Welding Cars

[Tony, NY]

Originally Posted by tubman

Reading between the lines, I think you're saying that it didn't work very well for you. I bought one about the same time you did and I couldn't get it to work. I even used the "special" rods that came with it.

I got mixed results with it. About the same time mig welders seemed to be the thing to get and easier to use, so I put it on the shelf and bought a mig. I'm willing to let it go to someone that would use it.

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by Ggmac

I have a 110 v H F welder made in Italy . It works overtime , it's handy and has been used every week , sometimes all week for 15 yrs . If you can weld it'll do its job . 1/16 6013 or 6011 rods on CLEAN metal . Mind you I've got Miller , resistance spot welders in 220 and another in 110 plus oxy/ac and mig . This is handy any too light not to grab first .
When doing sheet , I punch holes and spot fill . Clamp tight have clean metal and go for it .

Finally, a satisfied customer. That is interesting to hear. Is it an AC or DC welder? From my research it seems the DC is easier to weld with. This one at Princess Auto is on sale (Black Friday) for the next couple of days at $80. But it is AC.

[ems customer service]

a few years ago i bought a h/f welder on sale $69 bucks, wanted to use around the shop to weld angle iron , and sheet metal for little projects, added a small fan to blow cooling air on it. works great

[corvette8n]

I've got one of those Eastwood stitch welders "stored" somewhere in my cellar, I don't think I ever used it.

[stangblue]

Never had much experience at welding being an old tin knocker. Pretty good at bus riveting sheet metal! You don't have to worry about heating the metal and shrinking and its quick! I have to admit I didn't use that technique on my 34 left it to the pro's.

[Pinesdune]

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Originally Posted by RalphG

Finally, a satisfied customer. That is interesting to hear. Is it an AC or DC welder? From my research it seems the DC is easier to weld with. This one at Princess Auto is on sale (Black Friday) for the next couple of days at $80. But it is AC.

Hi Ralf, DC is easier to weld with (at least with stick) I’ve looked at the princess auto welders, they look ok but I’ve never used one, best part of PA is they have a great return policy if you have a problem with the welder. And for $80 if it doesn’t work, you can probably get most your money back from a basement hobbiest. But it can be very difficult to weld sheet with a stick

Saving iron from the scrap pile one piece at a time

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by stangblue

Never had much experience at welding being an old tin knocker. Pretty good at bus riveting sheet metal! You don't have to worry about heating the metal and shrinking and its quick! I have to admit I didn't use that technique on my 34 left it to the pro's.

You did that work on the van in the pictures? It looks great. I can't see the welds (or the rivets).

[stangblue]

Thanks Ralph, I sort of surprised myself! I don't think I could make a living out of it.:-)))

[38bill]

I bought a Century 135 110V welder that used flux core or gas. I went with the gas and it worked great for the sheet metal but it was under powered for anything over 1/4" thick. For the door skin repair and cab corners I used a 3M bonding material. Its basically something that looks like J&B epoxy. No warping and easy to use.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT

Yes, you can rent a welder, they get paid by the job or the hour.
Now a welding machine, that's another issue.

This "welder' and "weldor" debate has been around a long while.
I always thought the person who actually performed the welding was the "weldor" and the welding machine was the "welder". I didn't go to the store to buy a 'weldor". I went to buy a "welder".
https://www.hobartwelders.com/weldta...p/t-29218.html

[Mart]

Ralph, my mig is the most useful welder I have. I hardly ever use the stick welder I sometimes gas weld but use the oxy more for heating and freeing things up than I do for actual welding.

My machine is a cebora pocket mig 130. I believe it is the machine they used to sell off the snap on vans here in the UK at the time. I have had it 30 years plus and it has always worked well.

I stopped using the disposable canisters when a local welding supply place began supplying refillable bottles without an annual rental charge.

Migs are popular because they are easy to use and are versatile.

I don't know if having 240v on the mains here in the UK helps, but even at 130A it suits my needs, including chassis repairs.

Mart.

[tubman]

Mart, I have found that having 240 volt devices, whether they be welders, air compressors, drill presses, or whatever is always a significant advantage.

[glennpm]

I have been able to weld 16 and 18 gauge with my arc welder. Needed to do it in the days before cheap wire feeds and didn't like using acetylene/oxygen, although I have a small set that I can carry easily. I also got and still have a vibrator/holder that oscillated the 1/16" sticks, make and break the arc, which made it easier than manual starts and stops. I bought it from England years ago.

Found it!

https://books.google.com/books?id=Cp...ed=0CFsQ6AEwCQ

Eastwood is mentioned in the link but not who I bought it from. I also find it easier without this gizmo, if I used a larger diameter rod, runs cooler. You also need to do a little section at a time, i.e., stitch. I did a little of this a few months ago on some 18gauge.

I also have a Lincoldn 140 110volt wire feed now and it works good.

[grovesmr]

Originally Posted by cas3

30 year old miller, 220 volt mig, bought for only 200 bucks will out last me

I'm using my cheapo "mig" from harbor freight with fluxcore for tacks on the truck or when convenient. And my grandpa's Miller 320a/bp. For all the welding I do now. Thing is as big as a fridge and as heavy as a Civic, I have been getting some success with that setup, I imagine because it's old and cumbersome you might find one pretty cheap. A 25'torch cable will reach most things.

[bobwellsnoveltyshop]

I use acetylene/ oxygen on thin metal with my Dillon Mk111 that I bought in Chicago in 1975 originally manufactured in Switzerland for the USA, and recently bought the newer star tip,(small) for thin metal. I also have a Century five star for the thicker metal it is a 295 amp AC 250 DC heavy duty with straight or reverse polarity and also has the High frequency stabilizer, don't even have to touch the rod to the metal to keep from sticking, bought it around 1978.
BILL WELLS

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by grovesmr

I'm using my cheapo "mig" from harbor freight with fluxcore for tacks on the truck or when convenient. And my grandpa's Miller 320a/bp. For all the welding I do now. Thing is as big as a fridge and as heavy as a Civic, I have been getting some success with that setup, I imagine because it's old and cumbersome you might find one pretty cheap. A 25'torch cable will reach most things.

I'm not sure what a Miller a/bp is but guessing similar to my old Smith Roles 180 amp ac welder. That thing is great for a 46 year old welder but just too hot for car bodies. Fine on heavier metal, makes a good weld and easy to use. Still thinking, considering. The sale is on all weekend.

[Pinesdune]

Originally Posted by grovesmr

I'm using my cheapo "mig" from harbor freight with fluxcore for tacks on the truck or when convenient. And my grandpa's Miller 320a/bp. For all the welding I do now. Thing is as big as a fridge and as heavy as a Civic, I have been getting some success with that setup, I imagine because it's old and cumbersome you might find one pretty cheap. A 25'torch cable will reach most things.

I know of two excellent used Forney’s that’ll weld 1/2” plate all day long and you could buy either for $100. Takes two men to lift one and doubles as a work bench lol, cables and carbon torch included



Sorry , a bit off topic but I couldn’t help it ! 🤪

[rotorwrench]

Most stick welders use DC with the capability to reverse polarity if needed. AC goes both ways on polarity and can be useful on some types of welding but not all. Some of the modern electronic welding machines manipulate the AC wave to make it more stable for certain types of welding. If you are planning to go with a MIG machine, get some information on the particular machine you have an interest in. Knowledge is key to get the equipment you need for the jobs you want to do and get the most current info you can find. There are knowledgeable folks here and on the HAMB but you may need to ask more questions on some forums that deal primarily with welding to get a better feel for what you really need.

[tubman]

"glennpm"- Thanks for posting that link; I think I'm going to dig my "Stitch-Welder" out tomorrow. As I remember, the instructions that came with it were not nearly as detailed as the ones in the article. They certainly didn't go into the theory, diodes and solenoids, etc.)

To further muddy the water, a year or so ago I purchased an "Everlast" 140 amp stick welder. It is the next generation of welders, using what is called "inverter" technology, rather than transformer. I bought it because it is very small and light and has the option to run on 110 volts (though it is primarily a 220 volt unit). I was initially only going to use it for off-site use where there was no 220 power, but find myself using it in the shop more and more often. I bring this up only because the referenced article said that regular arc welders can not be set to a low enough amperage for sheet metal. This thing will go down to 10 amps reliably. The only sheet metal work I have had an opportunity to do during the time I've had it was to shorten up a battery hold down for my '51 (It was about 1/2" to long for the aftermarket case I bought to house my Optima). The Everlast was all hooked up, so rather than unlimbering my MIG, I decided to try the Everlast. It worked perfectly, uniform bead and no burn through. When I had my 225 Miller stick welder, I usually used 1/8" 6013 electrodes on heavier stock; I usually ran them at around 125 amps. I find I can run them just as well on theis machine, although they seem to like a slightly lower amperage setting. I have been thoroughly impressed with all aspects of this machine.

Another thing about it is that it is a DC welder, not AC which is preferred by a lot of folks. AND, it comes with a TIG torch; all you have to do is buy a bottle and a regulator and you have a TIG welder (albeit "scratch-start"). I have not sprung for a bottle of Argon yet. The apparent downside is that Everlast welders are made in China, but if mine is any indication, the apparent quality and warranty make that on non-issue. Everlast makes a lot of different units from this all the way up to large TIG units, and all are highly rated.

[cmbrucew]

Farmers loved that old forney welder. Good for charging batteries, stick welding, and carbon arc for welding, and brazing thin metal. You could probably weld PVC pipe with it.
Electric fence, don't know about baking bread.
Bruce

Also use old chrome rings for hardfacing bucket teeth.