Finally going to learn how to weld

[eagleone1983]

I'm finally gonna pull the trigger and buy a MIG welder. I've been wanting to learn for a long time and figure by the next time I decide to build a car again I'll be much better off learning this myself. It can't be that hard to learn can it? Some of the guys that did some of the bodywork on my car probably didn't pass the 8th grade, so I should be golden LOL.

I would attend a class but time constraints during the week will make it a hassle so back to the books, youtube, and this website I go. We have some pretty impressive welders on this site so you'll be my inspiration through this. Any tips, tricks, advice will be greatly appreciated. I let you know what welder I end up getting, I'm actually getting it from a friend.

 

[Moparsmitty]

I always wanted to take some welding courses at a college or trade school but like you I never had the time. You can teach yourself to do damn near anything if you put your mind to it and do some research. Nothing beats practicing on scrap and getting a good feel for it before you try a project. Use the proper safety equipment and above all have fun.

 

[hashmaker]

There are a lot of good wire feed welders out there, learning how will be one of the best things you can do for car repair. For sheet metal .023 wire is what I like. There are 120 volt and 220 volt welders. A 220 volt will give you the ability to do lots more with metal. Learning body and paint is next!

 

[eagleone1983]

There are a lot of good wire feed welders out there, learning how will be one of the best things you can do for car repair. For sheet metal .023 wire is what I like. There are 120 volt and 220 volt welders. A 220 volt will give you the ability to do lots more with metal. Learning body and paint is next!

The one I'm getting is 220v and my garage is already wired for it. I have a couple left over sections of floor boards in my backyard to practice on as well as some square stock. I figure if I learned how to do everything but the paint, welding/bodywork using books/internet than this should be no different. The only crappy part of my whole restoration experience was the time it sat in a bodyshop.

As far as paint and bodywork there is an older guy that has already helped me out that would be more than willing to take me under his wing for that in the future.

 

[northerndave]

I think my small machine is a miller 175, I dont think they make it any more but I got it because it was the smallest 230 VAC single phase unit they had at the time and it had infinite adjustment for voltage and wire speed. It's been a good welder and still is a good machine. I leave it spooled up with the "small wire". The little Hobart 190 would be a decent auto body machine at around $750, Lincoln 180 for the same price matches the duty cycle of Hobart 190. If I was going to jump up from there I'd look at Miller 211 (gonna jump another $250 aprox)







I agree, spool it up with small wire, .023 solid. Don't jack around with the flux core, get yourself a bottle of something common like 75%-25% and an auto darkening helmet.

practice on clean metal.

 

[Propwash]

Great skill to learn...Opens up a lot of doors for you and definitely expands your capabilities when it comes to the level of restoration work you can do. Best of luck.

 

[northerndave]

Drill some 1/4" holes in some 18 gauge and practice plug welds, lol. Because you'll be doing a lot of those if your projects are uni-bodies.

Nice thing about plug welds is they are easy, good confidence builder as you are learning.

 

[eagleone1983]

Thanks guys. No worries about using flux core wire, the welder is coming with a bottle

 

[northerndave]

Oh that's cool man.

Good luck and have fun!



wear earplugs when you weld overhead, or you might not have fun. lol!

(You never forget the sound of the inside of your own ear being cooked by a molten metal berry)

 

[clemul]

These videos are a great tool, CHP-5, CHP-7 especially good:

http://www.jegs.com/p/Auto-Metal-Direct/Auto-Metal-Direct-Instructional-DVDs/1534990/10002/-1

A good sheet metal gauge to determine what your working with, an auto darkening helmet, 220 machine, I like the millers, and plenty of practice material will get you started.. An angle grinder, sanding disc 3" 36 grit ( r or s type)set up for air tool, and grind wheel for air tool( cut off wheel material, 3/8 thick is great)

 

[Photon440]

Oh that's cool man.

Good luck and have fun!



wear earplugs when you weld overhead, or you might not have fun. lol!

(You never forget the sound of the inside of your own ear being cooked by a molten metal berry)

This is important advice!!!

 

[SteveSS]

Let me know what you get and how it goes. I have 220 in my garage also. I have a tendency to cheap out.

 

[Propwash]

Oh that's cool man.

Good luck and have fun!



wear earplugs when you weld overhead, or you might not have fun. lol!

(You never forget the sound of the inside of your own ear being cooked by a molten metal berry)

No Doubt...nothing like the sound of welding spatter sizzling in your ear. Big swear words...big.

Get a welding cap (beenie) as well as a welding jacket.

 

[Budnicks]

Great skill to learn...Opens up a lot of doors for you and definitely expands your capabilities when it comes to the level of restoration work you can do. Best of luck.

X2 what Will/Prop said, it's a great skill to have/know, when building/restoring cars, among many other things that can be welded...

- - - Updated - - -

No Doubt...nothing like the sound of welding spatter sizzling in your ear. Big swear words...big.

Get a welding cap (beenie) as well as a welding jacket.

LOL... then banging the crap out of your head when something gets in the helmet when you jerk back, man I've go some serious lumps, from trying to move fast, after dingle-balls or hot weld slag or spatter falls &/or drips on you... sleeves &/or convertible jacket & some good welding gloves, a nice welding cap keeps your hair from going up or burned scalp, a helmet with an instant dark/electronic larger lenses, a good set of safety glass you can actually see out of, is also a great idea too, much easier than fighting the helmet hinge & striking an arc in the proper place....

 

[Sonny Black]

Sonny also always wanted to know how...I have a friend at the community college that is an instructor. I would like to take the welding courses. BUT still have a job.....Drears.....:icon_frown:

 

[Budnicks]

I have a good little shop mig-welder Lincoln Pro-180, it's good from about 24ga. to about 1/2", flux-core or reg. wire 12# reals is what I usually buy, with a 20# bottle of Argon/C02 mix or straight Argon for Aluminum welding & what tips in the torch, you can use different size wire from 0.023" to 0.035" depending on type & thicknesses of materials your welding... I had an old Snap-On welder 110/220 {Lincoln made them IIRC} that lasted 20 years of garage & occasional jobsite use {welded the whole 3rd floor medical center, backing & 8ga. studs in the labs I built}, still works great too, I gave it to my nephew, when I got a new welder for Christmas, from my Pops last year... I suggest an extra bottle of gas too if you can swing it, nothing worse than running out in the middle of welding stuff & having to run down to Air-Gas {local welding supply place} to get a bottle filled... Also an Oxygen & Acetylene torch, even small bottles if necessary, a reg. set & hoses, rosebud & cutting torch... good luck EagleOne1983

 

[Propwash]

I could see Sonny welding away in his evil lair....

 

[Sonny Black]

I could see Sonny welding away in his evil lair....


View attachment 175095

How did you get that picture of me?.......IT'S ALIVE! ...:sunny::banana:

 

[Moparsmitty]

No Doubt...nothing like the sound of welding spatter sizzling in your ear. Big swear words...big.

Get a welding cap (beenie) as well as a welding jacket.

Yep, nothing like getting a hot one down the neck of your coveralls to teach you a couple of new dance moves. I call the little scars "education marks" :monkeydance:

 

[Mr B Body]

One of the worst welding burns I ever got was when I had my watch on (never ever again) and a hottie (not the good kind) fell between my jacket and glove (I was suited up!) and landed right behind the watch, it burned clear thru the watch case and left a 3/8" hole in the top of my wrist. It's been over 20 years and I still have that scar. Do not ever wear your watch while welding.

Patrick