Author Topic: Newbie Welder (Read 2312 times)

RK · « **on:** Apr 11, 2006, 03:24:31 PM »

Im just now getting to teach myself welding, or at least have someone teach me. I would like to have my own for the time im not around a good welder, you guys think this welder is ok for a noob?

I know the saying, you get what you pay for, but Im also thinkin that Im just startin out in this arena. I was thinkin get this to practice and do small things here and there, then save up and get somethin like a Millermatic 251 when Im decent.

tt21 · « **Reply #1 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 03:51:22 PM »

Buy the welder that you want and the one that will be able to do the bigger jobs you have planned later on. Because you can still do the small things here and there with that miller 251

Truggy · « **Reply #2 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 05:53:15 PM »

dude buy one once cause you'll start welding and then be like crap i cant weld the stuff i want with this. i have a miller 210 does everything sheetmetal to 1/2 inch

Shamb · « **Reply #3 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 08:57:37 PM »

I'd say no because I dont even see a heat control on that welder ? !

Get something good, it'll cost more but you'll thank yourself later.

wa4x4 · « **Reply #4 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 09:01:12 PM »

I like harbor frieght, I really do. But I wouldn't trust any of their tools that are real fabrication tools. The HF tube bender and some welders they have are junk, but that is just my opinion. For me, I would buy hand tools and some impact sockets from HF. Everything else I would go name-brand, usually they are better, and when they break parts/service is availible.

EDIT: What I have been told by my friends that weld, when looking at a welder look at Duty Cycle very closely. Only 15% on this welder.

Ramrod · « **Reply #5 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 09:04:39 PM »

find a used miller and buy it and then take some junior college welding classes and you'll be good to go. I bought my miller 175 wirefeed with a cart and new spool of wire for $75 used

wa4x4 · « **Reply #6 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 09:08:51 PM »

College classes can be very expensive. If you have friends that weld, and they are patient, have them sit down with you and teach you some basics you can practice on your own, and they may have some tricks of the trade too. For free or a few 6 packs, still cheaper than school. They also have books on Amazon.com, take the change out of your ash tray and coin tray at home, go to coinstar, get a gift card (they don't take any for a gift card to amazon.com) and buy a book. Should be around 10-20 bucks for a book, not too bad.

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #7 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 10:48:17 PM »

Go with what you're going to want in the long run. It'll save ourself some trouble and hassle later on down the road.

As for books, I was referenced to this one a long time ago on this board. I have checked out the book, and it is pretty good for a beginning welder. Its less than $15 too

wa4x4 · « **Reply #8 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 10:48:51 PM »

That's the book I bought. Pretty good.

RK · « **Reply #9 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 11:01:13 PM »

if its monster garage, yeah, ill buy it.

89 toy · « **Reply #10 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 11:05:58 PM »

defenatly go big the first time around you will be much happier. and what is wrong with a hf bender iv seen a lot of cages built with them and they turned out good.

wa4x4 · « **Reply #11 on:** Apr 11, 2006, 11:09:03 PM »

They're just very basic welders, nothing wrong, but the components are cheap.

Ramrod · « **Reply #12 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 08:44:48 AM »

junior college classes at my school are usually no more than $50 most are like 20 and I don't think you need a welder that big really unless your doing some crazy stuff. A 210 can weld 1/2" on a single pass

RK · « **Reply #13 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 09:47:08 AM »

I was lookin round, i found a few 210's used for sale, about the same price as that Chicago. I think I will go with one of them.

CTENG in KS · « **Reply #14 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 10:43:43 AM »

I got me a leetle HF welder cause I didn't want to spend a bunch now...I know laterz I will be able to buy a nice big 220V machine when I have a garage and such. Till then my el cheapo werks gist fine...

burnyota · « **Reply #15 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 01:10:16 PM »

buy the harbor freight machine and run like small diameter flux core wire,.020. or .030 is the largest i'd go with on that welder (go to the welding shop to buy ur wire, stay away from HF wire) +u don't need a regulator or tank, and flux core can be run outside when its windy..and dosent take much skill ...

-dont think 1/2 on a single pass is in his league yet if he dont know how to weld/set up the machine

wa4x4 · « **Reply #16 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 01:26:32 PM »

Yeah, the welding class for just one quarter can be upwards of 300 bucks without financial help.

I get all my classes free from the state, my automotive classes plus one gen. ed. class is around 750 bucks a quarter.

burnyota · « **Reply #17 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 01:43:41 PM »

5th semester welding student at TSTC in tx...18hrs cost 936..but 1&2nd semesters were like $1300

Skinny_Pedal · « **Reply #18 on:** Apr 12, 2006, 03:56:59 PM »

first off the harbor frieght bender is for PIPE! not tube they are two totally different things. next buy a 220v welder don't even bother running a 110v. i know in a lincoln 255 mig welder you can use .025 wire and be able to welder 1/16". miller and lincoln welders are dam near the same thing, so no matter what you can't go wrong.

kneedownnate · « **Reply #19 on:** Apr 13, 2006, 12:02:59 AM »

X2 what most are saying, buy now what you want later. And schooling is great, but there's no replacement for hands on. The only "training" I've had is some tips from a couple old timers at work, and that went a long way for me. My current welder is WAY better and more capable than I ever will be, but there's nothing I would ever weld that it wouldn't do. Just sucks I need a gasoline powered ac/dc welder to run mine! Oh yea, I think it's 100% duty cycle too, but I haven't been able to confirm it yet. I just know that it'll go as long as you wanna run a bead. I think it's more dependent on which welder I'm getting power from.

burnyota · « **Reply #20 on:** Apr 13, 2006, 09:00:06 AM »

tru that....the best experience is hands on with almost anything, epecially welding. I just finished a job welding heavy wall pipe at a power plant and received credit for the rest of the semster. I work a 60 hr week and was under the hood for about 45+hrs that week x 2 weeks. I learned more that first week and welded more in that week...learned a boatload, plus everything i welded was shot w/ x-ray, and passed, so ther were no cut-out and redo's.

burnyota · « **Reply #21 on:** Apr 13, 2006, 09:03:58 AM »

a 30% duty cycle is fine for most light/med duty werk....i think that my miller 175 has this rating and i havent had to re-set yet

badger1bear · « **Reply #22 on:** May 09, 2006, 05:49:15 AM »

I originally bought a cheap little mig welder when I first started but as Truggy said you will find you want to do bigger and better things. So I bit the bullet and bought one of these http://www.weldingsupplies-uk.co.uk/products/mosa/ts222dsel.htm
This thing is great, you can take it anywhere, weld whatever you need and make the coffee with it at the same time and best of all I run it on red diesel and I can get that for FREE
The only downside is you end up with arms like Popeye from lifting it in and out of trucks

195kg

gabriul · « **Reply #23 on:** May 09, 2006, 08:38:43 PM »

Get a good miller. I stand behind millers machines.

Also allot of people have great points about having a great machine, so that when you advance, you don't spend for another machine.

kneedownnate · « **Reply #24 on:** May 10, 2006, 08:10:51 PM »

Ditto man. If I could trade my miller for a 175 or 180 with bottles I'd do it, just so I could weld at home. Might even consider trading for a nice 140 or so, but not totally sure.

RK [OP]

RK [OP]

Related Topics