help me pick a welder

[chillin014]

For my birthday I'm getting a welder because I need one BAD. I really want to make this a smart purchase, I know welders vary in price drastically. I dont know a whole lot about welders which is why I came here obviously. If you dont know what your talking about PLEASE do not post here, i only want people with alot of experience. I would like to just get the best bang for the buck, like I said nothing I'm going to end up regretting because I didnt spend enough but nothing too fancy either.
I'm going to be welding everything from cross members and exhaust to small brackets and what not.
dont even know if I want MIG or TIG.

in my Northern tool magazine I'm seein Hobart brand welders , lincoln electric, and even their house brand "northern industrial tools".

lemme know what yall like/got. thanks

[BLACKonBLACK98]

you're definitely gonna want a mig. 110v should be enough for small projects, but 220v don't cost much more. i have pesonally always preferred lincoln electric. i''ve probably used 4-5 brands including hobart (they're ok too). i actually forget which one i own since its been at a shop i used to work at for a while now.

[Jeff92se]

If you won't be welding anything over 3/8", a 110v will get you by and is alot easier to find an outlet for.

If 1/4" and thicker, you will have to to to a 220v. I have a cheapo 110v and it works okay. But I only do simple brackets and exhaust stuff. Do anything that requires strength or is a supporting member,then I'd look into a Lincoln or Miller.

[chillin014]

hmm thanks guys. I mean...is it a matter of patience? or do the smaller welders simply NOT weld thicker metal?

cause i am doing a cross member that has structural strength in my other vehicle.
i have 220v outlets but yeah there are more 110 for sure. Theres a couple options for 110v and 220v though, any specific numbers i should be looking for? amp wise or whatever.

[Jeff92se]

110v units don't technically put out the amperage. I guess if you bevel both ends that need to be welded you could get away with it. IF you can get decent penatration. I'd say the X-Member is about the max on thickness. I think it's double walled but not more than 1/4"?

It also depends on how good you are. An experienced welder would know how to make it work.

[chillin014]

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

110v units don't technically put out the amperage. I guess if you bevel both ends that need to be welded you could get away with it. IF you can get decent penatration. I'd say the X-Member is about the max on thickness. I think it's double walled but not more than 1/4"?

It also depends on how good you are. An experienced welder would know how to make it work.

what x member are you talkin about?

how do i know if my weld isnt sturdy? try to break it by beating it on the floor? lol.

[BLACKonBLACK98]

most 110v are rated for 1/4" if you double pass iirc. when you go any thicker the welder basically doesn't get hot enough for a proper weld. if you get one i'll school you on what i know about mig welding.

[Jeff92se]

You sound like a beginner. You need to determine how thick of metal you are going to be welding most of the time. That will make a big diff on the costs of the welder. I'd try to buy a Miller or Lincoln if you think you will be welding alot.
But at this point YOUR skill is going to be the weakest point right now. Read, learn and practice.

[BLACKonBLACK98]

once you really understand how welding works and whats important you dont really test every weld. when you're starting out there are some methods to test your weld (i.e. how much metal rips out when you brake the weld). i learned in a structred enviroment so we did some crazy welding/testing.

[BLACKonBLACK98]

i couldnt think of miller to save my life. the main choices are between miller and lincoln. either one of those and you can't really go wrong.

[chillin014]

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

You sound like a beginner. You need to determine how thick of metal you are going to be welding most of the time. That will make a big diff on the costs of the welder. I'd try to buy a Miller or Lincoln if you think you will be welding alot.
But at this point YOUR skill is going to be the weakest point right now. Read, learn and practice.

yes, that was the point of this thread actually. I will probably be welding sheet metal most of the time restoring rusted body panels on another car and what not. And yes I'll be welding alot.
I need to get this thing in my hands to get the experience I need. I just dont want to get some cheap piece of crap thats going to hold me back. But I dont want to spend more than I need to necessarily either.

black- i'll be bugging you once i get it and **** starts falling off my car loll

[Jeff92se]

Wow sheetmetal? Then you have to go quality and with something that can adjust amperage, gas rate, speed etc... So yeah, Lincoln or Miller for sure.

I have a cheapo 110v that has a frog gas regulator (fixed rate). It's rude and crude but for the stuff I do, it's fine.

[chillin014]

Originally Posted by BLACKonBLACK98

i couldnt think of miller to save my life. the main choices are between miller and lincoln. either one of those and you can't really go wrong.

alright i'll scrap the hobart idea then. itll probably be lincoln cause i dont see any miller brand stuff.

[chillin014]

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

Wow sheetmetal? Then you have to go quality and with something that can adjust amperage, gas rate, speed etc... So yeah, Lincoln or Miller for sure.

I have a cheapo 110v that has a frog gas regulator (fixed rate). It's rude and crude but for the stuff I do, it's fine.

yeah if anything im going to be welding thinner stuff as opposed to thicker. do you agree on MIG jeff?

[Jeff92se]

Thinner is actually harder. Try welding pop can sheetmetal together

[BLACKonBLACK98]

http://www.harrisweldingsupplies.com...ROD&ProdID=378'

i believe this is the one i bought. not from this particular store but the sp-135t w/ cart.

[chillin014]

no nothing that thin hopefully lol. i edited my last post maybe you didnt catch it. you think mig is the right "one" as well?

[Jeff92se]

I think TIG produces alot cleaner weld but is harder to learn.

[chillin014]

that one sounds like it does alot of adjustments. i think it might be out of "my" price range though. ima take a look at how many different ones lincoln electric offers to weed out my options.

[chillin014]

what do yall think of this one.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...01+502421+1177

at home depot- the next step up is 600 dollars (too expensive) the next step down is an arc welder for 389. but then 20 dollars less is i guess another arc welder because it says it "easily upgrades to MIG".

[BLACKonBLACK98]

you want to get a mig. you also really want one with power/wire speed adjustment, especially for sheet metal. you can get one without the cart for close to the same price.

http://www.google.com/products?q=lin...w=dd&scoring=p

you can find much better prices online than you will at major chains.

[chillin014]

Originally Posted by BLACKonBLACK98

you want to get a mig. you also really want one with power/wire speed adjustment, especially for sheet metal. you can get one without the cart for close to the same price.

http://www.google.com/products?q=lin...w=dd&scoring=p

you can find much better prices online than you will at major chains.

yeah good point. "wire" feeder doesnt mean that it has the speed adjustment?

[chillin014]

and yall are saying that argon sheilded gas or whatever is necessary, right? looks like i have to buy it separate or something

[BLACKonBLACK98]

you can use flux core wire but i wouldn't reccomend it.