Thinking About Buying a Welder

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I am considering buying a welder. This is a pretty daunting task considering I have never welded before. I would like to get something pretty inexpensive and try to learn on my own. Is this a good or bad plan? How much should I expect to spend? If you have an opinion, chime in. I'm like Ross Perot, all ears.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Define your tasks, let the tasks dictate the type of welder you buy. This is similar advice as I give to people looking at tractors.

I am (at my most optimistic moments) a HOBBIEST welder. I learned how to weld with a torch about 20 years ago and found it fun. I've recently purchased my second MIG welder, this one cost me about $1300. I could have bought cheaper but I wanted some specific features. My old welder was a $350 gasless wire feed MIG.

But really the inexpesive little MIG welders can be useful for fixing broken welds, welding bucket hooks, but not to great for building things from scratch. This is one of those areas where your budget can go for $350 to $1500 very quickly.

It is fun to play around with welding steel, so try to figure out realistically what you want to do then see what you can find that will do that.

 

[Rgillard]

My advice is to go for it. I bought a welder about two years ago. I did a 10 week evening course in my local community centre but looking back my neighbour could have taught me as much in a few hours. Having a welder opens so many doors and is probably the most used tool in my garage. My welder is just a basic arc welder and cost about 150 euro ~200 dollars. Mig is a lot easier to get the hang of but they are usually dearer. You will not regret buying one anyway.

 

[RonR]

Hobby welding is theraputic for me! Right now I have a Lincoln buzz box about 30 yrs old. Works great, but I'm drooling over a mig.

I would recommend you take some training, even is some of it is not benefical to you. What is beneficial will help you a lot.

More practice doing bad welding doesn't help you much. A class might assist.

Best wishes,
ron

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Thanks for the replies so far. Now I'm really going to show my ignorance. What's the difference between MIG and TIG? Which should a novice start with?

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Read this it is in simple English for people like you and me to understand: Mig versus Tig . . .

 

[Nat]

The first year Vickie and I were married she bought me a Craftsman 225 AC welder for christmas. If anyone knew how many trailers, woodsplitters, wood stove ect that thing has welded , they would crack up. I worked all the overtime I could get and then came home and welded on the side to make ends meet. We have been married for 32 years and I still have the same welder and same wife, love em' both.
Anyone needs a welder especialy anyone who does any farming, so no matter what kind you buy , by all means buy one.

 

[GaryE]

I recommend checking into your local adult education classes. Most will be starting up with in the next few weeks. Most offer welding classes. Take a welding course, you will get hands on info that will answer most if not all of your questions. You will not be sorry.


Good luck,

Gary

 

[txdon]

TNhobbyfarmer, Last winter I took a semester of welding at the local community college. It cost about $250 but I guarantee you, I used that much in supplies. The first night I burned 50 rods. The "Kids" really got into helping me with my projects.

I remember when they laughed at me for making a welded heart the week before Valentines Day. Then I caught a bunch of them doing the same a day before Valentines. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Made me laugh especially when they came back with their success stories.

We were showed videos and the instructor would demonstrate and evaluate. I got with the instructor before hand and told him I was only taking to course to learn the basics for the farm and will not be completing the two year course. I did a lot of stick at the beginning and then MIG and just a bit of TIG. I ended up buying an expensive portable MIG that I can weld everything I need to anywhere I want to...so far.

The level of penetration will probably be the hardest to determine if you try it by yourself. Have fun go back to school for a semester!

Also #1 - get a good auto dark welding helmet. I think I would have quite the first day without mine.

Here is one site that I use to buy and compare prices.

If you insist on doing it by yourself I would suggest MIG. You will be able to skip the learning curve of keeping the ever melting rod the perfect distance from the metal while you are moving the molten bead.

 

[Larstan]

Hey Bob, just wanted to clarify for TNhobbyfarmer that the article you directed him to is a mig/mig, fluxcore compared to gas metal. Both generically called mig. Tig is a whole different animal, TIG (tungsten inert Gas) welding is kind of a cross between MIG (metal inert gas) and torch welding. With TIG you have a tungsten electrode shielded by an inert gas but you use a welding rod. Hope that was clear...... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif