Wanting to buy a (stick) welder but have no clue what size I need
- Thread starter bears4x4
- Start date
Angle grind the edges is the best way for stick or mig anyway. What are you plaining to weld anyway other then the BBQ pit trailer? Welding 1/4 steel is ez BUT unless you get it hot and use the right rod you could end you making a more work for you self with the stick welder. Stick welding is a pain in the *****. I'm going to toss in 5 cents of know how here. It will make your life ezer. Draw out what you want BBQ wize. Figure out your steel sheet size you will need. Ask your local steel shop about someone with a water jet (best) or plasma cuter. Have them cut it all out. May cost 200 buck or so. Rent a wire feed welder and try it out before you buy a welder.
Stick welder work out....ark and if you stop then you have to chip and grind the weld before you restart the weld again. Slag is not your freind.
mig welder work out....ark and if you stop no big deal ark again and keep going and if you get good no grinding at all.
Stick welder work out....ark and if you stop then you have to chip and grind the weld before you restart the weld again. Slag is not your freind.
mig welder work out....ark and if you stop no big deal ark again and keep going and if you get good no grinding at all.
Last edited:
tankerdude
Full Access Member
An angle grinder will take care of the "dirty or rusty" part before you start a weld using ANY welder. Always works better when the metal is as clean as possible.
I would also recommend a good helmet. Personally, I like the auto-darkening helmets.
bears4x4
grease monkey
Ok , I guess my last clarification need would be the voltage, there are the standard wall 110-120v plug in ones and the 220-230v volt dryer plug ones, from what I have been reading, bigger is better because you can always do more, my thing is the largest metal I can ever imagine doing is 1/4" plate for the fire box, maybe the frame of my skid plate, everything else is 1/4" or smaller metal thickness. I'll stop by a few local welding places and ask about their welders, I just don't want to be Updike to something more than I need. I don't think I'll ever be welding on a contractor level, just want to build my toys .
dpantazis
#12
http://houston.craigslist.org/for/2732602156.html
Craig s list is your friend.
For that price you could use and resell and recover your money towards something else.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
Craig s list is your friend.
For that price you could use and resell and recover your money towards something else.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
Go for the 220-230. The 115-120 unless your in a arms shot of the breaker box. You will most likely pop the breaker welding. On the 220-230 I run 50amp breakers. the 115-120 nothing smaller then a 30 amp.
mp18d
Full Access Member
If you are going to be welding strictly in the shop, then wire feed is the only way to go. I routinely build/repair corral panels (reeeal thin metal-16ga) to repairing ranch equipment with the same Miller. Waay simpler and easier than stick. Even I can do it.
But if you are going to be outside away from electricity, (hopefully not..)then you have to go engine driven stick....
When someone builds an engine driven wirefeed they are gonna be a genius, IMHO...
Mike
But if you are going to be outside away from electricity, (hopefully not..)then you have to go engine driven stick....
When someone builds an engine driven wirefeed they are gonna be a genius, IMHO...
Mike
94f450sd
certified nutjob
I have a lincoln 110v mig, money well spent.I dont do alot of big stuff.I can do thick stuff with it by angling the edges or Ving the cracks and doing a couple good hot passes.
They have engine driven migs.its called putting A wire feeder or spool gun on it.more of a pita than its worth to me.
bears4x4
grease monkey
What was this welder, it was deletes before I could look at it ?
BJS
Full Access Member
Wire feed MIG welders are nice however traditional stick welders are very useful depending on what you're doing. I have both sitting in the garage right now. a 30+ year old Miller 35S and an older Lincoln AC/DC box.
I learned stick welding before mig welding and I can say that it has made me a better welder, because it required me to learn to manipulate far more variables to get a good weld. When I picked up a mig welder it was like writing in metal. My mig box is good 150A, so 3/8 or so, around 1/4 I'll generally prefer the stick welder.
Both of mine were CL purchases after stalking craigslist I found them. The miller was posted early saturday morning by 10AM I was about 100 miles south in daytona picking it up. The lincoln just stumbled upon it during the week and went by after work, old man needed to sell it to finance building his live aboard sailboat for retirement.
I learned stick welding before mig welding and I can say that it has made me a better welder, because it required me to learn to manipulate far more variables to get a good weld. When I picked up a mig welder it was like writing in metal. My mig box is good 150A, so 3/8 or so, around 1/4 I'll generally prefer the stick welder.
Both of mine were CL purchases after stalking craigslist I found them. The miller was posted early saturday morning by 10AM I was about 100 miles south in daytona picking it up. The lincoln just stumbled upon it during the week and went by after work, old man needed to sell it to finance building his live aboard sailboat for retirement.
