Metalworking Hunttalkers!

[p_ham]

This thread pushed me to diversify.
Enrolled in an adult education welding class. $30 for 8 three hour sessions.
Layed my first beads last week with stick.
Pretty rough, but gotta start somewhere.
Now I have to decide between a new smoker or a welder.

That's awesome! Good on you!

 

[GoGriz]

Get a small 220 volt MIG. Forget the little 110 volt inverter machines. You won't be happy

What is a good entry unit that I can learn on but also actually do some stuff with it once I have some practice under my belt? I have a 220 v outlet in my garage, so that part should be ok.

 

[Hem]

I have same question as GoGriz.

 

[Redmt]

What is a good entry unit that I can learn on but also actually do some stuff with it once I have some practice under my belt? I have a 220 v outlet in my garage, so that part should be ok.

I happen to be partial to Lincoln. I have a SP 175 I use for little jobs that I keep set up with .025 L56 wire and Gold gas. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the name brand machines but I wouldn't even consider anything smaller than 175 amps.

 

[elkantlers]

Well, I’m diving in head first. This thread got me motivated to buy a nice welder and teach myself. Thanks @p_ham for the pointers! Building the welding cart out of an old bed frame was a lot of fun and definitely get myself progressing as I went.

Every time I go to the landfill I swing by the metal pile to see if there is anything good. I always grab the bed frames. It can be used for tons of stuff. I also made my welding cart out of it. lol

I have the Hobart handler 140. It is good enough for anything i'm going to do. Biggest projects I've done with it is an atv/utility trailer and I fabricated and welded a trailer hitch on the back of my 5th wheel trailer.

 

[Redmt]

Years ago I tripped over Jody's website for a welding procedure clarification. This guy can weld. This is his video from today but you can chase it back to his website for other videos and his recommendations on welders and equipment. I have been welding since 1968 when I learned in highschool. I haven't found anything yet that I would disagree with him on.

Flux Core Welding for Beginners

Best Video ever - Flux Core Welding for Beginners

www.weldingtipsandtricks.com

 

[millerkiller77]

What is a good entry unit that I can learn on but also actually do some stuff with it once I have some practice under my belt? I have a 220 v outlet in my garage, so that part should be ok.

Miller 252 would be my go to. I have a Lincoln 140 and 175, but the Miller 252 is what I use 99% of the time. The Miller/Lincoln debate is the same as Ford/Chevy imo, just get something above 175

 

[Redmt]

Miller 252 would be my go to. I have a Lincoln 140 and 175, but the Miller 252 is what I use 99% of the time. The Miller/Lincoln debate is the same as Ford/Chevy imo, just get something above 175

Definitely go with 175 amps and up. You can always turn them down. I run 225-400 amp machines. When you get to the point of doing bigger jobs with heavier material, the 175 will be a fight. Besides the higher you turn up a machine, the less your duty cycle will be. 175 amp is good. 250 and up is better.

 

[np307]

Pretty proud of this one, first fit I've done solo (the line running under the two lines). The 90 at the end had to fit up to another 90 that swings between two connections. Only a couple welds in it aren't mine (I can't weld anything that can't be inspected until after I'm certified).

 

[Sytes]

Pretty proud of this one, first fit I've done solo (the line running under the two lines). The 90 at the end had to fit up to another 90 that swings between two connections. Only a couple welds in it aren't mine (I can't weld anything that can't be inspected until after I'm certified).View attachment 265754View attachment 265755View attachment 265756

Are you operating tig off scaffolding? If so, that's some serious skill. I went through welding courses via community college ( along with AutoCAD and mechanical drafting) and my main weld playstation was tig.
The talent it takes to pat a head while rubbing a belly doesn't match the foot pedal, stick feed and tungsten tip work! Top that with a circular stainless and you have some fantastic skills!

I worked a temp gig w/ Teague Boats due to our shop instructor's contact / recommendation, tig on their pipes and that was an amazing experience! Though that's at table level.

How you're able to run beads from an elevated setting is epic.

If mig stainless, even still, that's pretty flipping fantastic!

Wish you the best in your future welding endeavors.

 

[np307]

Are you operating tig off scaffolding? If so, that's some serious skill. I went through welding courses via community college ( along with AutoCAD and mechanical drafting) and my main weld playstation was tig.
The talent it takes to pat a head while rubbing a belly doesn't match the foot pedal, stick feed and tungsten tip work! Top that with a circular stainless and you have some fantastic skills!

I worked a temp gig w/ Teague Boats due to our shop instructor's contact / recommendation, tig on their pipes and that was an amazing experience! Though that's at table level.

How you're able to run beads from an elevated setting is epic.

If mig stainless, even still, that's pretty flipping fantastic!

Wish you the best in your future welding endeavors.

All of the welds were done on the ground and then put up into place. I'm definitely not skilled enough to weld that together up in the air.

This is sanitary tig work. Lift arc, no pedal, no filler metal. That's 3 inch tubing which measures .065 wall thickness. 51 amps, full purge with argon, walk the cup all the way around it. Inside of the weld has to have no color or light straw color, no spots with lack of fusion, no impurities, and a smooth bead all the way around so that no bacteria can be harbored at the seam of the weld.

Some guys do it with a pedal and high frequency start but it's really uncommon except for some particular fittings that are difficult to walk the cup on.

 

[Sytes]

Sounds as though tig has come a loooong way in 35 years. Gained a few more grey hairs. Haha!

Best to you and your future. Quality work / $.

 

[np307]

Sounds as though tig has come a loooong way in 35 years. Gained a few more grey hairs. Haha!

Best to you and your future. Quality work / $.

Each process has certainly had its niche developments. Thanks, plenty of room to improve in my skills for sure.

 

[Redmt]

Laying a smooth weld line is always something to be proud of. Every once in a while you lay one down that your dead sure NOBODY could ever duplicate. The sense of accomplishment is fantastic.
BTW,,,,,, nice work!!

 

[Gut Shot]

Couple of mine:

 

[Gut Shot]

 

[Brandon270]

Pretty proud of this one, first fit I've done solo (the line running under the two lines). The 90 at the end had to fit up to another 90 that swings between two connections. Only a couple welds in it aren't mine (I can't weld anything that can't be inspected until after I'm certified).View attachment 265754View attachment 265755View attachment 265756

Nice work, haven't had a chance to mess with sanitary yet, just some stainless brackets and framing. That purged tubing is a whole different animal.

 

[np307]

Nice work, haven't had a chance to mess with sanitary yet, just some stainless brackets and framing. That purged tubing is a whole different animal.

It helps a lot to have a guy teaching me who's done it for 15+ years. Also helps a ton to have purge plugs and an orbital saw. Funny enough, I'm actually better at welding sanitary tubing than brackets and hangers because I've done it more. Been welding up a fair amount of hangers on this job though so it's helped.

If you start doing sanitary tubing, the biggest thing that you'll need to figure is how to reliably tell that you're getting full penetration. There's little clues in the puddle but it takes some hood time to figure out what that actually looks like.

 

[Redmt]

My son sent me this picture today. It's one of the jack stands I made in a highschool shop class in 1966 or 68! The others in the class laughed at me because they are 2' tall collapsed. I drove a pickup and the rest had a variety of other pieces of junk. Theirs were in the 8-12" height.
I used these for years and years then my son latched on to them probably around early 90's. Now my grandson uses them. They straighten them a little and powder coated them a couple years ago. I'm very proud my kid and grandson are still using them 50+ years later!

 

[p_ham]

Chopped and threaded the barrel at 16" and converted the ugly ass Henry magazine tube to a more traditional style.