Welders

76xs · Posted: March 13, 2007, 12:35 pm Post subject: Welders

First off i know nothing about welding, but I'm ready to learn. What size and kind of welder do i need to work on the frame of this bike? I plan to practice befor i get to welding on the bike. Its just time for me to learn. Years of working on cars and other motorized toys has pushed me into the need to learn to weld. Any help would be great. Thanks MIKE

jayel · Posted: March 13, 2007, 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: Welders

if you're serious check your local community colleges usually a couple hundred bucks for a certifed course you'll get much better training and a better idea of the equipment involved

ttmaniac · Full Member Joined: Dec 22, 2006 Posts: 468

Mig welder. Hard to weld on frames with arc welders on account of high chrome steel construction. 7014 rod with lower heat setting. 1/8 inch rod preferably. Thats my recommendation if you have to use a stick welder. I wouldn't trust one of those cheapo no gas mig welders though. For a good mig you are looking at some bucks. Tig would be just grand but requires a bit more skill than a mig which even a caveman could do. Pull trigger....bzzzzzzzzzzz....done.

Cafe_Shop · Posted: March 13, 2007, 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Welders

Gas all the way. It's slow but you can't get a better weld for the money.

I use a DHC2000 (Dillon/Henrob/Cobra). It's expensive but not as expansive as the tig welder and plasma cutter it replaces.

www.cobratorches.us/

Chromoly steel was originally developed to be gas welded.

royfisk · Posted: March 14, 2007, 7:01 am Post subject: Re: Welders

Welding is tough because they all have there purposes, pros and cons.
Cheapest to get into is oxy accet
pros cost, portability, multitask, ( weld heat and cut )
cons fuel contracts, heat distortion, speed

mig pros ease of use, cost
cons, weld only

arc pros weld/ and cut / good quality welders allow expansion of mig and tig
cons keeping rod when not in use
tig absolutely the most beatifull weld beads with little or no clean up, cast alluminum capability
So my sugestion if your getting your first one would be a oxy accet. It is needed in every garage.

Then it would be a multitask arc machine, so you can do whatever type welding you want.
I personally have three machines
oxy accet
ac/dc multi task with tig
and a small 120 volt mig for light steel work

royfisk · Posted: March 14, 2007, 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Welders

Hey that cobra torch is cool, I may just have to buy one of those priced real well too. cafe how thick will it cut? Also I didnt see how fast does it cut? Plasmas are fast and I was thinking on buying one of them .

climber11 · Posted: March 14, 2007, 10:09 pm Post subject: Re: Welders

As a beginner, I found Mig easier to look pretty, but less confidence inspiring for penetration. It was really easy to make a great looking weld, with almost no penetration at all where it counts. It was flying blind for me, so I opted for the Tig route. 200amp machine DC only, High Freq start for less than $300 on ebay brand new. It's a chinese inverter, but I like it more than my Miller (which blew apart after 2 months). After about two to three months of solid practice, I am confident in how my welds look to make my own frame. Go slow, get a teacher, and ask a lot of questions!

Scott

ps. If you havent found the Chopperweb, and Chopper builders handbook site, they are awesome!

Jack · Full Member Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 411

I have a little 110 130 amp mig welder that's been put to the test on many projects from motorcycle frames to enging support fictures and the welds have held up to their end,if your not getting enough penetration,then you need to turn up the amperage and slow down the wire speed,that's the produre I found best to work. A tig weld is no stronger than a mig weld,it's all in the application of technique.....Jack

Ripper_Rudnick · Posted: March 15, 2007, 9:03 am Post subject: Re: Welders

Here Here Jack..... Completely true, all depends on the welder(person) running the box.

royfisk · Posted: March 15, 2007, 11:10 am Post subject: Re: Welders

Yea me too, I have a snap-on 130 actually a blue-point it works great, and when I have alot of light welding to do I use it alot. But If I were looking for real nice welds I will go for my tig every time. Theres no splatter to clean up when done and there just excellent looking beads. But again if I were limitted to just one welder it would be a torch.

76xs · Posted: March 15, 2007, 12:34 pm Post subject: Re: Welders

Thanks for all the info guys.

650kevin · Posted: January 4, 2008, 12:05 am Post subject: Re: Welders

Hi, I work as a welder for a living, for what its worth. I would recommend using the arc welding process for a beginner, the gas welder may be more versatile, but it is also the most difficult process to learn to do well. Tig is in my opinion the ideal process, but you can make some very pretty welds using mig and stick, if you are consistant, and prepare your joints correctly. I'am making a hardtail xs, and I'am using mig, and if you do it right, it will look very nice.

76xs · Posted: June 1, 2008, 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Welders

Again i know nothing about welders and welding, but i found a Chicago 200 wire feed for $200. Should i get it. What i would like to be able to do is weld motocycle frame, trailer repairs, and maybe some car body panels. Would this be a good welder? Thanks a bunch. MIKE

twowheelinjim · Posted: June 3, 2008, 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Welders

I purchased a craftsman 135 amp mig welder from a friend. He included a gas cylinder for 75/25 gas, and an auto darkening helmet. I have had decent results building various projects. It took some practice on scrap metal, but now I can lay down a pretty good weld. Other people I know have gone the thriftier rout with Harbor freight welders, and have achieved good results. One friend in particular purchased one and got several years of service, but it recently crapped out. One thing I noticed about lower end welders is they don't offer infinite adjustability for amperage, or wire feed speed. These two options are not super nessesary, but they help fine tune your welding chores. In case someone is not familiar with mig welders, the amperage knobs have about 4 or 5 settings, the same for wire feed knob. Harbor freight offers a stick/tig welder that if I remember correctly is rated at 120 amps. At 199.00, they are very cheap. Don't let the price fool you because to make it work you will also need an argon tank, gauges, and a few other items. I have been told by other people that they work great on sheet metal, but not so well on structural work. One other thing about this cheap welder is that it will take good working knowledge of tig welding to operate it proficiently.

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