WELDING? Does any one have any info Options

[Digndoug]

Im looking into getting into welding. I would like to learn how to do it, for projects and some things. I dont know anything about it. I would like to know what would be a good welder to get and what price range. I was looking at some at sears for around $250-$350.. Any sugestions or tips?

Thanks

Doug

[Valo666]

I would take that 300 bucks and enroll in a introduction to welding class at a local Community College or something. It'll teach you proper technique as well as safety.

I would take that 300 bucks and enroll in a introduction to welding class at a local Community College or something. It'll teach you proper technique as well as safety.

agreed. and I highly doubt u can find a good welder for $300.

just because you take a welding class doesnt mean your gonna be a good welder. I have a friend who took a 1 year welding class in college and then took a 1 year autobody program and he cant weld for crap. If you want a cheap/effective welder, $350 + for a decent lincon electric MIG, but with that your gonna be looking at using fluxcore wire or a wire with the gas inside of it already. As for Tig, dont try it unless you know mig. Tig, $300 for the unit itself, and around another $250 for a tank + gas. I say learn at your own pace. I learned to weld by my self, aswell as all my friends did. Just by teachin our selves, we have done so much coustom work for automotive stuff. We cut and relocated leaf spring brackets on a 89 Chevy K1500 short bed and cut the frame down 18" and then full boxed the frame. The truck looks like it rolled off the assembly line lookin the way it did. And that was just in highschool. Theres lots of littel tricks you can learn with welding too. Like if your wanting to plug a hole in a body, so..for example. My 83 celica has a bunch of little clips that go right into the sheet metal that hold the side moulding on. The side moulding is all shot/half missing, so im gonna plug the holes. Best way to plug the holes withou distorting the metal, hold a penny on the back of the hole with a pair of plyers or tape or w/e. and just do small tack welds onto the penny. The weld wont bond to the penny because its copper and also the penny will act as a heat sink. it will give very low to no distortion. You can try and take a welding class, but its not gonna nessesarly make you a good welder.