General Fabrication

This one's kind of hidden away in the long travel forum and it doesn't get continuous traffic so it doesn't pop up much - I think there's a welding page though that is pretty darn popular

 

I've been on the anything welding page a few times but mostly folks just want to talk about Tig's. The "Fabrication" in this thread title cought my interest

 

I hear you. I spend a lot of time on that thread and don't understand the infatuation with TIG. TIG would be the last method I would use when it comes to fabrication for our trucks.

 

Looks like I might have to check it out, I want to get a tig machine for working on my truck lol That's just because it's smaller and more portable, but I'd like to get a mig too when I have money and space...

 

I've never had the pleasure of learning Tig. Perhaps someday just to learn it. Not much need for it in what I typically have to do. Time for bed 3:30 comes fast later

 

You could look into a multi welder like a Esab rebel. It’s what I have and it can mig, tig and stick weld. Can do 110 or 220. I think I got it for $1,400 and the only thing I don’t care for is that you haft to switch a bunch of crap to go from mig to tig or vice versa but it’s still not a big deal.

 

Same as above, JD2 bender with hydro conversion kit. I am pretty sure I was right around $900 with the bender, hydro kit, ram from HF, and one die for the bender, all brand new. Super easy to use and duplicate bends, I did my whole truck with it then sold it on craigslist for about $50 less than I paid, well worth it. Not sure about other benders but promise you can sell a JD2 on craigslist in 24 hours for pretty much full price when you are done with it, resale is easy on those

 

Here's some of the dumb shit I have to do. Here they're wanting me to modify an 18' Wasau snow blade by cutting the top third off and capping it.

I cut all but the ends with a plasma cutter and the end caps with a skill saw, 1/2" plate







here it's capped, all the grinding is complete and prepped for paint




And finished

 

Guess you should complain about them giving you all the tiny jobs

What kind of paint do you use?

 

This was Limco by BASF single stage urethane

 

I just recently started TIG welding with an Eastwood TIG 200. It's incredible being able to build small brackets and odds & ends for your truck. I always think I'm doing really well on the bench, but as soon as I move under my truck or have to weld in a tight/uncomfortable position, I quickly realize how bad I am lol.

 

Rack for a customer and they wanted a spare tire holder on top. So I got some 5/8 rod and a adjuster. Cut a hole in the main tube and welded it in. Ordered the cone and bent up some .5” solid rod for a handle.

 

Saw this on fb if anyone thinks they're good at welding.

 

@Torspd

 

Hat is tipped to that artist!

 

That's bad ass

 

Some of the things I do at work when I’m not operating my front end loader. I get tasked to make something out of stuff from our bone yard. I had to tie in the third oil tank for the new season. I had to build new flanges, reduced flanges, spacers, tied in all the 2” pipe from scrap pipe. Everything was pressure tested. I’m not a fabricatior by trade.

 

What's the difference between the Miller MIG 140 and the Millermatic 140? Haven't been able to find any results from searches. I've found a new MIG 140 for $400 and a Millermatic for $600 - I am curious if there are features that would justify the $200 premium for the Millermatic...

 

Their are a bunch of fake 120v Miller machines floating around all the sudden. If you’re familiar with miller they are pretty easy to spot. They look like a harbor freight welder dressed up like a The cheap miller welder is the miller 125 hobby.

Here’s a fake for sale locally. One of the guys that subleases part of our shop accidentally bought one off Facebook. It was junk. He had to buy another genuine miller.

 

Jason, thanks. I've seen a lot like that! These are super close to me - what do you think?

https://offerup.com/item/detail/452440382/?ref=Search

https://offerup.com/item/detail/453603374/?ref=Search

https://offerup.com/item/detail/466822023/?ref=Search