OK, so I wanna learn how to weld... im gunna use my truck for practice lol....I dont know if its a good idea but you gotta start somewhere....anyways I want a welder that is wire fed, preferable no gas tank required and is 110V not 220. I need something that is strong enough to weld on the frame like a notch kit and such and light enough to do thin gauge steel... Im looking on craigslist to get one but if anyone can give me info on them id love to hear. thanks
Ive got a Lincoln 110 welder model # SP135-T & its awesome. Ive used it on my truck, car & let my buddies use in on their projects to. Its got the gas option on it & trust me when I say that you want the one with gas!! The welds are stronger & much cleaner too...Ive only been welding since 2005, but its like nite & day when you weld with the shielding gas!!
Yeah, the gas is a must or you will not get good welds. If you want to learn to weld then get the gas shielded set up for sure. Get a Miller or Hobart if you can find/afford one and Lincolns are alright too. Don't buy a Snap-On welder, they are Century internals which are low quality. Don't buy a Harbor Freight welder. That's the best advice I can give you on welder selection.
like everyone has said: miller, lincoln, hobart. i've built my entire truck with a lincoln 175. it's a 220 welder. i picked a 220 machine because a electrician friend of mine said it would be cheaper to run. only buy a machine that has the ability to have shielding gas. even if you don't use it, you'll want it eventually, because flux wire sucks for welding sheetmetal. my favorite wire feed is a millermatic 252. they are badass, and will be my next welder purchase (unless if i buy my friends squarewave tig welder)
i would go with the mig welder you can control the heat alot better and is easier to use on sheet metal the flux core welder (one with out gas) will just burn holes through the metal which in return will make more work for you in the long run ive been welding for over six years and just love mig
Im a welder by career and profession and these guys ^^ are pointing you in the right direction. I started with acetylene torch welding and worked my way up to tig. 110v is more convenient and versitle but will use more electricity because of the load the welder causes vs 220 where the power is pushed so the welder can be maxed to give you the most out of your welder and use the same to less voltage depending on how much you have the welder cranked up. Flux is not a bad welder just dont go cheap with it. Flux is nice if your working with more mild steel and windy conditions. where gas would be useless around. but with flux you need a good wire and a good machine. Most mig machines can run MIG and FLUX. They come in 110 and 220 options and work just fine. Tig are for the guys who like the pretty like me its a very strong weld but you must be very steady handed and know how to weld and use the machine to get the best results. lots of tecniques are used to create some of most prettiest welds and strongest but again you have to know what your doing and be experienced to get what you want. Tig is also a expensive set-up. requires more parts during use ( cups, tungsten, gas, wire, being able to keep a sharp tip, etc...) Stick is more for farm and heavy and thick metals. Stick is very strong as well but requires a good welder to penetrate through really thick metals. you can weld any metal with it including mild steel, stainless, aluminum, cast, etc.. but can be messy if your not familiar with the positions and what rod to use for the situations. I hope some of this gives you an idea on what your looking for. For beginners I recommend a MIG machine with a 220v. the lincoln 175 works great on all metals including aluminum and will last many years. but for the honda guys next door, I still vouch for JB Weld Rodney
Yep, gonna have to drop some coin, and gotta have gas unless you're only doing horse fences. I'm a Miller fan.
The machines reconmended are all good choices. The only advice I can add to this post is practice on spare metals. Get a feeling with the machine, play w/ the settings. To learn how to do good welds you also need to learn what a ****ty weld is. That comes from playing around w/ the settings. Also be patient and stick w/ it. You won't be a pro overnight. But good luck and stick w/ it
Check out the Miller site,the newest models like the 211 Auto Set are very nice.Also will run on 110 or 230 with just a change of the plug end!
