I want your welder advice!

[formula350]

I'm about to start doing metal work on 78 bird
But I never used a welder and all my knowledge is from what I've found looking around the internet
Some of the things I need to know before diving into this:

1. What kind of welder should I buy?
I'm looking to it and from what I've found I'm looking for a 110amp 18g mig?
Im on a budget and I'm not about to spend $1000 on one, but Im sure a harbor freight welder may not be up to the job
I was looking at this welder here and so far I think this may be the best for the money?



http://m.grainger.com/mobile/details/?R=2WDP5

Advice please?

I'm going to be replacing floor pans, quarter panels, smoothing the firewall, and adding mini tubs.
And some other various small tasks.

And I would also love to hear any good advice for a beginner doing work like this. What to look for, beware of, tricks, tips, other tools needed, technique for Srong welds anything on the subject.
And where should I start my work from. The floor pans?
And when I do the work should I focus in one area at a time or do things all at once?(like when replacing the quarters, tub them at the same time or do them one at a time?
Thank you I hope to hear your input.

[srh3trinity]

I am in the same shoes. Never welded before, want a machine that I can grow into. I an looking at the Hobart Handler 140. It is a 110 machine, price is under 500 bucks.

[formula350]

Ya I like that one too, actually that's probley a better choice because its gas capable. The one I was looking at wasn't.

[srh3trinity]

Scour craigslist too.

[66larkgs]

i like the hobart and the lincoln in the 110v version. Plan on spending $600 new with a tank. if you buy a flux core machine i think i spent about $140 to buy a 40lb tank gauges and a new liner to convert it. In my lincoln i run .030 wire for my all around setup and it works great. My lincoln at my house is 7 or 8 years old and never had a problem. we get a new welder every year at work and i have used miller,hobart and the lincoln and the only reason i say i like my lincoln the best is because it is the one that i know the best. In your price range try to buy one of those three and you will be happy. Call your miller dealer around you, i know the last time he was in the shop he was telling us about the offbrand miller makes and it was all miller internals

[rektek]

Miller owns Hobart, Miller or lincoln 110v inverter machine is fine. any frame work and you'll want/need a 220v machine.
craigslist is a good idea as there are many hobbyist machines for sale with low hours. run far from everlast and the other off shore units.

[formula350]

Alright thanks guys that gives me a better idea of what I want glad I was looking at the right kind of welder though.

What about cut off wheels and grinders. straight, 90*, thickness? I know how much having the right stuff does for a job, and who better to ask that other people that have done these things

[66larkgs]

i have a 7 amp miluwaki and a 10amp hitachi straight grinder and use stepped and no stepped cutting wheels. buy flap wheels and grinding stones also. the stone takes done the big stuff and flap wheels feather it in.Take care of your grinders and they last forever.I buy a cheap nuematic (air grinder) or wizza wheel as we say. You can get a husky one from lowes for $50 with a two year warrenty. they dont last for ever but havent bought one in 5 or 6 years. they have been replaced under warrenty. Buy a good welding self autodarking helmet.. Makes a difference.

[LowFast]

+1 on the QUALITY Auto Darkening Helmet, it is the only way to weld. Make sure it is a good one, you can't replace your eyes.

[DTM Racing]

I suggest taking a class at your local college. Start with Oxy/Acetylene. It will give you the fundamentals of puddle control and reading, after that branch out into GMAW, GTAW, etc.

[gak68]

Even better would be the miller autoset 211 if you could find one used it would be under 1000, but new they are about 1100-1200. That welder would handle most of the jobs required on a automotive project. It has the capabilities to run on 110 or 220 so it is quite a versatile machine that you could grow with.

+1 on the QUALITY Auto Darkening Helmet, it is the only way to weld. Make sure it is a good one, you can't replace your eyes.

This is especially important; get flash burn once and you will regret it, or even worse you won't be able to drive at night anymore.

[cornfedbill]

+1 on the QUALITY Auto Darkening Helmet, it is the only way to weld. Make sure it is a good one, you can't replace your eyes.

I second that one. I bought a Hobart auto darkening helmet. I got a deal, but retail is about $140 or so. I love it. And it always works. Don't skimp here. You only get one set of eyes.

[formula350]

You know I'm glad you guys brought that up because I was thinking a harbor freight helmet would be fine, and I think that Hobart 140 is the one ill buy because its the right price and all the reviews I've seen were good. A miller would be great but I do have access to a 220 mig I just knew it might blow holes in my sheet metal. Should I beware if quality gloves also, and is a coat necessary?

[srh3trinity]

I use harbor freight for tools I am going to use once or twice a year. The air tools aren't bad though.

[ccmc]

Gloves and cover all exposed skin. Long sleeves and no open collar. Wore a button up denim shirt but left the collar open. Major sun burn!

[latoracing]

You know I'm glad you guys brought that up because I was thinking a harbor freight helmet would be fine, and I think that Hobart 140 is the one ill buy because its the right price and all the reviews I've seen were good. A miller would be great but I do have access to a 220 mig I just knew it might blow holes in my sheet metal. Should I beware if quality gloves also, and is a coat necessary?

A 220 welder will be cheeper to operate in the long run. The heat and wire speed are what set the welder up to use on thick/thin materials. You can blow holes just as well with a 110v welder. Buy a welder that is set up for the use of a shielding gas. Set up of the machine, and practice, you'll be able to build all sorts of projects. Be careful with the selection of your helment. Burnt eyes from a slow reacting quick change helment is not fun. (like having hot sand in your eyes) MIG style gloves are ok, if that is what you get used to, most any will work fine, some longer than others. Face it, you will get burned some how, just prepare as best as you can. Don't wear flannel, or poly blend clothing, plastic melting to your skin is worse than the small sparks that are produced when welding. If I had to do it all over agean, I would take a class (from the start) and learn to TIG. It has every aspect of all types of welding in one. If you can TIG, you can understand, and learn MIG and Arc welding as well. Most classes go the other direction. Good luck, and have fun!

[80proZ]

A Hobart 140 is more than enough to do any automotive welding! I've personally have a 135 that I've used to weld everything from 22 gauge to 1/2". Plus the accessibility of 110 power makes it nice.
I run .023 wire for all the welding I do at home. It's really a matter of fit and prep work as to what kind of weld will be made and a little know how. I personally would not run flux core. It's messy and requires more heat to run which will lead to more warpage.

[rektek]

1/2" with a 140 hmm..
the new inverter welders have much less start up splatter and pulsed inverter mig looks like tig.

[MetalShaper]

I would suggest finding a used TIG machine...eventually as your skills evolve you will find yourself wanting a tig.You will start to notice as you spot good and bad work and back yard fabbers and real shops that TIG is the welding method of choice.The high end shops will tig weld everything from sheet metal to chassis..and the ones just getting by will mig weld everything.

[jlcustomz]

Have both mig & tig, they each have their uses & capabilities. I,ve been using my 135 miller mig for my steel ground effects project posted here, partly because I, m using paint grip(galvanized) metal, which even after grinding edges has galvanizing left in it & is messy.Tigs require perfectly clean surfaces, which aren't always possible, as well as 220 v .

The Miller 211 auto set is pretty cool & more useful for heavier projects, have one at work now. But for a home first welder, a miller/ hobart 135/140 or lincoln w gas is a great first welder, then a tig if you want to go to a higher skill level OR properly weld stainless or aluminum with precision.

Nobody fully mentioned it yet, but one of the first things you will learn with your welding projects is that proper fabrication skills are just as important to achieve proper welds. Here is one of my old projects as an example, A copper dragon head hammerformed in sections over a wood form I carved, then welded together. Do something like that just for fun & your other projects will seem easier.