Attn: Welding crew

[240KAT]

What welders do you guys use? I'm looking to buy one in the near future and it would just be for light fab work for the cars. The most intense stuff id probably do would be fabbing motor/trans mounts...and maybe roll cages. Any advice on shopping for a welder?

[sillyvia13]

home depot lincoln welder 175hd I believe... $500 for machine with all but gas, get a tank and start bonding metal...

you can use it for alum also... kinda tricky but works...
HAVE FUCKING! FUN!
get gloves too! I play tough guy and have small burns all over me... I look like I have small pocks lol... my ankles are bad...from cages... hahahaha ya bro have fun...

I had mine for 3 years... and it still goes hard... I am VERY HARD on my tools and toys...

[Bubbles]

Last month I welded a cart with nothing but shorts and flip flops.

It was on the ground and I did it sitting indian style.

Step your MAN game up. Ha ha.

[sillyvia13]

Last month I welded a cart with nothing but shorts and flip flops.

It was on the ground and I did it sitting indian style.

Step your MAN game up. Ha ha.

dang... your watching me...lol...
cut off shorts no less...lol...

[Bubbles]

Cut off jean shorts with John Mellencamp playing in the background.

That's how I roll.

[dirtdiggler666]

o ya try shorts flip flops and stick welding:ugh:

all i got to say is fuck that hurt like a mofo

[Bubbles]

I can't stick weld to save my life.

I picked up tig instantly but cannot stick weld.

Odd.

[dirtdiggler666]

god stick welding sucks but they made me learn it first (school)

i still have never tig welded and i want to so damn bad

sorry to the op btw

[japslapsilvia]

i have a lincon stick welder and an el cheap harbor freight mig, i use the stick when i need to weld thick metal, and the mig for light steel/sheet metal, HF mig welder is not very good, very inconsistant with heat. i plan on getting a lincon MIG from Home Depot, they have some nice units for light work, if you plan on doing cages etc get a 220V welder. dont bother with 110V.

oh and to add to the "what i wear to weld portion" jeans with holes/frayed ends=fire on pants.....

and some advise in addition to a welding helmet they have hats u can wear to cover ur head.....that shit HURTS!!!

[240KAT]

god stick welding sucks but they made me learn it first (school)

i still have never tig welded and i want to so damn bad

sorry to the op btw

its all good.
while checking out miller's website, they seem to have welders specifically for mig and tig. Which one would better suit my mostly steel, sometimes aluminum needs?

edit: okay, after some reading..it seems the differance is tig is similer to torch and mig is similer to soldering. Am i understanding correctly?

[dirtdiggler666]

i would say you want a little mig but if you want to weld aluminum you need a tig also

[CmR333]

home depot lincoln welder 175hd I believe... $500 for machine with all but gas, get a tank and start bonding metal...

you can use it for alum also... kinda tricky but works...
HAVE FUCKING! FUN!
get gloves too! I play tough guy and have small burns all over me... I look like I have small pocks lol... my ankles are bad...from cages... hahahaha ya bro have fun...

I had mine for 3 years... and it still goes hard... I am VERY HARD on my tools and toys...


same here..it works just as good as the miller that i use at work everyday.

[Bubbles]

while checking out miller's website


You're definitely headed in the right direction.

Mig can do aluminum, you just need a spool gun.

Tig's are big money at least in comparison.

Oh yeah, weld beanies will save your hair. Not neccessary but if the situation arises were you are welding right next to someone else(production mainly) you will count your blessings.

[steve_o1989]

You're definitely headed in the right direction.

Mig can do aluminum, you just need a spool gun.

Tig's are big money at least in comparison.

Oh yeah, weld beanies will save your hair. Not neccessary but if the situation arises were you are welding right next to someone else(production mainly) you will count your blessings.


I agree with all of the previous statements lol.

Miller FTW

Spoolgun FTW

TIG FTW

BEANIES FTW!!!

Really when it comes down to the Red vs. Blue debate, it is based on opinion. Its like coke vs. pepsi. I for one prefer Miller, yet I own a Lincoln. They are both great products and if you choose the right machine to suit your needs, you will be happy with your purchase. Sure there are subtle differences between comparable models and you too may find you prefer one over the other.

Like said, in order to weld aluminum all you need is a spool gun. The reasoning for this is that aluminum wire is so much softer than steel, that it will not feed nicely through the liner if it is pushed from the drive roller in the machine. With a spool gun, the drive roll is right in the gun, so it only has to push the wire 8" compared to 8'.

If you are just beginning to get into welding don't go for a tig yet. That is a major investment and probably not something you will want to drop the cash into right away. Get yourself a nice mig and you will be able to do pretty much anything you can think of. When the time comes that you get really bitten by welding bug, then it might be more feasable to drop some cash on a Tig. Unless you are planning on doing manifolds, exhausts, Intercooler/piping work, you are fine with the mig. In actuallity any of those could be done with a mig too, you will just have less control and the results won't be as nice.

The beanies are self explanitory. I am pretty bad with not wearing my gear, but one time doing some overhead while sparks shower down was enough for me to learn to always wear my beanie.

Since this will probably be your first time really welding... Get a pair of leather welding gloves, a beanie, helmet, some mig pliers, wear closed toe footwear, and long sleeves if you are going to be doing a fair bit of welding and don't enjoy sunburns.