Welder question...

[Tractor Seabee]

I have welded all my life (80+), O/A and SMAW (arc). Learned in high school and parlayed later into being an industrial pipefitter and welder. At the school we were started out on straight arc to learn the fundamentals and puddle control for position work then moved to O/A doing the same. First paid job where pipe welding was involved; foreman asked me if I could weld (I had little production welding till then). It was O/A all positions involved. I said yeah I can do it, he was skeptical but let me go. Came back and hour later, watched me and reviewed my previous work. I was there 6 months as a pipe welder both O/A and SMAW.

Have fitted for MIG and TIG welders but never learned to do it. I have never had a reason to use TIG for my own work. I am Leery of the small MIG machines, I have seen too many welds that are not will fused into the base metal, just laid on top. Most hobby guys do not use enough heat to get adequate penetration. If I do a butt weld the penetration has to be all the way through the joint with on crack on the other side. In my opinion a 120V MIG flux core is a sheet metal to 1/16th welder only. Trying to build up a butt weld on 1/4" and thicker has to be tedious. That is 1/8" rod and larger for me. I set the heat so the first 1" of flux gets black. I was a certified ASME power piping and pressure vessel welder both SMAW and O/A in my younger days.

Garage sale or CL AC buzz box is a great way to get started; usually between $50 and $150. You will need 30A 240V outlet. HF hood, gloves, grinder, chipper, wire brush and some 6011 and 6013 rod and you are running. Do not buy the small rod packages. Get at least 10# at a time cost wise. A 50# bulk can of each and you will be a pro buy the time you use it up. That is what we did at the school, each had a 50# can to burn up. Practice all positions. You can burn a lot of rod in 4 hours. Then if you want MIG get a quality machine with shielding gas ($1500 or so)

Practice! Practice! Makes Perfect. $5K will buy a lot of welding rod and scrap. LOL

Ron

 

[Motorboatin]

I hire kids from the local community college welding program and I know they aren't paying 5k for their classes. I think it's around $300 per class and you'll only need to take two or three classes to get you going

 

[coxhaus]

I think welding classes at the local community college is the way to go to learn welding. They will set you on the right path.

I am no pro welder but I have taken a couple of welding classes at my local community college and I can fix some things. I also think 110v welders are for sheet metal. 1/4 inch plate should be welded with a 220v welder or maybe gas but I am not very good at running a puddle with gas so I would use a 220v welder. Now days you can buy 220v welders for not a lot of money. I say stick to Miller, Lincoln or Hobart. I think HD has a Lincoln 180 for not too much. You can buy Hobart at Tractor Supply. There are also online places to buy welders. You can buy used. I bought a Hobart 250 amp MIG used out of a University for cheap $500. Stick welders are the cheapest for heavy plate. I have a 40 year old Wards stick 295 amp welder that was made by Union Carbide that has worked for me for many years. But the classic stick welder is the old Lincoln tombstone. They are every where on craigslist. For $100 you would have a good welder for 1/4 plate. The problem with stick welders is they do not weld sheet metal so that is where the 110v MIG welders come into play.

 

[ovrszd]

Dale and Randy have the ideal starter MIG Welder, the Hobart 140. It can be used with flux core wire so you don't need a bottle of gas.

Since you don't have the goal of being a heavy metal professional the 140 will do anything you attempt. The success or lack of it will always be on your personal ability and not the welder's shortcoming.

I use Miller products. A little more pricey. Great quality product and easy access to parts.

 

[boomer1025]

Mark from Everlast welders is a site member and can set you up with a good welder at a good price.
Check out the Power Arc 140, 160 & 200 stick welders.
I have the PA 140 and it welds anything I need. If I was to get another one it would be the PA 200.

 

[WranglerX]

If you guys are having trouble with doing MIG this short video will help you identify problem and how to correct it...

How NOT TO Weld: Most Common MIG Welding Mistakes - YouTube

I gave up stick welding many (15) years ago (180 amp lincoln tombstone) thinking I was never going to do anymore welding, about 7 years ago I picked up HH 140 MIG, it's handled every project I have thrown at it and stuff BIGGER than sheet metal....

Stick welder cannot seem to understand MIG is simpler easier and just as good for anything less that building bridges or skyscrapers.... This is why almost all automated processes (robotic) use MIG concepts....

Only issue is for about 5% of my work I wished I had stepped up to a 240V MIG ( and silly me I have two 240V outlets in shop) .... But then preheats and multipass bead seem to get me by...

Dale

 

[herm0016]

i also have the Hobart handler 140. Its a great small machine and its nice to throw it in a big rubbermaid with all the stuff i need and bring it to the work. handles everything i have done. trailer repairs, rebuilding an old 6 way blade, small stuff up to 3/8.

 

[coxhaus]

I guess you know the duty cycle on a Hobart 140 is 2 minutes out of 10 minutes at 90 amps. If you are trying to well heavy plate wide open it must take all day because the duty cycle is even shorter.

I have to say I do like Hobart machines. And I have 3 of them. I think they are the best buys out there.

 

[/pine]

I guess you know the duty cycle on a Hobart 140 is 2 minutes out of 10 minutes at 90 amps. If you are trying to well heavy plate wide open it must take all day because the duty cycle is even shorter.

I have to say I do like Hobart machines. And I have 3 of them. I think they are the best buys out there.

Who the **** attempts to do heavy production work with a 110V welder ??

BTW... In addition to a Handler...I have a 140A 115V MIG welder that runs at 100% duty cycle...

 

[WranglerX]

I guess you know the duty cycle on a Hobart 140 is 2 minutes out of 10 minutes at 90 amps. If you are trying to well heavy plate wide open it must take all day because the duty cycle is even shorter.

I have to say I do like Hobart machines. And I have 3 of them. I think they are the best buys out there.

In all my MIG welding with HH 140 (7 years now) I have never run up against duty cycle (overheat) shut down.... If you think about it 2 minutes (+/- ) is a long time... And you have to come up for air at some point....

Dale