Lets talk welders

[spud786]

The only welder Ive ever palyed with is my grandfathers ARC welder, for big angle Iron.

What is the most versitle type of welder that can be used for motorcycles plus many other things. Ive seen people weld pipes with acelitiline torch and a welding rod, what kind of welding is that????

Mig welder?

Help me understand what type of welder I should get, that would be usuable for the largest amount of configurations of use?

[V4 Rosso]

I think most versatile is a AC/DC TIG welder. MIG welding aluminium is possible but quite difficult. Oxy-Acetylene welding can be used for most metals but as you put a lot of heat into parts it creates a lot of distortion.

[spud786]

Ac/DC tig welder, Okay can you give me some examples of what it can be used for and on what kind of metal.

Oxy-acetyline, is that using just a welding rod and a torch? The tig welder will do that type of work too?

[dr.toto]

The best for the money is the Eastwood 200 amp tig. It's on sale now for $860. Because it's an inverter, it will run on far less electricity than a transformer style. There will be a large difference of opinion about welder styles but if you buy the best first, you won't have to repeat. If you can spend a little more money, the Miller Diversion is very good.

[dalesvfr]

Harbor Freight has a little DC Inverter that people love (Google it, lot's of people have youtube videos of it in action). Not a lot of money and 110. If I didn't already have a welder I would try it out. I have a Lincoln Weldpak that's good, and the Hobart Handler 140 at Lowes and Tractor Supply is also extremely popular. The last two can be converted to gas setups for extra money.

http://www.harborfre...lder-91110.html

This guy has some of the best instructional videos and info I've found:

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/welding-videos-reviewed.html

[spud786]

I never thought of you tube, I'll check out some of that action , thanks

[SEBSPEED]

Spud, what exactly do you want to use the welder for?

There isn't a "VFR" of welding, you really want to buy a machine that's suited for the job you're doing.

I have a Lincoln Precision TIG 225, and I will have a good 220v mig and a set of torches by the end of next year as well, because I have use for all of them and one cannot cover everything.

The 3 types of basic welding are:

- tig

- mig

- arc (stick)

Torch "welding" is actually brazing and with a skilled hand is most similar to tig welding.

DC power is for steel - some argue that you can weld aluminum with DC, you can google that and decide for yourself. General conses/knowledge is that AC power is best for welding aluminum.

Stick welding is not precise enough/too rudimentary for making nice motorcycle parts. Lots of prep and cleanup.

A good mig machine will do all you want for repair and fabrication - precision is mostly limited by the skill of the operator but if you want real precision and tidy welds you need a tig. You can weld aluminum with some mig machines, but don't bother trying that with a 110v machine.

I highly recommend you check your local boces/votec school for night class schedules. Many of them run after hours classes that are very reasonably priced and will get you a good amount of hands on training with the machine you're looking to buy. It will be most beneficial if you know what your intended use will be.

[spud786]

^{Thats informative SEb, arc = stick , I didnt know that. DC for steel AC for aluminum}

^{Ideally, I have an office chair with a metal cross brace that broke, and wanted to weld it , On my dirt bikes, Id like to be able to weld pipes when they crack, and also I wanted to be able to sweat solder copper tubiing. I know the later gets away from the tig, but the first thing I would fix is the office chair.}

[SEBSPEED]

The three things you listed can be done with a $99 wire feed mig from harbor freight and a mapp gas torch from home depot. Nothing fancy there.

I have one of those cheap pneumatic shop stools, I repaired it once with my harbor freight buzz box.

If you want to actually fabricate things that will carry loads and/or endure repetitive stress - get a real welding machine.

[spud786]

No fabrication, just weld cracks and breaks. So the wire feed mig, would do which? and the gas torch is for the brasing on copper pipe, what kind of solder?

[Metallican525]

Acid core solder with plenty of flux to help the solder flow into the joint. Spend the extra coin for the MAPP gas torch instead of propane, makes the job much quicker and easier. Just make sure to have wet rags handy to wipe down the joint after soldering (while still hot) and to quench any small fires while they're still small. I usually wet down nearby joists, wall studs, anything flammable really, before sweating the joint together to prevent the potential for fire, MAPP burns substantially hotter than propane so unwanted fire happens quicker if you're not carefull.

[dalesvfr]

Soldering copper pipe is easy, just have to start with cleaned and fluxed copper. Rule of thumb is if you have 3/4 inch pipe, a joint will take about 3/4 inch of solder to fill. 1 inch copper, 1 inch of solder. You can also buy a sheet of what looks like a felt to cover nearby joists to prevent fire. In a pinch aluminum foil reflects the heat back as well. Just practice on some scrap. If you do shut off valves that require soldering, some of them allow you to take out the washer. Do it so you don't distort the washer.

If you want to weld steel up to 1/4 inch thick go with a 110 volt mig. It will do what you want. I fabricated brackets to use a york rake on my farmall tractor with a 110 mig, and with multiple passes and/or preheating with a propane torch they held up fine.

Get into other metals and you're out of my area.

[gll429]

if you are doing copper pipe that has water already run though it.. you have to to get most of it out.. then stuff bread.. yes bread.. as far as you can in to the pipe.. use a wood dowel or something.. then solider in your joint.