I want to do some welding myself, which of course makes me very dangerous. Anyway, I'd like to build a few garage aids like a tire rack and a dolly set up to roll around a suspensionless vette. And, I'd really like to do the front clip work on my '50 Buick. Anyway, I need all the advice I can get from you experienced welders. Thanks! Gary
1. Do a search for welding tips on this board 2. Buy the biggest welder you can afford 3. Weld lots of tyre racks, shelves and dollies etc before you weld any ch***is / suspension part on a car. 4. Penetration is EVERYTHING 5. When you think you can weld, don't think you necessarily know how to fabricate. It takes a lot of experience and thought to put metal together so it is strong, straight, economical and pretty. 6. Don't listen to me. I know nothing! Pete
Some of this depends on the type of welding you're planning on doing. If it's MIG or stick or Oxy-Acet., keep an eye on the sparks and hot rollers that can start a fire. Do have fire extinguishers in the area and advise others where they are. NFECN = No ****ing Explosives/Combustibles Nearby. Try not to be alone in case you need help.
for a hobby. get a 250 amp mig. if you have some doe laying around get a tig!!!!! look into a noncredit course at a state local school!
http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/ Lots of good info there. Second suggestion about taking course at local tech school. Easy way to see all the different types of welders, welding and how to avoid the really dumb mistakes.
A few pointers, 1) things don't have to be red to be hot. 2) have good lighting in the weld area, being able to see makes it easier to weld. 3) watch where the hot sparks go. fires start real fast. 4) if you think you smell something burning, STOP WELDING and check it out. 5) crank up the welder and burn holes in everything, after you figure out how much heat it takes, turn down the welder and fill the holes. 6) Practice. Practice. Practice. And when you think you know what your doing, practice a little more before you do something important. 7) have good ventalation. 8 wear the safety stuff, gloves, leather arm protection, (a leather welding jacket is a good investment), and NEVER weld without the helmet down. You only get one set of eyes. 9) buy a good grinder. grind everything clean before you attempt to weld. 10) position your head out of the rising plume of smoke if at all possible. That stuff is not good for you. Gene
most people don't know it but the long sleeves are more for "sunburn" protection than sparks.you'll know what i mean if you leave any part of yourself exposed.the best way to learn is trial and error. also i like to getas close to the weld as possible and use one hand to rest the gun on for better support(mig)
Amature last pointer, listen to Gene... da man got skills my advice? get yourself some sheet metal, 18 or 20 gauge, like gene says, burn some holes, then fill em up. **** weld till its comming out your ***, then **** weld some more. graduate up to thicker metal, .120" and **** weld, and fillet weld till you wanna vomit. if you have a bandsaw, cut your welds in half and check your PENETRATION! get a GOOD helmet... best one you can afford too. like everyone says, only one set of peepers and trust me, dont bother with a cheapo auto darkening helmet from Harbor freight! i HAD one, key word, HAD. mama fiddy took pity on my sorry *** when i flashed myself with the one i thought was the cats *** till i had sand in my eyes and a headache for a day or so... she took me over to the welders supply place, stood me in front of the helmet display and said "pick one", so i got a Miller "big window" Elite... spendy like i say, but worth every penny with the battery backup/solar power. you dont wanna be strikin a hot arc and not have your gl*** get dark with the ****ty cheap helmet/gl***!
Also with the auto darkening helmets, remember that they are not always suitable. I was welding water manifolds for a few weeks straight, and every so often either my arm or the manifold, or something would get in the way of the sensor and it wouldn't darken. I had sand in my eyes for a days. A few fractions of a second is all it takes.
I've made a couple of dolly's for frameless bodies. My design takes four 4x4's, 4 ft of 4x4 1/8 wall square steel tubing, and 4 Harbor Freight Casters. Cut the steel into 6" long pieces, weld them in pairs with a caster welded to each set. I drill holes in the steel, and put a duplex nail into each 4x4 to hold it in place. Here's a drawing of the steel. I didn't add the caster, but I hope you can see what I'm talking about.
I had this problem with my old cheapy speedlense(hobart) and I went to a Huntsman with 4 sensors...problem $olved.
i had this problem about 5 months ago, didnt know i was burned till i hoped in the shower worst sunburn i think ive ever had, only on my left arm but i still have a tan line from it. so listen to what this man has to say about "protecton" it is good advice
...I'd suggest getting a buddy to give you a few hands-on pointers while you practice...or take a quick college shop course on basic welding if you have one available. ...Like most people have said; only practice and experience will make you a good welder. You never really stop learning new tricks. Good Luck.
Lots of great advice, dolly plans, etc. Thanks! I'm taking cl***es at the local community college. My old **** with a bunch of young ones. I bought the Miller Elite and it seems to work great. But then, I haven't done that much welding yet. I've been looking for a used MIG since this seems like it would be the best for a beginner. I've seen some used ones on ebay, but I have no clue as to what to buy. I'd love to know what you guys have in your garages. Did you build your own welding tables? Thanks! Gary
I am a relatively inexperienced, unschooled, ****py welder. That being said, my son is good at it and has tried to teach me a few things. I tried TIG welding for the first time the other night and I couldn't believe how much easier it was than MIG. Also, if you wear bifocals, get diopter lenses for your helmet. It makes a world of difference since you can only rarely see through the close vision part of your bifocals with your helmet on.
Bad67: Thanks for the pic of the design. I think I understand. BTW, what program did you use to draw the design? I have an '01 Vette that I have to rebuild and I was thinking about creating a dolly that would bolt to the suspension crade mounts. If you are not familiar with the underside of an '01, this wouldn't make much sense. But, your idea would work great on the Vette and my '50 Buick. Thanks again! Gary
be VERY picky with a used MIG... for the few bux you'd save buyin off e**** and after payin to ship it, might be farther ahead to get a new one.
If your even considering a used mig, I'd be buying it from a welding supply shop. Often they take in used machines for trade ins, recondition them, and sell them off with a warrentee. Often you can buy a reconditioned machine for about 1/2 the price of a new one. I would never buy a used machine I couldn't personally put through the paces. I would always be concerned why the guy was selling one off. Gene
oh yeah , i have the same welder, but i just started welding myself and am planning on welding on the motor mounts, ****** crossmember, replacing floor pans and supports, and maybe chop it later on (or till i get the courage to do it), all with the same welder
As long as you're building shop goodies, check out the Planishing stand(?) in the tech section.... it involved a piece of pipe, a dummy spare, and a bowling ball.. I built one and its lots of fun. Ive ruined more **** trying to learn how to use it than anything else I own.
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