So I finally bought a welder...

Well I'm an idiot. I got all excited then I decided to check prices for an Argon tank and WOW I can't afford a bottle right now haha.

 

You don't buy the bottle you lease it from you gas supplier .... they exchange them for full ones when you need a refill .... and should you decide to change suppliers (or move) you close out your account, give up your bottle, and they give you your money back ...... it ties up your money (probably about $100) but you get it back.

Also you don't do pure argon ... its a co2/argon mix .... about 25 bux for a refill.

 

Oh okay great. I will look around tomorrow for a supplier. Thanks for the tip. Now I won't look like a complete moron walking into the shop asking to buy a bottle haha

 

Welding is like brain surgery. You can read all the books in the world about it, but when it comes down to it, the only thing thats going to help is practice and practice some more. If I'm not mistaken doesn't the lincoln come with an amp chart inside the door, that should get you in the ballpark.

 

Why are you looking at argon? (or argon CO2 mix) Straight CO2 works for me at about 1/2 the price of the mix.

 

Less splatter and a more steady arc with the mix ... there should be no disput there and I am going to bet the OP is going to find better satisfaction with the mix and as his skills improve he might wish to go with straight co2.

As far as the cost of the gas .... a bottle can burn a lot of wire and does the savings really justify the results of going the less expensive route?

95/5 for me.

 

We own our bottles for the torch set, the mig, and the tig, and we simply go back to Northern Tool and trade the empties in for full ones occasionally. I think we paid $ 45 for the number 4 bottle refill about a week ago, but it will last quite a while.

We get the 75/25 mix too.


Don

 

thats a great welder.like everyone has said.get a good helmet.check out a few videos and get busy and practice practice....

 

Just thought I would pass this along in case anyone is ordering a welder or something else from Northern Tool. I googled "Northern Tool Coupons" and found this site:

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/northerntool.com?c=5168683

Ordered a Hobart 210mvp, it was already cheaper than every other place I looked at $849, but with the $50 off coupon I got it for $799 shipped. MSRP on Hobarts site is $1308.

 

Not a damn thing wrong learning how the flux core works to start out. It is a good skill to know. Especially at 10PM on a Saturday night when you NEED to weld some bracket. When you can get a tank, do it but keep the flux core for times you may need it. Sure it splatters more but I built my fab table with it since it was some old/ dirty steel well casing and plow disk.

 

You can get your CO2 bottles from the soda truck guys if you buddy up with one.

 

with flux core get a can of anti-splatter or use Pam kitchen spray, the splatters don't stick so hard

 

there was a time when welding meant arc (stick) welding or oxyacetylene to us mortals. Some of those stick welding electrodes have flux that sticks almost as well as the weld bead itself

 

Not trying to hijack this thread but I'm in the same boat as austinbelair (except I don't have a welder) YET!! I was thinking about picking up the same lincoln he's got or similar hobart 140. I'm 100% a beginner so I understand I will need a lot of practice.. I plan on replacing some floor pans and a cab brace on my f100.. then and here's my question: would a welder of this size work for a c notch project? Or should I go with something more powerful? It will be a while before I get this far I just don't want to waste my money if I'm going to have to upgrade in the NEAR future.

 

I really like my miller matic 180 machine. Its 180amp, 220volt.
I don't have any experience with the Hobart unit.
Sells generally for $800.
Works well and is fine for frame work or sheet metal.

 

Don't mess with the small rolls of wire once you've used up what came with the welder! If you didn't get the adapter for large rolls with it, then buy it. The small rolls are expensive, and a pain to constantly change.
Don't lease tanks unless you're going to be doing welding everyday. If they sit there for months you still pay the lease, and it's not economical. It's much cheaper to buy a tank, and own it, without paying lease, and when you get a refill you don't get your tank back anyway; regardless of a lease or owned. I drop mine off, and they give me a full one. My large tank was $180 full when I purchased it. Gas around here for this size is $40-$55 for a refill, but since I worked for a company in the trade I get mine for $13 a bottle.
A larger roll of wire (around 30#) will usually run out about the same time as my gas mix does. I run around 12-15 lbs. pressure indoors, but need to turn it up when outdoors in the breeze, or shield the weld from the wind.
Lots of practice, and online tutorials will help. Most welding classes at the community college will cover all sorts of welding, so I'd consider a class at the local welding supplier that concentrates on Mig instead. If you get other welders, then you might want a more varied class.

 

I'm going to give a +1 on the Community College route. When I was taking automotive classes at JuCo I decided to take a welding class even though it wasn't required. I think it cost me a few hundred dollars. I was entusiatic to learn and showed up to lab early and got in all the practice I could, I bet I went through more in materials that what I paid for the class.

The problem I had with You Tube was that it seemed like every jackass with a welder was trying to teach you how to weld as bad as they could. Not saying that I'm a good welder but I prefer to learn for somebody who does it well and professionally.

 

Nothing wrong with flux core. Good for welds that don't need to be pretty. I've welded my clutch shaft/bracket and exhaust with flux core. It did the job.

 

Getting a bunch of different thickness practice pieces and take notes on what wire speed/temp for each thickness seemed to help me a little

 

I had my friend teach me the basics but then just learned further by practice. Get in your scrap metal pile and start welding something together and then try to break it. My Model A Sedan has managed to stay together for 10+years with lots of abuse and I did all the welding.

 

Welding takes time to learn and it's a skill that must be practiced to develop. You'll also have it forever.

 

Lots of good fo. The ag shop/welding shop teacher who was a bit of a mentor to me when I started teaching auto shop started the kids out welding pieces of scrap metal together and then making simple projects. I'd suggest doing the same. weld pieces of scrap together and examine the welds and maybe compare them to photos of welds in welding books or on line. and make adjustments and go again. Make your significant other some plant stands or yard ornament type stuff to do some actual fabricating. Then build a cart for the welder and a some of those other stands and pieces you have always wanted for the shop. Then weld on your car project.

 

Whats a good helmet to have?

 

I have a Hobart and I really like it. Any of the name brand welder companies should have good ones... Lincoln, Miller, etc. I'm just saying avoid the discount tool store ones if you value your eyes, as did the poster you quoted. Note that we are talking about the auto darkening helmets. If you buy a regular helmet, just make sure you get a good quality glass shade #12 lense to go in it. Some of them actually come with plastic lenses (not to be confused with the polycarbonate protective lenses) that are crap. Also note that we are talking helmets, and not goggles. Goggles are for oxy-acetylene, not electric welders of any kind.