Welders?

Anyone know of some good, electric, cheap welders for a beginner? I really want to learn so I can make my own parts, maybe save some money for the things I want.

I was thinking of the one from Pepboy's, but I know nothing about welders. It is a VAPER, 90 Amp MIG Welder. It says it has flux-core wire welder, up to 1/8" thick mild steel, and not for aluminum. Good deal for $179.99????

And I'm not looking to fab frames or role cages, just maybe some shifters, foot pegs, bumpers, stuff for the R/C's, misc.....

If I was looking to start I would get the one Harbor Freight has for $299, it has Stick a/c d/c 90 amp arc + tig welding. Its good to learn how to stick weld first then everthing else will come easy. I just bought a Lincoln Elelctric Mig 140 wire welder, $445 it retails for almost $600.

thats what i own also is a Lincoln Elelctric Mig 140.. does good by me. like dave said, start out with stick first if you have the chance it will make mig welding feel like writing with a pencil if you do.

Something like this?:
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p000012.htm

It looks pretty good, stick like you guys said. The $$ thing gets me though, specially for trying/learning.

i've also wanted to learn how to weld

I had one of those Cheap assed Battey chargers. It'll piss you off , more than it'll teach you how to weld.

I have a Hobart 180 Mig(that crap you listed is a Wire feeder Fluxcore..not Mig), and I have just under 600 into it used. new it's around 750.


Entry into the world of welding usually costs around 600 bucks. Hobart 140 will run you ~400 bucks on sale, then 100 for the tank lease, and fill, and another 100 in hood, gloves, and assorted things you need(Tips, nozzles, wire)

The only thing I can impart is when you DO get a welder, CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN STEEL is your friend. Rusty, nasty, dirty metal=Dirty, nasty welds.

I hear ya, in work I have a Licoln Electric Ranger gas powered for field work and a nice new shop welder, a Miller XMT 456 CC/CV 3 phase, this thing is a beast.

What can I weld with 90 AMPs?? Is that a lot? Good for fixing frames?

sorry, I'm a complete newb at this

90 amps will be enough with DC. Find out the duty cycle like 20% 30%, these are basically the amout of time you can use these welders without them cutting out. 20 to 30 ain't bad.

little heads up 20-30 percent means 2 to 3 mintues outta ten

MIG will work good for steel, but forget doing aluminum with it. They just dont do aluminum cleanly.

TIG will do both well, but they are very expensive.

You ain't finding anything over 50% for under $1000, even our 230V Miller ac/dc stick tig portable welder is only 40% duty rating, and that welder is like over a grand. Even my Lincoln Electric Mig 140T I have at home is only 20% duty.

I've welded a few times where i work at in the summer and really liked it. I've only used a stick welder so far but next school year and my senior year im taking a welding class

I've welded a few times where i work at in the summer and really liked it. I've only used a stick welder so far but next school year and my senior year im taking a welding class

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Good learn while you can, it's definitly usefull in the hobby were in.

yea dude our school lab that i learned in, miller matched whatever we bought so we have really nice stuff, i learned all the way up to TIG until i screwed my finger up and couldn't really get the art of TIG down.

go ahed and go with one of the smile fluxcore welders because ac curent stick welders are a bitch to weld with

I've welded a few times where i work at in the summer and really liked it. I've only used a stick welder so far but next school year and my senior year im taking a welding class

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I wish my school offered classes like that. My school doesn't offer any sort of shop class not wood shop, an auto tech class, nothing your lucky. sorry about getting off topic just had to rant a little.

Ya, my school offers welding, criminal justice, automotive, construction, nursing, and quite a few others.

At home I have a Dual-Mig 110 from Harbor Freight. It has a decent duty-cycle, a good feeder system, and is fairly adjustable amp wise. It'll do gas or flux-core (which is really handy). IIRC, the max is 1/4", which will cover most things decently.

I've used it for a variety of things, and never had a problem with it.

Remember, the Duty-cycle has to do with a single continuous weld. So unless youre welding a LOOONNGGGG bead, dont worry about it. Last major welding I did was on a trailer frame I built from scratch. The longest bead in any given place was about 3", which doesnt even begin to touch the max duty cycle for that amperage. I welded all day on that trailer frame, and it never shutdown once.

For stuff like that flux-core is fine, but for repairing a stressed member (like a ATV or motorcycle frame), DEFINITELY use MIG with gas, its a lot cleaner weld.

Before doing any real welding, pick up some steel remnants, and PRACTICE laying beads FIRST. Dont try welding anything seriously until to can lay a steady, consistent bead over and over.

All welders feel a little different, so if you switch welders, lay a couple practice beads down first so you know how that one feels.

GET A MIG!!! they are awesome