Welding Advice

[Donald T.]

Hi guys. I'm considering purchasing a welder. I have no welding experience, but would like to learn. Like to get some advice on what would work best on vettes for the novice in the garage. Currently needing to butt weld rocker brackets to convert side exhaust back to original configuration.

Thanks!

[Robert Pelland]

Re: Welding Advice

Go with a low cost Mig welder. Good examples can be purchased from HTP, Lincoln, or Miller. Get one that runs on 220 Volts, it will be better in the long run for general purpose welding.

The learning process will also be shorter then with any other type of welding setup

Good luck
Bob

a.k.a. Stepinwolf

[Donald T.]

Re: Welding Advice

Thanks Robert. I had not considered going with 220. This would require an electrician to set up a 220 outlet in my garage. Are the benefits of 220 really worth it for the ocassional hobby use?

Thanks!

[mike mccagh]

Re: Welding Advice

once you get a mig, be it a 110 or 220, you'll love it and find many heavier pieces of metal you'll want to join, that you'll kick youself if you don't get the 220 volt model initially . wiring you shop for 220v a good idea in the event you move up to a 220v compressor. i'm on my second snap-on mig and it'll be one of the last tools to leave my shop. mike

[Steve D.]

Re: Welding Advice

Don

I bought a 120 volt Lincoln MIG unit from Home Depot, and it has been very handy. Harbor Freight has some small, inexpensive units that would be fine for occasional, thin-metal welding. If you have to join anything that has a critical, structural purpose, I'd suggest letting a "real" welder to do it.

Steve

[Donald T.]

Thanks!

Thanks guys. Sounds like good advice. I'd rather have more welder than I'll ever use than find it to be inadequate later.

[David Bodily]

Re: Welding Advice

Don,
one thing you need to keep in mind. What ever welder you buy make sure that the wire is not hot until you pull the trigger on the gun. I have a Miller sidekick and I use the heck out of it. A friend bought a HF unit and asked me to give him a quick lesson in use. He only saved a couple of hundred dollars over what I paid and the stinger is energized at all times. So if you touch the stinger to the grounded work piece it will arc. After using mine that was one irritating querk to get use to.

[Sander B.]

Re: Welding Advice

i use a lincoln SP-170 220v Mig welder (us model = SP-175)
we in the Netherlands are fortunate we all have 220v

its a great welder to work with, did all welding work with it on my 1960 vette

(also got the lincoln V160-TP TIG welder (nice garage toy too)

Sander,

[David W.]

Re: Welding Advice

What kind of money are we talking here?

[Craig S.]

Re: Thanks!

Don - I have a Millermatic 200 I bought about 10 years ago and it has been just great. A 200 AMP unit will let you weld anything you need, but has a lot of versatility for lighter steel and sheet metal too. Go to your local jobbers and learn a bit from the guys that know the trade. After a while......you will want a plasma cutter too Craig

[Chuck R.]

Re: Just keep one thing in mind Don

Once your neighborhood pals find out you have a welder, they're going to be coming at you from all sides to help them "fix" all they're broken toys.

Be nice and only charge them a flat labor rate and a modest materials fee

208/220 welders work far easier than 120 volt stuff. The amp draw on 120 volt rigs really comes into play. If the circuit is not dedicated to just the welder, then the quality of the arc/weld will be very evident. Of course the same can be said for 220 volt circuits if you tie into the dyrer circuit and the wife starts a load of wash just as your trying to strike and arc.

Keep in mind also that the longer the power run to the garage the greater the amp draw. If your talking connected garage, then it's a non issue

Once you get the hang of it, your going to be going out of your way to find things to stitch up

Also check out your local industrial arts schools for night welding 101 classes

Have fun,

Chuck

[Bill Coleman]

Re: Welding Advice

Noticed the very interesting post on restoring the rocker brackets to standard exhaust. My '63 coup has had the rocker brackets cut off just below the frame rail to accept side pipes at one time. Would like some tips on how to weld back on to whats left of the brackets - line up, length etc. Thanks, Bill

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: Welding Advice

I like the Miller Line myself and have their Mig 135. I agree, a 220 unit like their 175 would be nice, but I manage with the 110 unit fine cause I'm saving my money for a TIG and a Plasma cutter...chuckle. You'll also want an auto darkening helmet. I don't know how I got by before without one...they are just too cool. Check out welders-direct.com to give you an idea of pricing. I've used a couple of the cheapie Harbor Freight units by Chicago Electric before my wife bought me the Miller..cool wife hey! Although they work OK, you'll appreciate the quality of a Miller or Lincoln. Since you are doing brackets that were spot welded on, some of the Mig welders have a spot weld function, basically the machine cranks up the wire speed and amperage and auto feeds the wire and automatically shuts it off. Mine does not have that, so I do it the old fashion way, drill a hole in the bracket and weld through it as I fill it in. Some have an auto stitch function too for doing sheet metal work.

[Dick W.]

Re: Welding Advice

A good source of information is the link below. I thould tell you what you need to know. Then you can shop and bargain on price.. I have used the Miller machines for over 30 years with good results. Lincoln also makes good equipment. I have a diesel powerered Lincoln that is getting close to 40 years old and still going.

Say away from the bargain priced units. Sooner or later you will need parts and/or service. The major brands will still be in business, the cheapos who knows??

http://www.millerwelds.com/mig

[Donald T.]

Re: Just keep one thing in mind Don

Thanks guys! Very helpful!