Total welding newie here

[CNC Dan]

Here's a short clip from some of the best made welding videos out there

GMAW Mig Welding | Wire Feed Welding - YouTube

Each course (mig, stick, gas, etc) runs about $25, the photography is clear enough you can actually tell what he's talking about - if that's not what you're looking for, here's a free site for ANY type of welding by a guy who does it all

Welding Tips and Tricks - TIG, MIG, Stick and a pantload of other info

Or, you could move to Tacoma - Shield has been known to help a newby or three ...Steve

I can also recommend those sources of information. I bought the stick welding DVDs, and welding tips and tricks has the best videos on YouTube.

 

[jwmorris]

That said, you need to learn how to do a proper weld before you jump into your first project. I think you'll need at least a couple weeks practice.

This is good advice. Mig welding is the best process for making a great looking weld that has little strength. You can lay down a beauty with a MIG that has less strength than a "booger" with a stick.

Die penetrant tests exist for this exact reason.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I will second the 220v idea. I have never had a machine that had more power than I could control (have a 565 amp machine that I can weld sheet metal with) but most of the 115v wire welders peter out around 1/4" and even then only good for 30% duty cycle.

Easy to learn on more machine than you need, much harder to learn with a machine you are asking more out of it than it can do.

Regarding the common thought on 120V welders....
There is a lot of confusion about this.

First, most 120V welders are about 20% duty cycle at 90 amps, even though they are rated at 140 amps. The maximum amps are theoretical based on wire speed and in most cases require super high input amps to reach maximum amperage.

Second, the 140E i-MIG we sell from Everlast is capable of 140 amps at 35% duty cycle when compared to a Miller or Lincoln equivalent transformer model, that's a huge difference. 140 amps is considered enough to make pass after pass with a 1/8" 7018 on pipe and other structures...it should be enough for MIG...though there are admittedly different variables at play. But being able to get more practical heat out of an inverter changes the equation a lot...by 50 amps or more. Sure 90 amps is low, and really doesn't build enough heat for heavy weldments, but 140 amps is doable. Add in the 100% CO2 ability, penetration and heat will be hot enough for most any multi pass welding that most people will ever do.

I guess it is going to be open to debate, but I think inverters are a game changer in this. And with ours at less than 400.00 with shipping, (TBN pricing) I think people will be willing to give it a try.

 

[Shield Arc]

When it comes to Mig welding, I' am just like Tim Taylor on Tool Time. MORE POWER! :laughing:

 

[Carol in CA]

So guys, anybody in San Diego county wanna show me how and mentor me a bit?

 

[Shield Arc]

Carol I would love to help you, but I'm way to far north. Maybe think about running an ad in your local Craigs list. Few years ago there was a guy here that did that. I don't remember what he charged. There is nothing better than one on one instruction!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I've been welding with GMAW (most people call it MIG) for over 40 years, and like others have said, there's no substitute for power. I worked my way through college using 300 amp Miller welders on chipper box 16 ga. steel and they worked great. Crank 'em up and you can run spray transfer on some really heavy plate. But that was at a company and in those days they were $3000+ machines. When I retired I wanted something I could fix a tractor with and not break the bank, and I ended up with a 180 amp Lincoln Power MIG 180C. I just finished a quick mount adapter for a pair of fork lift tines, and the machine stayed on the highest settings for every weld. Most of the steel was over 1/4" and all the welds were multi pass. It did the job, but I really wish I had one of those old transformer rectifier Millers and a hookup with enough current to drive it.

As far as training goes, find a community college that offers adult education classes and sign up. You'll get maybe eight or ten weeks of one night a week for a few hours and you'll learn everything you need to know. GMAW, especially with the modern machines with easy to understand presets, is very easy. Mine has a chart on the door that covers the wire feed, and I just read the row for the thickness I'm welding and set the wire feed and voltage dials for the wire size and shielding gas/flux core wire I'm using. Haven't found a bad setting yet. Starting the arc is easy: Just line up the gun and pull the trigger. Use shielding gas instead of flux core and it's easy to see the arc and puddle. Once you get the hang of bracing yourself so you can move smoothly, you can make some really nice looking welds and since you had someone show you how to do it, they'll be as strong as they look. Best of all, you're learning on someone else's equipment, and by the end of the class you'll have a pretty good idea of what makes a good machine. The instructor and most of the students will also have good ideas on where to buy one or maybe even know where you can get a good used machine. And they'll be able to tell you what protective gear to get, and you can try out a few different helmets to see what's comfortable.

Hope that helps...

 

[Carol in CA]

You would think so, sjmarbu. Tried that route. But the programs at ROP and the community college are geared for folks wanting to get into welding as a career. They do not welcome hobbyists. And they are clear about that. I have looked at the Youtube videos and am willing to purchase videos as well. Its that initial leap into the pool where I'd like to have some help.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Carol,
Check your local high schools. A lot of them have adult continuing education classes and offer welding courses from the ag teachers or vo tech teachers for minimal fees. Or contact your local young farmer's organization which specialize in this type of thing. They are a valuable resource and promote ag ed and things related to ag in general. Welding is definitely one of them.

 

[Tor Arne]

Find a steel yard and buy a bunch of cutoffs and try to weld on so you can find out how to adjust the machine befor trying on a project. I started welding when I was 12-13 years old with an old Norweld machine and some scrap, the first welding seams looked like chicken s**t but when you have burned a few hundred meters of wire you begin to get an idea of ​​how to adjust the machine for a better result.