Buying a welder

[MaddBaggins]

And acafro, don't take it personally I'm just a ******* welder, lol

Lolz.

 

[MaddBaggins]

My maintenance crew at work has MIG, TIG and stick. They use stick the most. It's very utility and strong. I wish I had one, but don't really need it.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Most of what I've used my MIG for is armor and suspension links for my (and my friends) Landcruiser. I've made a number of front and rear bumpers for guys around here. My LC weighs 6500# empty and those suspension links take a lot of abuse when I wheel it. They have to be strong.

 

[JuiceyJay]

^^ 7018 is a good rod.
This is what I used to do at my last job, built intake exhaust and radiator tube for cat, peterbuilt, and kenworth trucks, using .063" thick tube and thinner
for anything thinner I would still use .035 hard wire

 

[CCBrewer]

that is some damn fine welding jay, plain and simple.

 

[ryan_george]

The choice of welder really depends on the application (and budget).

If you want to make a brew stand out of mild steel, you would be fine with either a Stick, Flux Core, MIG, or TIG (in order of cost from lowest to highest). My preference on this would be MIG. TIG is nice, but it takes considerably longer to make the weld and even more skill.

If you want to weld fittings onto a stainless or aluminum pot (ie. somewhat cleanly), you will have a hard time with anything other than a TIG (or soldering, as others have mentioned).

You get what you pay for (most of the time). MIG is by far the easiest to learn and control (I think you can train a monkey to MIG weld). It's also a very handy machine to have around if you're into other hobbies (ie. automotive).

 

[MaddBaggins]

For the $$, Craigslist is your friend. My first MIG was from Craigslist. A Snap-On 110v MIG for $300. I used it for a while to learn, then sold it for $300 on Craigslist. At that point, I bought my Miller new.

 

[MaddBaggins]

You get what you pay for (most of the time). MIG is by far the easiest to learn and control (I think you can train a monkey to MIG weld). It's also a very handy machine to have around if you're into other hobbies (ie. automotive).

I agree. I think pretty much everyone should have a MIG around. Handy and easy to learn.

 

[pcampo]

I found a Lincoln weld pac 100 for 200 bucks on craigs list. What do you guys think of that welder?

By the way, I decided not to weld stainless for now. It will be for mild steel projects at home, one being the brew stand. So I think Ill learn off a flux core for now.

 

[user 163849]

I got by just fine with a Lincoln Weldpac 100, a Lincoln AC225, and Victor Oxy/Acetylene rig for several years before I finally sprung for a larger machine (MillerMatic 180). You could do a lot worse than that little Lincoln. Adding the gas conversion kit, if it is not already equipped for gas, provides much cleaner welds and makes it possible to weld thinner material than what you can do with flux core.

Trying to weld aluminum with the Weldpac 100 could be very frustrating as I do not think they make a spool gun that is compatible with it and your are sure to have feeding problems with aluminum wire in the machine.

Soldering those fittings to the keggle/kettle is, as far as I kinow, the least expensive and most practical way of accomplishing the job without resorting to a TIG machine. Flux core for the mild steel frame is an excellent choice.

Stick, MIG, and TIG all employ an electrical arc to get the job done. So by definition all three are "arc" welding machines.

 

[JuiceyJay]

that is some damn fine welding jay, plain and simple.

Thanks!

Craigslist is a great source to find welding supplies.
I actually found my Lincoln sp-135 + at a pawn shop for 100$ which was an absolute steal and it works flawlessly. Only thing I had to replace was the spool of wire which was way too old. Mine has the option of using 2 or 10 pound spools which is nice.

While I may not be able to contribute a lot on the beer side of this site, I'm glad I found something I'm somewhat knowledgeable in. Started welding professionally when I was 18, been at it 11 years (daily) now.

 

[Trillium]

TIG being the most difficult is a myth. I tought myself my watching YouTube videos and practicing. Making nice clean splatter free welds is great. I bought an Everlast I-tig 200 which has a pulse feature that comes in handy for welding thin metal. It's DC only but I don't need to weld Aluminum.

 

[roscoe1855]

If you need tools go to buzzard culch and look at what they have not sure if they have welders but other tools are much more reasonable than me as a mechanic when I was younger I thought snap on was great along with Mac and Cornwell just give these guys a call I buy a lot of tools cheap and if you spend so much free shipping

 

[grupe]

I picked up a Miller Maxstar 200 dx off ebay earlier this year. Works great for tig and stick welding. It was kind of expensive, but I was tired of using old crappy welding equipment and this is one tool I will own until it dies.