Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for?

   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #11  
I'll second the auto-darkening helmet recommendation.

I had a Harbor Frieght one ($60)and it was pretty good but the inner lense got scratched (probably my fault).

I just bought a Miller Big Window Elite ($220) and it is much nicer. I also think it will be harder for me to scratch the lense on this one as it does a better job of sealing the inner lense so I won't have to clean it as often. It also comes with lots of replacement outer lenses which I think you have to special order from HF. The Miller is much more sensitive and responsive. I'm pretty sure it is a better helmet but the other one served me well for a few months.

I'd probably have cleaner lenses if I didn't use flux-core wire all the time but like I said - I'm lazy.

Welding is highly addictive. You start to look for projects everywhere.
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #12  
Well, I've got one of the inexpensive Lincoln wire-feed welders, I've had it about 10 years. It's a Weldpak 100 and it uses .035 flux-cored wire (so it doesn't need gas) and it runs off of 110 volts. I put the adaptor on it to accept 10 pound spools.

For 75% of my welding needs, it's great. It'll easily weld up to 3/16 inch thick stuff, thicker than that I can still weld it but it takes more effort. And since it's 110 volts and lightweight, I can run a heavy-gauge extension cord and weld stuff in the yard.

An ideal use for it: welding up the cracks in the mower deck. It's very easy to use, you put the gun where you want to weld, then squeeze the trigger. The deck is 10 gauge sheet metal, so using a regular stick welder would be much more difficult.

So I'd recommend it for a beginner who just needs to make simple projects. Oh, it even came with a video to show you how...

Now it's not perfect. For heavier stuff, I'd love to have more current. Also, the duty cycle is fine for small jobs, but long runs of heavier welding has once or twice caused the thermal breaker to kick in...no problem, just let it cool off fifteen minutes...

I wouldn't use this to weld up a trailer hitch on my truck (wouldn't trust the penetration) but for most anything else I'd recommend it. I've made an engine hoist, a 3-point hitch lift pole/drawbar, lathe stand, numerous brackets, and lots of tiny repair jobs (where it really excels). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #13  
Man! I'm with you! Learn on a stick (preferably DC as AC is what they use to electocute criminals). I'm with the bunch that needed a welder and a generator. Found a Miller Trailblazer with only 11 hours on it. Also got 75 feet of HD leads. If you learn on a stick, MIG will be second nature. If you learn on MIG, you'll still have to learn stick......My $.02. BobG in VA
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #14  
"Learn on a stick (preferably DC as AC is what they use to electocute criminals)."

I would rather get accidentaly shocked with AC since it is supposed to cause your muscles to clench and then relax which should blow you away. The DC should just cause all your muscles to contract and you will be stuck there eating amps. If I was zapping a criminal to death I would think that DC would be more effective.

DC is a better welder though since it sucks the metal to the workpiece and allows the puddle to stay where you put it instead of running off. A new Lincoln, 220 volt, AC stick welder is 250$ at walmart and can weld 1/2" in one pass. 5 lbs of rods from home depot is 8$ and will last most folks all day.

I bought the harbor freight auto darkening helmet years ago and still love it. Best 50$ I could have spent on a welding helmet.

I run the welder from a plug at home or from my 5500 watt coleman generator for field work.
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #15  
"...(preferably DC as AC is what they use to electocute criminals)...."

Actually this myth dates all the way back to Thomas Edison. Edison's power system was DC, the competition (Westinghouse) was AC (the theory of which Edison did not understand). Edison tried to brag that AC would kill but his DC wouldn't so he convinced the nation's first electric chair to use AC. His sales pitch failed--because the chair did not supply enough voltage for the current to pass through the condemned...the man was slowly cooked to death... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Edison's competition could easily have demonstrated the lethal effects of DC if they had needed, but Edison had already lost credibility over the incident, and the advantages of AC power transmission were already becoming apparent to industrial users. Edison soon lost control of GE....

In reality, it doesn't matter whether it's AC or DC. Get more than a hundred or so miiliamps through the heart, things are grim. (I've been bit by high-voltage DC and it's no fun.)
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #16  
Just another 2 cent worth. I think the mig will do a better job for you. a small unit will do about anything you want to do. Also FYI HF June side walk sale will have a Hobart handler 125 for $300.00, $250.00 off normal price.
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #17  
<font color="blue">You don't need a class, you need practice. </font>

As they say, what's it take to learn to weld? Practice, practice, practice...

BUT you also need someone with experience that can show you what a real weld looks like, and help point out what you are doing wrong...

So a class CAN BE VERY HELPFUL...IF...the instructor is a weldor.

I never welded AC so I don't know if DC is much better or not. I like DC welding...and would spend a little extra for a DC stick welder from day one. Auto darkening helmet rules for the learner in my limited experience.

By the way, being able to see what you are doing is VERY important. I did not realize I was not seeing what I was doing until I got a cheater lens for my helmet. This is a kind of manifying lens that clips inside the helmet, and allows you to use your regular glasses and see the weld pool, while wearing your regular glasses.

With practice you really can do pretty nice welds with a stick machine. MIG is faster and easier to make a pretty weld. Pretty is not always strong. Again, having an experienced eye evaluate your work is priceless if you are wanting to learn to do good, strong welds, stick, mig, whatever.

This is my limited experience anyway... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #18  
It's been 30 yrs, but I took a community ed class for almost nothing. The real advantage to taking a class where you can make a weld, then cut it apart to look at how strong it is, will really help you learn faster.

Most of what I weld is 1/8" or larger. My 30 yr old tombstone Lincoln does a great job. Use 6013 and it can be rusty or painted and if you can get the arc going, it will weld.

I was almost to buy a mig, when I bought an autodarkening helmet. Now I'm not sure I need one. I like the splatter free (or less) of gas w/ Mig, and might go with that someday. But not right now.

For the cheapest way to get into welding, go with stick + auto dark helmet. Of course, then you need right angle grinder, chop saw, and a supply of steel.

Have fun,
ron
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #19  
EddieWalker found him a welder that can also do the dishes...I think thats a nice feature to look for.
 
   / Looking for a Welder what should I be looking for? #20  
I think that you should find a friend or a class to teach you to the basics of welding before you blow money on a machine. Some people will tell you MIG. Some say learn with stick. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The welder that you select should also be what fits your needs. For example: if I was welding different alloys, hard surfacing, cast iron, etc... I would go with a stick machine. The base model machines are usually pretty cheap. On the down side the learning curve is longer, and it is slower.
If I was welding mainly mild steel or the same type of steel day in day out most of the time I would choose MIG if I could afford it. It is easier to learn, productivity is usually quicker, welds can be slag and splatter free. But these machines usually cost more out of the gate.
It's almost as difficult as deciding which color of tractor to buy.
I really think that you should have some one teach you so you can try each method before jumping in.
 

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