welding suggestions?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 156
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From: fort bragg, North Carolin
welding suggestions?
hey guys, I am looking for opinions on welders. I have some rot on my truck that I can no longer ignore. I am thinking of buying one of those gassless wirefed welders to address these issues. I am a novice welder at best, very limited experiance but I want to do all the work myself. can anyone offer me suggestions on what type of welder would be best for reparing some holes and patching some sheetmetal? thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,299
Likes: 2
From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
I have a Hobart Handler 140 from Tractor Supply for about $450 $400 if you wait for a sale. Hobart is Millers off brand and a pretty good little machine for about $200-300 less than the equivalent Miller. I also use their gas, you are kind of limited they only have straight CO2 and 75/25 Argon CO2 mix which is what I use the straight CO2 can freeze up the cheaper flow meters (actually they come with regulators) and it runs colder and creates a lot more spatter. The bottle is about $300 for the bottle the first time and then about $30 per fill after that. Don't waste your time with the smallest size they suck you always run out before you finish a job and have to go get a refill right in the middle. Starmilt is right too cut the old pieces up and practice some before going to town on your truck even a small amount of porosity will trap water and rust out sometimes in as little as a year, so you want to get it done right the first time.
-John
-John
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 778
Likes: 2
From: southeast Idaho
I have used the little kitchen welders on vehicle metal a number of times and a good one is worth every penny you pay for it. I just ordered a lincoln 140 from snap-on and I'll have to get a tank, (here they sell you the tank full the first time,150/200 depending on size then you just trade them and pay for the gas) I recommend getting the mig with gas, a lot cleaner weld and for what you are doing that counts for about everything. Just try not to overweld so you panels don't warp on you. You can weld them with about any welder, but the little migs are just great at that type of welding and efficient at it also. Good luck and hope we helped you ...
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 519
Likes: 1
From: Bountiful UT
I was in the same boat looking for a welder, I did alot of reading and talking to people and have decided to go with the panel adhesive.
No Weld Panel Repair Kit
No Weld Panel Repair Kit
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,219
Likes: 190
From: Colorado Springs
Use .020-.023 diameter solid wire with 75% argon 25% Co2 mix gas.
This is a must read:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ith-metal.html
This is a must read:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ith-metal.html
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Certified Thread Hijacker
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 14,441
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Definately go the solid core/ gas route if you planning extensive sheet metal welding. If you're only tacking a small piece, I would get a 12 pack and have a budyy just come over and do it then rather than settle for a flux-core only rig.
Josh
Josh
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
The hobart handler 140 is reasonably priced, will weld anything on a vehicle short of an engine block (and would weld that too if you beveled and made multiple passes), comes with gas/gasless kit, and is pretty decent. I shopped for months before I finally purchased one. I have used flux core wire to weld sheetmetal with no problems. It takes more finish work to get it to look good, but not that much more. If you properly prep the surfaces by getting them down to baremetal and using the hobart antispatter dip, you won't have any problems. And the box comes with the gas regulator if you decide you must have gas. For a novice I think flux core is easier to deal wtih. And certainly less expensive. tractor supply sells both the welder and the gas tank if you decide to add one.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Montgomery, IL
my first welder was a flux core and it worked fine when it came to welding the metal together but there was a lot of splatter so I spent more time grinding and sanding off splatter than I did welding. I bought a small Miller gas welder and that took care of the splatter issue and now I can just weld and do minor cleanup when I am done.
Practice, practice, practice!
Practice, practice, practice!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
Yep, as he said above, thats the main difference between flux core and gas wiring. You get more spatter with flux core. But if you take the time to prep your surfaces and use anti spatter dip or spray, it makes a huge difference.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 5
From: Faibanks Ak.
If you are welding outside in the wind the flux core works better, If you have wind protection there is no comparison, use some sort of antisplatter with either one you use, pam oven cleaner also works, but with flux core you still have to deal with the flux, the same as if you were using a stick setup.
Cranky Old Guy
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,562
Likes: 6
From: Raphine, Virginia
Don't settle for less than the Hobart. Check Craigslist for a used setup if money is tight. If you get a Harbor Freight, or any cheap welder, you are going to wind up getting discourged or buying another anyway. If you just can't afford it, get someone else to weld what you need.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
Use .020-.023 diameter solid wire with 75% argon 25% Co2 mix gas.