info for beginning welders Options

[scotty b]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif) As I have been going through some old posts I have seen a fair amount of discussion on how to weld,what machine to buy etc. As a certified welder I can tell you a few things right off the bat. if you are only going to be using it for sheet metal and light steel ( up to 3/8 ) you don't need any more then a 150 amp machine. Go mig, it is the easiest, fastest and cheapest, I know tig is THE thing now, but it isn't for sheet metal due to machine cost, material cost, learning curve and if you don't know what you are doing you can warp the hell out of a panel tigging. .023 wire is all you will need, anything larger will require more amperage and will burn through. Don't mess with flux core on sheet metal, you will most likely ruin your job. My first machine was a 250 amp and came with .035 wire and I used it for panel replacement succesfully, but not without a lot of patience. When I finally broke down and bought the neccessary parts to run .023, my job time was cut almost in half because I didn't have to give the panel as much time to cool.Spot weld across the panel not around ( noth, south, east, west, repeat ) until you have enough strenth to run small stringers, then do that in a simmilar pattern. Two pieces of angle, c-clamps, a rubber malet and a body hammer make a great brake, I made several pieces, including entry steps like this before buying a brake. Always remember, if you can see 2" of rust ......there will be 5"!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/aktion035.gif)

[John Kelly]

QUOTE (scotty b @ Jan 9 2005, 06:09 AM)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) Good point on the gas John, I just feel like the learning curve for gas is almost as bad as tig even though gas is far more forgiving; and then there is the open flame which can be scary and dangerous for a novice. I definitly heed to you, I am also a member of MSA and have seen your work!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif) By the way are you still offering the flare video?, and is it on dvd by chance??? One other thing for the beginners, get your metal CLEAN and DO NOT weld over galvanizing, if you don't know if it is you wil as soon as you start to weld. Fumes are very bad and stink, also look for smoke and yellowish residue around weld.

Hi Scotty,

The flare video is in the final stages. I'm sending out the 90% done rough cut to a test audience of one (a 914club guy) to see how it is to someone who has not seen it a hundred times like I have. It will be on DVD only...at least to start. DVD players are so cheap (got one for $30) I'll probably just stay with them and not do VHS at all to keep costs down. It has a been a long tedious, but rewarding process. With any luck I'll be done by the end of the month.

BRP914,

Verticle welds are a little tough. For something non-structural, try downhand with a mig. For uphand welding, you can do a slight wash side to side as you go up which helps build a little shelf for the puddle to hang onto, also helps to point the gun up a little bit. This works better on an inside corner than a butt weld......or simply weld a very hot small weld...trigger off, move up a little, and weld again.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com