Anyone want to teach me how to weld?

[gt40]

The Wife is very, very cool -- she got me a MIG welder for Christmas.

Now I need to learn how to use it! None of the local community colleges have classes in welding so I need to teach myself, it appears.

(And, yes, the welder will be at the track with me if anyone needs to borrow it.)

[AI#97]

The Wife is very, very cool -- she got me a MIG welder for Christmas.

Now I need to learn how to use it! None of the local community colleges have classes in welding so I need to teach myself, it appears.

(And, yes, the welder will be at the track with me if anyone needs to borrow it.)

Get the gas bottle and don't waste your time doing the flux core stuff. It's not really that hard...the keys are getting the power right for the job and then keeping a steady hand. Practice on exhaust pipes first which will help you learn heat control. When getting started, consider head placement to keep the gas over the welding area most efficiently and you will do fine. Wire feed rates will really be the hardest part to figure out because they change so much given different material thicknesses.

Good luck!!! you have a great new tool to have fun with!

[GlennCMC70]

use the settings found inside the door for the wire spool.
point the welder in the direction of travel - 45 degree angle or so.
use a zig zag pattern or a ((((((((((( pattern.

[jeffburch]

RK,
My nephew will be at the house Sat.
Bring your rig to Bedford.
He's a professional.
Has a Tech degree in welding (if that's possible).
I have a helmet for him to supervise ya.


jb

[gt40]

RK,
My nephew will be at the house Sat.
Bring your rig to Bedford.
He's a professional.
Has a Tech degree in welding (if that's possible).
I have a helmet for him to supervise ya.


jbCrap -- Dunno if I can make Saturday. We're exchanging the welder she picked up for a more capable (read: more expensive,) Lincoln Handy Mig. I dunno if I'll actually have that welder by Friday or not, given that Sears doesn't actually stock the Lincoln in their stores.

I'll let you know.

[GlennCMC70]

i was in a hurry before when i posted. also, just sit and weld. weld, weld, weld on junk scrap metal.

what size/brand did you get. if its a 110v unit, plan on 3/16" being as thick as you can weld in a single pass. an experianced welder can do .120" wall cage tube w/ a 110v unit and .095" should easy w/ anyone that has some experiance.

forget the flux core crap except for emergency temp repairs. its as ugly as an old school arc welder - just easier striking an arc!. get a bottle (i own mine) its about 4 ft tall and i paid about $180 for it. costs $20 or so to fill it. if you are gonna keep it in the trailer, get a small bottle. Mitch has one about 20" tall. we keep 100% argon in it for stainless and stuff. for normal welding mix gas is fine - normaly called mig gas.
get a good auto darking helmet. ($150+).

[GlennCMC70]

return the Lincoln. take a look at Hobarts. i think they are made by Miller. or get a Miller. i have a Lincoln and its ok. Mitch has a Miller, and its a nice machine. i hate my voltage selector. it has 4 settings, where as the Millers has an infinite adjustabilty in its voltage range. i think the hobarts are the same.

[gt40]

return the Lincoln. take a look at Hobarts. i think they are made by Miller. or get a Miller. i have a Lincoln and its ok. Mitch has a Miller, and its a nice machine. i hate my voltage selector. it has 4 settings, where as the Millers has an infinite adjustabilty in its voltage range. i think the hobarts are the same.Dunno if I can do that. The budget right now is $300 for the welder and the Millers and Hobarts I've seen are around $550 or so.

I think I'll have to graduate up to a Miller or Hobart if I find out that I don't suck at welding.

[j3ffbrooks]

to tell you the truth, the $300-$400 variety MIG welders suck. Don't even bother buying the gas for it. If you really want a welder worth a shit spend the money and get a Hobart 220V welder. All the $300 Lincoln is going to do is frustrate you(especially with the flux cored wire).

I gave up on my 120V Lincoln welder because it was only good for small, very small stuff. They kind of stuff that you go back later with a better welder and fix.

The flux cored wire makes it nice for portability(eg. the track), but that's about it.

[y5e06]

return the Lincoln....i hate my voltage selector. it has 4 settings, where as the Millers has an infinite adjustabilty in its voltage range. i think the hobarts are the same.

thats because you have the wrong model! I have the Lincoln 175 Plus w/ continously variable voltage & variable wire speed. I love it. I would recommend it to any buyer. of course, welders are as polarizing as.... camaros and mustangs. I like my Poncho.

[GlennCMC70]

key word there is 175. thats a 220v unit. i was limiting myself to the 110v units. those are 135amp welders.
thats another point. if you think you need a 110v unit, in 5 years you will need a 220v unit. plan ahead and get twince the tool you think you need.
i wish i had purchased a used 175 or 225 amp unit instead of the 135 amp unit i have.

also, i think you guys who are buying welders / welding supplies owe it to yourself to call Steve Mulder who owns Natwell Weld Supply Corp in San Antonio. he is a fellow CMC racer who suports the NASA TX AI/CMC group and will most likely cut you a seriously good deal if you let him know your w/ this group. my next welder will come from him, new or used.
best part is, he can most likely deliver to the track durring race weekends.

[mitchntx]

I was just about to plug Natwell ...

Natwell Welding and Supply
(210) 736-2444
Ask for Steve Mulder ... he drives the #8 CMC Camaro

He has stores in San Antonio and Houston and an office in Irving. So he can get stuff to the major markets.

Give him a call and see what he can do.

[marshall_mosty]

I have a crappy Lincoln 110V unit that was good for exhaust, but frustrating as hell on really thin stuff, or stuff that was the least bit dirty.

Took the car over to Neill's to have the wing reinforcements welded in using his Miller 220V and the welds look beautiful. He's welded a bunch (but not for a job) and the nice equipment helps out.

I'm planning on tossing the Lincoln and getting a Hobart in the future. Nothing is more frustrating than a small'ish welder that isn't up to snuff.

Just my .02

[Todd Covini]

Robert,
It's not advisable to fix that leaky shock with a welder.

:wink:

[AI#97]

Don't know why everyone is knocking the 110V welders...maybe they just have the lower tier ones? I have a lincoln weldpak 3200HD that is 110V and using a dedicated 30amp circuit at the house, I routinely weld thick steel, up to 1/4" and do pretty well with it. As long as the parts are fitting together tightly so you aren't filling gaps, the thing does pretty darn well. I think mine was $529 and came with the regulator and everything ready to strike an arc except the gas tank. Had it going on 3 years and I love it!


I would say that technique and skill will ultimately make the tool work to your advantage.

I would agree with Glenn, that if you can afford a 220V setup and have someplace to store it, great! However, if your jobs are limited to thin gauge stuff, occassional use and portability to the track...you can't beat a quality 110V unit.

[GlennCMC70]

Matt, thats the same welder i have.

[gt40]

Robert,
It's not advisable to fix that leaky shock with a welder.Wasn't gonna fix it -- was gonna set it on fire! :twisted:

[gt40]

A few things...

220v is out, for now -- no 220v service in the garage.

Portability is a big plus, not only for me but for anyone at the track, since I'd be willing to loan it out for emergency repairs.

The $300 limit is pretty firm at the moment. Any more than that and I'll be forced to save up a month or two for the extra cash, plus, I'm assuming I'll be able to return the existing welder and get a refund.

An auto-darkening helmet is probably going to have to wait -- unless the cheap ones don't suck.

I'm looking at a Lincoln Handi MIG and a Hobart Handler 125. The Lincoln has everything for gas except the bottle, but only handles steel up to 1/8" thick (90-amp, I think.) The Hobart requires a gas kit ($65) in addition to the bottle, but will handle up to 3/16" steel. the Hobart maybe harder to get. I'd prefer the Hobart (learn with flux core, and move to gas in a month or two.)

[jeffburch]

I picked up a used Lincoln 100 for $200.
I use straight co2 (from the kegerator) ;)
Co2 gives more penetration.
I have straight argon as I aspire to do aluminum.
No luck, I suck.
Also, I picked up a nifty little blue cart at HF.
jb

[AI#97]

I picked up a used Lincoln 100 for $200.
I use straight co2 (from the kegerator) ;)
Co2 gives more penetration.
I have straight argon as I aspire to do aluminum.
No luck, I suck.
Also, I picked up a nifty little blue cart at HF.
jb

Been tempted to start on aluminum myself, just got to find a video/manual on it and read up on the basics and then go from there. Having found a cheaper source for all my aluminum needs over in Garland, I have been dreaming a lot lately!

[marshall_mosty]

Having found a cheaper source for all my aluminum needs over in Garland...
Who are you using? The only aluminum place I've ever used is Trident Metal Sales off of Plano road between Arapaho and Belt Line.

[jeffburch]

Liberty Metals (scrap) has all kinds.
Their in west Dallas.
jb

[mitchntx]

Steve is currently keeping an eye out for 220V Miller to replace my current MIG rig.

Once that happens, I'll snag a spool gun for my 135 to do aluminum.

Aluminum wire is too soft to feed through a standard, length MIG lead. It will bunch up and create a bowl of spaghetti at the pinch roller.

[jeffburch]

I bought a roll and it fed fine.
Was only able to lay one bead worth a poot.
Argon glows and melts wire at the very end of the tip instead of down at the material trying to weld.
Dunno if argon isn't pure (mixed with something flamable???) :shock:
I will loan the wire/bottle to anyone wishing to try.
I had heard from nephew a spool gun was needed, but mine fed fine.

jb

[AI#97]

Having found a cheaper source for all my aluminum needs over in Garland...
Who are you using? The only aluminum place I've ever used is Trident Metal Sales off of Plano road between Arapaho and Belt Line.

I actually can't remember the name of the place or the street name...I just drive there! I will get it for you but basically they buy tons of scrap from sign companies and sell it by the pound. I have found full 4'x8' sheets of stuff in there before for practically nothing. I have a crap load of .050 at the house but no time to do anything with it.

Probably same kind of place burch mentioned.

[mitchntx]

I bought a roll and it fed fine.

I had heard from nephew a spool gun was needed, but mine fed fine.

jb

As long as the lead is straight and doesn't make any huge bends, and the wire is .030 or bigger, it probably will.

[y5e06]

I want to do aluminum too.
I had to resist the very strong urges to buy a TIG right after I sold the Vette.
I plan on trying it w/ my 220V unit, a new liner etc, and 75/25 Ar/He mix.
Al takes a lot more amperage than equivalent steel materials.
http://content.lincolnelectric.com/pdfs/products/literature/c8100.pdf

[michaelmosty]

Al takes a lot more amperage than equivalent steel materials.
http://content.lincolnelectric.com/pdfs/products/literature/c8100.pdf
What does Al have to do with welding, other than the fact that he has to weld something on his car at every event. :lol:

[Todd Covini]

Yeah...and since Al and I were teammates this year, I assume you're referring to me as "equivalent steel material".

[jeffburch]

Nephew is definitely a crackerjack.
I now know how to weld aluminium with my 110v Lincoln mig.
http://www.argentlab.com/nasatx/jeff/pics/AL-weld%20002.jpg

jb

[AI#97]

Nephew is definitely a crackerjack.
I now know how to weld aluminium with my 110v Lincoln mig.
http://www.argentlab.com/nasatx/jeff/pics/AL-weld%20002.jpg

jb

Nice! Cliffsnotes?

[jeffburch]

Ok.
Small Lincoln MIG.

Flip the feed roller over to use the serrated groove.
Grind tip down shorter to be up inside nozzle.
45 degree angle or so.
Push the puddle.
Alot of heat. On mine, max.
10 on the feed speed. This was the most important thing I was doing wrong. Needs to be 2x or a little more what you feed for steel.
Preheat your start area with small torch.
Argon 25 - 30 psi.
Small stuff under 1/8" will be tough.

jb

[GlennCMC70]

nice Jeff. thanks.
also, arent you suposed to reverse the polarity of the lead?

[jeffburch]

No.
Same a standard mig.

jb