Welder

William, does it have to be an electric welder? Because the cheapest, most dependable used sets are oxyacetylene. You can find these for less than half your budget and they do an outstanding job on light-to-medium thickness steel (up to 1") with little clean-up.

MIG spatters a LOT so if you go this way, figure on using Spatter-Guard sprays and chipping hammers or Sidewinder grinders.

The best part is - I can use it for cutting too!!

Thanks for the advice Boss.

A Millermatic 140 mig welder 120v is probably the best investment ... its going to be more then 400.00 unless you find it used ... but it will do everything from thin sheetmetal to 1/4" steel.

You have seen my shop and the things I do. The majority of what I weld has been done with a Hobart 140 (now 135 I think). I have had it and abused it for many many years. I have welded everything from thin metal to building backhoe buckets form scratch.

Next time you get down let me show you the ropes.

Gary

Thanks guys! Interestingly, I ran into a friend this weekend who has modified a Lotus 7 and races it in SCCA autocross and I mentioned I was contemplating building a go-cart for my boys. He stated that an acetylene welder may not make welds strong enough for this, and recommended a Miller MIG (which also happens to be his last name :-), or the brand which is sold at Tractor Supply, which happens to be Hobart. Now the question is, do I get a MIG and an acetylene for cutting. Or do I just get a cutter instead of the acetylene?

Thanks Gary - You've done some amazing work!! I might take you up on your offer soon.

Cheers!

One thing you will need is a tank of welding gas; argon/C02 mix. They know what you need at the welding shops.

Get the largest tank you can buy without the welding gas company requiring a contract. When you need it filled, drop it off and exchange it.

I would not by one at a garage sale or auction because technically they are owned by the welding supply company and if you bring it to get it filled they will say thank you for returning it.

One of your first projects can be a welding cart. It is a good place to start.

As far as cutting, what do you want to cut? Before I got a laser, I had a plasma and a torch yet I cut nearly everything with a Harbor Freight grinder and cutoff wheel.

It is a dangerous tool which requires all of the safety gear however...it is extremely capable of cutting most things with precision both heavy and light:









Did I mention this is a tool which is as dangerous as it is capable.

quote:

Originally posted by comp2:
One thing you will need is a tank of welding gas; argon/C02 mix. They know what you need at the welding shops.

Get the largest tank you can buy without the welding gas company requiring a contract. When you need it filled, drop it off and exchange it.

I would not by one at a garage sale or auction because technically they are owned by the welding supply company and if you bring it to get it filled they will say thank you for returning it.

One of your first projects can be a welding cart. It is a good place to start.

As far as cutting, what do you want to cut? Before I got a laser, I had a plasma and a torch yet I cut nearly everything with a Harbor Freight grinder and cutoff wheel.

It is a dangerous tool which requires all of the safety gear however...it is extremely capable of cutting most things with precision both heavy and light:









Did I mention this is a tool which is as dangerous as it is capable.

That is exactly what I need. Thanks so much Gary. I'll be sure to get the necessary PPE, after all, I am OSHA certified!

Few more thoughts.
I use the HF orange grinder (not blue, the blue tools are not worth taking for free). I get a lot of service from them and they run about $21. After torturing them for some time I used to pull them apart and replace the brush and clean up the stator. Any more I just get another one. I use them every day and torture them and they do hold up quite well for a $21 tool!

We have a Makita which is more powerful. I tried using the cut off disk in the Makita but the extra power is a bit much. It actually becomes a more dangerous exercise.

I use the HF cut off disk. I tried more expensive disk which last a lot longer, but the HF cut better. They wear down faster but they do cut better.

They also emit more nasty dust from the wheel wearing down so a mask is a must.

These are not suppose to be used as grinding wheels but to be honest, I have not used a regular grinding wheel in years. These disk work better and are far easier to control the grind.

**I cannot say that without pointing out that the cut off disk are not meant to be grinding wheels**. I stay on the tip and the cut off wheel flying apart is rare but does happen. Never grind on the flat side of the wheel; stay on the tip! It is an art but once you learn it, the tool is invaluable.

To be clear, a face shield is a must! Never on a Makita, always the lower power HF. Keep the trajectory of the wheel away from things like your face, neck, belly, etc. Once in a while look up grinding wheel failures to understand the dangers of what you are dealing with. You will find pictures of grinding wheels imbedded in peoples faces; most likely from a grinder like a Makita.

Finally, understand that around flammables, grinders are far more dangerous then a welder. To demonstrate, grind at night once with low lighting and see how far the embers go.

Loose clothing like the apron I am wearing in the last photo is just asking to be wrapped up in a spinning grinder. That's ok, I set it on fire with burning embers. Grinding away going "man, smells like something is on fire....oh yea, that would be me!"

The grinder is one of my most powerful tools in what it can do. I can cut things so accurate I can only be out done by my laser. A hand held plasma torch could not come close.

However it is one of the most dangerous tools in the shop!

What you want to weld is important. As your friend said, if you're trying to weld high-carbon or 4130 steel, a gas welder won't make strong enough joints; only a gas-shielded MIG or TIG will do. But for mild or low-carbon steel- which most car and most old airplane structures are made of, a gas welder works fine & may be specified by FAA inspectors. As one motorcycle fabricator once said, 'All 4130 gives you is a crash-resistant, unrepairable structure. It won't bend but it sure will break!'

As for stainless, many don't know it but if you're out of argon so the TIG is down, stainless brazes nicely with oxyacetylene. True- you get a brazed joint but in many cases that's plenty strong enough for the job. I altered our Pantera's stainless water pipes a decade ago by brazing (before I found a source of local welding gas); they still hold water!