What Welder for a Beginner?

[alosix]

Good point, although I was just about to drop the coin on a bigger 220v machine, then realized you can plug a 110 machine in just about anywhere. Never know when that will be useful.

There are a few Millers now that will work with 110 and 220, I think they put DVI in the name somewhere.

I've done most of my work and 'learning' on a MM175. Have used 3 different versions of those and did a little work on a 110v lincoln.

I've found that the Miller would do anything I needed on a Jeep. The mig tends to be really helpful with out of position welds that are common working on a vehicle. Its one thing to do nice pretty Tig welds on a bench, its another to be attaching a shock mount while lying on your back in a garage.

Take your time. Miller has a few really good books that you can order on their website. There's a student pack that covers most processes (Tig, Mig, etc) so you can read up on them even if you don't have the equipment to do it.

TIG is awesome for the ease of cleanup, knowing you got penetration, and just the look of the weld. If I was in a stationary position working on parts and brackets I'd def choose that. Much less chance of warping things do to heat control.

MIg on the other hand I find to be the 'jack of all trades' machine. For vehicle fab you rarely work on anything but steel so it will cover that. They are really easy to setup and once you become proficient with it you can really get some work done during the day. Nothing like working in a shop and burning through 1/2 a spool working on projects in a day or weekend.

To learn for a garage fabricator, I'd pickup a decent 220v MIG if possible.

Jason

 

[R_Lefebvre]

The key point is this: Learning to weld takes time and practice. Feel free to burn some stuff up. No big deal, just don't put anything that looks like this into service:

 

[RHINO]

unfortunately i have seen and repaired ALOT of that.

 

[spencyg]

That picture is why you shoudln't start with a stick welder....

 

[Antichrist]

No, that picture is why you should practice a lot.

I've seen way too many GMAW welds put in to service that on first glance looked great, then on closer inspection revealed horrible cold lap. I see it all the time, even on new equipement on dealers' lots. Often it's painted over to conceal the flaws.
I've rarely seen an SMAW weld in similar situations that looked good but wasn't entirely servicable.

ASME and AWS code welding is another topic altogether.

 

[bugnout]

Having just completed a two semester welding course, I would recommend starting with a wire welder (MIG). Its the easiest to learn and to do good welds that look good. If you never go any farther as a welder than home handyman. this is your best bet.

If you want to really learn to weld, go sign up for a class and learn all the processes.

 

[UK4X4]

Hobart handler 140, quite sufficient for building the average trailer / sliders bumpers.

3/8" plate will require multiple passes, but 1/4 is fine with higher settings and a good circular motion

I just use flux core, can't be arsed with buying gas etc, just use a wire brush / flap disc, to clean up.

Would i love a 220 volt version with an aluminum spool gun....yep
but the extra $ 1000 was spent on other things !!!

Its a bit like asking whats the best overland camping chair ?

90% of people are quite happy with a standard $20 chair and recycle it every other year, others like to spend $600 and enjoy a cuban cigar whilst sat on their posh posteriors.

Both acomplish sitting down !

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

My miller is a DVI machine.. I love it... It's also now see tons and tons of use, pretty killer borderline fully professional welder. One small step below the 210 machine...

I know how to stick weld but again MIG is the way to go, so much easier and solid. 220 amp is very important for anything more than 1/8" thick in my opinion. This is after a couple years of using a 110 machine with flux core. There is no way around it, it's just not up to snuff...

Stick is nice and the old school route. It works well but the learning curve is much higher and can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. I will agree it took me years of welding to be able to do it well. Novice welding is fine and its not incredibly hard to get good welds with a good MIG machine. We all had to do it at one point and decent MIG welds are much better than decent stick welds. So this is one more reason MIG is nice...

Good luck,
Andre

 

[Antichrist]

Interesting. I paid just a hair over $600 for my Lincoln SP175T and another $50, about, for a gun liner to use with aluminum. Of course that was 5 or 6 years ago so you're looking at around $700 now for a new one.

 

[Antichrist]

decent MIG welds are much better than decent stick welds.

:Wow1:
Yeah, I guess that's why when they are building nuclear plants, pipelines, refineries, chemical plants and so forth they certify people on SMAW and GTAW. They want to make sure they use a a lower quality process.

Seriously, some people like MIG better than stick, some like TIG better, some like stick better. Some like to use the right one for the job. But please, just because you like MIG better, don't make nonsensical statements like that. The OP might actually take it at face value.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

:Wow1:
Yeah, I guess that's why when they are building nuclear plants, pipelines, refineries, chemical plants and so forth they certify people on SMAW and GTAW. They want to make sure they use a a lower quality process.

And that is also why they have on-site inspectors for literally every single weld in every one of those processes. Stick hides a lot more including air pockets, lack of pentration etc. And that is not entirely correct. They do use stick but generally they use MIG just as much these days up to as much as 1" thick because of ease of use and generally better overall weld quality. That said these welds require inspection as well.

Once you are a reasonably decent welder stick is fine. Again, the learning curve. Which is what this discussion is about.

 

[Antichrist]

Cold lap is a classic lack of penetration. It's common with MIG, rare with stick.
Lack of penetration in joints with stick is usually due to poor fitup, rather than the process.

Maybe some people have as steep learning curve with stick because they try to start with a low-hydrogen, or something like 6010 or 6011. But if you start with a fast fill like a 7024, a person will pick it up a lot better. Learning on stick will also force you to develop proper welding technique to get good welds, something that carries over to the other processes.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Maybe it's just me but... the problem I have with stick is trying to hold a friggen 24" electrode 1mm away from the material. Now, I don't have the shakes, but... damn. That's one of the reasons I like TIG better. The torch is only about 1" long.

 

[Antichrist]

Maybe it's just me but... the problem I have with stick is trying to hold a friggen 24" electrode 1mm away from the material.

Yeah, it's just you. LOL
I've run in to a lot of people who have had that problem, until I showed them that for proper weld control use both hands and brace your left arm (if you're right handed) on something solid. I've seen a lot of people try to weld one handed then moan about crappy welds.