Inexpensive Welding Solution?????

[kwolfe]

I found this at Lowes. It combines MAPP gas and Oxygene. It says that you can cut, braze and weld with it. Do you think it could be used for welding applications using standard 1/4" steel? Cheaper than a welder and the wife would not get mad.

Welding Kit

 

[Soundguy]

I think 1/4 is going to be dicey. If i were you.. I'd save up and get a pawn shop or garage sale buzz box.. or save up a bit more and get a hobart stickmate or lincoln ac model in the 240-260$ range and weld all the way up past 1/2" material.

Soundguy

 

[kwolfe]

So you think 1/4" would be too thick? I don't weld, but I figured for $50, I could give it a go. Maybe I should rethink?

 

[jeff_jeff]

I tried that (a long time ago) - the oxygen tank only lasts a few minutes, and is expensive to replace - by the time you make all your adjustments, you're out of fuel. It was OK for an occasional quick repair on thin metal, but that's about it.

 

[MadReferee]

That setup will NEVER weld 1/4" steel and hold. Sheet metal maybe but you will be wasting your hard earned money buying it. CHeck around at places like a pawn shop or CraigsList and get a cheap buzz box like Soundguy suggests. You won't regret it.

 

[kwolfe]

DARN! DARN! DARN! I thought I was on to something there.

 

[kwolfe]

OK, what thhe heck is a buzz box. Keep in mind, I know nothing about welding. I am a fast learner. I am looking for the cheapest way to be able to make metal stick together. It does not need to be pretty, just functional.

I saw some arc welders at HF for under $100. I would like to be able to plug this into the existing wall outlet. Is that possible? I think that thickest thing I might every weld would be 1/2". And that would be rare. I could aslo weld two pieces of 1/4 together

 

[California]

DARN! DARN! DARN!

You would be saying worse than that if you bought it!

I used one once to repair a broken mount for a car seat. Less than 1/8, maybe .060? The mass of that small object was more than it could heat well.

The finished repair was so bad that I had no faith in it.

And as others noted, this exhausted the expensive fuel and oxygen cylinders by the time I got going so I had to get more to complete the project.

Never again.

 

[California]

OK, what the heck is a buzz box. ... I am looking for the cheapest way to be able to make metal stick together.

Buzz box = AC arc welder. If you have a 220v dryer outlet handy then there are lots of old heavy cheap AC welders out there under $100. (I paid $50 at a yard sale.) If 'cheapest' isn't really the most important criteria then get an AC/DC version which is worth more.

Here are some cheap welders: Craigslist/Philadelphia/ Arc Welders under $200.

One of my first fabrication projects using mine - a rear forks attachment to go on the Quick Hitch. Cheap, crude, strong:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...71849399-pallet-forks-rear-3-pt-p1050892r.jpg

 

[Tig]

I just replaced my $100 arc welder (70A) with a $100 flux wire welder (90A). It's still a toy but I am much happier with it. Both are better suited to material in the 1/8" range. If I had to do larger material I would tack it together myself and then take to someone with a real welder to finish up.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Though I also recommend a used buzz box too, my $100 HF 90A toy wire welder has sure got a lot of my work done without having to drag the old tombstone thru the creek

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I picked up an old used 230 Amp AC stick welder a year ago. I paid way too much for it, but I've still gotten every penny back out of it. I love that I have the option of turning it up hot if I want/need to.

You've got to think about consumables too. Most of the price of that little unit at Lowe's is gas. You may get into it for $50 today, but tomorrow you'll have half again that much into more cylinders. You could probably pay a guy to weld as much for the same price.

$25 worth of electrodes will weld a lot of steel.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I got one of those little kits from lowes. Returned it 3 days later.
It mite have welded 3/32 stock. But it sure wouldn't cut anything.
And the tanks don't last long at all. Thing was a waste of money.
Didn't think they would let me return it but they did and I sure was glad.

I have one of them little Harbor Freight Hobby Arc 110 stick welders.
I got mine off ebay for five dollars + shipping. Works great for what I do.
If I need any big stuff welded I can tack it together and take it to a welding
shop. That way I don't have to pay him for all the setup time on my parts.

Save your 50 bucks till you get enough to get a real setup instead of a toy.

Pooh Bear

Hobby Arc 120 Stick Welder at Harbor Freight

 

[DieselPower]

Tourch welding is a art. It can be done and done close to as good as electric welding but that tiny little tourch sure wouldn't do it, maybe sheet metal. To do proper tourch welding you would need a full size tourch cart setup with a good size tip to do 1/4 inch plate. Like everyone else has suggested buy a small buzz box, you will be much happier with it.

 

[kwolfe]

OK, I get it. I will start looking. So what is the BARE minimum I need. Keep in mind that I will be mostly welding 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Most on the 1/4 side. These are implements I will be using with my bx1500. I don't need pretty, I just need it to stick.

 

[gemini5362]

OK, I get it. I will start looking. So what is the BARE minimum I need. Keep in mind that I will be mostly welding 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Most on the 1/4 side. These are implements I will be using with my bx1500. I don't need pretty, I just need it to stick.

You are going to need a serious welder to weld 1/2 inch unless you can do multiple passes. Just out of curiosity what do you weld that is 1/2 inch thick ?
most of the welding i do is from 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch and very little of the 3/8 stuff. check your local paper and watch for auctions where garages or buisnesses have gone out of buisness. They will have stick welders for sale (aka buzz box) get one of those that are around 200 amp or higher and then try to take an adult education class to learn how to use it. You can learn to weld with a mig easier but the good migs for up to 3/8 inch are about 1000.00 + new and I very rarely see one used.

 

[GaryE]

OK, I get it. I will start looking. So what is the BARE minimum I need. Keep in mind that I will be mostly welding 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Most on the 1/4 side. These are implements I will be using with my bx1500. I don't need pretty, I just need it to stick.

"I don't need pretty, I just need it to stick. " These things are NOT mutually exclusive.


I have learned to stay out of the "welding" threads... But if you are planing on doing any welding, please look into local adult ed or tech school classes. You will find you will learn more in a few nights than you can ever learn on line. You won't regret it!!!

 

[thingy]

You see genimi,,thats how you weld,,multiple passes,,you don't weld 1/2 inch or even quater inch in one pass,,you make the root pass,,you grind,,brush,,than you either stringer or weave,keep going,,etc,,,who ever started that stuff of this mig will weld this thick,,oughta be shot,,,you can weld 3 inch steel with .035 wire on mig,,,you can weld 3 inch steel with a 1/8 rod,or even a 3/32,,,,,thingy

 

[gemini5362]

You see genimi,,thats how you weld,,multiple passes,,you don't weld 1/2 inch or even quater inch in one pass,,you make the root pass,,you grind,,brush,,than you either stringer or weave,keep going,,etc,,,who ever started that stuff of this mig will weld this thick,,oughta be shot,,,you can weld 3 inch steel with .035 wire on mig,,,you can weld 3 inch steel with a 1/8 rod,or even a 3/32,,,,,thingy

Thingy you are 100 per cent correct.

Remember patience is a virtue, unfortunatly it is not one of mine. I dont like to have to grind, brush, stringer or weave ( whatever that means) etc. I like to make one pass. It is welded and go on to the next fun thing.

 

[thingy]

Well,,well,,and another well,,,,you gotta be burning very hot and have a special don't fall out the bottom joint to be making 1/2 inch welds in one pass,,,generally speaking,,most of us never weld any thing much thicker than 1/4 inch,,,did you know,,if you weld over a weld,,you trap slag,,of course you did,,,,which makes it weaker,,,,sure,,,,,heat means distortion,,yeah,,I know,,heard that too,,,but,,,,who in the **** is to busy to do a job right,,,,that mig marketer who invented this,,my machine will weld 1/4 inch in one pass,,,musta been a genious,,,,but,,,still,,thats not how you go about welding something,,,no matter how they advertise them,,,,,,thingy