Welding
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
Welding
So I want to try to learn how to weld, but I don't know where to start.
whats a good model to buy for a first timer?
any how-to guides out there?
what type of welder? (mig, tig, whats the difference?)
any other gear I need? (mask, gloves?)
whats a good model to buy for a first timer?
any how-to guides out there?
what type of welder? (mig, tig, whats the difference?)
any other gear I need? (mask, gloves?)
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
I would suggest first taking a welding class at your local tech center. Then you can get a feel for the different processes without trashing your own equipment, and decide which process you like best.
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 4
From: Mifflin, PA
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
Buy a welder, go to the junkyard and get yourself a piece of scrap tubing, steel about 1/8" thick, touch welding rod or welding gun to metal, turn on welder and see what happens.
That's how a lot of us started!
Kidding aside, you might want to take a welding course at your community college. For a small cost, you can save yourself three years of bad welding!
That's how a lot of us started!
Kidding aside, you might want to take a welding course at your community college. For a small cost, you can save yourself three years of bad welding!
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
The additional benefit of taking the class is that you learn more which welder you need. For good structural welds, it's hard to get the little 110 welders to do the trick, and inexperienced, it is even worse as you don't really know what you are looking at or looking for in a weld. Arc welding is a cheap alternative to the higher priced 220 wire feed (mig) welders, but takes some skill to master properly. Tig welding is higher riced equipment, and is a lot like electric brazing, takes a bit of skill to make that work as well. To e able to be sure you are getting good, strong welds, it really helps to have someone there telling you how to do it and how to inspect it. You can have a nice, pretty weld that has no penetration and will break in short order, but with proper inspection, you could know that right away. Otherwise, you wouldn't know until it failed.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 346
From: SE Iowa
Like said, take a course first. 2nd, take the money you have now for a welder and tuck it away. By the time the class is over, you will most likely know the exact welder you want to buy and what accessories you need. Also, you now have a little money reserve to help cover a more expensive welder if you choose that route. You didnt mention you intentions with welding. Are you do farm work, auto, or whatever pops up? Each type of welder has its place. Do a search here in the garage forum. There is tons of info as there have been plenty of guys like yourself asking the exact same questions.
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"Mifflin Clay"
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
Well, it'd be for whatever pops up really. Whatever may need to be done for the bronco, maybe a roll cage/roll bar, some crossmember I may need eventually, exhaust work.. stuff like that.
I'm taking too many courses as it is, I'll have to see if my college offers it as a summer course and go from there, I guess. Or maybe I can convince the mechanic buddy that he should teach me how, he'll usually do anything for a few cases of beer..
thanks for the suggestions
I'm taking too many courses as it is, I'll have to see if my college offers it as a summer course and go from there, I guess. Or maybe I can convince the mechanic buddy that he should teach me how, he'll usually do anything for a few cases of beer..
thanks for the suggestions
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
For a roll cage or naything else structural, definitely need to know what you are doing. It's definitely going to take quite a few cases, as it isn't just a couple time affair. Few weeks of an hour at a time, maybe. Once you get the basics, you can practice, and he can show you. It does depend on whether he knows how to weld though, as just being a mechanic doesn't mean that they know welding too. It isn't taught in auto mechanics, and not sure how mcuh the auto body side teaches for structural type welding. If you can hook up with someone who really knows how to weld, you could learn it that way. It's just harder to know what you are doing as well.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 346
From: SE Iowa
Start saving your money now as you'll most likely find you will want a 230V MIG. Highly recommend Miller welders, a little expensive, but well worth the money. Not to mention, if you want to do cages, a 110V will get you killed if you have to rely on the cage. TIG is better for that application, but its really expensive and a MIG will fit the all-purpose role your looking for. Try to squeeze in a class.
Here are a couple of site to explore:
http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/OXY_handbook/589oxy1_1.htm
http://www.millerwelds.com/education/library.html
Here are a couple of site to explore:
http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/OXY_handbook/589oxy1_1.htm
http://www.millerwelds.com/education/library.html
Last edited by stryder; Oct 19, 2006 at 01:20 PM.
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
hmm, we don't have 230 in the garage.. that could get expensive. How do I convince my dad that we need to run 230 out to the garage and get him to pay for it.. haha.
thanks for links
thanks for links
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
it's about 150ft away from the house. It has its own electric panel, but i think its fed off of the main one, so i'm not really sure if we have 230 out there, but we definetly don't have the plugs for it.