Weld requirements?

G

Guy Thomas

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Feb 1, 2000
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I know some of you guy's must have a lot more experience welding than I do (it would be hard not to!). I'm just thinking about buying a MIG welder for my shop but I have no idea what would be adequate for the various jobs I'll need it for.

Mostly it would be for welding handles on damascus billets and such light work. However, I will be building a hydraulic press within the next year or so and I was wondering if one of the compact 80 or 100 amp models would work for welding 1/4" steel to 1" steel plate and produce safe welds?

(It has occured to me that taking a course in welding might not be a bad idea either.)
 
Guy, I have a compact 105amp Century wire feed with the optional argon bottle kit. I like it very much and cant do without it for small jobs and fabricating. If you make a press you can tack weld everything together with a small one but will need a profesional model with serious amps for deep penetration on heavy gauge steel. 1/4" is maximum for the small welders. My press has some 1' thick parts.
 
As with everything else, get the best that you can afford. A small welder will usually do fine up to 1/4". You can weld thicker stuff by beveling the edges and running "stringers" (multiple passes). If at all possible, get one that you can run gas on (CO2, Argon, etc.) Then stay away from flux core wire unless your welding in the wind or something. Flux is just something else to cause "inclusions" in your bead. You don't need to be a certified welder for most stuff, just get a good book on the subject and practice. I wouldn't go welding on a press until I was very comfortable with the strength and consistancy of my welds. It doesnt take much of an immagination to picture the resounding crash that would follow a failed weld under alot of pressure.
Good Luck
Leonard
 
I have a Lincoln Electric wire feed welder that runs on 120V. It is small and it says it will weld up to 1/4", but I havn't tried for anything that thick yet. It is able to run with or without gas(either MIG or flux cored). If you want to do MIG wleding you will have to buy an adaptor kit. It works very well for what it is, and what it sells for.

As stated before if you want to wled anyhting more than 1/4" you will have to spend some serious cash to buy a large model with mega amps. If you only need to wled material that thick for one project I would think about having it done professionally. I would also think that because these wilds will be under tremendous pressure that would go double, unless you are able to test your wleds under similiar stress, repeatedly safetly.

Also if you want to learn to weld just buy a welder, a decent book, some cheap steel and practice practice practice. This is how I learned, and it only took me a few days to be able to run smooth beads that will hold well.

Erik
 
It might be a good idea to visit a couple of welding supply shops and see what they recommend also, then shop for pricing.

I was headed towards a small MIG unit until talking with a welder friend, who pointed me towards a slightly bigger 240 volt unit of 175 amp. output. It will weld 1/4" stock in one pass and has enough duty cycle to outlast my capacity for setup.

Using gas for shielding instead of flux core wire is a plus as mentioned by a couple of others. You do get a much better weld and reduce spatter.

Wearing one of the respirators designed for welding fumes is a good idea. Otherwise, you are breathing vaporized metal and other fumes not good for long term health. The welding shops have them as well as some industrial supply houses.
 
OK - time for me to put my two cents worth in here. If I were to reccomend a type welding machine to a person new to welding and a knife maker it would be a 110 or 220 volt wire welder. Money prevails here and I would stick with one of the big three (Lincoln, Miller, HObart)- these machines will all weld with flux cored wire. If you can afford it buy the extras for MIG welding (hard wire).

Flux cored wire will give you a hotter, deeper penetrating, and generally stronger weld. Worried about trapping flux between passes, just wire brush it. Flux cored is easier to use than MIG. The material you are welding on has to be really clean for MIG to do a good job on it but can be fairly dirty for flux cored welding. For very light gauge material MIG is better, anything 1/8" thick or more I would use flux cored.

For the type materials you will use to build a press you need a "real" welding machine. I would cut, fit, and prep all the parts and take it to a job shop and have them weld it up for you.
 
While not being a welding expert "I did take welding in high school and was proficient in all types of welding but i will be dammed if i can remember any of it now" how about a old 220 arc welder..it can be a little bit harder, you have to have technique and the right rods, and the right amp setting, but it produces good penetrating welds..i have a old craftsman's buzz box and can weld up just about anything..and if you don't get it right the first time 'ie globs' then you just grind it off and start over again


just my .02

randy
 
Yes, when I get the press frame ready to go a professional shop would probably be best. A small MIg for the shop would handle all of my other needs with no problem.

Randy, I actually have an ancient Craftsman stick welder (try 35 or 40 years old). Any thoughts on refurbishing it. I haven't used it in many years and it's been rusting in my Dad's shed for at least 18 years. I suppose I ought to clean it up and make do with it if it still works. (These wire feed welders are just so easy to use!)
 
Well other then replacing all the cables there really isn't much to go wrong with them, you may want to open it up and clean all the crap out of the insides and make sure the fan works.I know the mig is easier but unless you have a pro model you won't be able to weld thick stuff..just the other day i fired the old box up and welded some 1/2 thick steel and it handeled it just fine..with some good prep on the pieces and a lot of stick

I think i will be getting one of those affordable mig set ups to do thin stuff which is sometimes hard to do with a stick box but for right now the arch welder works good for me



Randy
 
Silent, if you can get the old welder working, it should do fine for just about anything you mentioned doing. Just make sure that if it works only in AC or DC mode to get corisponding rods.

I am running a 120v Lincoln "cracker box' arc welder, and have welded 2" plate with it. It's not easy, but can be done. Just use a grinder or torch and bevel your edges, and make multiple passes till you fill the valey up. Just becarefull not to over heat your metal, or you can crystlyize it, or warp it pretty badly.

The best way to get proficent at welding is to take a class, or get with someone who realy knows how, and get a little hands on. Checking out a book or two wouldn't hurt eigther. And as mentioned befor, pratice, practice, practice, and practice some more.

A good way to tell if you are getting a good weld is to weld two pieces of scrap together on one side, put one end in a vice and pound on it with a big hammer to see if the weld breaks.

To be honest, if you have no experiance welding, your best bet would be to tac everything together and get it profesionly welded. I'm not saying that you couldn't do it, just that to get good with a stick rod you have to burn a lot of rods, and that translates into a lot of money and time.

Hope this helps, good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
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