Welding and Plasma cutting tools suggestion?

[Duh_Vinci]

Cheers all!

For as long as I remember, I’ve been fascinated with welding, and yet never tried it. I think it’s time, so here it goes:

For home use, but up to ¼” steel
Starting with MIG, but eventually, if I get good at it, will graduate to TIG
Plasma cutting
120V is all I have on the wall

Would it make sense starting with dedicated MIG welder first (yes, I will do gas for cleaner welds), something like this Hobart

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/764170-hobart-handler-140-115v-mig-welder.html

Then, later on, get a combo unit TIG and Stick/MMA/ARC/Plasma cutter such as this one

Lotos CT520D 50 AMP Air Plasma Cutter, 200 AMP Tig and Stick/MMA/ARC Welder 3 in 1 Combo Welding Machine, ½ Inch Clean Cut, Brown: Power Plasma Cutters: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Being a home projects mostly, I can’t really justify spending much more than $1000 on these tools. And with my “wish” of having 140-160 amp unit (limitations of 120V electric circuit), Lincoln, Miller are rather out of price range for me, those seem to jump from $400 for basic 115-120 amp to way over $1000 for higher power units, so I’m open for suggestions.

Thanks in an advance!

P.S. I watched quite few online videos on how to and how not to, definitely want to get into basic welding...

 

[alabbasi]

Hobart Handler 140 is a good hobby MIG and likely all that you need if you're doing automotive. Hobart is a good brand (owned by Miller) and you'll get spares for many years to come.

You can get some cheaper inverter MIG welders that are made in the far east for about the same cost which are dual voltage. I have no idea of the quality as I've never owned one, but their feed roller mechanism looks pretty well made.

Inverter welders will be lighter and more compact and usually go to 140 amp on a 110 circuit but up to 200 amp when plugged into a 220v socket.

I've always been told that if you want to 'learn' how to weld. Start with ARC. I started with MIG and am happy with the decision as I've never had any reason to use anything else. I have considered buying a TIG welder but as I don't have a project that requires one, I've held back. If I choose to buy a TIG welder, it will likely be the HF Vulcan TIG 205 as it's about 1/3 price of a comparable lincoln or miller and comes with a 1 year no hassle return. My experience with HF is that if it doesn't break within a week, it's usually good for a long while. But I need a project in order to justify it.

I have no experience with Plasma cutters, except that a friend of mine bought a 50 amp one on Amazon and has been very happy with it.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it very much!

This Hobart 140 seemed to be a good overall for 110V for the lighter duty needs and as you said, spares would be available if/when needed. The price is acceptable, and it is available locally.

I'd rather stay away from unknown quality of those lesser expensive brands (surprised to see soooooo many on Amazon), who knows how long will it last, and the spare parts), so passed on those...

I did find another unit, Lincoln 140 Amp LE31MP

Lincoln Electric 140 Amp LE31MP Multi-Process Stick/MIG/Flux-Core/TIG, 120V, Aluminum Welder with Spool Gun sold separately K3461-1 - The Home Depot

Complete your cooking jobs perfectly with the assistance of this uniquely designed Lincoln Electric LE MultiProcess Stick MIG TIG Welder with Magnum Pro Gun MIG and FluxCored Wire Single Phase.

www.homedepot.com

Multi-Process unit that is Stick/MIG/TIG Welder... I think it is reasonably priced through HD. This would eliminated a need for a separate TIG welder purchase in the future, but I would still need to buy a plasma cutter. Also, to be a complete unit, I would have to buy

Optional Tig torch utilizes internal gas solenoid that opens when the arc is initiated.
Optional foot pedal for remote control of weld output while TIG welding.
Optional spool gun for MIG welding aluminum up to 3/16 in. (4.8 mm).

LE31MP®

The LE31MP® 140 amp multi-process welder is excellent for MIG, Stick, Flux-Cored, DC TIG welding and works well with a spool gun for aluminum welding

www.lincolnelectric.com

Here is what started it all... The SL320 I sold to my brother while back, I've had a local "Custom Exhaust Shop" install new rear Magnaflow box with oval tip (resembling the original Carlsson R129 unit).

It sounded good to me, under neath, it looked fairly clean, so I drove it as such and enjoyed it



He recently decided to have the rear box removed, leaving only the resonator, and nice AMG dual tips. Looks good, sounds good, his car, his choice. but here is what the "quality welds" looks like on the side one can not see, from the "Custom Exhaust Shop"



Really???



Really??? @JC220 Joe, how do you like these welds?

I want to do better than that, for me, I want to learn and be proud of my work! It has become an issue finding anyone locally, I do have few minor projects I would like to finish, that would "compensate" for my "need" of the welding equipment:

I have to make rear shock mount extensions to lift XC70 properly (no aftermarket options) I also have NOS bull bar, that I think would go well with the lifted Volvo, but I do need to fabricate the mounting brackets to make it right... I need to make some legs for my little "Yakitori" grill so I can use it more often, and not as table top...

Regards,
D

 

[Glen]

Duh_Vinci, about 10 years ago I was in the same boat. I ended up buying all three (off-brand units from Eastwood) so I could play and learn. Honestly, I haven't used the TIG or plasma much, mostly just for practice. I find the MIG more convenient to just turn on and use vs the TIG which is why I use it more but the TIG is a much cleaner process but a bit harder to learn.

You will also want to invest in some accessories like an auto-darkening helmet, gloves, possibly a jacket. And you'll want a grinder or three...or you'll be swapping cut-off wheels, flap discs, and wire wheels all the time.

And lastly, you should consider taking a welding class before buying anything. I did the class after the fact and learned a great deal but in retrospect, I would have been better off if I took the class first. YMMV.

 

[alabbasi]

As far as far east brands, I would advise against buying anything 'unknown' from amazon unless you're specifically trying to satisfy a curiosity. I will say that most of the far east welders (known and unknown) seem to all come out of the same group of factories but are just re-labelled. HF seems to be a good bet for the reasons I gave, as is Northern Tool and Eastwood which are all far east brands. I also had a Clarke for a while which I gave away and aside from the short lead, it was a great welder.

I've been leery of multi process welders because I don't want all to break when one breaks and If I buy a TIG, I'd want all the features of a good A/C TIG welder that can weld aluminum.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

Duh_Vinci, about 10 years ago I was in the same boat. I ended up buying all three (off-brand units from Eastwood) so I could play and learn. Honestly, I haven't used the TIG or plasma much, mostly just for practice. I find the MIG more convenient to just turn on and use vs the TIG which is why I use it more but the TIG is a much cleaner process but a bit harder to learn.

You will also want to invest in some accessories like an auto-darkening helmet, gloves, possibly a jacket. And you'll want a grinder or three...or you'll be swapping cut-off wheels, flap discs, and wire wheels all the time.

And lastly, you should consider taking a welding class before buying anything. I did the class after the fact and learned a great deal but in retrospect, I would have been better off if I took the class first. YMMV.

Good points indeed, Glen! I'm good on grinders and gloves, but would definitely need to invest in the helmet and discs/wheels for sure! Classes, fist look into those last year, the only local "school" Piedmont moved all of their classes/courses online. There is one place, but over 1.5 hours away... On the positive note, my brother's old friend is willing to teach me some welding skills. He should be available in a few weeks, before he goes to Florida for the summer... I do want to learn. For the time being, watching hours and hours of online videos, I really am getting excited about welding!

...I've been leery of multi process welders because I don't want all to break when one breaks and If I buy a TIG, I'd want all the features of a good A/C TIG welder that can weld aluminum.

It is a very good thought process! Perhaps definitely a separate plasma cutter unit and MIG first. I would want the plasma cutter to make brackets...

 

[Glen]

For brackets, look into a band saw and/or metal cutting circ saw/blade. With plasma, you'll spend too much time cleaning up the cut.

 

[TerryA]

Duh_Vinci, about 10 years ago I was in the same boat. I ended up buying all three (off-brand units from Eastwood) so I could play and learn. Honestly, I haven't used the TIG or plasma much, mostly just for practice. I find the MIG more convenient to just turn on and use vs the TIG which is why I use it more but the TIG is a much cleaner process but a bit harder to learn.

You will also want to invest in some accessories like an auto-darkening helmet, gloves, possibly a jacket. And you'll want a grinder or three...or you'll be swapping cut-off wheels, flap discs, and wire wheels all the time.

And lastly, you should consider taking a welding class before buying anything. I did the class after the fact and learned a great deal but in retrospect, I would have been better off if I took the class first. YMMV.

@Duh_Vinci, +1 on the welding class, also think about safety. A welding class should cover the safety aspect. I have a friend who lit himself up while welding. And working around gasoline powered vehicles can result is disaster.

Besides, I’d hate to see your beautiful
RED SL CARBEQUED

Just be Careful

lol

 

[Duh_Vinci]

@Duh_Vinci, +1 on the welding class, also think about safety. A welding class should cover the safety aspect. I have a friend who lit himself up while welding. And working around gasoline powered vehicles can result is disaster.

Besides, I’d hate to see your beautiful
RED SL CARBEQUED

Just be Careful

lol

Cheers Terry! "Carbequed" lol that's taking "Red Hot" to entirely new level, huh

For safety aspects, I respect the concept very much, sometimes maybe a bit too much, indeed, these future welding projects will be no exceptions!

And looks like I will be picking up that Hobart Handler 140 at Northern tool tomorrow, in stock locally. I like their warranty as well:

"The Hobart Handler 140 is made in the U.S.A. and backed by Hobart's industry-leading 5–3–1 industrial warranty. You get a 5-year warranty on transformers, stabilizers, reactors, rectifiers, rotors, stators and brushes; 3 years on drive systems, PC boards, solenoid valves, switches and controls; 1-year on plasma torches, MIG guns, relays, contactor, triggers, regulator, accessories, spoolguns, battery, field options and running gear."

Need to figure out the gas options from them, not sure about the pricing on the tank sizes, but 75/25 mix appears to be the standard for most MIG applications. Also, going to stop by the recycling station here, need to pick up some scrap metal to practice. Need to look at helmets too, fun!

Regards,
D

 

[JC220]

but here is what the "quality welds" looks like on the side one can not see, from the "Custom Exhaust Shop"

View attachment 130136

Really???

View attachment 130137

Really??? @JC220 Joe, how do you like these welds?

Those welds look like something out of a pigeons back side

Shameful if a "professional" sent that out.

I am not a professional welder but this is a recent weld of mine on my S430 exhaust:



Not great but not bad either. Definitely 100% sealed and strong.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

Those welds look like something out of a pigeons back side

Shameful if a "professional" sent that out.

I am not a professional welder but this is a recent weld of mine on my S430 exhaust:

View attachment 130174View attachment 130175

Not great but not bad either. Definitely 100% sealed and strong.

"The Cloaca Custom Shoppe" lol

Joe, your work looks great, and that is exactly what I'm after, being able to do the basic work on my own terms and do it well.

 

[sheward]

Very nice work, Joe. It's obvious the "craftsman" in the previous picture tried to weld the piece on the car vs. tacking and removing the item. Even the best welder can not do a good job without proper access. This is frequently what makes welding difficult.

drew

 

[Duh_Vinci]

...It's obvious the "craftsman" in the previous picture tried to weld the piece on the car vs. tacking and removing the item.

Looks that way, doesn't it?

Question, I just realized that non of my garage outlets are 20Amp that any welder requires. The closest circuit I can use that is 20Amp is the Washing machine plug (obviously when not in use), 20Amp is a 20Amp, right? It should work fine?

 

[Glen]

Looks that way, doesn't it?

Question, I just realized that non of my garage outlets are 20Amp that any welder requires. The closest circuit I can use that is 20Amp is the Washing machine plug (obviously when not in use), 20Amp is a 20Amp, right? It should work fine?

If you are welding thin material, you will probably be fine on a 15A circuit. As you near the welder's upper range, you may trip the breaker. To get started, you'll probably be fine but it would be a good idea to have a dedicated 20A circuit added. And while you're at it, add a 220V one as well.

 

[sheward]

I had my neighbor, an electrical inspector, help add a 220v plug for my compressor. Pretty straightforward if you install it close to your electrical panel.

drew

 

[Duh_Vinci]

Looks like I would have to add 20A circuit, pulled up couple of DIY videos, it does look fairly straight forward, I've installed/rewired few things at home before, never the whole new circuit though. Will do for sure.

Picked up the stuff



One thing I guess I totally didn't take in consideration, the Argon/CO2 mix and the actual tank... Almost $400 for #3 tank at Tractor Supply (nothing smaller in stock), dang that tank is $$$ I found 2 gas companies listed locally, will check tomorrow.

For occasional home use, would #2 tank be sufficient or too small?

Regards,
D

 

[JC220]

Looks like I would have to add 20A circuit, pulled up couple of DIY videos, it does look fairly straight forward, I've installed/rewired few things at home before, never the whole new circuit though. Will do for sure.

Picked up the stuff

View attachment 130292

One thing I guess I totally didn't take in consideration, the Argon/CO2 mix and the actual tank... Almost $400 for #3 tank at Tractor Supply (nothing smaller in stock), dang that tank is $$$ I found 2 gas companies listed locally, will check tomorrow.

For occasional home use, would #2 tank be sufficient or too small?

Regards,
D

I am not sure what your cylinder sizing is like over there but here Is the tank I use:



Welding gas cylinders are expensive here. Usually hired out. There is one small local autoparts store who sells "pub" bottles like this. You buy the cylinder at the start full for about £120. Then after that go back for a refilled exchange cylinder for about £45.

This size bottle is more than sufficient it lasts me a couple years between refills and that is with fairly intensive DIY use. It is regular C02 as that's all they offer in this setup but works 100% perfect for me.

Do get yourself a gas flow tester for the torch and set the gas flow at the tip per the manufacturer's spec for maximum efficiency and minimal waste. It doesn't take much gas to function.

0.6mm Mig wire and tips is what I use for car bodywork. Works perfect for that and larger welding jobs but I also keep 0.8 in the event I am turning welder up to 11.

Get some scrap metal sheets of the same gauge you intend to weld to practice on first. Set power level on the welder first. (Eg 1) then weld whilst turning the wire speed dial. You will go one way and it will spatter and the other way it will also spatter - weld terrible. You want to turn the dial until it's in the middle of these two extremes and dial it in further whilst test welding until you get a decent weld. That is how it do it and it works a treat. Sometimes the weld becomes smoother with more power even on thin metal.

Eg: car bodywork requires a series of spots to weld a butt joint. If the power is too low in these short bursts they wont lay well. So up the power for spots on test pieces until you get the desired effect.

Other tools you want ideally:

Tin snips
Angle grinder (m18 cordless)
Thin cutting discs
Grinding discs
Full face shield
Ear defenders for grinding
Sand flap discs for grinder. 40 & 80 grit.
Die grinder
Metal cutting die grinder files
Air joggler / punch tool
Butt joint clamps
Welding clamps
Auto darken mask
Decent gloves and welding apron. Arm covers if you ever intend under a car.
Sanding file for hard to reach areas.

You don't have to buy it all at once of course just as and when you need it.

 

[Allgonquin]

I took welding 101 at the local community college (~45 min away) several years ago. Let's just say that I was the oldest member of the class by a BIG margin! But the instructor was great and really took his time with all of us. Over the 12 weeks or so of the course (3 hours each Saturday morning) we all got a ton of stick welding under our belts, and a fair bit of MIG, and one demo of TIG. One thing.... I was the only one who wore a respirator, and even though the class location had ventilated stalls for each student, trust me that a respirator is the right way to go. I forgot mine one day, and I blew my nose during the class.... the thought of that stuff going into one's lungs is scary! Another thing, don't wear your welding helmet to grind! Get a good full face shield like the UVEX S8500. Inexpensive, and very high quality and comfortable. I have not pulled the trigger on a welder yet, but I'm thinking multi-process like the new unit from Eastwood.

 

[alabbasi]

You can rent a bottle, find an airgas or other supply store. Buying makes little sense as most places take bottles in exchange.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

Cheers all!

Thanks again for the tips and reminders, appreciate it! So easy to forget some of the basic things that one would indeed need for the task for sure!

I did put everything together last night. A local company ARC3 Gases sold me a 60cu/ft tank, filled with Argon/CO2 under $220 (mine to keep), which is very reasonable, compare to everyone else locally. Refills would be around $40.

Stopped by our local favorite, HerbourFright and picked up one of these carts, which is surprisingly well built for $29, I can't get materials for under x2 of this price to build it myself. Welding Cart



All included, even chains.



Scrap rubber mat to a good use



The gauges from Miller (included with MIG) seem to be a good quality



All in all, I think it's pretty convenient cart/welder/tank package. A bit more than I wanted to spend, but I have quite few project in mind that would make it worth my time.

I tried about 12 different pairs of welding gloves, to my surprise, the most expensive pair were not comfortable, middle of the road, leather/hide combination from Gravel Gear were a perfect fit, sewn well with accurate and precise placement of the seams.

Going to stop by our local recycling place on Thur to see if I can score me some steel to practice with.

Been watching some of this guy's beginner's MIG welding videos, very simple to understand and follow imo https://www.youtube.com/c/weldingtipsandtricks/videos

After few days of his tutorials, I almost feel like "I've got this" I guess I'll find out soon enough. Thanks again for all the feedback, much appreciate it!

Regards,
D

 

[alabbasi]

I honestly find these to be the more comfortable than welding gloves when welding and pretty cheap too.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Duh_Vinci]

I honestly find these to be the more comfortable than welding gloves when welding and pretty cheap too.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

I have few of these... For the price, you can't beat some of the things HF offers for sure!

I did finally tried out this Hobart today. Definitely takes some practice, very important to keep appropriate distance to the surface... The guide for the wire speed/amp is pretty good out right out of the box, and using 16-18 gauge for practice (old shovel) most certainly does not trip my 15amp breaker (will install 20amp later).

"re-unforced shovel" lol



You can definitely tell which ones were the early tries, and which are the later runs



I used .030 wire, but I really think on thin metal 0.024 would be more suitable, so I can go a little slower and get the hands trained to be steady with the "U" or the "C" pattern.

With that said, I probably would have been ok with the less expensive Hobart unit, like Hobart 125
however, this 140 unit I purchased, has a much better, all metal wire feed system/rollers than the cheaper models do, and I can see where that is it is important for consistent feed speeds. So no regrets.

Regards,
D

 

[alabbasi]

I think the 125 is a gasless wire feed welder. It does not hurt to have the bigger one. You might find yourself fixing a fence or doing something else more heavy duty with it

 

[alabbasi]

I decided to buy a plasma cutter as I'm planning to dismantle some cars in the coming weeks and it would help if I had a way to cut them up. After much research and deliberation. I decided to buy this one because it came with a $40 off coupon.

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[Allgonquin]

Gasless wire feed is also known as "flux core" wherein the welding wire feeding from the gun has flux in it to protect the weld puddle from oxidation, rather than gas feed from the tip of the normal MIG gun. Most folks would say use flux core for less critical or fine work, as alabassi says, or outdoor work where you don't want to drag a gas tank on your cart, or where it's windy and the shielding gas will blow away. The same way that you chip "slag" off a stick weld, from the coating on the welding rod, you chip slag off a flux core weld. Regular gas shielded MIG makes "nicer" welds with nothing to chip off.

 

[gsxr]

I decided to buy a plasma cutter as I'm planning to dismantle some cars in the coming weeks and it would help if I had a way to cut them up. After much research and deliberation. I decided to buy this one because it came with a $40 off coupon.

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Sweet. Let us know how it works! Maybe some pics or video too?

 

[alabbasi]

Sweet. Let us know how it works! Maybe some pics or video too?

I find that when buying these unknown brands, it pays to use them right away because if they break, it usually happens pretty quickly after you buy it.

You might see a video in the next week!

 

[7delta]

Have you tried Airgas or Praxair? I wish would have seen this thread sooner.... Im a welder by trade. And taught at a local CC college for a few years. Hobart isn't a bad choice.. as its part of ITW ( Illinois Tool Works) same conglomerate that owns Miller, Weldcraft.. etc.

Contact to tip work distance (CTWD) is absolutely key/critical as it will change the voltage in CV ( constant voltage ) welding, ie..wire fed processes such as GMAW (MIG) and FCAW wire speed controls amperage. Welding tipsandtricks.com is not a bad source for a DIY.

Tractor supply is a bit dear in price for refilling your tank. You're probably better off refilling your tank at a larger welding supply house. As they are likely the ones filling the tanks for Tractor Supply, NAPA, etc. Usually you can purchase a tank from the larger supply houses and then swap it out when you need to. Regulations have changed over the years and now these larger houses may require you to have your tanked pressure tested if its not "their" cylinder.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

I think the 125 is a gasless wire feed welder. It does not hurt to have the bigger one. You might find yourself fixing a fence or doing something else more heavy duty with it

Actually, it is gas ready, but one would have to purchase the lines and the gauges, so mind as well stick to 140 model, since it is all inclusive. No regrets, I may have a use for higher amps one of these days.

I find that when buying these unknown brands, it pays to use them right away because if they break, it usually happens pretty quickly after you buy it.

You might see a video in the next week!

Look forward to seeing "slicing and dicing"

Have you tried Airgas or Praxair? I wish would have seen this thread sooner.... Im a welder by trade. And taught at a local CC college for a few years. Hobart isn't a bad choice.. as its part of ITW ( Illinois Tool Works) same conglomerate that owns Miller, Weldcraft.. etc.
' Contact to tip work distance( CTWD) is absolutely key/critical as it will change the voltage in CV ( constant voltage ) welding, ie..wire fed processes such as GMAW(MIG) and FCAW wire speed controls amperage. Welding tipsandtricks.com is not a bad source for a DIY. Tractor supply is a bit dear in price for refilling your tank. You're probably better off refilling your tank at a larger welding supply house. As they are likely the ones filling the tanks for Tractor Supply, NAPA, etc. USUally you can purchase a tank from the larger supply houses and then swap it out when you need to. Regulations have changed over the years and now these larger houses may require you to have your tanked pressure tested if its not "their" cylinder.

Cheers! Thanks for the tips indeed! I found this ACR3 Gasses outfit that would work well for me, Airgas is the only other dedicated alternative, but their hours are useless to me, closed on weekends, and up until 4:30pm daily, I rarely can get back in town after work by that time!

After few test runs, quite few actually... I indeed finding that the constant distance is the key to the good quality weld, and that comes with practice, and I'm enjoying the process very much!

I did try the flux yesterday, just to try, to see what gasless does, certainly not for the thin metal. I had to get into very very deep tight spot, where the shielding tip did not allow me to get where deep into the crease. The splatter can certainly be cleaned up, and I can definitely see where the flux welding can be beneficial, but I'm going to stick to learning the MIG for now.

Regards,
D

 

[7delta]

Actually, it is gas ready, but one would have to purchase the lines and the gauges, so mind as well stick to 140 model, since it is all inclusive. No regrets, I may have a use for higher amps one of these days.

Look forward to seeing "slicing and dicing"

Cheers! Thanks for the tips indeed! I found this ACR3 Gasses outfit that would work well for me, Airgas is the only other dedicated alternative, but their hours are useless to me, closed on weekends, and up until 4:30pm daily, I rarely can get back in town after work by that time!

After few test runs, quite few actually... I indeed finding that the constant distance is the key to the good quality weld, and that comes with practice, and I'm enjoying the process very much!

I did try the flux yesterday, just to try, to see what gasless does, certainly not for the thin metal. I had to get into very very deep tight spot, where the shielding tip did not allow me to get where deep into the crease. The splatter can certainly be cleaned up, and I can definitely see where the flux welding can be beneficial, but I'm going to stick to learning the MIG for now.

Regards,
D

I would avoid Airgas altogether seeing that you have an ARC3 nearby.

Also something that would be good to get that I haven't seen mentioned.. A welding blanket! HF has them and with a coupon you can score one for pretty cheap. Definitely good to have around to catch stray sparks and or spatter balls. Always be mindful of where your grinding sparks are going and what they are bouncing off of, they will stick to and ruin glass, paint, plastic.. etc

Also be careful when you finish a bead and set the gun down the ball at the end is HOT still. I've seen welders drape the gun across their lap and inadvertently the hot wire sticks them in the leg. Same with TIG welding .

 

[7delta]

One word of caution with regard to plasma cutters- if you go the route of "off brand" aka..Chinese ( I do not consider Hobart off brand) make sure the consumables are readily available... typically there are two wear items and are not cross compatible between brands like contact tips are with TWECO style MIG guns and Weldcraft style TIG torch parts. I have a Hypertherm plasma cutter( 15+yrs) just a little 35amp unit dual voltage, 120/ 220 has been a great unit! cuts up to 3/8" (10mm) . No complaints, and parts are readily available. I think it is now a 40 amp unit. Hypertherm is an American company. Not inexpensive..but quality isn't cheap. I have heard good feedback about Everlast's line of products. Every shop I have been in and site Ive been on has always had Lincoln or Miller or ESAB machines. Some other shops that friends work at use German machines- Fronius, ESS, and the like. Also worth considering.. what happens in the event the unit needs repair ? kinda hard to find a local repair shop for Chinese stuff. Everlast is kinda questionable in that regard too. They will just have you send them the unit,....$$ for shipping is on YOU. Just food for thought..

 

[JC220]

I bought a German made plasma cutter about a year ago and hardly use it at all unfortunately....

Reason being my 3HP 200L(ish?) Compressor can't keep up and it also requires a pretty hefty power supply. So I'll need to bring in an extra power cable of higher amperage to power the Plasma cutter to my garage along with the old feed powering the compressor.

Will do OK for my setup as It will only be small repair sections but do bear in mind that plasma cutters are hungry for air and power

 

[Duh_Vinci]

I decided to buy a plasma cutter as I'm planning to dismantle some cars in the coming weeks and it would help if I had a way to cut them up. After much research and deliberation. I decided to buy this one because it came with a $40 off coupon.

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

TOOLIOM Plasma Cutter TL-50C 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Air Plasma Cutter Inverter DC Digital Display IGBT Portable Cutting Machine 110V / 220V Dual Voltage - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

So, have you used it yet? How is it working out for you?

 

[alabbasi]

So, have you used it yet? How is it working out for you?

I haven't even taken it out of the box.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

I haven't even taken it out of the box.

In time…