Interested in learning how to weld

[woodlandfarms]

I am a self taught welder, and for me, a crappy welder. My stuff works, but would work better if I had time for a class. I started on a Lincoln Tombstone (Huge, Reliable, unkillable - but old technology). My wife got me a mig (lincoln 180C) but due to the fact I do not have a walled shop, and am too lazy to switch over to flux, It doesn't get much use. I bought an Everlast 200 for the price I sold my Tombstone and love it. Points above should help.

Power. OK, imo, you are doomed. as we all are. You will run a 50 AMP leg in (you know, this is something you can probably do yourself unless you have lots of money). Anyway, you will run one 50 amp leg, and in a year you are going to want a plasma cutter. And with that, the sudden realization that your little 110 compressor is not good enough and you need a 220 on its own circuit.

For me welding is addictive. Probably because as opposed to wood, it can look like crap and still be considered workable.

For your first welding project, you should build your welding table. Right of passage I was told by an older welder.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I am a self taught welder, and for me, a crappy welder. My stuff works, but would work better if I had time for a class. I started on a Lincoln Tombstone (Huge, Reliable, unkillable - but old technology). My wife got me a mig (lincoln 180C) but due to the fact I do not have a walled shop, and am too lazy to switch over to flux, It doesn't get much use. I bought an Everlast 200 for the price I sold my Tombstone and love it. Points above should help.

Power. OK, imo, you are doomed. as we all are. You will run a 50 AMP leg in (you know, this is something you can probably do yourself unless you have lots of money). Anyway, you will run one 50 amp leg, and in a year you are going to want a plasma cutter. And with that, the sudden realization that your little 110 compressor is not good enough and you need a 220 on its own circuit.

For me welding is addictive. Probably because as opposed to wood, it can look like crap and still be considered workable.

For your first welding project, you should build your welding table. Right of passage I was told by an older welder.

 

[dragoneggs]

I am a self taught welder, and for me, a crappy welder. My stuff works, but would work better if I had time for a class. I started on a Lincoln Tombstone (Huge, Reliable, unkillable - but old technology). My wife got me a mig (lincoln 180C) but due to the fact I do not have a walled shop, and am too lazy to switch over to flux, It doesn't get much use. I bought an Everlast 200 for the price I sold my Tombstone and love it. Points above should help.

Power. OK, imo, you are doomed. as we all are. You will run a 50 AMP leg in (you know, this is something you can probably do yourself unless you have lots of money). Anyway, you will run one 50 amp leg, and in a year you are going to want a plasma cutter. And with that, the sudden realization that your little 110 compressor is not good enough and you need a 220 on its own circuit.

For me welding is addictive. Probably because as opposed to wood, it can look like crap and still be considered workable.

For your first welding project, you should build your welding table. Right of passage I was told by an older welder.

My first project was just that... I salvaged an old craftsman rollaway I pulled out of the dumpster at the recycle station. fixed up the drawers, put casters on the bottom. Then welded a piece of 2ft by 4ft by 1/2in thick plate table top onto the thin sheet metal of a tool cabinet. Talk about not pretty... and I won't show you the welds, but it works!

View attachment 450793

 

[jack707]

The mig is easer to pick up but I would learn on stick 6010 and 7018 both dig deeper then mig.

 

[Shield Arc]

Depends on who's running the Mig!

 

[dragoneggs]

Depends on who's running the Mig!

Are you up to three weeks exp yet?

 

[Shield Arc]

Has it been that long already? WOW!:shocked:

 

[Al 2]

Don't forget the 'bell's and whistles'. Auto helmet, hand grinders, 3 at least, each with a different disc .One cut off and a hard grinding wheel and a flexible one. Can usually pick them up for $20.00. Not industrial grade but ok for home shop type work. Chop saw and band saw bench vice and as many vice grips as you can afford. Oxy / Propane torch and the list goes on.
Al

 

[Gary Fowler]

For all around use, I still think an AC/DC stick rod machine cant be beat for the average farm shop. With the right assortment of rods, one can weld just about any thing with one of those and by adding a TIG torch and bottle, there is no limit to what can be done (assuming the welding experience is there). I have always said that an inexperienced MIG operator can put in more defective material in 5 minutes than a grinder can take out in half an hour.
A properly set MIG can be a joy to weld with, but when one is acting up, they are frustrating to say the least. There are lots of variables to contend with when troubleshooting a malfunctioning MIG and a novice will be pulling out all his hair trying to figure out what is wrong. A DC stick machine is much easier to correct any problem, just turn the dial up or down to correct 99% of problems with an ugly weld assuming that you have followed all the pre-weld requirements of cleaning, electrode selection, and fit-up.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I almost forgot, a properly equipped farm shop must have an oxy-acetylene torch with some brazing tips also. A DC machine and the OA torch can fix just about anything used by a tractor on the farm.