,thats just me.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

... Can you weld very thin metal with this (i.e. rocker panels, floor boards, etc.) setup? If so, what rods and amperage settings allow this? Can it be done better/easier with a D/C stick welder?

Thanks again to all

I've done some thin metal welding with an AC stick.

Use 1/16" rod as low amps as you can go without sticking. 7014 rod is a great choice if you can get it that thin because it has less penetration. 6013 is another good option. Keep your arc length as short as you can (i.e. hold the tip of the rod close to the work). This helps keep the heat down.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Gauthier,
I doubt you'd find a 6012 or 6014 anywhere very easily anymore.

BigWave,

Can it be done? Yes, but so can welding aluminum with DC current with a tig...it can be done, but not great.

The "click" type transformer machines offer very little control of the heat and on the low end, poor arc stability, even if they are DC.

An DC inverter typically has infinite control, to much lower amps to control the heat....Which get me back to this....If tigging autobody or other sheetmetal is what you want, then a DC inverter machine can easily be turned into a tig unit, with a gas valve tig torch, regulator, and argon gas bottle. But an AC unit will not. Even the tombstone AC/DC is not recommended for tig. I think its hard on the unit, but really I don't know why exactly, its just Lincoln's own statement about it. A good DC gen/welder can tig as well,and larger transformer stick welders can too.

 

[gauthier]

Well your probably right,I have never bought an ac rod[used some,but],but like I said,what ever rod,if you are burning holes,than your too hot,to help,make it a very little rod,to help, go down if vertical instead of up.

You might need to weld a tad,let cool,weld a little let cool,etc.

And like I said,I can do a pretty good job on 1/8th thick stuff,with 6010+ rods,so,the answer to his question would be,,,,yes! you can[sounds like obama soma's saying??]
Or yes he might?

 

[gauthier]

A dc not inverter machine can easly be turned into a tig machine too any dc machine can do tig[sure some are better than others],but any good dc machine[thats a better way to put it] can do tig,yes,you need torch,flowmeter,reg,gas line,connector block,bottle of argon,but,they do it all the time[doing it 30 years ago at least with machines that were 10 years old than] in power plants,chemical plants etc,now your have to scratch start,but hundreds of x-ray quality welds are made every day with tig and scratch start.[guess I should add constant current machine,which is a stick machine].