need help on picking first welder
#1
11-17-05, 07:34 AM
need help on picking first welder
This is going to be my first welder i dont now wat kind i need for beginners. I would be welding rollcages cars gocarts stuff like that
#2
11-17-05, 08:09 AM
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Depends on what kind of money you want to spend. For what you plan on welding, I would go with a MIG machine. I would suggest getting one that uses a shielding gas. Fluxcore is okay but it tears up the liner and tips on the machine quicker. Another consideration is how much welding you are going to do. Duty cycles make a big difference if you are doing a lot of welding at one time. I am preferential to Miller machines but there are many manufacturers that make good machines. I am sure more members will chime in here so watch this post. Good luck.
#3
11-17-05, 08:29 AM
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There is already a lengthy thread on this topic available in this forum.
Beginners need to start with information and education. Here's the short of it:
1. Probably a 220-volt MIG machine using shielding gas rather than flux-cored wire will serve you well, as already recommended.
2. Brand-name equipment for which replacement parts exist - Lincoln, Miller, Hobart.
3. Set aside some funds for cutting, bending, grinding equipment - for every weld, there is substantial time in joint preparation.
4. Get appropriate safety equipment.
5. Welding is learned by practice more than by reading.
Beginners need to start with information and education. Here's the short of it:
1. Probably a 220-volt MIG machine using shielding gas rather than flux-cored wire will serve you well, as already recommended.
2. Brand-name equipment for which replacement parts exist - Lincoln, Miller, Hobart.
3. Set aside some funds for cutting, bending, grinding equipment - for every weld, there is substantial time in joint preparation.
4. Get appropriate safety equipment.
5. Welding is learned by practice more than by reading.
#5
11-19-05, 08:17 PM
First welder
A 220 volt gas shielded MIG welder would be very nice, but for $200 you are probably looking at a used stick welder. A few years ago I bought a Miller Thunderbolt 225 stick welder on eBay for $125 delivered. In five years of occasional use it has needed only a little cleaning and oiling--no new parts. An auto-darkening helmet is worth the money when you can afford one.
A lot of what I know about welding I learned from reading books and forums on welding. Then I tried what I learned. So far none of my welds have broken. Certainly they have improved with time and practice.
Admittedly stick welding takes longer to learn and is a bit more difficult. But, if you do a really good job of joint preparation, you can get some very good welded joints without too much difficulty.
A lot of what I know about welding I learned from reading books and forums on welding. Then I tried what I learned. So far none of my welds have broken. Certainly they have improved with time and practice.
Admittedly stick welding takes longer to learn and is a bit more difficult. But, if you do a really good job of joint preparation, you can get some very good welded joints without too much difficulty.
Last edited by lutheranpastor; 11-19-05 at 08:19 PM. Reason: to add detail
#6
11-19-05, 09:21 PM
If you are only looking to spend $200 you definantly want to go with a stick welder. Personally i prefer them to buzz-boxes in most situations because they really produce a much more resiliant bead. Plus, with the right rod you can burn through alot of surface crap when you got to work with rusty or corroded metal. (not that i'm recomending burning through it instead of cleaning properly... 
) stick will be harder for you to learn, but with some people it comes natural and once you got it, it really makes stronger welds than mig or tig. Alternatively it doesnt handle delciate work as well, but for structual stuff its the way to go!
) stick will be harder for you to learn, but with some people it comes natural and once you got it, it really makes stronger welds than mig or tig. Alternatively it doesnt handle delciate work as well, but for structual stuff its the way to go!
#8
11-21-05, 01:57 PM
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All buzz boxes are stick welders but all stick welders are not buzz boxes.
Almost any CC machine can use stick electrode. There are inverters which are very lightweight, TIG machines are stick-capable as well.
In your price range, a buzz box arc welder using stick electrodes is probably what you will want. The less expensive ones are AC only, though DC stick is smoother and somewhat more expensive.
Almost any CC machine can use stick electrode. There are inverters which are very lightweight, TIG machines are stick-capable as well.
In your price range, a buzz box arc welder using stick electrodes is probably what you will want. The less expensive ones are AC only, though DC stick is smoother and somewhat more expensive.
#10
12-13-05, 11:45 PM
Maybe I'm wrong but here's my opinion...
I'll tell you what I did. Years ago I bought a "Buz Box" Stick arc welder. It was about $160.00 and it really sucked. It was only adjustable in two power settings. Then one wonderful day I went into a Pawn shop and spotted a Century 80 Wire Feed welder. It is a Gassless wirefeed welder. I got it for $80 dollars. The Pros scoff at these as like it's not real welding. Bull ! It plugs into a regular 110 outlet, is small enough to go anywhere is all Copper wound and has a 20% duty cycle. Duty Cycle of 20% means out of 10 minutes you can weld about 2 minutes before having to let the unit cool. You won't be running any 2 minuite weld beads. A lot of the "full size welders" have the same Duty cycle. The Century 80 has a light that comes on if it's getting to warm. I've never seen it on yet. The type of welding your going to be doing, this welder or one like it is Perfect! The power and welding wire feed is adjustable and it's just easy to use. I have welded just about everything with it.. I also have and use a Lincoln 220 arc welder and a Oxy Acceteline torch. But the good old 80 is my favorite.
I don't know if you can find a deal like mine, but there are welders like it on the market for less than your $200.00. Buy the best you can afford. As mentioned you'll need a good angle grinder, and I recomend a Auto darkining welding helmet. That more than anything will help learning to weld. No you don't have to pay a fortune for a helmet either, mine was $30.00 from Homier Mobile Merchants ( on the web too ) and it works like a $150.00 dollar helmet.
Good luck and weld safe.
I don't know if you can find a deal like mine, but there are welders like it on the market for less than your $200.00. Buy the best you can afford. As mentioned you'll need a good angle grinder, and I recomend a Auto darkining welding helmet. That more than anything will help learning to weld. No you don't have to pay a fortune for a helmet either, mine was $30.00 from Homier Mobile Merchants ( on the web too ) and it works like a $150.00 dollar helmet.
Good luck and weld safe.
#11
12-17-05, 09:28 AM
First welder
I have a lincoln procore 100 flux core wire feed machine. It welds upto1/4 " thick material.Yes they will eat up some tips but once you get thehang of distance from your work it is perfect. The problem with these machines messing up liners mostly happens if you use flux cored wire with a liner for solid wire.This is the third small machine I have had/used the other two were a lincolnSP125 and a miller cricket.never had any problems out of any opf them. Have seen my father weld a top back in a soup can just to show that he could.I have spent many hours with a lincoln 2000 pushing me as hard as I could handle but for small stuff these nachines rock. 
