| Author | Message | ||
     R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 273 Registered: 07-2002 |
For those of you who know about this stuff and who have done it before. I would really love to learn to weld this summer so that I can do repairs and even some simple fabrications - especially on the '65 Series IIa - would one of these 115-120v portable mig welders be enough to do the jobs I am thinking of? As and example: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2507732929&category=34099 And just so you know, I don't want one of those that are hooked up to the car. We have a small shop that this will go in. | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 274 Registered: 07-2002 |
Specifically, do I need to buy one that uses shielding gas, or do these that don't use the gas work for Rover jobs? | ||
| todd slater (Toddslater) Member Username: Toddslater Post Number: 210 Registered: 08-2002 |
RB, Here a a recent post where MIG virtues and vices were discussed: DiscoWeb Bulletin Board » Classifieds - Wanted » MIG welder | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 166 Registered: 11-2002 |
RB dont waste your money thats a piece of shit. welding with a nice welder is easy ,learning on a hunka junk will make you waste material and give up. i reccomend no less the 175amps as a power unit. then you can stick weld or add a wire feed unit or a spool gun to run flux core. sheilding gas is going to allow you to weld more exotic metals as well asavoid the clean up of slag on the welds that stick and flux core leave behind. welding is also dangerous...make sure to buy a good helmet and always consider a respirator to protect you from the toxic gases. i have a close friend that now suffers from parkinson's due to years of welding thom | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 276 Registered: 07-2002 |
So, are there any welders you would maybe recommend I keep my eye out for. I would like to keep away from using gas, but if I have to I have to. I think the cost savings (as opposed to having my mechanic do it fo $70 an hour)and fun of learning to fabricate cool stuff would be worth it. Aluminium and Steel are not exotic though right? At least the metal on these trucks isn't? Thanks, I'm aware of the dangers, I am actually going to take a class. And will probably do the work in an outside setting so as not to have fire dangers or to take up too much of the shop. And really, the only reason I am asking you guys is because of the context of using it on the cars and because I need an excuse to feed my addiction to Discoweb. I have contacts in the industry around here though for when I get really serious about getting the gear. http://landrover.mrbaileyshistory.net | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 469 Registered: 02-2002 |
Bailey, I've had the Lincoln 135 now for about a year, and I've used it lots. You can pick one up at Lowes. The good things about it are as follows: 1. It welds 1/4" fine, but will take every ounce of the 20 amp circuit at 110V. So make sure you have that in your house first. 2. Its flux core, but as thom says you'll have to clean up the splatter, although I've not found that a big deal - just use a drill / wire brush. Being flux core you can weld thick materials and outside there's no problem with wind blowing the gases away. 3. Compared to that piece of shit in your link, its almost trivial to get going with very good quality welds, whereas with that sticker you may well have good looking welds that just fall apart in your hands! Having said that, many people have pointed out that a good mig will do much better in many circumstances, and I may well experiment with this too one day, but of course I gotta get the gas cylinder now - more expense. Last thing - get an auto-darkening helmet, for $100 its worth every penny. Dean / 0.02 | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Member Username: Ron Post Number: 64 Registered: 04-2001 |
I have the hobart 135 and it works good. In know Thom had bad luck with it but I was able to make it work fine. It came with flux core .030 wire but I ordered some .035 with new tips in hopes of getting it to burn through a little thicker material. I was able to weld 3/8ths plate by welding top and bottom, but it was not easy. I did it outside in snow and it still worked fine. Eventually i will get a Miller 250 with a spool gun but for now my little hobart works fine and travels easy which is the main reason I bought it. Ron To do aluminium you need a different gas set up. Ron | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 471 Registered: 02-2002 |
Ron, The 0.035 wire is the only recommended flux core wire for my 135. The 0.030 size is for mig I think. Did you ever do any stainless or Aluminum with yours? Dean Ps Lowes (and maybe home depot) sells 10 lb reels of the 0.035 for around $35. | ||
| todd slater (Toddslater) Member Username: Toddslater Post Number: 218 Registered: 08-2002 |
Welding stainless and aluminum requires straight argon shielding gas....and of course the proper alloy wire and a soft plastic liner insert. |
