Anything welding

Thanks! Would the Handy MIG handle a DIY off-road trailer frame?

 

My first MIG unit was 120v. I built several trailers with it. It will work fine.

Just practice and do some destructive testing of your welds. Look it up. You will learn more by cutting apart your welds, then what we can tell you.

 

thanks for the advice. Im buying it tomorrow morning.

 

This is an arc weld I did recently (been welding for about 6 months now). Running some 1/8th inch 6013 rod (its all we have at school). It is one of my cleaner welds but I was wondering what tips you guys have to make it cleaner.

 

Stop by your local welding supply store and check out the prices for a can of argon/co2. The difference in using a cover gas and solid core wire is amazing. You will cut your learning curve in half.

The gas last a long time. Get the smallest bottle they have.

 

I'm not seeing the picture, Joe. All I get is an icon that has img. Beside it. Can you try a different method?

 

Posted it two different ways. Hopefully one of them works!

 

What type of welding school only has 6013??

Practice Practice !! repeat often!!

What position was that welded in ??

What results are you getting when you break the tee joint ??

Hard to tell by the picture but the weld is either a little cold or your travel speed is to fast

Nothing that won`t come together with practice.

The trick is to understand just how the puddle is moving and make it do what you want

 

They are good machines and will serve you well for what it sounds like you plan on doing.

 

First time poster in this section. I have a small wood/ steel architectural fabrication shop. Anyway, I see discussions on what welder to get. My 2 cents for a mag machine, best bang for the buck is the Hobart iron man 230. Tapped machine with a better warranty then any miller, simple, plenty of power and reliable as a Toyota. If you have the money, but the Miller 252.
Cheers.

 

Thank you! It isn't a welding school , it is just my high schools welding room. It is left over from the welding class they used to offer, I normally just give up my lunch to weld in there. It was a horizontal position weld and I have not broken it yet.

 

Nice stair!!

 

Just picked up a used Lincoln 180 weldpak at a used tool store for $250 out the door. I'm pretty excited to get this set up, but I've got more goodies to buy and a breaker to install before I can get it up and running.

I've read quite a few times that the Harbor Freight helmet is pretty decent and low cost. Are their other welding bits worth while? like tips and wire? I saw some damn cheap leather gloves and blankets last time I was there, maybe even small cans of gas. Should I stay away for their products and order through weldusa or cyber weld?

I am planning to take a one day welding class to get me started, then just practice in the garage / driveway until I feel confident to weld up these sliders.

 

Just about everything else can be found cheaper on Amazon or EBay.

Example: HF has 1 pound rolls of aluminum welding wire for $18. I can buy 5 rolls for $35 on Amazon.

 

Everything besides a helmet? I see the Antra AH6 for $40 listed in the thread products below.

 

With a 20% coupon, it might be cheaper.

 

The auto dimming helmet might not be the thing you want to take the least expensive route with, unless you are just going to use it a few times. Your eyes can get burned pretty quickly and that is not something you want to have happen, just my $.02

 

And that hurts like hell, know from experience

 

Me too! Woke up in the middle of the night after welding the previous day and my eyes were swollen shut and on fire! Couldn't fall back asleep for hours cuz the pain was so bad

 

I do appreciate the feedback about safety and it is a concern for me.

I see an Antra, a Servore, and a Thermadyne/Tweco mask linked below here. I read many people saying that the HF helmet was pretty good, all things considered. You guys think otherwise?

The $40 Antra has good reviews on Amazon and hundreds of reviews while the more expensive $150 helmets have good reviews as well, but only a handful of reviews. Are you guys worried about the auto dimming feature to break on the cheaper helmets? Seems like only differences between helmets are cool designs and more comfortable headbands(?). Arn't all the dimming speeds nearly the same?