On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 14:19:50 -0400, "wallster"
wrote:


Jeff Polaski wrote in message
.. .
[I meant to cross post this to the sci.engr.joining.welding group, but
it was late and I forgot]

I'm hoping to buy a reasonably priced, used, welding set up.
Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone has a working 220V
tombstone-style welder they'd want to sell for $50 or so, or a set of
oxy-acetylene tanks, torches, user-owned bottles, etc... I'm not sure
what a fair price is, but I've been told that I should expect to pay
about $150 for a complete working oxy-acetytelene setup, and $50 for
the arc welder. Is that about right?

I used to do a little welding in shop at high school, but that was a
while ago... I'd like to get back into welding by making some little
motorcycles and sculptures out of junk. Nothing too fancy at first.
The majority of my welding will be fairly light
"home-shop/fixit/sculpture" type stuff. Eventually there is some
automotive welding I'd like to do--I have a '65 Dart* that needs a
little work, so I'd like a medium or full-size set (not one of the
little portable ones w/milk jug-size bottles). Most of the welding
will be pretty light weight, so I could use a smaller torch, but I
think I'd just fit it on to regular size hoses (with an adaptor if
need be). I don't plan on welding or cutting heavy plate steel or
anything.

I don't mind if the equipment is a "older", as long as it's not
ancient. In fact I prefer older tools in general, if there well made
and in good working order.

I've been told (by Gunner) that the flux-core wire welders from Harbor
Freigh are a fairly decent value. Any one have any experience with
these they'd like to share?

I'm looking forward to welding, it's something I've been wanting to do
for a long time... Well, any way, thanks in advance for your input,


Jeff Polaski
jeffpolaski "at" cox "dot" net


Jeff, oxy-acetylene is handy, and a stick set up is handy as well, but for
your application, a nice mig set up would be the best choice. The fluxcore
cheapies are alright for the price but if you're considering body work,
those will just blow holes through the sheet steel. I use my miller mig
welder on most of my projects. Look for a name brand 110volt mig (ie.
millermatic 135, hobart ahndler 135, or lincoln sp135) in the long wrong you
will just be saving time of selling the fluxcore unit and buying one when
you "out grow" it.
I make "little motorcycles and sculptures out of junk" too.
http://www.geocities.com/weldingwalt/ek3chopper.html

good luck,
walt


Well, it looks like I'm going to luck out--an old friend is going to
give me his O/A setup!

I think that I'll get a MIG welder in a little while, too, when I Have
a little more "fun-money". I don't think I can justify the $ for a new
brand-name welder, but maybe I can find an older one...

This is certainly a subject I know very little about, but I think that
learning O/A welding first will pay off in the long run. Also, having
the set will be very useful around the shop for brazing, heat treating
tools, etc...

I don't mind spending four or eight hours practicing to get an
adequate weld. In the future I can take a weekend welding class at a
local junior college or something, but at first I'll be happy if I can
just get a halfway decent weld.

I've been looking around for more info on how to select a welder but I
didn't see anything that directly addressed the issue. Did I miss a
FAQ or something? I'll be happy to put together a mini-faq about
getting started and selecting welders, if there isn't one already. I
certainly won't have years of experience to add to it, but I gladly
compile the stuff I've read.

Thanks for all your help! I'm really excited about all the stuff I'm
going to make now. I'm going to set up a website and a blog to share
my progress and hopefully make things a little easier for others.

Again, thanks!

Jeff Polaski
jeff =at= cox =dot= net

[P.S. I've cross posted this to R.C.M because the original post was
there, and wanted to let them know to follow up on it here in
sci.engr.joining.welding]