Jim, MIG welding is the easiest to learn and you can become reasonably adept in
a short time. TIG
welding is a bit more difficult and the cost of the machine is more as well.
You can get some
inexpensive stick machines, but they don't have the versatility of a MIG
welder, and it's harder to
lay down a consistent bead without a lot of practice.
MIG welders can be often be used with both hard wire and flux-cored wire.
Using flux core has the
advantage of not needing shielding gas, but it produces a lot of spatter and
it's more difficult to
use "out of position", that is welding vertical or overhead. Using regular
hard wire requires a
shielding gas of either CO2 or a mixture, usually 75/25 which is 75% Argon, 25%
CO2. The latter is
better suited for out of positon welding, but is more costly than straight CO2.
I pay around $17
for a short bottle (size??...18-24" high) for 75/25. I do all my welding with
.030" diameter wire,
which runs around $30 for an 11 pound spool, but that lasts quite a while.
I've installed a front
suspension, rear end, and done plenty of body work and I'm still on the same
spool, though it's
nearly at its end.
I'm using a Miller MIG machine, since that's all we use at work (we have about
150 440 volt welders
in the shop where I'm a welding inspector), and I got a discount when I
purchased the welder. There
are cheaper welders around, notably through Harbor Freight, TIP tools, Daytona
MIG, Eastwood, etc.
but I have never used anything except a Miller or Lincoln.
Learning to weld can be frustrating at first. At least for me since I inspect
welds for quality all
day long, so I'm pretty critical and I couldn't believe how lousy mine looked
when I first started!
Someone else will probably be a lot less critical than I was! Once you learn
to put down a good
bead however, you will wonder how you ever got along without a welder. A good
way to learn quickly
is find someone who can weld to show you the ropes and you'll get the hang of
it quicker than trial
and error on your own. Everyone who rips apart trucks and puts them back
together should have a
welder in the garage...good luck with your choices.
Wally / Templeton, MA
53 3100 rod project
> Now for the question. What type of welding should I start with - mig, tig,
> arc, ???.
>
> After that is determined, I will work on equipment.
>
> Thanks again for all your help.
>
> Jim V.
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