Welding

[jmaddox]

Can someone let me know what type of welder I would need to do auto body work. I have never welded before but want to learn and have no idea what I would need mig tig arc. I guess the most versitale would be the best.

Thanks
Jim

[M@Man]

I can't belive this, 4 posts and nobody has welcomed you properly...

FUCK OFF NOOB!
Welcome to the board.

I can't weld worth a crap, but I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread. I would think a mig would work just fine for that, but hey, what do I know. Everytime I do any welding I end up with "Pigeon Poop" welds. :laugh4:

[jmaddox]

I can't belive this, 4 posts and nobody has welcomed you properly...

FUCK OFF NOOB!
Welcome to the board.

I can't weld worth a crap, but I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread. I would think a mig would work just fine for that, but hey, what do I know. Everytime I do any welding I end up with "Pigeon Poop" welds. :laugh4:

Nope your not the first got it on my first response to another post lol. But thanks just the same.

Jim

[M@Man]

Nope your not the first got it on my first response to another post lol. But thanks just the same.

Jim

Oh, I see, Rheo gotchya, but...I'm not gonna count that cuz he left the font small, and it's hardly noticable. :laugh4:

Either way, welcome to the board.

M@

[smpala]

get a mig , it is the easiest to learn and probably cheapest , you can get it 110 volt so it can plug in any where. just get your self a bunch of scrap and start practiceing. Get yourself an auto darkening helmet as well.

[cowboy]

I got a wire feed from harbor freight for $110. and a auto darkening helmet for $35.works good.

[SeaBass]

For body work you’re working mostly sheet metal so forget arc. Actually all welders are arc. Everyone knows what you mean but if you get around welders they might harass you for that. It is actually more accurate to call it "stick". Anywho, stick is mostly for heavy stuff and would be ridiculous to control welding sheet.

Tig is going to be EXPENSIVE. Look to spend over $1000 for decent equipment.

Mig, as smpala said, is the way to go. I picked up an old MAC 110 for $85 at a garage sale, added a new regulator and gas bottle for $150, and was off and running. They are the most versatile too. I have been putting perfectly good structural type welds on ½ inch round, turn it down and lay a bead on 10 gauge sheet. And you can even weld aluminum with it!

Good luck with it and practice. Here is a good forum for welding. I don’t necessarily endorse Hobart though. Lincoln is probably the best but obviously I went cheep over name and have loved my machine.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/

[jmaddox]

Thanks for all the info is there anything I should look for in a mig welder they tend to have a good price range I know some are 220 but even in the same voltage class it seems they have a range. so require gas some don't and the Welding current seems to have more settings on the more expensive. Here is one I was looking at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=45032&item=7506867390&rd=1 not sure if it is any good or not.

[SeaBass]

Looks like it would probably get the job done. The only draw back to the flux core is that the gas gets you deeper penetration and there is no cleanup and less splatter with the gas. But if your just welding sheet it's fine. I wish my machine could use flux core sometimes...advantage being that you don't have to lug around that big bottle and wind dosen't effect it. Some machines can do both gas and flux.

Just depends on your needs. I imagine the cheeper the less versitile but if you dont need it who cares.

[M@Man]

Wow, that's not a bad price either.
I'm gonna have to get me one of those, maybe I'll even weld better with that...well better than I do with my old 1940 arc welder. (Just made up a year, I don't know how old it really is.)
That and a drill press.

M@

[UncleFestes]

The Ebay welder is a flux core machine.. it has flux inside the wire making it .035 dia.. It does not use A gas shield.. the gas shield machine is much better for welding sheet metal and light gage plate. You can weld up to 1/4 inch plate with a .018 size wire and get a good weld.. at 100 amp. make sure that 100 amp is rated for 60% use or greater.. The gas welding is best of shop use because of Air disturbances causing poor Honeycombed welds.. the gas welder will weld thin sheet metal without excess heat causing distortion of you gas tank or Fenders.. Only a Mig (Metal Inert Gas) would make me a happy Welder.. also a 220 volt one will plug in where the Clothes dryer is plugged and she can wash later.. It will use less juice than a 115 volt welder plus possible have a longer duty cycle and higher Amps. You do not need a lot of bells and whistles with a mig , but it you want a tig also, you would need them for a quality weld on Alum.. Though your mig will weld alum. also with the proper added equiptment..Mostly a different gas mix...