I've been thinking about welding lately....If everything else were taken care of (alternate transportation, no money cap, etc....) and I could get a decent welder, could I start out with MIG welding and teach myself?? Only thing I've done with welding is stared at them at Home Depot.

i had a teacher. couldn't imagine doing it without one.

once you watch an experienced person do it, then you do it, you'll suddenly have a deep respect for the talent required to produce good welds. especially vertical welds... my weakest type.....

wire feed and stick are easier IMHO.

i want something i can start on, and use it to weld 914 metal.


i hear MIG is the best for welding 914 metal.


My grandfather has a arc welder...that's all i know about it.

If i can weld 914 metal with a arc welder, that would be really sweet!!!!

b

arc welding?

well stick, wire feed and TIG all use an elelctric arc.

i'd ask him if it uses wire, an electrode, or a welding rod to make the arc...

914 metal is metal.
Oh, but you should consider there are around 5000 different aluminum alloys alone.

Metal is NOT metal.

MIG is easy to learn. I bought one to do my 75. I was practicing on the bench for a while and decided practice was a waste of time. I moved the ground clamp to the 914 and went at it. I made a mess at first. That same night I was good enough to make a proper repair. I made a patch that went along the front fender. It is still there and you can't tell it was repaired.

QUOTE (rogergrubb @ Nov 13 2005, 07:45 PM)

arc welding? well stick, wire feed and TIG all use an elelctric arc. i'd ask him if it uses wire, an electrode, or a welding rod to make the arc... 914 metal is metal. Oh, but you should consider there are around 5000 different aluminum alloys alone. Metal is NOT metal.

i think its wire feed. its old.....either electrode or wire feed. I'm on the phone with my dad....has no idea about the welder. could be anything......


whats the difference in welding quality between the different types?



b

arc welding uses a stick that is flux coated on the outside. its really hard to weld thin metal with it

If you can afford one of the cheap gasless welders, it is a fine tool to do the 914 with.

A better investment would be a gas mig welder which uses gas to create a pocket to weld in that has no contamination from the surrounding air..The gasless welder uses a flux cored wire to do the same thing, but it is not as clean...

Saying that...I use a gasless welder and it works fine...

Arc welding is kinda old school, but can be done on thin sheet metal...Arc is really for anything over 1/4 inch thick...

But,,there are lots of tools for an arc welder that you can use to create spot welds, you can braze with it...etc...it is certainly an art, but if you learn it, you will have it forever.

Mig is the easiest to learn, by far..

You can also use oxy/acedeline and learn that...That gives you the ability to cut the metal as well as heat and bend it....


Look at Harbor Freight online to get a better idea of pricing.

Rich

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Nov 13 2005, 08:18 PM)

could I start out with MIG welding and teach myself??

The answer to your question is yes.
I recommend buying two (soft cover) books printed by HP books: Welders Handbook and Metal Fabricators Handbook. They are available at performance parts stores and probably at Amazon.com.

thanks.


b

The hardest thing about MIG is adjusting the welder. Once you get that right it's a breeze. You don't need a class for MIG, but you do need someone who is at least decent with it to help you for about 30 minutes. Once you get an idea of what you're doing wrong, you can then improve alot without help.

If you only have one welder, I'd definitely suggest a MIG.

If you can afford a MIG, get it and start welding. You'll learn as you go. If the MIG will be a future purchase, get whatever you can and start welding. Every different welding process has it's pros and cons. That's why you can still buy the "ancient" stick welders and gas weld setups. I have all four in my shop and have used them all at one time or another. Everything you learn with one weld technique will apply somewhat to other forms. They're all about melting metal, they have that in common. Get anything and get welding.

QUOTE (bondo @ Nov 14 2005, 01:37 AM)

you do need someone who is at least decent with it to help you for about 30 minutes.

First get the welder and start practicing based on instruction from the operating manual. Then when you get help from an experienced individual you will have meaningful questions and you will understand his instructions more fully.

If you don't want to go in blind, you could try what a buddy of mine did.
He went into a local shop (small welding operation) and just started talking to the guy who ran the shop. The guy agreed to let him hang around and he paid him the hourly rate to observe and learn the basics.
I think the end result was $80 and lunch.
His approah gave him the confidence to go at it alone.
The other option is a college class / continuing ed.
An experienced welder can teach you about proper methods and save you some trial and error. It is pretty straight forward, but their is a right and a wrong way.

Get the MIG welder and practice on some sheet metal. The more you do it the better you become. I'm not a great welder, but I am a great grinder, I can make a crappy weld look beautiful. Get a crappy door or fender and cut a chunk of it out and patch in new sheet metal for practice. Heat is your enemy on body panels, can cause warpage...not good.

Just remember to use the proper safety equipment. Good helmet, gloves and long sleeved cotton clothing. Once you are good you can practice skipping the gloves or long sleeves.