Starter welder

[FoxProTwisty]

I've watched a few videos on this and a couple other cheap Chinesium 110v welders and it seems like a good place to start. The price seems right but I'm open to used ones, too.

I've never welded anything before so I'm admitting up front I don't know what I'm talking about.

What do y'all's think?

DEKOPRO 110/220V 160A ARC Welder

 

[Astro14]

I asked the same question a few years back:

Thread 'First welder recommendation'

Mar 18, 2019

At nearly 56 years old, learning to weld is still on my list.

I would like to learn, and I would like to acquire a basic welder primarily for auto repair.

My goal is to be able to weld to remove stuck bolts, axles, etc. as well as repair brackets and other simple parts. I really don't know much about how to weld, or what welders are good, or good values.

So, how would you guys that DO weld recommend I go about learning, and what tool and equipment would you recommend to start out?

I do have 220V outlets in my garage for the tablesaw and dust collector, so I am not limited to 110V...

• Astro14
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Tool Time

• 

I have read a couple books, and plan to take a class, but still haven’t quite gotten around to learning it.

 

[oldcodger]

If you buy one of these welders hook it up with a 220 volt line. I had one some time in the past and it really did not like operating on 110 volts. It worked much better on 220.
If you take a class they will be using welding machines which are a huge step above the amazon variety. The cheap 110/220 units will work, but they are harder to make a good weld than the higher class machines.
I took a class at a junior college and they were operating high dollar industrial grade Lincoln welders and it was a totally different experience than the cracker box variety.

 

[NOTEVIL81]

If you're just looking for something to mess around with like welding the lawn mower or some brackets. Go on Amazon and buy any of the two to $300 mig welders. Get one that is dual voltage. You don't have to spend the money for a little hobby welder with CO2 Argon. Just get a bottle of CO2 it will work fine. The learning curve on Stick or Tig take some time and expertise. With a MIG welder you'll be up in welding in a couple hours. I set up my neighbor with a $220 yes welder dual voltage and a bottle of CO2 he bought on OfferUp for 40 bucks and cheap to fill.

 

[awguy]

What types of things are you trying to weld? If car sheet metal then a 110v mig welder will be fine. A gas bottle add-on will also help a lot more. I bought a Titanium 140 from Harbor Freight a few years ago and it works great. Practiced a lot on scrap metal and watched a bunch of you tube videos.

 

[NOTEVIL81]

What types of things are you trying to weld? If car sheet metal then a 110v mig welder will be fine. A gas bottle add-on will also help a lot more. I bought a Titanium 140 from Harbor Freight a few years ago and it works great. Practiced a lot on scrap metal and watched a bunch of you tube videos.

Absolutely correct. I doubt he's looking at aluminum or stainless to weld. Both require a lot of expertise and money.

 

[cptbarkey]

I think its a skill well worth learning and investing in. If you start looking for problems that can be solved by welding, that will motivate you further.

That is a stick welder which is not the easiest to learn on, but some folks say thats how you should start as it will give you the appreciation of flux core.
Triple your budget for PPE and accessories. I'm having a ball learning myself and about to start my first major project on a rock bucket. I started with a Yeswelder multi process but became extremely frustrated with too many knobs and settings in metric. I sold it and bought the HF titanium 125 and 225 stick and havent looked back.

 

[FoxProTwisty]

Basically, I just wish I had something to tack with or repair random metal. Yes, like a lawnmower deck or weld a nut to a broken off exhaust manifold bolt. Simple things I could do that would avoid paying someone else to.

It's also a power supply so I could rehab old lead acid batteries.

I have a detached garage so running another hot 110v line to jump to 220 wouldn't really work.

 

[Timmastertech]

For an occasional play around with welder, a stick welder would not be my first choice. It was the hardest process for me to learn and it takes the most practice for me to get back into the groove on. Its probably been 2 years since I arc welded anything so I would have to burn through a few rods and some scrap metal to get decent welds today. For playing around I would go with a cheaper 110v mig welder, preferably with shielding gas instead of flux core wire. Invest in a good auto-darkening mask as well, being able to see makes a huge difference. D

 

[spasm3]

I'm not a welding expert by any means, i have a small mig welder and gas. The first question is What do you want weld? Is this for sheetmetal, or sculpture , general repair?

Mig vs a stick welder? 110v vs a 220v unit? You really need to define what you want to weld.

I would stick to known brands, like lincolin, hobart, esab.

Maybe the HF Titanium 140 multiprocess welder. At least you could warranty it. I would want to be able to weld with gas as well as flux wire.

Most of the welders now are more advanced than the lincolin 3200HD i have.


I learned to do mig on my own, takes lots of practice, reading, videos etc.

But if you could take a local class before you spend money, you might make a better purchase.

 

[samven]

What you need to weld will determine what kind of welder you get. Wire feed welders are best for light material like sheet metal and light angle iron and plate up to 3/16" thick. They can do heavier work but it involves preheating the metal and being able to get to both sides of the work. Stick or arc welders are better at the heavy stuff or dirty metal. They are great around a farm because with the right rods you can get away with just wire brushing the metal to knock down the rust and paint and weld right in the field, but learning to weld light weight stuff is difficult because you tend to blow through your work and sheet metal is not going to happen. You also need to learn how not to stick your rod everytime you strike an arc but that comes with practice.
As for practice you dont want to be buying new metal, you have to find a source of lots of scrap you can get free or cheap because you will burn a bunch of it and invest in an angle grinder and flap disks so you can prep it right. I use my Mig and Arc welders about equal amounts but I always wanted to learn to TIG weld to join aluminum tubing and really fine sheet metal work but I just dont have enough call for it or the time and money to start with another hobby.

I saw your last post and think you will be best served by a MIG welder or even a cheap flux core wire welder. You only need the gas if your doing fine work and then you have to be inside or the gas gets blown away before the weld cools. Of course with the gas and the right wire you could do aluminum mower decks but if its just steel, flux core works fine for those maintenance repairs.

 

[spasm3]

Basically, I just wish I had something to tack with or repair random metal. Yes, like a lawnmower deck or weld a nut to a broken off exhaust manifold bolt. Simple things I could do that would avoid paying someone else to.

It's also a power supply so I could rehab old lead acid batteries.

I have a detached garage so running another hot 110v line to jump to 220 wouldn't really work.

For what you stated , mig. Its nice to have the gas option.

 

[FoxProTwisty]

Thanks for the tips and advice, guys. I'm looking into a mig set up. My neighbor is a welder and always scrap angle and other iron to practice with.

 

[facility1]

was looking at welding equip. at fleet farm and seen Fourney brand, made in Italy, looked quite decent for the money, around 350 dollars or so.

 

[doitmyself]

I'm feeling very old today - the venerable "Tombstone Welder"............................ Just a few days ago I ordered a new welding helmet, a 3M Speedglas G5-03 E Natural Color - 09-0100-20 on sale for $190. I wonder if my Cataract surgery at age 68 was partially due to poor welding practices when I was a young pup?

I always recommend the GarageJournal Forum for tool research. I.E., https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/welder.541854/

 

[4WD]

I'm feeling very old today - the venerable "Tombstone Welder"............................
View attachment 275134

Gee thanks - I have one

 

[KenshinHimura]

Gee thanks - I have one

I have one that was new in 2010. Nice little welder.