I'm wanting to repair my quarter panels and I have some frame work I need to do... What welder would be the best, ARC, MIG, or TIG or a combination of two. I also have a few things around the house that could use a good weld mainly just some small piping and picture frames. I've used an arc doing some trailer work but it seems like it will be much for panels. Will a tig or mig do both frame work and panels?

 

I use a mig, works well, but make sure that you use gas with it, it makes a cleaner, and stronger weld. I have used tig before, but don't owne one, they also work well. arc is good for the frame, but will burn holes, and warp panels

 

Mig is your best bet. There cheap and they can handle not warping panels if you keep the voltage low. Just turn it up if your welding the frame. Make sure to use gas. Flux cord does work that great. Tig is good for aluminum and thin steel. Arc is for thicker metals such as the frame.

 

You can weld body panels with an ARC welder, just get the thinnest rod you can find in the E6013 variety and don't burn it very hot.

 

Get a mig welder. You can weld from 30 ga steel up to 3/8" with a good mig. Tig is a great welder but for thin metal(up to 1/8) and alum. Arc welder are good for heavy metal and do a terrible job on sheetmetal

 

Yeah you can use arc but its more work then its worth. Mig all the way

 

[SIZE="3"]Re: TIG--I've never used them, but I understand that they are the most versatile, and the best for aluminum, etc..., but they are more expensive than MIG or Arc, and I believe they require more skill.

Get a MIG--no question. It's the easiest to learn to use, and will do the panel work the best (again, TIG may be superior for some applications, but many body shops use MIG, as it's fast, easy and is kinder to panels than Arc, which will easily burn through a panel, or warp them unnecessarily, as has been stated by others.).

When you ask this question ("Will a tig or mig do both frame work and panels?"), it raises another:

Here's your next issue: Do you need a 220v MIG machine, which is more expensive, or will a 110v MIG suffice?

Opinions are going to differ, but here's mine:

I would not weld a frame with a 110v MIG. I do not believe the heat is sufficient to penetrate to the degree necessary to weld on a frame. I've seen advertising saying a 110v MIG will do up to 3/8" (or more--LOL) but that has not been my experience, with my neighbor's 110v Lincoln MIG. But brands don't really matter re: this issue, as the 110v. machine is limited by the amount of amps that can flow from a 15 or even 20 amp circuit. The 110v machine just cannot reliably penetrate 1/4-3/8" base material sufficiently--IMHO.

A 220v MIG, OTOH, will do so. Some feel that a 220v MIG can do up to 1/2", but I feel 1/4"-3/8" is more realistic.

I picked up a used (3 hours of "use," only!), 10 year old Millermatic 150, (a 220v machine) with a full tank of CO2/Argon mix, and much extra wire, for $400. That was a pretty good buy, because at the time a new Millermatic 175 was about $1,200. IIRC (the "150" had been replaced by the "175"). I like the 150, but I wish it had a little more "oomph" (I'm also using it on a 100' extension cord, so I may be suffering some voltage drop).

I would look for a used Millermatic 175 (or bigger) if I were going to do it again. That machine will do your frame, as well, IMO, though I would not hesitate to do a frame with my Millermatic 150.

Diesel Brad has done some VERY fine frame welding, IMO, and has published pics of same, here. His welding is very neat, too. I would search him out, if more clarification is needed.

Something to consider:

If a good 220v MIG is beyond the budget (I like Miller's products), you could get a 110v MIG for the panel work, and pick up a used 220v Arc welder, for the frame. I see them frequently for around a $100. for the older ones. The arc welder will do a strong repair on a frame, but it will not look as nice as a 220v MIG weld, with shielding gas.

I'm not sure if this is allowed, so apologies if it is not, but here is a link to Miller's site. I have no affiliation, other than I bought a used Millermatic, as stated. I find their monthly email bulletins to be helpful, and they have an online forum that is pretty good, too. http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/index.php

Remember to unhook the battery before ANY vehicular welding, and stay away from the gas tanks.

Good luck.

Big Six

 

One question about welding on our vehicles. What, if any, precautions need to be taken in order to protect the PCM, or any other sensors. I have heard different things and would like to post this to "the board".

Regards

CS45

 

ive worked in body shops, and some guys were fanatical about unhooking the battery, while others never did. Ive never seen any problems caused by not unhooking the battery, but i have to assume its possible to blow up the computer if you dont, so better safe than sorry IMO.

 

depends what I'm welding. exhaust, I leave it hooked up, sheet metal, I unhook. have welded, and forgot to unhook, and not had a problem

 

okay now that MIG is the answer.... what brand I've heard alot about both miller and lincoln... anyone know the ups and downs about either one?

 

I like my Miller

 

I like my miller too

 

I've done a lot of welding on structural projects as well as vehicles, trailers, you name it. For a frame or anything else heavy I prefer a stick. It's what I'm certified with and what I grew up using, so I'm biased . For panels and sheet metal or just general fabrication a mig is great - my 10 year old can use one. As far as what kind, my little $200 Harbor-Freight 220v set up (with gas) will run aluminum (boat projects), steel, or anything else I've used it for. You can dump a ton of money in a "good" MIG set up, but unless you're really going to use the snot out of it I don't see the point. You can pick up a good used Lincoln stick set up like somebody said for around $100 if you keep an eye on Craigslist. Good thing about a stick is that as long as you have lead, you can get to where you want to weld without lugging around the entire welder.

Not sure about the computer, on electric forklifts the book says to unplug everything but I never saw a tech unplug all the boards on one (and neither did I) and never had a problem. Put your ground as close to what you're welding as possible, though.

As far as looking pretty, that's up to the guy welding it. I can lay in welds as pretty or prettier with 60 or 70 series rod than a lot of guys can with a mig. But I've had a lot of practice

 

OK, since you all are so forthcoming with your knowledge (and I don't mean that sarcastically at all), what do you think about something for around the house, not serious frame welding, but just smaller things. I have an inexpensive arc welder, that I picked up at Wally World for $60. It works. I believe it is a Campbell-Hausfeld. It's fair at best. Arc welding seems to be one of the more difficult to learn, especially starting out.

Here is an example of what I would use one for: My fuel door was rusted out and had two holes in it. I cleaned out the holes and welded half of another door on the back for support. Filled in the holes with Bondo, and I'm in the process of priming and sanding. The weld worked just fine and seems more than strong enough, but it's not the easiest thing to operate. I was considering a wire welder like this one at Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94056