Welding virgin needs direction ...

[Mark @ Everlast]

Check around locally at your high schools and local tech schools. They often have adult continuing education classes or young farmer classes (you don't have to be young) that will give you a chance to take some cheap or free classes. Even the local ag teacher may be willing to take you under his wing to give you some pointers.

 

[beppington]

The problem will be you'll like welding so much you'll be looking for projects to make once you get the hang of it.....it's addictive:thumbsup:

After reading these responses & thinking about it some more, I figure this is probably true. I have always been a do-almost-everything-myselfer, only just with wood. I've considered learning metal/ welding for quite a while, then recently got a tractor, then realize you guys could probably direct me. Thank you, & I'm still reading ... Oh, & I do have a local comm. coll. that has a lite welding course; I'm looking into signing up for it.

 

[Egon]

coll. that has a lite welding course; I'm looking into signing up for it.
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If that is the case maybe wait till after the course and then reevaluate the type of welder you will want.

 

[lostcause]

If that is the case maybe wait till after the course and then reevaluate the type of welder you will want.

eh, once you start repairing and building things, you'll think of a lot of other things you want to fix and build, and one welder probably won't do it all. with anyone taking a class, i'd think that you'll probably learn stick first, and no matter what, it's hard to live without a stick welder anyways. shop craigslist for a used one in your area.

a name brand ac only stick can be had for $250 new, and an ac/dc is around $550 new. often you can find a good condition used ones for about half price, and if you are really lucky, sometimes someone will sell an ac/dc at the price of an ac unit, not knowing there is a difference.

course, if i didn't have anything, i'd also keep watch for a small wire feed (preferably with mig capability) if i could get it at a great price. i have no prejudices against the little 120v ones either. they're incredibly useful once you learn what they can do.

the nice thing about buying a stick welder or small wire feed is that they are inexpensive. it's not a huge outlay of cash to get into them, so if you find that you don't enjoy the hobby, it's not your life savings lost. if you buy used and take care of them, likely you can get nearly as much as you paid for them if you want to resell them.

 

[maybar]

Welding is just like sex. POSITION - POSITION - POSITION

Much more important than what ah, ah ,ah what welder you have.

 

[woodlandfarms]

If money is an issue, I found amazing deals on Craigslist. My Lincoln AC/DC tombstone (stick welder) was $100. Runs like a champ. Good wirefeeds can be had used, but lots are worn out and it might take someone with experience to confirm the equipment quality.

Definitly get into a class if you can, lots to learn as I have found out. But yeah, you get addicted to it quick. I have a long list of the things I want to do.

Carl

 

[radioman]

After reading these responses & thinking about it some more, I figure this is probably true. I have always been a do-almost-everything-myselfer, only just with wood. I've considered learning metal/ welding for quite a while, then recently got a tractor, then realize you guys could probably direct me. Thank you, & I'm still reading ... Oh, & I do have a local comm. coll. that has a lite welding course; I'm looking into signing up for it.

I was just like you before. Handy with my hands, never touched a welder but seen them being used. I just went out and got a wire feed 110v welder from TSC thinking i won't use it much, but I used alot more then I thought I would. Its time now for me to move up to a stick buzz box for deeper, thicker welding. Thinking back, I DO wish I had someone teach me with welding, but eithe never had the time or classes was at wrong time for me. The guys got it right, most of my mistakes could've been avoided if I knew the tips for certain things, like preheating, gun control, etc.

SO either go take one class on welding to get the idea what you want to get, or get a 110V one like I did so you can use it anywhere and weld away on old bed frames for now learning as you go. I am not an expert yet, but I been able to make a 3 pt hitch for my tractor with 110v welder and move 8000lbs with it and still holding.

 

[smfcpacfp]

The problem will be you'll like welding so much you'll be looking for projects to make once you get the hang of it.....it's addictive:thumbsup:

On the other hand the more likely scenario is that someone buys a cheap welder doesn't know what they are doing, gets frustrated and it sits in the corner gathering dust. Taking the course before you buy a welder is an excellent way to go to decide if it is something you might like to do and allows you to see different types of welding processes in action.

If you are going to weld very infrequently why not consider an O/A torch setup which gives you the ability to cut as well as weld. Granted welding with a torch is difficult to do well.

 

[timswi]

I have a stick and a mig...Never had any formal training. If you don't want to, or can't take a class, find various thicknesses of leftover steel and practice-practice-practice.

A 110v mig is great for sheet metal and up to around <1/8 steel if you get good at it.

A 220v stick is good for anything above 1/8 until you get the hang of it...Then you can wind down.

There are warpage, penetration and strength issues with both. It will take a while to learn how to lay down a good bead...Once you do, you'll be welding everything in site. Patience is required for this, don't get frustrated. Most mistakes are going too fast and not penetrating enough.

One of my first mig welds was buzzing a piece of rod onto a septic tank cover lift handle that had rotted out...Handy?...Yes.

 

[RobertBrown]

I'd only be welding probably a few times a year at best.

Thank you

You'll be welding a lot more than that if you don't know what you need to know to make implements
It'll cost more over the long run if you buy the wrong machine and start breaking welds. There are some safety concerns as well. You need to learn a little before you make that purchase. Shadetree welding is not rocket science, but like anything else, you need to find out what you don't know and make a qualified decision/purchase. If you get that right you'll have no regrets about purchasing or investing the time to get "up to speed" so to speak.
I have a miller-matic 200, 240 vac wire welder. I feel I got a good deal on so I laid out more cash than most would for a welder I'm not making a living with.
It's kind of like buying a tractor for some people: You don't know how bad you needed it until you have it.