Entry Level Welding Set-up

[StealthX]

Hey guys, noob alert first of all!

I'm looking to get into come fabrication work, my skills and experience are fairly limited, I've done some MIG welding at school and uni, and I've managed to fab up some intercooler piping for my set-up atm, but its a pretty shite job, it works and holds boost (just), but it's definitely nothing on a pro job. Welds look like bubblegum, uneven etc...

What's the going rate for a welder (MIG or TIG, I'd be more inclined to learn TIG, as it seems a heap easier and better for things like cooler piping and small brackets etc..) and associated ancillaries to be able to start fabing up some things? How much would I be looking at?

I'm just looking at doing some better cooler piping (ally, so TIG is probs needed there) and small things like that, nothing huge.

Any advice would be cool.

Cam.

[ISL33P]

You can buy those cheap chinese ones off ebay...just get one with a money back guarantee on purchase, because I bought one a couple of years ago and it blew up as soon as I plugged it in. The guy happily sent me my money back.

Apart from that, it doesn't really matter what machine you buy, you can pretty much get the same result from any machine....you just have to get used to it and accustom yourself with how it welds and its possible settings. The same settings on different brand machines can produce very different results. That's the hardest part about it all, because there is so much difference in them it is hard to provide a specific setup for each and every machine.

Just a word or warning, all the functionality in the world can't beat practice and therefore experience with different jobs.

Cheers,

Ariel

Edited October 19, 2010 by ISL33P

[zebra]

I bought a repco gasless mig when they were on special, im a newb too, but i pinch random bits of off-cuts from work and weld them all together, im getting better slowly.

[ISL33P]

the best way to do it....get as much scrap as you can and be prepared to go through a few bottles of welding gas

[VB-]

^ this

honestly, if you can stretch for it, you can get a UNITIG machine for about 2.2k with foot pedal etc, they are pretty much the cheapest machine you can go with AC TIG (what you need for Alu).

you can get pretty much the same machine off ebay for ~$1200 i think, with a different name on it, although these have a tendancy to blow up. take not of what ISL33P said about the guarantee. mate of mine uses one of these and it works great! very good welder IMO.

[ISL33P]

also ring around some welding shops and see if they have any old stock going cheap, that's how I got mine 1/3 of retail price.

[samstain]

there were a few threads on it earlier in the year.

About the cheapest way to get in to it is with a Allmax Tig (or rebadged as - magnum, boswell etc),they go for about $1200 new with 2 year warranty, but all up budget for around $2000 once you get a helmet ($100 - $500), various filler rods (stainless, mild, alloy), a few pack of tungsten (for AC and DC in various diameters), welding gloves, regulator and then $120 odd for a mid sized bottle of gas + $15-20/month rent.

From there its just practice - and some hand on help will speed things up no end.

I got a magnum at the start of the year and it has worked perfectly. I have since bought one of thier plazma cutters also.

Here is one of the old threads:

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Welders-t315225.html

Edited October 19, 2010 by samstain

[StealthX]

Fark yeah, thanks bros!

[Proximity Motorsport]

Before you rush out and buy something I highly recommend these for value for money. I purchased one of these tigs (off a different seller than this picture was taken from - mine was red) If you just search AC Tig on ebay you will see plenty of different types, I chose this one for its functions vs price. I would have liked to get one with a plasma torch but... didnt warrent the extra $600.

I paid $850 delivered for my tig, it came with foot pedal, a stick welding attachment, tig torch and a cheap reg, which I just threw out because I have a cigweld one.

As for the saw its a 14" friction saw, can do 110mm pipe and I paid $350 delivered for it, and its well worth its money! Also found on ebay.

As for the welder though, I have welded up 2 gates for my fence with the stick, done stainless brackets up for mates car, and done alloy cooler pipes for myself, and in all 3 different applications it has not let me down. At first I thought DC with stuffed, because with a 2.4mm electrode and on 10 amps with plenty of gas welding 1.6mm thick stainless it was melting electrodes. But then I just had a thought about it, and something to note... You can swap the polarity around on a welder, have the earth hooked up to positive and hand piece on negative, and it changed where the heat is, whether its in job or the electrode (goes for stick and tig) Not sure on the exact figures but I think its split at 30%/70% or 70%/30% heat, depending whether your using neg or pos to weld.

Anyway short story is I swapped hand piece over to negative and it welds a treat now. I didn't think of doing this at first because the Kempi Master Tig I learnt to weld with, does it all automatically inside the machine.. I guess you get what you pay for but for a home job my Tig is awesome!

[Adriano]

Ive got a similar machine with the plasma. 3 years later and plenty of hours its still going strong. Also get a pair of tig gloves.

[dysonest]

dont worry about a mig, just go a tig straight off and practice

[Roy]

So stopped fre loading and need to get a decent welding helmet that doesnt cost the earth. Any ideas...auto darkening would be great but dont want to go blind using cheapy

[tridentt150v]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BossSafe-Nero-Electronic-Welding-Helmet/321745210916?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3D9ca28ba267f3480986f6af507e6da76a%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D321678089058

Great fitting helmet, auto darkening, wide view, ticked all the boxes for me.

But you need to go in and test helmets for fit, there are cheaper [and much dearer] ones out there that may suit you. I went to several stores and tried them on for fit and balance and this one was a little bit dearer [still sub $200] but fitted and felt superior in every way. Also has grinding mode 5 to 9 and tint from 9 to 13. Lastly 4 sensors so if your welding around corners and structures the auto sensors don't get covered. Plus its solar.

But I purchased mine from Gasweld, not ebay. Price was not that different from memory - I think the price on ebay for this one is probably a bit exe and you will find it cheaper elsewhere.