Build your own trailers

[joshuabardwell]

Also debating which welding process is better for splitter, fish tank stand, and trailer building. Guess I will figure it out once I start using a MIG.

For what it's worth, my impression is that the vast majority of commercial fabrication is done using MIG, because it is easy to automate and because it has a fast deposition rate. If you get a good MIG machine, there will be very little that you can't do. Because I do all of my welding outdoors, and because I don't want to step up to a gas cylinder at this time, stick is the process I prefer. The main place that stick falls down, IMO, is in its ability to handle thin material. In a production environment, the fact that stick lays down metal slower than MIG, and the fact that you have to chip slag with stick, make it less desirable, but none of that is a factor for me.

 

[kenmac]

That 250 amp mig will be just fine.
Chris

I'll 2 nd that. 225 or 250 mig would be all you ever need unless, you get into some specialty welding. Then a good stick welder. not buzz box. Weld on clean metal free of rust, grease, etc,

 

[mikehaugen]

I have a stick/tig welder and do 90% stick welding. I use the tig for real thin metal that is harder to stick, but it is slow and I am just sort of "ok" at it. I am considering adding a small/ medium size mig to my list of toys (tools).

Mig is nice for most thicknesses, but as stated works best indoors. It is also harder to recognize a bad weld. Then you have to worry about gas and having clean metal. Also more moving parts meaning more to go wrong with the welder. To do well at a lot of different thicknesses means changing wire thickness. This also sometimes entails changing tips/ setting drive rolls/ and changing liners. Some welders have wider ranges for wire thickness without all of that hassle. I like just changing sticks for different thicknesses of metal. The other reason production companies prefer mig is it is cheaper to run, sticks get expensive compared to a roll of wire.

 

[fabsroman]

I'll 2 nd that. 225 or 250 mig would be all you ever need unless, you get into some specialty welding. Then a good stick welder. not buzz box. Weld on clean metal free of rust, grease, etc,

Thanks to everybody that confirmed a 250 amp welder would be sufficient for these projects. I think the Lincoln Mig 256 has a rated output of 250 amps and an output range of 30 to 300 amps, so I should be in good shape with it. Lincoln is running a rebate on this one and several others until the end of July I believe. Either $200 off, free accessories, or a free Harris 300 or 510 cutoff torch.

This is the stick welder we have been using, just about 25 years older. AC225 Is this what you guys consider a "buzz box" because it sure does buzz when it is running. If you were to recommend a stick welder other than that one, what would you recommend?

 

[joshuabardwell]

TIs this what you guys consider a "buzz box" because it sure does buzz when it is running. If you were to recommend a stick welder other than that one, what would you recommend?

A "buzz-box" is a transformer-based stick welder, and that's exactly what you've got. People usually, in my experience, use "buzz-box" to refer to low-end AC-only machines, but you can get more or less the exact same machine with both AC and DC output. It'll buzz the same either way.

I don't have enough broad experience to recommend any particular welder, but I will say that you almost certainly should consider getting a DC-output welder if you are looking to trade up. DC is nicer to weld with for stick, and it opens up the option of moving to scratch-start TIG in the future, which is a great way of expanding your options without too much extra cost.

Another consideration is whether you want a transformer-based machine or whether you want an inverter-based machine. The main advantage of transformer-based machines is that they are simple, have few parts to break, are easy and cheap to repair if they do break, and they don't cost as much up front. The advantage of inverter-based machines is that they are lighter, they are more efficient (produce more output for less input), and they have all sorts of awesome bells and whistles like arc force and hot start. Inverter-based machines are also often said to produce a much nicer arc and offer much better puddle control, even in the lower price range; transformer-based machines can be just as good, but you generally have to pay more to get there. Again, I don't have enough direct experience to say that personally, but that's what I've heard. On the other hand, inverter-based machines are more expensive up front, and they have a bunch of computer circuitry in them, so if they break, you basically have to order a new board or component from the manufacturer. There's not much on them that you can repair yourself. Additionally, it remains to be seen whether inverter welders will have the staying power of transformer-based welders. There are fifty-plus-year-old Lincoln buzz-boxes that are still working today. If I blow a diode on my welder, I will be able to buy a new one from any electronics supply store. With an inverter-based machine, if, fifteen years from now, the manufacturer has discontinued the line, will they still be producing the circuit board that you just burned out? Maybe, but maybe not.

 

[kenmac]

Thanks to everybody that confirmed a 250 amp welder would be sufficient for these projects. I think the Lincoln Mig 256 has a rated output of 250 amps and an output range of 30 to 300 amps, so I should be in good shape with it. Lincoln is running a rebate on this one and several others until the end of July I believe. Either $200 off, free accessories, or a free Harris 300 or 510 cutoff torch.

This is the stick welder we have been using, just about 25 years older. AC225 Is this what you guys consider a "buzz box" because it sure does buzz when it is running. If you were to recommend a stick welder other than that one, what would you recommend?

The stick welder that you linked to is what I have. It was my dad's it's about 30 yrs old. I get by with it. I did a good amount of welding (for a living ) in my previous life with larger welders. I can get by with the old AC machine .If you aren't going to do any heavy duty welding I would just purchase this type (tome stone) (buzz box) welder in AC/DC. for around the home use.In the welding section. Shield Arc sells welders.You may won't to discuss with him what would be a good stick welder for home use.I can say for my needs the AC buzz box has been all I have needed

 

[joshuabardwell]

You know, I just thought of a third consideration: whether the welder has taps or infinite adjustment of output. The "tombstone" style welders typically have taps, which means you select the output amperage in 15-amp increments, or thereabouts. Some people have complained that under some circumstances, this can provide you with either too much heat or too little, but not "just right". With stick welding, there is generally tolerance for some variation in output, because you can adjust the heat to some degree by adjusting the arc gap. Nevertheless, infinitely adjustable output is a desirable feature, especially if you ever plan to branch out to scratch start TIG, which is more sensitive to having the right output amperage.

All inverter-based welders have infinite adjustment of output, as far as I know. Only some transformer-based welders do.

 

[kenmac]

You know, I just thought of a third consideration: whether the welder has taps or infinite adjustment of output. The "tombstone" style welders typically have taps, which means you select the output amperage in 15-amp increments, or thereabouts. Some people have complained that under some circumstances, this can provide you with either too much heat or too little, but not "just right". .

Yes, Mine is sometimes a little to hot or to cold (can't get an exact heat range) but, for home use and for the price you can't beat it & I can get by..Most of my welding is with the mig unless, I'm welding on some rusty stuff like my dump trailer yesterday

 

[FredH]

The 256 is the newer version of the 255 that my brother initially bought 4 or so years ago . Took it back and got a miller 212 as the 255 would not run off a generator , as in a miller bobcat . Per emails with Lincoln , the 255's electronic's were not designed to be ran off of a ranger or other similar generator . But off of straight household / shop current , the thing was awesome . He needed it to run off of the bobcat on occasion when he was in the field doing repairs . Better to have to big a welder than to small . And regarding " Tap " settings , Ask Shieldarc his thoughts on that , The Man has forgot more about welding than most of Us will ever know .

Fred H.

P.S. I Guess " Some People " Feel Number of Posts is " Better " than QUALITY of Posts !

 

[eddiebroadway]

A few pictures of my trailer, I bought Dexter 7,000lb axles and all the steel, wood, LED lights and hardware for $2300, it took about a month off and on to build. My welder is a ESAB Migmaster 250 with 75/25 Argon/CO2 mix, .035 wire. It is 102" wide and 20' long, hauls like a dream! And you can't buy a trailer with 38 tie down points!