first welder

[snomaker321]

so im 18 and I want to get a welder so I can learn how to weld. What is a good welder that I can learn on and fix stuff i break with?
How much money am i looking at?

 

[Twisted_Steel]

First off, don't buy any 110v welder... they do not get hot enough to make a decent weld. 220v is the way to go.
Do you want a stick welder or a mig (wire) welder?
With a wire welder, you will also need to invest in a tank of argon.
I've got a Hobart Handler 187 and it is a very capable welder. $500-$600 + argon tank rental.
If you want to start welding and know what you're doing, I suggest you go to a local community college and take a welding class. It is WELL worth the money you'll invest.. or get someone to work with you at a welding shop.

Good luck

 

[snomaker321]

i dont know what i want, i really dont know all that much about welders. 220v I can do, I have an outlet wired for it in my garage. $500 seems like alot, but what do I know. Is there anything worth getting for much cheaper or is that what a worthwhile welders gonna cost?

 

[85rx7_93ranger]

Hey, i bought a "clark" welder from menards its a 110v wirefeed it was 450 during the christmas season two years ago, it came "gasless" but the conversion kit plus a tank from menards or fleetfarm was 80$ you never want to use that "gasless" bs it just plain sucks, get the kit it comes with the hoses, regulators, and tank.

so total i paid 530$ and the tank is mine, dont rent one its a bunch of crap, they screw you. and my tank lasts me through 2 spools of wire and it costs like 27$ to refill at teh local mississippi welding shop. and clark is a great brand ive had it 2 years with no problems at all its just as good as a miller but cheaper, ive done some really thin body work without burning through and ive also done 2" wide beads on 1/2 thick steel with perfect penetration and also when i was making my winch bumper on the jeep i welded one straight bead about 3 and 1/2 feet long and teh welder was fine, no over heating or surging. its a very good buy, hope that helps

 

[85rx7_93ranger]

First off, don't buy any 110v welder... they do not get hot enough to make a decent weld. 220v is the way to go.
Do you want a stick welder or a mig (wire) welder?
With a wire welder, you will also need to invest in a tank of argon.
I've got a Hobart Handler 187 and it is a very capable welder. $500-$600 + argon tank rental.
If you want to start welding and know what you're doing, I suggest you go to a local community college and take a welding class. It is WELL worth the money you'll invest.. or get someone to work with you at a welding shop.

Good luck

i agree with twisted but if your just starting you dont need a 220v although they are nice a 110v will suit you just fine for the stuff youll be doing, unless that is you work on a farm and constantly weld trailers and tactors together then i sugest getting a 220v lincoln stick welder they are the choice welders for farmers and heavy steel fabrication over 1/2" but learning to stick weld is a whole nother thing lol with wirefeed you point and click

 

[85rx7_93ranger]

oh sorry for completly jacking your thread but just another thought. the really awesome things about a 110v is they work really well on small generators (i.e for welding on the trail) very very handy to have

 

[Shran]

I disagree - a 110v MIG will be fine. Mine was just a cheapie and it will definitely weld up to 3/16 like it's advertised to with flux core wire.

The only thing you DO NOT want to get is a 110v stick welder. I have never in my life used one that actually works well...and I consider myself pretty proficient with stick welding.

 

[snomaker321]

alright any good recommendations? post up what you have and how you feel about it, what you use it for, etc. I really appreciate it guys

 

[warrior24]

Stay away from 110 welder bc it could mean someone's life, unless all you wanna do is sheet metal welding.

 

[Will]

Stay away from 110 welder bc it could mean someone's life, unless all you wanna do is sheet metal welding.

Mig and stick are different here. A 110v stick--no. A 110v Mig can do okay. For learning to weld though, a 220V stick is the way to go. Get some big scrap, turn it all the way up and go to it. Nothing worse than not being able to get an arc going--Mig or stick. For learning and general use, nothing like the big stick welder. They are cheap, too. Especially used. Once you get that down, then you can do quite a bit with a little Mig because you know what it looks like when it's welding right. A Mig can put a pretty weld up on top of the metal. A stick can't. It can make an ugly good weld but not a pretty bad one.

 

[scotts90ranger]

yeah, 220V stick welders can be had for CHEAP on craigslist, and the good ol red lincoln's will be fine and good, and if you decide on a mig, the lincoln 135's are said to be good on the low price side

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Take a class.It will be worth every penny you spend on it.

 

[pastor bubba]

I bought a 110 Lincoln welder about 5 years ago and never had a problem. About the only welding I do is sheet metal right now and when I need to so something heavier such as frame, I will not use it. With that said, I used a friend's 220 yesterday and don't remember what it was but it has the automatic settings for different thickness and all you have to do is push a button and the welder automatically presets itself and then you can fine tune it. If I get another welder in the future, it will be like that one. I would also recommend getting an automatic darkening hood because you can see what you are doing before and after welding without having to lower the hood.

 

[Flash Gordan]

I would also recommend getting an automatic darkening hood because you can see what you are doing before and after welding without having to lower the hood.

These are well worth the money especially if you're lying on your back and trying to weld over your head.

 

[martin]

The cheapest way to get into welding stuff is to get a 220v stick welder. they are capable of doing almost anything you will need to do and if you decide to get a mig later, it's easier than trying to go the other way. Once you get into it you'll wonder how you managed without it.