Welder advice - where to start

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paulclark

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Since I'm now getting a proper shop space to bring my early As back to life, I'd like to consider welding options. Looking for advice on where to jump in.

Back in the day when I learned welding there were two kinds - gas and stick. Now there's MIG, TIG, wire and stich and more. Back then welding sheet metal was expert stuff - lead was good and bondo was bad. But now I hear technology has made it a little easier, and I need help catching up.

What I want to do is light body sheet metal stuff - floor pan patches, quarter panel patches etc. I don't need deep structural penetration, but handling all the warping issues of sheet metal. From what I gather people have figured out better ways and better equipment.

What kind of welding gear should I start looking at and educating myself about? There's a Harbor Freight outlet dangerously close to my shop now. I could use the help making the right decisions. Willing to work on the learning curve but want to know which is going to be right for my auto resto needs.

Obligatory A-body content: splicing in some rear quarter patches on my 66 Dart is high on my agenda, and will be ready to post pics when it happens. Then floor pans on the 64 Dart GT is close behind.
 
I usually never recommend the most expensive and I still won't, BUT, if you are really wanting something to weld sheet metal good, then I have to recommend a TIG. They are expensive, but nice and very controllable. Which one is up to you. None of them are really cheap, so you may as well get one that can do it all. Hobart, Miller and Lincoln, preferably the ones made in USA.
 
I had a 100 amp mig for many years. It served me well.
I have since upgraded, but nothing comes close to welding
That thin stuff than my first welder.
I really havent done much with my esab when it comes to light stuff, but im sure it wil do the job.
Mig/gas is your best bet if you are
Working with light stuff. I was really happy with my lincoln 160 amp mig.
 
While I am not a very experienced welder, the Hobart wire feed I bought helps me do what I need. I bought the Hobart 180 230 volt wire feed and am running it with solid wire and argon shielding gas. I just looked at the Hobart site and they no longer offer the 180,... It has been replaced by the 190 as the smallest 230 Volt wire feed.

Even with my limited experience, I have been able to reduce power and wire speed to spot weld some pretty thin pieces of sheet metal. I was also able to bump up power and run a little thicker wire to do a nice job of welding some 1/8 steel bars into a drain cover for my shop floor drain. I have been pretty happy with it and it seems adjustable enough to do a variety of things. I bought mine through Tractor Supply when they were having a good sale.

I'd like to learn how to tig weld, but as Rusty said,.. they are expensive, and I can't justify the expense for the little bit I need it. They do seem to be the best option for controlling heat and welding thin materials.
 
Try to stay away from the 110v units the 220v and 160 - 180 amp mig/gas unit will do anything you need. and if it doesn't come with one get a mini tweco gun much better to weld with and parts are very easy to get.
 
I had never welded, but on advice from a few folks I avoided a 110, or any that could be switched 110 or 220. They said eventually I’ll want to do something the 110 can’t handle, and that the combo units aren’t as good in either mode as either dedicated units. I figured, no matter where I go I can get 220v. even if I have to make an adapter to plug into a stove or dryer outlet.
I choked up a little extra money and went with a Miller 220 mig & gas tank. Some may call it cheating, but the Miller has a auto current mode that you just set what wire size you are using, and the thickness of the metal. I tried at first not using the auto mode, but after a while, just gave up and put it in auto and it made life much easier for a beginner on sheet-metal.
 
MIG welding is the easiest to learn, and with a little practice and knowledge, you can weld sheetmetal with a MIG. The technique involves many small stitch welds, done by moving all around the seam and not welding in any one place too long. Most shops can weld pretty much anything with a MIG welder and some experience. Floor pans are much easier to install with a MIG than any other welding process. If you can only afford one welder, get a MIG, some solid core wire, a bottle of 75/25 argon/Co2 and practice with it. Good welds are all about practice and learning.

TIG welding is somewhat more difficult to learn, but produces cleaner, more precise welds and is generally the tool of choice for thin sheetmetal, because it causes less warpage. Plus the finished welds are more easily worked because they are less brittle when cooled fully. Setting up the material to be welded is completely different from one type of welding to another, so you need to know what to do for the process you are going to use. (MIG welding sheetmetal requires a small gap between the pieces, TIG welding requires them to fit tightly together at the seam.) Gas mixtures are also different for each process.

My advice would be to buy a MIG, practice with it, and see if you can accomplish everything you want to do with it. Maybe take a local welding class if possible, because there really is a lot to learn. Maybe that experience will tell you if a TIG system is worthwhile.
 
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I also don't see anything wrong with a 110 mig for around the house.
A 135 amp can do up to 1/4 inch, and I sure won't be doing anything that thick working on the cars.
The Helmet I have is this large view auto darkening with true color lens technology and adjustable darkening, sensitivity and delay setting for how long it takes to come back to clear.
It's also super light weight.
Eastwood XL View Auto Darkening Welding Helmet - XL9300
 
You don’t need a 220v welder for car and home. IMHO
I agree but my buddys welder has a tig function 220 is a must:icon_fU://and in fabrication THAT is THE SH_T unless you are a jedi with torches !!!!
 
I also don't see anything wrong with a 110 mig for around the house.
A 135 amp can do up to 1/4 inch, and I sure won't be doing anything that thick working on the cars.
The Helmet I have is this large view auto darkening with true color lens technology and adjustable darkening, sensitivity and delay setting for how long it takes to come back to clear.
It's also super light weight.
Eastwood XL View Auto Darkening Welding Helmet - XL9300
HF auto is ok but spend as much as you can with the helmet///larger lens/adjustability/ you will love yourself later!!!!!!
 
What I would recommend is a auto darkening helmet.

Also protect your ears if your under the car welding.
YEAH!!! If you think cracking your skull under a dash is bad, get a spark in your ear and you won't need rosetta stone to pick up a new language !!! I've learned #$$%%^^$#$#%^^^ +_)(*&&^%%$$#@@!
 
If you get a 110v unit then when you go to weld up a stand or fab up something that is 1/8" metal because now you are a good welder, your 110v unit is running balls out and not doing the job or just burns up now you are off to buy a new one.
 
If you get a 110v unit then when you go to weld up a stand or fab up something that is 1/8" metal because now you are a good welder, your 110v unit is running balls out and not doing the job or just burns up now you are off to buy a new one.
You are correct. I started with a Lincoln 220v welder, then I added a 110V Lincoln welder

I abuse the hell out of the duty cycle on both machines and they have been absolute champions.

my 110v welder is the only one hooked up to my 75/25 bottle at this point and even though I run it flat out often i can't kill it.

I have a buddy who is a red seal/B pressure welder and he tossed his tig welder aside to use my Lincoln 110v when he helped me weld up my quarter panels
 
TIG has it own criteria / aluminum/alloy's / stainless I wasn't suggesting quarter panels but like my fan shroud I had made up, my buddy bought it AFTER I had it made :BangHead:
 
Whatever you end up getting - practice, practice, and practice. You don't want to put down a bead that looks good, then breaks when the first stress is put on it. It's not hard to weld, but it takes work to get it right.
 
I don't know about all of the welders but for what you are asking, I know this will be perfect for you. https://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Equipment/Pages/product.aspx?product=K2471-2(LincolnElectric)
The C in the model designation stands for constant. No detents in the heat setting gives you ultimate control for those perfectly deep penetrating flat weld. Practice,practice,practice. Buying from a dealer is a better machine and a little more money than the box stores.
And as already mentioned, 75/25 with argon is much better than straight CO2.
 
TIG has it own criteria / aluminum/alloy's / stainless I wasn't suggesting quarter panels but like my fan shroud I had made up, my buddy bought it AFTER I had it made :BangHead:
TIG is artwork My same buddy used his TIG machine to weld on the frame rails I got from Dartnut….. you almost cant even detect that they are welded. Such a beautiful job. Watching him perfect the fitment before welding was like watching Michelangelo painting.
 
This is also a good all around machine. POWER MIG® 210 MP Multi-Process Welder - K3963-1

It may not be in the price range for a beginner but if you are looking at the 180 220v mig then this is definitley work the extra couple of hundred dollars. It wire welds very nice and tig welds just as nicely.

One thing to mention, If you buy it get the extra 2 year warranty on it. There is only one board in the machine so if it stops working that is what needs to be replaced. Replacement out of warranty is going to run you about $1,100
 
This is also a good all around machine. POWER MIG® 210 MP Multi-Process Welder - K3963-1

It may not be in the price range for a beginner but if you are looking at the 180 220v mig then this is definitley work the extra couple of hundred dollars. It wire welds very nice and tig welds just as nicely.

One thing to mention, If you buy it get the extra 2 year warranty on it. There is only one board in the machine so if it stops working that is what needs to be replaced. Replacement out of warranty is going to run you about $1,100

$1,100 to fix a $1,400 dollar welder. Ummm........
 
$1,100 to fix a $1,400 dollar welder. Ummm........
Yep, When they first came out and we were at the anual training I asked about that. trainer at the time didn't even know what the board went for. I think he was in shock when we found it. I am not big on an extended warranty but on this the $150 is well worth it.
 
I’ve actually heard nothing but good things about the Eastwood 110 mig welder in the $337 price point, it’s gas or flux core, and for floorpans and body panels would probably be the best machine for the money. You can always step up to a bigger welder from one of the big 3, but the Eastwood unit comes highly recommended!
 
I'm in a similar circumstance looking for a first welder. I too a basic welding class this spring so I know enough to be dangerous now - lol, and I used a section of frame rail I bought off a member here and some 20 gauge steel to practice in the class. I'm looking to be able to start with welding floor pans in my 64 dart.

I found a welder just this week on cl that is only 10 minutes from my house. The guys day passed and he just wants to sell it. Through initial discussions, I think I can get it for $600. It's a Miller 135, and from the pics and what he told me it looks in pristine condition although an older machine. I'm going there tonight to try it out and probably buy it. My understanding from what I have read here and elsewhere is that Miller is real good about parts availability for older machines. I attached some pics.

Couple questions:
1) Anyone know when they stopped making this model, I found a post that had a chart where you could look up the first 2 digits of the serial number to get the year.
2) What do you think? From what I've read in forums and seen on cl ads, it sounds like a pretty good deal on a machine that will probably outlast me for what I will be using it for.

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