What welder would be best??

[ferrari99]

You didn't say how much experience "you" have at fabrication thus far. If you post a couple example projects you have done it will be easier to guess what your level of experience is. And your project scale.

Sorry I can't guess what a $500 welder will do for you. I've never tried one. I have a Miller MIG that's rated for up to 10mm (on 220v) but some folks say I could have bought a better machine for a lot less $$$ than Miller. I'm curious but I just weld with what I have, which just might last me longer than I will be welding.

I see "duty cycle" mentioned often, but I have been welding for 40 years and have never had a welder shut off mid-weld. I don't weld all day. My day consists of cut, grind, fit, sit, weld a bit, and repeat. The welders I have used in the past 20 years have duty cycles of "20%" or perhaps less. The only observation I can offer is that "duty-cycle" has never come to mind beyond reading warning posts on the internet. And certainly not "in-use". If I have a longer weld to do that a pro wants to do in 8 minutes; it probably takes me 16 minutes anyway, which stands to reason my machine gets time to rest.

Be sure that the "consumables" for that brand are available for the next 20 years.

That looks like a good way to tie up a ferocious 9" angle grinder. Do you have a 2nd grinder (maybe 4 1/2") too? I'd say thats an OK $59 spent if you already have 2 grinders.

Only point I can make is that it's not a MIG! Although TIG and plasma cutting are interesting. I would say that if you're buying tools and already have a stick welder, do yourself a favor and add a MIG.

As far as experience I have only been welding for about 2 years max this might be caused by the fact that I am only 14 consequently I greatly appreciate everyone's input seeing as I'm only young. I built a 3x1.5m chicken tractor and a shed a similar size.

I agree about duty cycle by the time I grind setup and weld I don't think duty cycle will be a problem, one of the welders I am looking at has a 35% duty cycle.

Talking about consumables, I gather you can use rods from my stick welder in an inverter? Another thing is the price of rods compared to MIG wire a fair comparison.

Yes, I have a 9" grinder and a littler grinder I don't know of the top of my head what size it is 4.5in or 5in.

I think basically that plasma,inverter,tig machine is a piece of Chinese junk now.

I like the idea of a MIG but if the MIG I buy is a cheap Chinese one, and for the same money I can get a high quality inverter.

Would you suggest gas or gasless MIG I understand that a gasless MIG still produces slag so how is that better than an inverter?

I don't actually care if I get a MIG or an inverter as long as I can easily make high quality welds.

The inverter I am currently interested in is this one Everlast Welders PowerARC 140ST
Or this MIG RXT150P - Buy Welder Mig 150amp Gas/Gasless 10 Amp Plug - MIG Welders - WELDING | Gasweld

What do you use to remove slag? What do you think of these for that purpose: 530071 - Buy Brush Cup 1Row 3" Xm14X2.0 | Gasweld 534392 - Buy Air Hammer & Needle Scaler | Gasweld 534324 - Buy Air Hammer Chisel 6Pc Kit Case | Gasweld

We are on 240V here (not something really to be messed with).

Thanks so much for all your help so far,
ferrari99

 

[Gary Fowler]

As far as experience I have only been welding for about 2 years max this might be caused by the fact that I am only 14 consequently I greatly appreciate everyone's input seeing as I'm only young. I built a 3x1.5m chicken tractor and a shed a similar size.

I agree about duty cycle by the time I grind setup and weld I don't think duty cycle will be a problem, one of the welders I am looking at has a 35% duty cycle.

Talking about consumables, I gather you can use rods from my stick welder in an inverter? Another thing is the price of rods compared to MIG wire a fair comparison.

Yes, I have a 9" grinder and a littler grinder I don't know of the top of my head what size it is 4.5in or 5in.

I think basically that plasma,inverter,tig machine is a piece of Chinese junk now.

I like the idea of a MIG but if the MIG I buy is a cheap Chinese one, and for the same money I can get a high quality inverter.

Would you suggest gas or gasless MIG I understand that a gasless MIG still produces slag so how is that better than an inverter?

I don't actually care if I get a MIG or an inverter as long as I can easily make high quality welds.

The inverter I am currently interested in is this one Everlast Welders PowerARC 140ST
Or this MIG RXT150P - Buy Welder Mig 150amp Gas/Gasless 10 Amp Plug - MIG Welders - WELDING | Gasweld

What do you use to remove slag? What do you think of these for that purpose: 530071 - Buy Brush Cup 1Row 3" Xm14X2.0 | Gasweld 534392 - Buy Air Hammer & Needle Scaler | Gasweld 534324 - Buy Air Hammer Chisel 6Pc Kit Case | Gasweld

We are on 240V here (not something really to be messed with).

Thanks so much for all your help so far,
ferrari99

I took a look at that ROSS machine and I see that it does not come with gas regulator so it is not really a MIG capable machine until you get a $100 regulator and some hose to hook to it. As it comes (gasless) you can only use Flux Core (FCAW) welding which I have never had good luck making a porosity free weld with. For your info, MIG uses solid wire and the shielding gas comes from a bottle with a flow meter that you have to purchase separately. Fluxcore wire has a hollow core with some flux in it (think stick rod but instead of the flux on the outside, it is on the inside of the wire)to keep the oxygen from your weld puddle. I do hear that some brands of fluxcore wire will produce solid welds but they are all a pain to clean up the slag from, so get yourself some good wire brushes. Cup brushes are ok, but are hard to get into some spots, so I prefer a flat style like the grinding disk and always wear a good face shield and leather gloves and keep your shirt tucked in when grinding or brushing. You can get some nasty injuries from a wire wheel/grinding disk getting caught in your shirt tail which then pulls the grinder into your belly. Even if you only have a wire wheel on, you're going to look like you lost a fight with a large cat.
To get a good MIG machine I think you are going to be in the $750 range to come with a flow meter to feed the 75/25 Argon/CO2 mixed gas with. The shielding gas is another expense that you will have to deal with when using MIG. Nothing is free in this world and anything that is easy cost more money to do than something a bit harder like stick rod welding ( SMAW). If you already have a DC machine, you aren't going to change your weld quality much by getting an inverter machine. IT is still SMAW welding and may give a bit smoother arc with a bit easier start but weld quality is still dependent upon your skill to manipulate the rod correctly. A good welder will not see any improvement to his weld quality by using an inverter vs a transformer type machine. You can run a TIG welding torch off your present DC or even AC machine but TIG is a lot harder than stick welding.

 

[CNC Dan]

You seem to be under the impression that an inverter is a type of welding process. It the way that the welder converts household power to welding power. The other way to do it is with a transformer and diodes.

Any type of welder(stick, MIG, TIG) can be either transfomer based, or inveter based.

Transfomers are heavy and bulky.
Inverters are lighter and smaller.

Transfomers are simple and tough.
Inverters are complex electronic devices.

There are more subtle diferances too, but this should give you a better idea of what you are looking for.

 

[paulharvey]

If your existing machine is DC or AC/DC how about getting scratch start TIG. Think you could be in business for $125 for torch, hose, power cable; $35 regulator; $100-200 for argon tank (or lease one). I'm only offering it as an option if your current arc welder is DC. I've not yet tried scratch start tig, so one oof these guys can give much more specific detailed info. If you really hunt Ebay I bet you can hunt down a torch and hose/power cable for $60, and a gas flow meter for $25; then lease the tank, you'd be up and running for right at $100.

 

[Shield Arc]

Scratch start Tig is a cheap and easy way to weld thin steel, stainless steel, and even aluminum if you have a bottle of helium.

 

[k0ua]

If your existing machine is DC or AC/DC how about getting scratch start TIG. Think you could be in business for $125 for torch, hose, power cable; $35 regulator; $100-200 for argon tank (or lease one). I'm only offering it as an option if your current arc welder is DC. I've not yet tried scratch start tig, so one oof these guys can give much more specific detailed info. If you really hunt Ebay I bet you can hunt down a torch and hose/power cable for $60, and a gas flow meter for $25; then lease the tank, you'd be up and running for right at $100.

Scratch start TIG is cheap and easy, and can replace the need for a MIG for light materiels. I have been doing it for a couple of years, and is a good way to go when you need to weld something thin or too small for a stick. Yes you are out the price for a tank of argon, but they can be leased in many places. Is there a learning curve?, yes there is, a big one. But it is worth it. If you have a good DC stick welder, you are halfway there.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

As far as experience I have only been welding for about 2 years max this might be caused by the fact that I am only 14 consequently I greatly appreciate everyone's input seeing as I'm only young.

I don't actually care if I get a mig or an inverter as long as I can easily make high quality welds.
ferrari99

Since you are 14, either finish learning to stick weld correctly or get a mig and learn that.
Either way you have to learn.

There is no easy way to make high quality welds, but mig is arguably the easiest to learn.

Tig takes the longest.

Good luck and have fun

 

[Sodo]

I learned at 14 years, but brazing first, then stick. I'm impressed. If I had a MIG when I was 14 I'da build much much more "stuff". You sure write well too, must have good schools down under!

If you keep with the stick, you will start referring to 1/8" (3mm) as "sheetmetal" because it's the thinnest you can weld comfortably, and you will prefer thicker. Over time you can weld thinner than 1/8" but all of your projects will be "heavy" as a result. Because you will be choosing material by its minimum weldable thickness, not the material that's right for the project. Thinner material is easier to cut & fit and may cost less too.

Keep in mind that any MIG machine will weld down to 1/16" (1.5mm) without too much trouble, and on the upper end, 3/8 (10mm) is reasonable. I prefer MIG with the C25 gas, there is no slag.

 

[Shield Arc]

Keep in mind that any MIG machine will weld down to 1/16" (1.5mm) without too much trouble, and on the upper end, 3/8 (10mm) is reasonable. I prefer MIG with the C25 gas, there is no slag.

I've welded 4-inch thick steel with 1/16-inch Mig wire, with C-25 gas. 25 + feet of 1 7/8-inch fillet weld. One flat, and one overhead per unit.

 

[Arc weld]

Most people just use a chipping hammer to remove slag. Inverters don't only come from China but if you buy a US made one, expect to pay lots of $$$$$ for it. I wouldn't rule out a Chinese machine just because it comes from China. If you plan to go on to bigger and badder projects once you get more experience, it's a good idea to look at a machine that has more capacity. It will be cheaper to buy a better machine now than to upgrade down the road. Do you have a welding supply near you that has a demo room? Then you could try out some different machines. Welding takes a lot of practice to be good at. The best thing you could do is take a course or even better have an experienced welder show you the basics. Trying to learn on your own is a real steep learning curve and the easiest way to get into bad habits. There is a lot more to welding than just being able to stick some metal together. It doesn't matter if you're a twice a year hobby welder or do it full time for a living. The more you learn about it, the better off you'll be.

I think if you go with about a 160-200 amp machine, you'll be good for most any project. MIG is easier to learn but is also easy to have flaws in what looks like a sound weld. MIG has to be done indoors. Some flux-core can be done outside. Flux-core is a very wide ranging process. When most of the people on here talk about flux-core, they are talking about the low end general purpose flux-core that doesn't require shielding gas. There is also high strength flux-core that doesn't use shielding gas as well as a huge selection of flux-core that does use shielding gas. Then there's metal core that is a variation of flux-core that is kind of a cross between MIG and flux-core with no slag to remove. I'm not trying to confuse you but just showing how it helps to have enough knowledge to understand the differences between what 2 or more different people are telling you.