firebirdjosh

iTrader: (1)

I've always wanted to weld and I found a cheap welder for $50 (not sure how to describe it, 20-70A 115V, looks decent but what do I know). Anyway, I'd like to practice by making an STB and then maybe do a custom exhaust and probably SFCs if I get good. I have a few questions about welding and STBs (yes, I did a search).

1. How hard is it to weld. I do all the work on my car from engine to bodywork so I'm a hands-on guy.
2. What do I need besides a mask and the welder.
3. Any tips or websites?
4. Where do I get the materials (tubing, plates for brackets)

Thanks guys!!!!

TomP

Holy damn, that sig photo makes me dizzy.

1. Depends on what you're doing, but basically, it's all technique. However- you shouldn't jump right to a STB. Practice on some scrap first to get the feel for welding first; you can lay a great looking bead but with zero penetration- and you get a weak joint. What kind of welder is it? For $50, I'm guessing it's not a MIG. Is it an arc welder? Before you buy it (or if you bought it already), make sure you can find the consumables it needs (any tips or replacement parts or etc).

2. You can pick up a $20 toolbox and stuff it with c clamps, "welding" vise grips (c-clamps with swivel pads), angle magnets, etc, but yeah you just need a welder, GLOVES, mask, and any consumables for the welder. A wire brush also helps. http://www.eastwood.com has a few cool gadgets, along with gloves. You can find $20 electric 4 inch angle grinders and grinding wheels at http://www.harborfreight.com.

3. A great book is the Haynes Welding Techbook, found mine at Lowes about 5 years ago for $15. I assume they still carry it; I'm sure a Pep Boys might have it too, or if not, Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) could get it. It goes into all the types of welding, each one gets a chapter (oxy/acet, arc, mig, tig, plasma) that describes the process and technique and etc.

4. Home Depot's hardware aisle has steel tube, flat stock (strip and plate), etc. You could dig thru the yellow pages and find a local welding store, then call them and ask where you'd find steel. Take a trip there to pick up some gloves.

Hah, wow, Harbor Freight has a 4 inch angle grinder for $14. Cool.

firebirdjosh

iTrader: (1)

I'm ordering some stuff from harborfreight right now, thanks alot. Also, here's a link to the picture of the welder.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...rolArms015.jpg

TomP

Oh okay, sweet box for $50!! IIRC, Sears welders were made by Century, so you should be OK with finding consumables & parts if you need to.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

Stick welding can be very difficult for thinner pieces… you occasionally run across someone that can do it well, but that’s not that common.

I’d be tempted to pick up a tig torch on ebay for cheap and try running it as a scratch start tig…

firebirdjosh

iTrader: (1)

If I found a tig for $50 shipped I'd do it. I'm not looking to get anything expensive, I'm just doing dual exhaust, maybe fix a friend's leaky exhaust, and make a few STBs and SFCs. I don't think that'll be too hard after some practice.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

Reread what I wrote. You found a welder for $50 that can be used as a low amp tig, just connect a torch to it. I've picked up real, weldcraft tig torches for less then $25 on ebay and have bought the fittings to connect them up straight to a bottle of sheilding gas at the local roberts oxygen for around $2.