welders

[averagef250]

MIG welders are not jokes, but they are not miracle machines like some people claim they are. I'm not new to welders or welding.

[Whateverman]

you're never gonna be able to scab that rusty old muffler back together with a stick (SMAW) welder or do any kind of body work (easily at least) with it either ,TIG is good for aluminum and stainless but pretty unnecessary unless you're doing specialized stuff and NO GOOD outside of a shop,i'd go for a MIG personally

MIG (wirefeed) welders aren't miracle machines,but they do create alot less waste and mess (and less wasted time)
than stick welding
if you are doing home jobs and especially if your shop is your driveway,forget about the sheilding gas (usually CO2 or CO2/argon for steel ) & use a fluxcore wire instead ,
that way you aren't gonna have any problems when the wind blows
- the shipyards around here now use fluxcore (pretty bloody heavy gauge) wirefeed instead of stick

-stick(SMAW) is great for field repairs and for welding heavier guage materials - and is too me is actually way more fun to weld with than a MIG - but thats probably just because i usually end up running beads all day using a MIG gun

[averagef250]

Agreed, tiny MIG is the right tool for body panels, but small stick rod beats mig for exhaust work, especially old rusty crap exhaust work. Stick is the best thing since sliced bread for exhaust. Bend rod, weld all the way around the pipe in the tightest spots. There's no problem doing fine work with small rods and a foot pedal, just like TIG, but you only need one hand.

Flux core isn't MIG, it's flux core. Heavy wire feed welding is usually dual shield using gas and flux. It's just like stick welding without replacing the rods, pretty cool. BUT IT ISN'T MIG! METAL INERT GAS=MIG. Nothing about flux cored wire in METAL INERT GAS.

This thread was discussing which welder would be best to keep in this guys truck for repairs while wheeling. I really find it incredibly hard to see any advantage a small MIG welder has over a stick welder in this situation.

Lets say Joe Bob has his truck in BFE nowhere and breaks a suspension part (that's what the idea of carrying the welder is for right? fixing something to get you home right?) If Joe BOB has a decent size generator and a 110V MIG he doesn't have the heat to weld any crossection over .100 or so and it's raining and windy so he's completely F'd, leaves his truck and walks back to civilization. If Joe Bob has an engine driven stick welder he has a real mans welder and can do whatever he wants. He can also do something the MIG can't easily do- He can carry different types of rods! 6011 for mild steel repairs, 7018 for a critical part and alloys and even a few nickel rods, aluminum rods and some 9018 for when that cast iron piece or gear/shaft breaks. He can just skip the welder all together and make some welding leads for his battery and carry the rods with him. If Joe Bob is real crafty he can even rig up a scarifer to his on board air system and cut and gouge with his stick setup if it's better than just his battery and DC.


I had just an old Miller stick welder, then an ancient Forney for a few years as a teenager and found you can do amazing things with them and much easier than the "MIG crowd" thinks. Stick has it's place and should be learned and understood before anyone picks up a MIG gun to become an instant professional.

And, BTW, you can replace body panels and weld the thin sheet metal with stick rods. It's not easy, takes a little skill. I don't think I was 17 yet when I was doing it so it wasn't that hard. Made doing exhaust with stick a walk in the park.

[Whateverman]

i am a welder by trade - each welding process has its benefits and its drawbacks .....


and as i said- for field stuff stick is the way to go
- once upon a time i had a GM alternator setup to weld with in an 80 f100 with a 300 in it (my work truck at the time)- it would have been a really great trail repair unit ,the idea for it was taken from a four wheeling or 4by & offroad mag sometime in the early 90's -it was a really slick setup,wish i could remember what exactly i had to do to re-jigger the thing


i also stated "wirefeed" along with MIG -
- give me a wirefeed -either fluxcore or MIG -over stick when welding thin gauge metal (or rusty old crusty mufflers) anyday

i've scabbed way too many rotted exhaust systems back together again and generally don't need to add any additional filler metal other than the welding wire (unless there is a big hole)
- here's what i do on rotted exhaust :turn the gas flow way up (if i'm using gas) & either long arc the sucker , turn the heat down or turn the speed up a bit - - lay some boogers down to build the metal up and top it all off with a half decent pass (mostly just for looks)

but hey - if stick works for you-more power to ya!

[mybros71]

The original poster asked about an easy to use light welder for light welding including floorpans and roll bars and indicated they are inexperienced. Thats the first problem. If you're inexperienced, get a welder buddy to weld the the roll bar. Help them and learn all you can. If you don't have a welder buddy, hire one. If you ask enough good questions and want to learn, chances are you'll have a welder buddy by the end of the job.

The most cost effective option given this scenario is going to be a MIG with shielding gas 99 times out of 100. Buy the best welder you can afford and stay away from the bargain brands. Buy red or blue and practice...a lot. Don't be afraid to buy used, if you trust the source. My favorite welder is a Millermatic I paid 35 dollars for and put 30 dollars more in for a hose and liner. Like some have already said read some books and take a class.

I can only think of three scenarios where I have needed a stick welder. High wind, remote location, and gas pipe fitting. Everything else CAN be done with a MIG, although it may not be the best tool for the job. If you become hooked on melting metal together, you will eventually find yourself with aa TIG torch in your hand.

[Mudbone2005]

I have read nurmous post and I have not really seen anyone mention Craftman's welder. Has anyone use this brand and you thoughts?

I have foud a used one and thinking about getting it

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ ... 27410.html

[flyboy2610]

I have read nurmous post and I have not really seen anyone mention Craftman's welder. Has anyone use this brand and you thoughts?

I have foud a used one and thinking about getting it

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ ... 27410.html

Jump on it!

[ultraranger]

This is my Lincoln 140C MIG with an 80 cubic foot bottle of 75/25 (75% Argon/25% CO2).



The "C" in 140C stands for "Continuous," meaning the heat setting is variable as opposed to the Linclon 140T (tapped). The tapped version has several predetermined heat settings that you select, without the fine tuneablility in between, like the 140C.

A 220 volt welder won't be nearly as "portable" as a 120 volt welder will be. You won't find a 220 volt outlet just anywhere but the 120 volt unit can be run from any 120 volt household outlet, which is commonly available. Just be sure if you require an extension cord to reach your work with the welder that you use at least a 12-gauge extension cord. An under-sized cord of 14-16 gauge will cause the welder's transformer to pull high current which means the welder's life expectantcy will be cut short.

[J_Boo]

In response to mig and stick welders. I am equally good at them. As far as welding body panels on I prefer to use the wirefed mig because it's just easier to control and manipulate your weld on a small scale. Where as the arc though I can precisely weld with it in the end usually takes just a bit more touch up work. Both have their good things and bad things, I just use them for different things.

[J_Boo]

This is my Lincoln 140C MIG with an 80 cubic foot bottle of 75/25 (75% Argon/25% CO2).

[ Image ]

The "C" in 140C stands for "Continuous," meaning the heat setting is variable as opposed to the Linclon 140T (tapped). The tapped version has several predetermined heat settings that you select, without the fine tuneablility in between, like the 140C.

A 220 volt welder won't be nearly as "portable" as a 120 volt welder will be. You won't find a 220 volt outlet just anywhere but the 120 volt unit can be run from any 120 volt household outlet, which is commonly available. Just be sure if you require an extension cord to reach your work with the welder that you use at least a 12-gauge extension cord. An under-sized cord of 14-16 gauge will cause the welder's transformer to pull high current which means the welder's life expectantcy will be cut short.

Those are a damn good welder, my grandfather has one from like the late 70s and still works fantastic.

[Mancar1]