I'm at the point in my car repair hobby where I'm debating the pros and cons of trying to learn some basic welding/ metalwork. I don't really know anything about it, but I know if I could do some metal work I could tackle bigger projects (replacing floor pans, quarter panel repair etc)myself and save some $. Any reccomendations for decent home-shop equipment? Gas vs. electric? This would be occasional use only - nothing fancy, but I'd be interested in something that could handle a range of tasks and be easy to operate. I know this is a broad topic, but I just though I'd see what opinions were out there.

if you intend to do mainly body work.
a good mig-mag unit will do.
but forget those "gassless" crap, they suck bigtime!

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Moving to the U.S??? no thank you! I'm livin' in the land of free healthcare!

you can buy a mapp gas & oxygen setup for about $40 at home depot, but if you do more than occasion welding, you'll use up a lot of oxygen bottles....you can braze bodywork and others, or in my case built 10 racing bikes..easy to learn..if you are just going to spot weld only, get a $100 small arc welder from mennards or home depot and get the spot welder attachment from Eastwood for about $50...if you want Mig, it will be about $400plus for a decent set and maybe another $100 for the gas..

I have a gassless wire feed mig welder from Clark (about $250). I don't use it much and it was difficult to learn with. I've never tried losts of "frame" welding and it difficult to keep a steady weld. It does have an option to add gass with an additional kit which could be helpful. Even the instruction say that the gassless welding wire is harder to use and not as pretty when done. When used improperly, the welds come out like solder that can be broken off instead of actually melting into the work. I think the 220volt model would have been better than the 110volt, because I have frequently burnt 20 amp fuses. Now that I've worked out the best way to use my welder (I can make it work O.K. if I really need to), I avoid it all costs in favor of self tapping zip screws or pop rivets.

All in all, I got $250 worth of experience with my welder,(so I'm not sorry) but not much product. I can't think of anything still around that I've made.

I suggest you explore the local tech schools for a class (try before you buy?). There is a lot to know about metals, gasses and welders that I still don't fully understand. Books are comonly available as well.

Hope this gave you some insight.

I use a Lincoln 110v wire feed welder for all my welding needs. I've built numerous projects including a utility trailer. It is very easy to use without any special training. It just takes some practice. also spend the money and get a good auto-darkening helmet. It makes all the difference!!

The real drawback to this type of welder is the weld spatter, so you have a little cleanup after the weld. You can reduce this by buying the gas (mig) attachment, which will also allow you to weld more metals. Most welding guides will tell you this is the easiest type to learn on. I bought the 110V version because of its portability, but if you don't need it to be as portable, I'd get the 220V version. For the Lincoln you'll spend about $450, but it is good quality.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

MenkeMoose

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1966 Clark Cortez, Industrial /6

I use a gassless welder. I've replaced two sheetmetal pieces(one started rusting, but that was because I was stupid and lazy, not the welder's fault). Once you get a welder you'll love it. My dad made a trailer, I've made a couple of sculptures, and also made a nifty mounting spot for a forty pound clamp. I'm guessing gas is better, but I don't think non gas is anything to be afraid of, especially if you have an auto-darkenning helmet. The worst side effect of a welder is that odd pile of scrap pieces that start piling up because you think you might use them(I've got the body of a heater in my pile )

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

Gasless is 'flux cored' hollow wire, it doesn't need an Inert Gas sheild (argon or Carbon Dioxide or both 75/25) to keep impurities from goofing up your weld. The 'flux' when heated actually burns and makes its own carbon dioxide 'sheild' so you don't need to external gas setup....

Flux core is o.k. for some applications, sometimes you can't get good long beads run on thin (under 1/16" stuff) without lots of little 'tacks' first. It's better for doing home body work/etc... than say a stick stitch welder...


So far everything on my duster (trunk pans, floor pans), have held up good with a Lincoln using .035 flux core...

I'll be using the same setup when I put in a set of subframe connectors....


-D.Idiot

Wow. Thanks all. I will take it under advisement.

i have had a mig flux core sears welder for about 4-5 years now. it works great, is gas convertable--which i have, and plugs into any 15amp 110volt house circut. i have had little trouble trying to learn on it---basically point and pull the trigger. it does take practice, do lots of it. i made some special tools that didnt have to be superstrong as my first projects.

--chad

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74 swinger slant 6, the slowest, most fun car i have ever owned.

Have a cheap ($100-$120, from harbor freight I think) wire welder with flux core wire as well. I think its a 20a unit. Someone else did the welding for me so I don't have any direct expierience with it, but it does a decent job. Doesn't make the prettiest beauty show looking welds, there is some splatter, but that doesn't really matter because for bodywork/sheetmetal your griding it flat and using puddy anyway.

A small wire welder and a few rolls of flux core wire would be a good investment if you plan on doing your own body work. You can use scrap metal or your old fenders if replacing them as practice.

Random tip: use sheetmetal screws or strong magnets to hold patches to the original panel when welding.

I use an oxy/accetelene setup. Works great, I have had the same tourch for close to 25 years now. Once you master one of these babies, the rest are a piece of cake.

Kesteb, you can use a torch like that on something as thin as body panels? I saw one of those in the eastwood catalogue and was giving it a lookover. Wonder how much the gas is locally.

I bought the torch to specifically do body panels. It is more versatile then the electric welders.