I am looking at getting a new Welding Unit but have not decided on where to start looking, I have spoken to some of the bigger companies but they are a little to expensive at the time for me so if you have any ideas on where else I could start to look please be sure to let me know
Looking for a welding unit
- Thread starter fellride
- Start date
Thermal Arc offers the best bang for the buck, IMO.
YOU NEED Tig, Mig, and Stick?
Look ar the 186.
YOU NEED Tig, Mig, and Stick?
Look ar the 186.
My friend Eric bought a house in the suburbs with a Miller/Hobart Welder built into the Garage. He also has a lathe and a simple mill also. Pretty cool setup.
My question is what is the most useful type of welding to learn?
My question is what is the most useful type of welding to learn?
i'm with H8R.
describe what you want to do and people will chime in with their valuable opinions.
for example: "I want to weld thin sheet metal together" is much different than "i want to weld 3/4" mild steel plate" and way different than "i want to weld together two pieces of cast iron"
describe what you want to do and people will chime in with their valuable opinions.
for example: "I want to weld thin sheet metal together" is much different than "i want to weld 3/4" mild steel plate" and way different than "i want to weld together two pieces of cast iron"
I want an Enduro welder.
I want to weld two 12" x 145' solid steel shafts together.
U said shafts
I thought inertia welder. However, I am shaftless for the moment.
Whatever you do, don't buy an Ellsworth.
Oh, I meant Everlast.
Oh, I meant Everlast.
I want a welder that fits a 3" Gazzaloddi.
I am borrowing a friends Millermatic 130. Been practicing and finally did something constructive with it. Repaired a cracked heat shield on my '66 volvo. It wasn't pretty but it looks like it will hold.
I am borrowing a friends Millermatic 130. Been practicing and finally did something constructive with it. Repaired a cracked heat shield on my '66 volvo. It wasn't pretty but it looks like it will hold.
Ok...
TIG, or GTAW, (gas tungsten arc welding) also known as heliarc (when helium was more commonly used than other inert gases like argon)
TIG is precise. You use an adjustable arc welding "torch" that has a tungsten electrode with a ceramic cup that surrounds it. Out of the cup is the opening for a gas supply. The inert gas (typically argon) forms a small protective shield around the weld, protecting it from oxidation and other contaminants in the air. (oxidation and hydrogen inclusion happens very rapidly to metal at welding temps...)
While TIG welding, the torch is controlled by one hand and filler metal is added with the other as the weld progresses. This takes time to master - much more so than other weld techniques but the strength and precision of TIG is the trade off.
There are two basic types of TIG - AC and DC. DC is used for mild steel, stainless steel and other ferrous metals. AC is usually required for aluminum as the reversing current "pulls" and "cleans" the oxidation from the weld. Using a typically cheaper DC welding unit on aluminum makes for messy and weak welds.
Stick welding, or SMAW (shielded metal arc welding) is where the electrode is attached to the power supply via a clamp. The stick welding electrode is made of the parent material to be welded, and surrounded (dipped) in a cellulose/chemical flux coating that as the weld is made, vaporizes to form for the protective gas shield.
MIG welding, or GMAW (gas metal arc welding) is similar to stick welding in the electrode is expendable, but the electrode is not a single stick but a continuous spool of wire, fed through a gun that also supplies shielding gas. Often refereed to as the "hot glue gun" of welding. It's the easiest to learn but not as precise as TIG or in the right hands, stick. Still, the bigger more powerful machines can weld just about anything but the weld beads are not as precise or esthetically pleasing as TIG. (this is why TIG is so popular with bike frames)
MIG is popular with hobbyists, car builders, metal artists, general industrial welding, etc.
You've maybe seen this GIF, this is MIG welding wire in action:
I won't get into explaining spot welding, carbon arc gouging, acetylene gas welding, etc.
So...
That "stack of dimes" aluminum weld on your nice bike frame? TIG.
That chewing gum weld bead on that piece of exercise equipment at the gym? Probably MIG.
That critical part on that bridge your driving over? Probably stick.
TIG, or GTAW, (gas tungsten arc welding) also known as heliarc (when helium was more commonly used than other inert gases like argon)
TIG is precise. You use an adjustable arc welding "torch" that has a tungsten electrode with a ceramic cup that surrounds it. Out of the cup is the opening for a gas supply. The inert gas (typically argon) forms a small protective shield around the weld, protecting it from oxidation and other contaminants in the air. (oxidation and hydrogen inclusion happens very rapidly to metal at welding temps...)
While TIG welding, the torch is controlled by one hand and filler metal is added with the other as the weld progresses. This takes time to master - much more so than other weld techniques but the strength and precision of TIG is the trade off.
There are two basic types of TIG - AC and DC. DC is used for mild steel, stainless steel and other ferrous metals. AC is usually required for aluminum as the reversing current "pulls" and "cleans" the oxidation from the weld. Using a typically cheaper DC welding unit on aluminum makes for messy and weak welds.
Stick welding, or SMAW (shielded metal arc welding) is where the electrode is attached to the power supply via a clamp. The stick welding electrode is made of the parent material to be welded, and surrounded (dipped) in a cellulose/chemical flux coating that as the weld is made, vaporizes to form for the protective gas shield.
MIG welding, or GMAW (gas metal arc welding) is similar to stick welding in the electrode is expendable, but the electrode is not a single stick but a continuous spool of wire, fed through a gun that also supplies shielding gas. Often refereed to as the "hot glue gun" of welding. It's the easiest to learn but not as precise as TIG or in the right hands, stick. Still, the bigger more powerful machines can weld just about anything but the weld beads are not as precise or esthetically pleasing as TIG. (this is why TIG is so popular with bike frames)
MIG is popular with hobbyists, car builders, metal artists, general industrial welding, etc.
You've maybe seen this GIF, this is MIG welding wire in action:
I won't get into explaining spot welding, carbon arc gouging, acetylene gas welding, etc.
So...
That "stack of dimes" aluminum weld on your nice bike frame? TIG.
That chewing gum weld bead on that piece of exercise equipment at the gym? Probably MIG.
That critical part on that bridge your driving over? Probably stick.
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nice synopsis h8r.
would you happen to be a teacher?
would you happen to be a teacher?
I started with TIG, and pretty much only do Tig.
Glutton for punishment!
Glutton for punishment!
I recently saw a piece of hand fabricated, silver jewelry that was welded together as opposed to soldered. Some new machine or technique, but not one of the uber, fancy, multi-$1000 laser welders.
any old miller tig unit on craigslist will do everything you need for the cheap.
it will tune down to weld beer cans together or run arc to weld major plate steel.
its not the welder, its the guy behind the machine
it will tune down to weld beer cans together or run arc to weld major plate steel.
its not the welder, its the guy behind the machine
Mig if you want to do mainly steel. PITA on really thin steel.
Aluminum or thin steel...Tig.
Anything exotic...Tig.
Aluminum or thin steel...Tig.
Anything exotic...Tig.
Pretty impressive replies here, some of the most informative posts I have seen on the monkey and it was replying to a spammer.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=++++++I+am+looking+at+getting+a+new+Welding+Unit+but+have+not+decided+on+where+to+start+looking,+I+have+spoken+to+some+of+the+bigger+companies+but+they+are+a+little+to+expensive+at+the+time+for+me+so+if+you+have+any+ideas+on+where+else+I+could+start+to+look+please+be+sure+to+let+me+know+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=ctrl&ei=HwU4U7znEOTC8gfw3IGIDw&gws_rd=cr
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=++++++I+am+looking+at+getting+a+new+Welding+Unit+but+have+not+decided+on+where+to+start+looking,+I+have+spoken+to+some+of+the+bigger+companies+but+they+are+a+little+to+expensive+at+the+time+for+me+so+if+you+have+any+ideas+on+where+else+I+could+start+to+look+please+be+sure+to+let+me+know+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=ctrl&ei=HwU4U7znEOTC8gfw3IGIDw&gws_rd=cr
Without a whole lot more info, I say get an Oxy-Ace rig, most versetile welder you can own, it cuts, heats, brazes and makes a kick-ass BBQ lighter.
My mig at the house rarely gets used, but I have a Lincoln SP175, and it's an amazingly good machine for the money, it's limited on output, but it's smoother than any of the big Millers I have at work, except the Axcess 450s.
Most people don't have the power to run an old transformer machine at their house, they draw some epic quantities of current. I went with a Theermal Arc 185 for home, thing draws 30 amps at full-kill, and it's about the size of a Boston Terrier.
My mig at the house rarely gets used, but I have a Lincoln SP175, and it's an amazingly good machine for the money, it's limited on output, but it's smoother than any of the big Millers I have at work, except the Axcess 450s.
I have a 181i, but I am likely selling it for a 185/186. If OP is even real, would you be interested in a very lightly used 181 (DC) unit?
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I have one of them too and it is a good machine but it does seem rather easy to get it to leak gas at the welder end. Still it woks much better than all Cigweld garbage we had at my last workplace, they did however have a WIA welder which was freaking awesome so I'll get one of them next time.
Thanks for all the responses. I looked more into welding and found out that MIG is the simplest to use. I went ahead and ordered a Longeivty migweld 140 http://www.longevity-inc.com/migweld-140 . Has anyone used this mig welder?