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Welder...


Pathfinder-jay
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Before you buy, take a welding class.

 

My local community college offers them for under $200. For that, you get a 26 hours of theory (class room time) and over 90 hours of hands on welding time with all kinds of equipment.

 

What you'll learn is how to make a good weld (most amateur produced welds look like good welds but will weaken the structure rather than strengthen it) and what kind of equipment you'll want to buy.

 

I'll warn you right up front that those cheap MIG welders are not worth the cost. Without variable current and voltage control, you will find it very, very difficult to make a good weld. Sure, you can stick parts together, but that is NOT the definition of a good weld. And on the chassis, I would hope you want good welds.

 

The 115 volt welders are good for sheetmetal up through about 1/8" steel, but that's about it. Just not enough heat. I have a Lincoln 115 for light work, and a big ol' buzzbox stick welder for 1/8" and up.

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The minimum I would buy in a MIG is the Lincoln SP-135 Plus. By the time you get tank and basic consumables, you will be paying in excess of US $700 or $800. I have one and love it for work up to 1/8". I'd much rather have a nice Miller, Lincoln, or Robart 220V, but they cost even more, and I can run the 135 Plus off my generators for field repairs.

 

Unfortunately, the good ones are hard to find used. The crappy ones are easy.

 

If you are on a budget and have used stick welders, hit the garage sales and Craigslist! Good used ones can be had for well under $100 due to lack of demand (everybody wants the easier to use MIG!) and they will do a fine job if you know how to use them. I got mine for the cost of cleaning up and replacing the cables on a guy's welder for him ($40). He had 3 older but higher end buzz boxes, none of which were operational due to lack of maintenance. Fixed his favorite and he gave me a Lincoln 220V for free. All it needed was a new plug.

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just stick with name brand. miller, lincoln, esab. that way you can always get replacement parts if anything goes wrong. i wouldnt reccomend a stick welder. the stick electrodes get pricy and they dont last long at all. i have a lincoln electric 175. it works great. another buddy of mine uses a lincoln 140 and he hasnt has any problems.. he does SAS's custom bumpers sliders cages.

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