Beginner shop welder?

[a. palmer jr.]

If you haven't done any welding work for a while it's a good idea to find some old metal and practice on it before welding something you want to keep. I think it's the same thing with spray painting, practice is the key to good work. I found it out the hard way when I had to braze a tank the other day. I believe I could have done decently if I could have done it while it was laying flat but it wasn't. It held but didn't look too pretty.

 

[Joel D'Angelo]

I have a lincoln arc/tombstone welder. I'm not an experienced welder either and was offered it for $20 so couldn't pass. All in all it's a great welder but is too powerfull for sheet metal of any gauge even at it's lowest setting. Come to find out it needs 220 on a 50 amp circuit so you might have to add to your panel. Something to keep in mind. If your local community college has a welding course I would take it.

 

[Joel D'Angelo]

Wish mine did! ghtdjetyjerhjtrhtrfdhjt

 

[ccronin]

Thanks for all of the advice everyone! Right now I am leaning toward a Miller 211 but I am going to take my time and try to make a good decision. I will let everyone know when I make a choice. I need to add another circuit to my panel before I do anything.

 

[johnathan88]

I'd say a 211 would be a fine machine ... I used a 252 miller that done a great job although... the biggest part of my welding has been heavy equipment type work so I have always used stick and flux core mig ... I've used both Lincoln and miller.. mostly millers because the people I worked for liked millers I have also worked around old pipeline workers that will have nothing but a Lincoln ... both good machines in my opinion I only have a small ac stick machine and a set of Harris torches but it does fine for at home whatever you get make sure it will handle what you wanna do with it .... I have never used one but those small inverter everlast machines look pretty nice and you can get them in multi process so that's even better ... if I was gonna get a stick machine I'd make sure it was a DC or ac/D.C. ...cause D.C. Sure welds a lot smoother .... plus you can use common rods .... it's all up to you do your research and all that .. main thing is be safe and protect yourself

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[ChoppyChoppy]

I have a lincoln arc/tombstone welder. I'm not an experienced welder either and was offered it for $20 so couldn't pass. All in all it's a great welder but is too powerfull for sheet metal of any gauge even at it's lowest setting. Come to find out it needs 220 on a 50 amp circuit so you might have to add to your panel. Something to keep in mind. If your local community college has a welding course I would take it.

240v, not 220. 220v is common in Europe though.

 

[Justsaws]

The Miller 211 looks like a great choice. 24g to 3/8 in a single pass gets most of the knock around jobs done.

 

[SCOTTS_4X]

there's just not much good info going on here. I weld for a living, and am certified in all of the common (mig, tig, stick) welding processes. there is a lot of misinformation and misused terms. Flux cored mig? wtf? it's either Flux cored or dual sheild which is Flux and gas shielded. neither is mig (metal inert gas) which is solid wire with shielding gas. and speaking of Flux cored wire, it's just stick electrodes on a roll. will weld just as well as any stick Welder with the same electrode make up when used properly (you won't see buildings being stick welded very often anymore). lots more to go into and not enough time. pm me if you want advice from a professional.

-Scott

 

[Sepia]

Flux core MIG?? Here ya go genius:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-mig-and-flux-welder-0588195p.html

 

[Sepia]

You are splitting hairs. The same machine can use both wires. Different types of shielding, but similar methodology and equipment. All you are doing is confusing something that is very simple with your "professional" opinion.

 

[SCOTTS_4X]

no they are not very similar. they are very different. one uses gas as the sheild the other uses flux like a smaw electrode. the are also vastly different in their transfer method and the technique used to weld with them. someone who is very well versed in mig welding only will struggle greatly to make an acceptable weld using Flux core or even dual sheild and vice versa.

-scott

 

[johnathan88]

Dual sheild sorry we are slow down here in ky


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[Sepia]

The OP asked a question about choosing a welder. He will have some sort of learning curve regardless what he buys. Why are you trying to teach a welding theory class here. I stated a MIG welder can also use flux core wire - which is true. So what exactly is your point when you ask "WTF"??

 

[johnathan88]

I'm out of this one take care men


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[SCOTTS_4X]

flux core mig...no such thing. it's either Flux core (fcaw) or mig.

-scott

 

[Sepia]

flux core mig...no such thing. it's either Flux core (fcaw) or mig.

-scott

 

[Sleepy]

I'm out of this one take care men


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Same here, gotta go out on the back porch, and weld some.

 

[SCOTTS_4X]

 

[pro94lt]

When getting a welder you need to also think about your shops electrical capacity too.

 

[fwgsaw]

says mig AND flux core dummy. as in its two separate mostly unrelated processes. I guess the English language escapes you canuckistanis huh?

like I said, bunch of misused terms and misinformation given by a bunch of back porch welding experts.

-scott

I'm not a back porch welding expert. Why call people out like this? No need for making people feel dumb. Especially about welding on a chainsaw forum.