welder help

[3100 MPFI]

I am going next week to buy a welder. I was looking at the sears website (putting it on the sears card), and they have 2 different ones that I like, but I don't know that much about them.

First of all, I don't need anything big enough to weld I-BEAMS. Just making brackets, and shit. I have a friend that is going to do a RWD conversion to one of his cars, so I need to be able to do subframe welding. That is about the biggest thing. That, and making brackets. I MIGHT also make an attempt at a better set of headers, but don't ask for requests for them yet.

Basically, I need something that will get a job done, but not going to break the bank. I don't want to spend too much, I know you get what you pay for.

Sears has 2 listings online for some that I think I want to go for. First of all, I would prefer a WIRE welder. I actually have a stick welder, and that thing is a PITA to use, so I think the wire would be better for me.

What do you think of these two?

CRAFTSMAN CLICK HERE

Which is a Wire Feed Welder, Gasless
Sears item #00920568000 Mfr. model #WE20568
about $250.00

Lincoln Electric CLICK HERE

Which is a MIG Welder
Sears item #00920580000 Mfr. model #20580
about $300.00

[geoffinbc]

For home use I do not suggest a flux cored wire (gassless). There is more cleanup the wire requires greater operator skill and is very voltage sensitive. Also the fumes are toxic and you must always wear a mask. Even the dust from the slag is a respiratory irritant.

Get your self a GMAW (MIG) setup. It is the best setup for any home user. The welds are sound and easy to perform by a beginner. There is no serious toxic gases if your metal is clean so you don't always need a mask.

I looked at that Lincoln welder at it is honestly pretty weak. It only has an 88A (at best) output which is hardly adequate for 3/16" plate. Miller and Lincoln both sell a 180A machine which I would consider to be minimal for home use. It does require 240V but it is worth it. On the low end models the max output is optimistic. It is never good to run a welder at its max capacity. That is why I suggest a bigger machine. 100A to 150A is where you will be finding yourself welding at most of the time so a 180A machine will give you room to move. Also larger machines offer a greater voltage range and a higher peak voltage. Running at a high voltage/low wire speed allows for nice flat welds with no undercut.

When you do purchase your machine run a 75/25 mix or an 85/15 mix.

[3100 MPFI]

What about THIS ONE?

I have a stick welder that is the 220. It does the high amp shit if I need it. I need something smaller, and more portable. Like I said, my big welder is a PITA to use, but if I need it, I have it.

I don't want to brake the bank, but the welder you are recommending is in the $1000 area, and I would like to keep it under $500. I already have a thousand doller welder, and I don't like using it. It is a stick welder (arc welder), but it is a PITA. I can use it if I need it, but for the smaller things, it is too cumbersome.

[geoffinbc]

Well you might get by with it. But with a max voltage of 19V you will be running a small wire to get a good bead appearance. Also it only has a 20% duty cycle at 90A which is about what you would use on 1/8" metal. So for a 10min period you can only weld 2 min. Go up in amps and your duty cycle will drop meaning even less welding time. This is why I would still suggest a larger machine. You may get by with that Hobart machine but If you are disappointed again then you will have wasted another $500. What I would suggest to you is searching E-Bay or Craigs list for a used machine. If you have a Red-D-Arc dealer in you area you can buy their rental machines which are usually half of the retail price.

If you have a 220A stick machine what size and type of rod are you running? Your frustration may be due to a poor rod choice.

[3100 MPFI]

A friend of mine sent me a link to one that he uses and says will be perfect for what I need. I will get a link of it. It cost a little more, but I agree that it will be worth it.

It is like $600, but it is really good.

I do have an arc welder, but it is a PITA to use, and it is so powerful that even on the lowest setting, you still run the risk of burning through the metal. I just need something for finessing it, and can get into tighter spaces than a stick welder.

This is the one I am going to go with:

http://store.weldersplus.com/link1873-1.html

[sharkey]

i have a miog pack 100, wich is basicly the above welder without the gas. i added the gas conversion to it making it the same as the 135. it works great for everything i use it for. i built my headers and exaust system with it without issues.

[bud36light]

Just as BTY said what kind of rod were you using? didnt read your whole post but if your current welder is a buzz box AKA Lincoln 225(hopefully you dont have THAT much money tied up in it) a rod called a 7018AC will burn pretty good on brackets and heavier stuff. Sheet metal , well you just got to practice. But if that sucker is dc capable then there is basically another world out there.

[3100 MPFI]

welder was my stepdads old one. It is pretty big. I will get a better pic of it tomorrow, but here, you can see it in the background. It is a good size one, and a really good one, but it is more for THICK things than sheetmetal. That is why I want a smaller one. It is perfect for things like the subframe. Just a PITA to use.

[ForcedFirebird]

A friend of mine sent me a link to one that he uses and says will be perfect for what I need. I will get a link of it. It cost a little more, but I agree that it will be worth it.

It is like $600, but it is really good.

I do have an arc welder, but it is a PITA to use, and it is so powerful that even on the lowest setting, you still run the risk of burning through the metal. I just need something for finessing it, and can get into tighter spaces than a stick welder.

This is the one I am going to go with:

http://store.weldersplus.com/link1873-1.html

^^^That one is sold at Home Depot^^^

Don't waste your money on the wire-only Sears model, if you want cheap go to Harbor Freight and get a gasless for $129 (sometimes on sale for $99). I have one and it is identical to the Craftsman that my wife's uncle uses (except the color of the box).

Like mentioned before it takes a lot of practice to get a good weld with a flux-core, but I have been able to weld 3/16" steel with good results. In fact my turbo system was built using the Harbor Freight model. The only problems with the welds was where I couldn't position myself ideally under the car to be able to see good enough. So I ended up tacking things and removing them to be sealed up on the bench.

The Lincoln 180 is my next one .

[ForcedFirebird]

Actually here are some factory refurbished units that will cost you almost the same as the Sears model...

http://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.co...-WELDER/Detail

[Joseph Upson]

Don't forget to check out the pawn shops and local domestic for sale items. I purchased mine some years ago from Sam's for less than $400 I believe it was and it's a good one. It came with wheels and a gas regulator. What I have found to be most helpful is a separate dial for power control and for wire speed and a switch for 90/100 amps. It's a 110v unit and has performed excellent over the years. It's a Century unit and the only time I ever had a problem with it is when I loaned it out. That was a hard lesson.

If you start with a descent Gas MIG unit and take a few practice runs of tuning it properly for the metal you are working on you should do fine (provided you are even in need of any practice with it). I had no welding experience when I purchased mine but I learned to tune it properly and use both hands until I was steady enough to weld with one.

I did the flux cored wire for a very brief period. It's messy and shouldn't be an option on a gas capable unit.

[geoffinbc]

Just to give you some tips on your stick welder. There is no reason you cannot weld 1/8" metal with that welder. Just run a 3/32" welding rod or smaller. A 7018 rod is good but in order to get maximum performance from it the rods need to be free of all moisture. This means storing them at a temperature above 100*C. A 7024 rod will give you wire fed weld bead appearance, high strength, high deposition rate and smooth arc. However it is only good in flat and horizontal positions. But if you are working on a bench then you should not have a problem. 6013 is an all position all purpose rod which has a steady arc and smooth weld bead profile. This is the rod most people start off when learning stick.

Try some different ones and use the current settings found in the box or on the website. Most 3/32" rods run 60A to 90A

[CNCguy]

The three wheeler was built completely using a Lincoln 220 buzz box. The chassis tubing (.093~.125 wall) was welded up with 3/32" 6013. Picked up some 1/16" rods for the thin stuff like exhaust and some of the smaller tubing (.065 wall). I believe they were 7014 but may have been 7018. We made two sets of headers with the 1/16" rods. Not the prettiest but very usable. Good fitting weld joints make the welding go much easier. It is very difficult to fill gaps on thin material and make it look good with a stick welder.

Since then I have picked up two 400amp ThermalArc MIG welders and am trying to find a nice TIG welder within my price range.

[ForcedFirebird]

TIG welder within my price range.

I'm in that same boat, but it seems like "TIG in MY price range" is an oxymoron, lmao. I'll just be patient and a good deal will come my way.

[CNCguy]

I'm in that same boat, but it seems like "TIG in MY price range" is an oxymoron, lmao. I'll just be patient and a good deal will come my way.

So true... eventually one will turn up. Thats the way the MIGs were. They were floor models that were never used I picked them up cheap. My former brother-in-law with a weld shop bought four of them and sold two to me.

I did find one TIG for $600 but it was so old that I was worried how long it would last and the availability of replacement parts. A small plasma torch would be nice also. I know where one is for $200 but it's huge (100amp) and is too large for sheet metal.