need advice about a WELDER?

[matias88e30]

hi, i wanted to see if some one can guide me a lil bit.. i just wanted to know wich welder can i use and would be good for starters! im doing a turbo project.. tomorrow saturday i will replace oem headgasket with mls one and arps.. i just went to some shops in the miami area and the cheapest i found was $300 for downpipe all the way straight 3"... i would love to get a welder and start doin it myself... so any advice would be really aprecciated!! thanks in advance.... i have been search! but i would like to know from someone that really have experience thanks again...

[e30e]

Never go wrong with Lincoln or Miller, both of there websites are VERY informative. I have a lot of Lincoln/Miller lesson plan/information stuff they give to teachers; welding just takes a lot of practice.

[ForcedFirebird]

Hello South Floridian!

I have a Miller Syncrowave 300 and absolutely LOVE it, but not sure it's the best welder for a beginner. It can weld from .030" thick up to 5/8" in a pass.

$300 actually isn't too bad considering the cost of piping...

[expressfish]

for what your trying to accomplish the smaller 110v units...miller/hobart 140 , or lincoln mig models will suite you fine. Dont bother with a stick welder, although great for outdoor work and general welding they just dont fit the bill for exhaust/light tubing work. Keep in mind you will also have to buy a bottle of gas if you want clean welds. You can run flux core in a mig that pretty much defeats the purpose in my opinion. what are you going to do for bends ?

[BUDNUNTA]

For a turbo project I suggest a TIG welder

I have a Miller 165 Diversion, great little welder, its high frequency(welds aluminum really well), Hobart makes the same machine(called the EZ TIG), they cost around $1200 and im willing to say most people wont "outgrow" either
Ive never used a tig before and this was easy to setup and get started
Youll also need a bottle of pure argon, and lots of time behind the torch to get good , but you have so much control and learn alot more about whats happening while welding than with a mig



Hunter

[ForcedFirebird]

For a turbo project I suggest a TIG welder

I have a Miller 165 Diversion, great little welder, its high frequency(welds aluminum really well), Hobart makes the same machine(called the EZ TIG), they cost around $1200 and im willing to say most people wont "outgrow" either
Ive never used a tig before and this was easy to setup and get started
Youll also need a bottle of pure argon, and lots of time behind the torch to get good , but you have so much control and learn alot more about whats happening while welding than with a mig



Hunter

QFT!

I would have gotten the Diversion, but the Syncro was on Craigslist for $800 with pedal and guages, no brainer...

Helps I have a decent size shop and had room for it.

Flux core will get the job done, I built my first 3 turbo kits with one, but after having a nice TIG, there's nothing else haha.

[mrsleeve]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You fuckers recommending a TIG for a guy that has not welded before and is asking general recommendations??????? Come on get with it yes you can get better control, and quality but thats with more experience and at least a basic knowledge and understanding past UGGGGHHHH HEAT Melt metal UGHH UGHHH make it stick together

You 2 send me a test plate that YOU welded and we will see just how good you are with a TIG and no experience.


OP
Stick with one of the big 3

Blue box Miller

Red box Lincoln

Yellow box Esab

if you can always buy a 220v unit, but if you only have acess to 30amp 110v those machines are ok and if you are buying one of the above then you can get by with that (just will take you longer on big projects and limit the size of your fabrication) This is for MIG process. I assume thats what you are asking about, as its the easiest to learn and use on thin materials. Next no FLUX CORE get the gas kit and gas for it and make sure to get the correct filler wire for the alloy you are welding. If you change alloys change wire.

But in all reality, spend a little money and take a night class at your local Community College or trade school to at least get the basics down. After that its Practice Practice practice

Oh yeah this is something I do know a little about

[expressfish]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You fuckers recommending a TIG for a guy that has not welded before and is asking general recommendations??????? Come on get with it yes you can get better control, and quality but thats with more experience and at least a basic knowledge and understanding past UGGGGHHHH HEAT Melt metal UGHH UGHHH make it stick together



Stick with one of the big 3

Blue box Miller

Red box Lincoln

Yellow box Esab

if you can always buy a 220v unit, but if you only have acess to 30amp 110v those machines are ok and if you are buying one of the above then you can get by with that (just will take you longer on big projects and limit the size of your fabrication) This is for MIG process. I assume thats what you are asking about, as its the easiest to learn and use on thin materials.

But in all reality, spend a little money and take a night class at your local Community College or trade school to at least get the basics down. After that its Practice Practice practice

yep, they'll teach you how to weld with oxy/acet and a coat hanger old school style all the way up to tig if you desire so.

[!kid]

check out this website they have great prices i got my miller syncro 200 from hear.

http://store.cyberweld.com/

mig welding is one of the easy types of welding and with a few weeks of practice youll be good enough to do what it is you want

Tig welding is much harder and takes a fare amount more time to become good at.
but with TIG you have a much wider range of base metal that you can work on
Mag,Ti,SS,Alu etc...

[mrsleeve]

^^^^^^^^^^^

you can get wire or rod for most all base metals to either SMAW or GMAW or even SAW.

yep, they'll teach you how to weld with oxy/acet and a coat hanger old school style all the way up to tig if you desire so.

Lol I hate brazing


Oh btw way, I make my living making sure welders know what they are doing

[10Toes]

I use the Lincoln Tig at my roommates grampas house it's water cooled and works great.

Looks like this

[expressfish]

get ya one of these, a bottle of argon, and one of co2 mix. You'll be able to do anything you want if you can run a bead. you might add a spoolgun in there too if you want to stitch aluminum.

[!kid]

^^^^^^^^^^^

you can get wire or rod for most all base metals to either SMAW or GMAW or even SAW.

i know you can weld ALU with a mig welder and other types of carbon base metals. but ive never heard of mig welding mag or Ti

[325ix]

I don't remeber what model welders I was using a year or two ago, but I definetely like the miller ones. The quality was much greater.

[matias88e30]

E30E:thanks, yea i kno i takes a lot of experience but i guess i have to star somewhere! thanks for advice man!
FORCEDFIREBERD: whats up floridian e30 guy?lol.. thanks for advice man! i want to start from first step wich its buying the welder haha..
EXPRESSFISH: i dontk know how to do the bents.. im thinking some gas heating torch and homemade bending tool?
BUDNUTA All i need to do its the downpipe nd exhaust
MRSLEEVE i want to start with something no more than $500 i dont have a lot of funds.. and u right,i was thinking about MIG welding.. i been reading about the TIG and MIG welds and i will love to start with MIG, And i have an appoitment already for next week at a local school to see the cost of the classes etc..
!KID:: thanks for the link!