I’m looking to start welding. It won’t be anything I’m looking to make a profit from, but I will be doing some automotive welding on my own after I have had some teaching and experience.
what set up do you guys recommend? TIG vs MIG? I will be working mostly with steel, but will occassionally mate two pieces of aluminum.
Both have their place. TIG tends to be cleaner, but takes a steady hand and time with the torch in your hand to develop a good feel. MIG lets just about anyone lay down a bead, but still takes practice to lay down a GOOD bead.
Are you planning to cut out and replace sheet metal, or do more structural repair and fabrication?
I built TETANUS using a 220V flux cored MIG gun. About at far from an ideal setup as you can get, but it adjusts through a broad spectrum from 16 gauge sheet metal thru 1/4" plate making brackets and motor mounts.
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I got a Hobart unit years ago. Very versatile wire feed welder. Only drawback is I had to install a 220 volt outlet in the workshop. Once you get one you will wonder how you lived without one.
How much are you looking to spend? You can get a miller 212 mig machine and get the spool gun with it and the will allow you to weld aluminum. I have a hobart at home, and we use millers and lincolns at work. I like a miller better if you plan on using the spoolgun for aluminum. I really don’t care for the spool setup on out lincolns.
mig welder
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/product.php?model=M00456
spool gun
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/wire_feeders/spoolmate_200_series/
Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught.
For my MIG, I’ve got the Miller 180 with the 100 series spoolgun. Good little machine for the price. It’s not something you can weld 8 hrs a day with, but great for home projects, etc. Sometimes Miller will have deals that can save you a few bucks. When I bought mine, I got a $100 rebate on the spoolgun when I bought it as a package with the 180.
For a TIG machine, you can’t beat a Miller 250 Sycrowave.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Good advice above^^^.
Aluminum is much more tricky than steel.
Something as simple as taking your stainless steel wire brush and rubbing on steel then using the same brush on aluminum will mess you up. The brush will pickup carbon from the steel and embed it in the aluminum and you can’t see it…until you try to weld the aluminum and see all this black crap rising to the top of your puddle/weld.
I have a little Miller-matic 135 I bought several years ago and use the “flux core” wire in it and it works fine up to 1/4" steel but I have to warm that thickness a little with a torch for good bond/penetration. I love how portable it is as well and runs off 120V.
It has been a loooooooong time since I Tig welded but that was “The Ticket”. So clean without all the fireworks!
Duty Cycle is another consideration. What I mean by this is a welder with a 20% Duty Cycle will allow you to weld for 20 consecutive minutes out of 100 without overheating and tripping off till it cools. That rating is at maximum setting.
Hope this helps. If you are close to Beaufort I would be glad to drop my Miggy by for you to try.
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
Better way to think about duty cycle is minutes out of 10 instead of 100. Frustrating as hell to be working on a project for 2 minutes, then have to walk away for 8 waiting for the welder to cool down.
Spend the money for at least a 60% machine
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I have a small Lincoln mig at home on a cart. Love it for those small jobs. I use gas with mine because it is so much easier and cleaner. I can do aluminum if I have to, but would rather not because its a little more tricky and I don’t weld for a living. I also have a bigger Lincoln stick rig thats great for heavier stuff.
In my opinion, get a mig rig. Get one with a gas hookup and you can still use flux core wire if you don’t want to spring for the gas, because argon ain’t cheap, but it will last a long time if you use it correctly.
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Good point Tiger…my Miller came with the regulator and hose if I wanted to use gas but never have.
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
quote:
Originally posted by Too BusyBoth have their place. TIG tends to be cleaner, but takes a steady hand and time with the torch in your hand to develop a good feel. MIG lets just about anyone lay down a bead, but still takes practice to lay down a GOOD bead.
Are you planning to cut out and replace sheet metal, or do more structural repair and fabrication?
I built TETANUS using a 220V flux cored MIG gun. About at far from an ideal setup as you can get, but it adjusts through a broad spectrum from 16 gauge sheet metal thru 1/4" plate making brackets and motor mounts.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Yes, I am planning on replacing some rusted metal floor boards and some frame stuff. But, that will be after some good instruction and time.
I also will be doing some fabrication. I can work metal decently, of which I plane on honing as well, and will need to weld those metals together afterwards.
Turkey… the other white meat.
All good advice here. If I were only buying a hobby machine and not planning to turn this into a business, I’d buy a 220 volt MIG with gas attachments. You can then run solid core wire with gas, flux cored wire with or without gas, and aluminum wire with gas.
Now set your budget and watch Craigslist frequently. Better still go to Searchtempest.com and use the regional craigslist search. Be ready to pull the trigger when you see a good machine because they go fast.
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Awesome!!! Thx guys… any of y’all willing to give some tutelage???
Turkey… the other white meat.
Find a welding class at a vocational college. Best money that you’ll spend. I’ve heard pretty good things about the welding program at Trident Tech.
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I’m up in Aiken… They have an impressive program here. I will have to see what they offer after work hours.
Turkey… the other white meat.
most schools have something from around 6 til 10 or 11 pm. Usually 2 or 3 nights per week. The cool thing about a lot of the night programs is it’s easy to bring in a personal project to work on.
Make friends with the teacher and you can go back after the class is finished and use the school’s tools. 
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Lol. Ok. Thx so much to everyone.
Turkey… the other white meat.
Interesting post… Welding is something I have been wanting to learn how to do. I love metalworking.
Might look into the TTC course. I have an in there
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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Come on over Dave. I’ll put you to work on the R1 project
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buy a MIG welder if you are going to be welding floor pans, rusted metal etc a TIG will do prettier/stronger welds but the material must be good and clean.
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Twin Suzuki 175’s
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If you’re ever near Lexington(Red Bank), give me a shout. I’ll be glad to help with some tips.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069