Would a newbie at all home repair type stuff be wasting time to get a welding machine, line feed, to try to do some basic welding stuff? I get the limitations of this type of welder. Is is something that takes a lot of practice and skill?
Welding is not that difficult. I learned MIG by getting a used college textbook on the @bay site, and pretty much taught myself.
What type are you trying to learn? MIG is pretty easy, I use solid wire with gas, much better penetration than flux core.
Of course now I weld almost every week as my daughter races and I am always having to fix the rub bars or bumpers. She is 15 and loves the sport!
Go explore sci.engr.joining.welding if you want to learn more. Also, some welding equipment manufacturers may have tutorials on their sites. I found good info on oxy-acetylene at victor's site.
Bob
I'm sure welding is not that difficult. I've cut and I've braized with gas, and those weren't hard.
But it also surprised me how cheap it was to get a welding guy to do things, if you can transport then to his shop.
If you can look into the future and see how mnay things you will have that are not transportable, that can't be solved with drilled holes and screws, or glue, or wood, you might as well buy the welder early and do all the portable welding jobs at home too.
Don't even try it until you take an 8 year course in a Welding College. Welding is very dangerous and even the slightest error could kill you and/or burn your home to the ground. Leave the welding to the pros or go to welding college. The life you save might be your own or your whole family.
Gas welding is easy, once you get used to explosions and catching your pants and shoes on fire.
Nick
Oh, please.......! It's more dangerous to drive to the welding shop than it is to learn how to weld.
Isn't the line feed welder an option? A guy at home depot seemed to pretty happy with his without much training.
I bought a Lincoln 135 (110V Mig) several years ago for what I thought would be a quick project. Bought a book on welding, and after some practice, did a pretty decent job on the project. Then, since I had it, one project after another seemed more do-able. Since then, I've acquired a 220V stick welder, an acetylene torch and various and sundry accessories. Even made acquaintance with a retired welder who has come over and given me some helpful pointers. Maybe someday I'll take a class at the college, but... So, be careful what you start! ;-)
"AKA gray asphalt" wrote in news:XMjVh.187481$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe11.phx:
electric are welding is easier,especially with aluminum. In the long run,probably cheaper,too.
There's a reason that guy works at HD. He's an idiot !!!! One of the worst places to get advice is from a kid that works at HD for $5.50 an hour. All he wants to do is make a sale so he gets a commission, so he'll tell you anything to make that sale. You'd likely get more worthwhile advice from some drunk passed out in an alley.
I am assuming you mean wire feed welding. I have to do a project soon involving some wirefeeding. If you would like, I can get ahold of you when I'm ready, and you could come over and watch. I can show you more in an hour than you could learn in a day by yourself. It will be towards the middle to end of May.
What do you want to weld? If you are only going to weld small stuff, you could get a smaller one, and go from there. However, if you like it at all, it is very easy to outgrow a welder, and then have to go buy a bigger better one. I have always suggested buying a 220v. machine, then you can weld lots of things a small one won't weld. Also, the duty cycle is higher, so, let's say you want to make fifty feet of fence. You won't be waiting a long time for the machine to cool off to start again.
If you really like welding, you can buy a used Lincoln Tombstone, or ad/dc welder for a few (300-500) bucks that will do all you want to do. If you grow past that, you'll be making the money to just go out and buy a machine that will do what you want to do.
Welding is just like any other craft. If you like it, and start getting the tools that let you turn out goods that are professional quality, you can make money at it, or at least have a hobby that will bring you some income to defray the costs, which makes mama a lot more happy about the cash flow. Then you can always make her some stuff here and there for the garden or house to WOW her or just get her to go easier on you about your hobby. Surprising how many items my wife brings to me out of magazines and says, "You could make one of these." And I say, "Yeah, but it will only cost four bucks for materials instead of the $39.95 they want for this one." Gets 'em every time.
Let me know. I'm feeling a little poorly right now, and am prohibited from lifting until mid May. But I could give you a tour and show you things I have built with my "line welder." ;-)
Steve
I have some used small box steel material (local balcony rail stuff) to burn up, you guys can have (Pebble). Garage sale, otherwise.
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
Right now I'm imagining waking one up and asking about welding...
Or we could ask YOU, who seems to know everything there is to know, but just forgot to post any helpful information relative to the questions being asked.
Right?
Steve
To the contrary. If a droid at HD can weld, anyone can!
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