Welder of my own (this post has meaning)

[CBFryman]

OK well ive been looking at some welders of my own...my dad hardly ever lets me use his portable mig welder unless he is there with me...i was in walmart (yaya never buy crap from W*Mart) and they ahve a lil 80amp portable mig welder (which is all i really want/need at the time...im not doing major weld jobs that need super great penitration) for like 270 USD i beleive....they also had a 150amp arc welder for 290...at this moment i have 150 USD that will continue to grow burning a hole in my pocket...i can keep saving and get one of these welders in no time and start practicing all the time because i know lots of people that would rather have some one who knows how to weld (im not claming i actually know "how" to weld...but i do know how to weld and use the equiptment and have some experence) fabricate them up intake systems for less than 100USD then spend 200-300 on intake systems such as AEM or w/e...on top of we have a bunch of steel siting around i could just practice on and there is tons of old comuter cases (though the steel in the cases isnt the greatest quality to be welding on) that if i run out of scrap steel i could practice welding on....there is a lincon electric 130amp MIG welder for 400 USD in northern tools catolog my dads gets every once an a while...my dads MIG welder is about the same as that walmart welder and he wants a new one anyway...he told me that if i buy the lincon electric welder and pay 75% of it he'll pay the other 25% if i let him use it...but after i move out i keep it...my question is what should i do....

[TheSilentChamber]

those MIGs are flux core, you'd need regulators/tanks to be true mig (if there even upgradable like that). If you want a good quality I would suggest saving your money and getting a Miller. Your not going to make any money making CIA's, you can buy one on ebay with filter for $30, unless you buy in extreme bulk your not going to match those prices, and even then theres not much money in it. You can make money off doing custom innercooler tubing for turbo's, but most of those are stainless or aluminum. My suggestion is if you want to learn and get practive I'm sure it would be cheeper to take a few submesters at a community college or trade school in a welding class than buying your own machine, and you'll learn 1000 times more. That is if they would let you take classes, there is an age requirement at most places.

[CBFryman]

^^local community college doesnt have any welding schools/classes...over in Jacksonville where is a welding school....but its a 2 year program^^ my dad knows how to fluxcore weld (and so do i to an extent) and the guy across the street knows how to weld with a cheild gas...i sorta know how to weld with a sheild gas but i have no place to weld where it wont be blown away....what do you think ig that lincon electric 130amp MIG welder...its flux core and sheild gas compatable (all the conversion stuff included) and they have a spot weld gun for an extra 40 dollars....

[CBFryman]

sheild gas* sorry

[mike@af]

You can edit your posts, you dont need to make another with corrections.

Get at least a 175amp, and spend the money for a MIG welder that can do both flux core and MIG. Also, dont forget you're going to need a 220 outlet, plus 220 breakers, among other things.

Lincoln is definately a good brand. With them, the more you pay, the better tool you get. I was just at one of their demo's trying out the new ProMIG and its amazing, but it costs a few grand.

Wal-Mart also has those Campbell-Hausfeld flux-core welders, and those are definately on the lower end of quality.

Also, if your dad wont let you use his welder without supervision, what makes you think he will let you use your own without supervision. The risks are still there.

[CBFryman]

Originally Posted by GTmike400

You can edit your posts, you dont need to make another with corrections.

Get at least a 175amp, and spend the money for a MIG welder that can do both flux core and MIG. Also, dont forget you're going to need a 220 outlet, plus 220 breakers, among other things.

Lincoln is definately a good brand. With them, the more you pay, the better tool you get. I was just at one of their demo's trying out the new ProMIG and its amazing, but it costs a few grand.

Wal-Mart also has those Campbell-Hausfeld flux-core welders, and those are definately on the lower end of quality.

Also, if your dad wont let you use his welder without supervision, what makes you think he will let you use your own without supervision. The risks are still there.

my dad wont let me use it on alone most of the time because when i use it im usually working on a friends car wit ha friend...and he knows what if one of my idiot frineds gets ahold of it they'll kill htemselves... but do yo ureally think i need a 175amp welder....i know of the breaker amperes needed...we have 1 220 100amp breakers in the gerage and one in the shop....so that is no problem...i dont know if they wiull handle a 175amp welder though...

[mike@af]

With a 175amp you can weld 1/2" thick steel. Go ahead and spend the money now because you will save yourself more money in the long run.

Im using 60amp breakers on a 220 TIG welder.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by CBFryman

my dad wont let me use it on alone most of the time because when i use it im usually working on a friends car wit ha friend...and he knows what if one of my idiot frineds gets ahold of it they'll kill htemselves... but do yo ureally think i need a 175amp welder....i know of the breaker amperes needed...we have 1 220 100amp breakers in the gerage and one in the shop....so that is no problem...i dont know if they wiull handle a 175amp welder though...

I would suggest saving your money and getting something with greater apmerage amd capacity. Nothing is more frustrating than having a big welding project and insufficient power.
Keep in mind the purpose, too. For thicker steel, generally an arc welder can produce a stronger weld than MIG, with a skilled operator. However, MIG is or course easier and more versatile.
Personally, I prefer arc welding over MIG.

[TheSilentChamber]

Originally Posted by GTmike400

With a 175amp you can weld 1/2" thick steel. Go ahead and spend the money now because you will save yourself more money in the long run.

Heh like thining "oh I'm just going to be welding sheet metal" then not long after that laying up under a 65 dodge Polara with a piss poor welder thinking "I need to weld this 3/8" plates to frame so when I cut the roof off to make it a convertable it wont buckle..." heh... good times.

[mike@af]

When I was planning on buying a TIG welder I was going to get a 120AMP for sheet metal, now Im welding 1/4" flanges to for a friends header set. Glad I'm using a 220.

[CBFryman]

sweet, thanks.

[TheSilentChamber]

Thought that TIG was your grandpas or something?

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

Thought that TIG was your grandpas or something?

"My" econoTIG is up at my grandpa's in Michigan. Im borrowing a buddies econoTIG for the time being.

[CBFryman]

i applied for a job at a local machien/fabrication shop yesterday....if they pay me better than at the car shop im working at now then im moving out there...sweet....they have a very basic CNC machiening machien, any welder you can think of, plasma cutters, you name it they have it and they will fabricate anything for anyone who has teh cash....great experence