What kind of welder should I get?

[tykenfitz]

I need something for welding frames and cost is the biggest factor for me. If you guys could explain the different types and tell me of a cheap one good enough for just frames it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lemegacool]

stick arc welder is your best bet price wise, mig or fluxcored is easier but the wire and machine are more expensive, stick rods are dirt cheap! i think you are in the us so this one would do the job. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55195

for the electrode i would recommend low hydrogen 7018 but this rod is not as easier to work with than this one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96813

any questions on welding feel free to ask!

 

[pmat]

that welder is fine, ive never really even used over 120 amps (with the exception of my stupid tractor) and i find 6013 are the easiest sticks to use

 

[tykenfitz]

Sweet, thanks guys! Now I just gotta get my dad to take me to Harbor Freight. Also assuming I can't steal any from school , where would one go about finding sheet metal and 1"X1" 1"X2" or 2"X2" steel or aluminum tubing?

 

[pmat]

haha i steal drill bits and electrodes from school all the time.
try lowes, they most likely have it, but it is very expensive there.

 

[tykenfitz]

What tools do I need for cutting the tubing and making the 45* angles?

 

[modelengineer]

You can't weld aluminium tubing with a normal stick welder... just in case you were wondering.

 

[fluxcored]

What tools do I need for cutting the tubing and making the 45* angles?

I started out with:
Soapstone markers
Hacksaw with 32TPI blades
Combination square
3 Meter Measuring tape
2 G clamps
A bastard cut file and a second cut file

Forget aluminum and round tubing for the time being.

 

[stephenm2682]

model engineer, you can with a dc welder & 4043 rod.

 

[jr dragster T]

You need a VERY expensive bender to bend Aluminum tubing.

 

[lemegacool]

model engineer, you can with a dc welder & 4043 rod.

hehehe tried it once... well quality was blehhh... i honestly prefer gtaw-alu or a good push pull/spool gun :biggrin5:

 

[Khyren]

had I known that welders were in such high demand, I would have posted all the millermatic 251's that we were selling for $600-800 depending on age. I can check monday to see what we have left if anyone is still interested.

Khyren

 

[zero1dhd]

I would recommend getting a cheap MIG not an arc. Arc's are usually used for structural applications. With a MIG you can do structural stuff (with a high $$ one) as well as intricate type stuff.
you cannot weld aluminum with an arc welder. You can with a mig or tig. Migs that are setup for aluminum are usually pretty expensive, but they are usually a dual spool so you can weld alum and steel both. If you aren't a good welder I wouldn't even try aluminum, it's a whole different animal than steel. If you plan on welding a lot of stuff and a lot of different materials, get a TIG. you can weld anything with a tig, you just need a variety of electrodes and a variety of rods, and you're set. TIG's are expensive though, I think the cheapest one that has an AC setting (needed for aluminum) is about 5 grand (Miller). If you need advice on techniques for different materials, ask me, I have welded just about every metal possible.

As for cutting, I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am surgical with a cutoff wheel. Get a triangle square, and some stabillos. If you intend on doing a lot of steel cutting get a chop saw with a Grinder type blade for steel.

As for bending, don't even try to bend tubing yourself, it's a pita, Get a tubing bender from Harbor Freight or something. You can get them cheap. I have tried 4 or 5 different types of DIY benders that I spent hours building, all to fail. You might be able to bend 1" dia or smaller tubing using a large dia pipe as a die and a whole bunch of grunt. It all depends on what you want the bend for... If you don't care if the pipe gets indented (structural type) apply heat, if you do care (flow type, ie exhaust pipes etc) you need to get a good quality bender to not crush the tubing.

 

[choppedandtwisted]

For joining tubes accurately you can either carefully grind the ends to match the contour of the pipe you will be joining up with or buy a tubing notcher. They work best if you have a drill press and cost about 40.00 at HF. As for sheetmetal, look for heating and furnace installation businesses. They usually have many different gauge metals to choose from and are reasonable on the price. I don't know about your location but around here you can buy tubing at stores like Fleet Farm, Menards, Home Depot, etc. I hope this helps,
Jeff

 

[rhytonen]

TIG.

The Chinese ones work fine and are only about $2-300

 

[nichole]

Chisels, saws and planes, to name a few.

 

[88s10Durango]

And for all you DIY`ers ,, I`ve made one but have yet to hook up the motor and cables ,, Bill
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/on-boardwelder/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bez0gqBOQA

 

[EagleTalons]

And for all you DIY`ers ,, I`ve made one but have yet to hook up the motor and cables ,, Bill
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/on-boardwelder/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bez0gqBOQA

Holy jesus that is one jacked up truck!

 

[88s10Durango]

Holy jesus that is one jacked up truck!

Heres a pic of my 2wd s10 I`ve been swapping over to 4wd , Bill

 

[TravisD]

nice ride, I so wanna get a mig, but only have a arc 140amp