zero Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 I dont quite have my Z yet, but I live on the east coast so I most likely will have to deal with rust and I will be putting a cage in at some point, so I think I need to learn how to weld. I have read a pretty in-depth book on welding, and I have a good understanding of what I need and the different types of welding, but I have no experience with it and am not sure wether to get MIG or TIG. I live in Northern New Jersey if anyone lives near me who can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 For the average do-it-yourselfer a mig will surfice, Tig is considerably harder, way more expensive and a slower process (although it can do aluminum and you get beautiful welds if you can use it right). I learned in Jr. High how to gas weld, and then through on the job training in a job I started as a finish person (grind, prime etc) and worked into a welding gig welding firedoor frames and windows out of 16 gauge sheetmetal. You can take a course usually at a community college for a little time and not much money and learn proper (suggested really, I don't suggest my path, took to long and if I hadn't had a certified welder to help me it would have taken even longer). Or, if you have an aversion to school and just want to nip right into it, you could buy a mig welder for under 500 bucks and get some scrap steel and go to it, if you've read a bit on it, its just a matter of applying it. If you go this route, DO make plenty of practice welds until you get a nice looking bead without blowing holes in things (rather hard in sheetmetal, if you don't move fast enough or get it to hot, it'll fall out and you have a good sized hole to patch), test the strength by clamping it in a vise and beating on it and see if you can separate your weld. If it tears the metal from around the weld, but the weld holds fast, your in good shape. If it just breaks at the weld, get the surface cleaner next time and try it again and again and again until its strong. This sounds like a long process, but anyone with even meager hand eye coordination should be able to be making passing welds with a mig in a few hours of practice. I'd still opt for the first option and get some schooling by someone who knows how, it'll save you time and scrap steel. Regards and good luck, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 A good Mig welder will do almost anything you need as far as work on your Z. I was in the same place as you about 6 months ago. My brother convinced me that it wasn't tough to learn to weld with a Mig. So, I bought a Millermatic 135, a couple of welding books and some scrap metal and started practicing (a lot). I also purchased a pretty good welding video from the Eastwood Company . It was helpful in actually showing what a good and bad weld look like and you could hear that "frying egg" sound to know what to listen for. It really isn't as difficult as I thought. Lone is right, take a class if you have the time and $. My problem is/was an extreme lack of free-time. I'll never weld at Lone's level, but I'm pretty confident in my meager welding abilities after lots of late-night practice. I say "Just Do It." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 Have to agree with all that was said above. Get a good MIG welder and just do it. All it really takes is practice. If you are only going to get one welder, a 120 amp or so MIG welder would be it. 220 volt if your shop can handle it. Make sure you get one with sheilding gas to begin with and ask around before you buy. Some of the cheaper welders (Craftsman comes to mind) have been blasted by guys on this site. Any thing by Lincoln-Miller-Hobart would be a safe bet. I have a Century that I am happy with, but some guys have blasted Century's cheaper models also. The other thing that is nice to have is a good oxy-acetelene torch. They come in really handy for heating things (such as bending metal or loosening bolts) and for cutting. Also it is sometimes quicker and easier to braze small parts. You can weld with a torch but not on car sheet metal. Torches produce excessive heat compared to a MIG and will warp or otherwise destroy stuff. Of course then you need a grinder, assorted C clamps and vise grips, a good file, some sheet metal tools, big F'ng hammers, band saw, chop saw and or course a fire friendly shop to work with all of the above. I am still working on this list but you know the saying, "He who dies with the most toys wins." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dp351zcar Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 I have a hobart handler 135 and it works great. Comes standard set up for gas all you supply is the gas cylinder with gas. Comes with a good price and is made by Miller. The diffrence between the Miller and the Hobart is the Hobart is plumbed for gas standard and the miller is not. Also the Hobart uses aluminum wire in its transformers and the miller uses copper which is better. Or more correctly will stand up to a higher duty cycle but I have welded a lot with mine and never have had a problem. When it comes to a torch I went with a propane/oxygen for heating and cutting, for welding see above. Over the last 20 years I have done a little welding but never enough to get any skill. Doing the bottom of my Z has taught me a lot. I work where a lot of welding is done in the manufacture of overhead cranes. I don't build them, I repair and modify/upgrade them. If I have a question I just ask the people who do it all day. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boobala Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 Another Differnce between the Miller and Hobart is that the Hobart has four voltage settings and the Miller has infinite voltage settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 My MillerMatic 135 came plumbed for gas. It included the regulator and line too. I just had to purchase a bottle of gas and get started... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dp351zcar Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 Interesting the dealer who sold both told me that the miller didn't come with a regulator or hose. If memory serves I think they about $150 for the stuff. The miller was about that above the hobart so the $300 put it out of the range I wanted to spend. The infinite range settings would come in handy welding on the thin metal on the bottom. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted July 7, 2002 Author Share Posted July 7, 2002 thanks for all of the help guys, i am now in the market for a cheap but decent MIG welder to learn on. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted July 7, 2002 Share Posted July 7, 2002 OK, I can admit it now, I went to Lowes and bought a Lincoln 135. It came with the regulator and hose for gas. I went and got a tank of 75/25 Argon/CO2, hooked it up and practiced on some scrap. It works well and my welds are looking better (in other words it's taking less grinding to get them smooth , I'll miss watching the sparks fly while grinding). I was suprised how easy it was to get a good weld. I guess it took about an hour to get a feel for doing it right. Hope that helps , -VRJoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 7, 2002 Share Posted July 7, 2002 Yeah, ain't a mig welder cool? The power to fuse metal, to replace and repair the unrepairable, to bring back from the DEAD! Mwwwaahhhaaahhhaaa... Sorry, got carried away, pretty cool machines though. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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