The right tool .... Mig Welder

[Hedgehog]

For a few reasons I am thankful for starting on The Witch project. Namely tools!

For years I struggled with not the right tool. The Witch demanded that I would not struggle for no reason again.

First came the 4.5" angle grinder, exactly how does an active man get along without an angle grinder. Having been a fan of the show American Chopper I can say that about the only thing I got from the show was how to cut metal the relatively easy way. Then on my own I discovered flap wheel polishers. Man what a wonderful thing, they can polish, remove paint and if held just right grind serious metal like found on a sloppy weld. These things can remove a world od sin in a hurry or for that matter slowly. I love these things.

I've dabbled in welding for most all my life, but without fear of being contradicted my welding skills are wanting. This is where my love of the angle grinder and flap wheel comes in. My welds aren't pretty but they are deep and permanent the flap wheel covers my lack of skill. My first welder as an adult was/is a good old Lincoln Tomb stone buzz box. Functional in every way but not very delicate. The search for my next welder brought me to a Craigslist deal on an older Thermal Arc AC converter. This thing has a brain and more adjustments than I ever imagined on an arc welder. This is a no stick welding experience for a stick welder. The problem is I needed a welder that could reasonably handle thin metal. Without much fiddling I can handle 16 ga. sheet metal, but 18 ga. is more a matter of luck than anything else.

Since The Witch has the standard amount of 38 year old hard pushed Jeep metal cracks and other body welding needed I came to the conclusion that I needed a MIG welder. one that could use flux core wire and true Mig gas. Nothing exotic, something of decent quality but with parts as common as possible. Since I no longer can force myself to pay full retail I've bee haunting Craigslist and local Pawn shops. Finally a Lincoln 140 in decent shape hit the shelves of my favorite Pawn shop. After the standard wheeling and dealing the welder is mine and I've been playing with it all afternoon.

What an experience it has been. First off it took me a while to get the method of not bringing the stick to the weld area. Along with that it took time to find the proper feed speed. There is still some learning to go, at this time I'm still fixing welding attempts with the stick welders. It is cool to fill those holes, not pretty but satisfying. Then there are the stress cracks. I have a set of original '75 front fenders. Most of the metal is in great shape with a few cracks and some rust I found just tonight. The welder made quick work of the cracks and I'm completely sold on this welder and others of it's type. They have given the home hobbyist an option other than spending money on the professional welder. In some ways I feel sorry for those Welders, are they feeling the cold weather of the dinosaurs? I hope not.

 

[CJ]

My, what truly entertaining post! I laughed and laughed... You are correct - the grinder and flap wheel can and do fix many problems.

BTW - be on the look out for a tig, you will wonder how you ever got a long without it!

 

[Hedgehog]

My Thermal Arc Converter actually has several modes.

Mig - To be used with a true industrial add on wire feed. This is one reason I bought it. That is until I priced a Wire feed. They start around $1600 and go up from there. Used prices aren't much better.

Stick - Needs no explanation, other than that this thing welds like no stick welder I've ever seen.

TIG - This setting configures the converter for TIG pull away arc use, all I need is a stinger and from what I can see a peddle. This is on my WANT list. The only problem is TIG is more or less totally foreign to me, it makes me nervous. But from the quality of the welds I see, oh my I want to learn. The only problem is my welding projects come in spurts, and like my sex life few and far between. I've invested quite a bit in metal working tools lately and I just don't know if the additional investment will be worth it.

Next on my list is a power washer. I actually got one with the welder deal. Unfortunately the thing would not produce pressure so it went back to some very unhappy Pawn shop owners.

OHOH OH and an air compressor. It is getting so I simply can't live without one of those. Again I actually have one. A friend who loves yard sales dropped on off that he was told worked great. That is, after the dog chewed wires were fixed. This is a 220 volt 35 gallon Craftsman (DeVilbis) compressor. After rewiring it I nervously hit the power switch and the electric motor worked great. Unfortunately the compressor is frozen. A look at the cylinders showed potato chip sized rust chips. Oh my that simply won't do. So I'm still looking for a compressor, then will come the air tools, then painting equipment .... it may be the other way around though..... Tools, a relatively harmless addiction.

 

[bptactical]

I could not imagine life without a TIG.
I traded a DPMS LR308 for my Synchrowave 200. The flexiblity it offers compared to other welding processes is unmatched.

 

[Dolamite]

My Thermal Arc Converter actually has several modes.

Mig - To be used with a true industrial add on wire feed. This is one reason I bought it. That is until I priced a Wire feed. They start around $1600 and go up from there. Used prices aren't much better.

Stick - Needs no explanation, other than that this thing welds like no stick welder I've ever seen.

TIG - This setting configures the converter for TIG pull away arc use, all I need is a stinger and from what I can see a peddle. This is on my WANT list. The only problem is TIG is more or less totally foreign to me, it makes me nervous. But from the quality of the welds I see, oh my I want to learn. The only problem is my welding projects come in spurts, and like my sex life few and far between. I've invested quite a bit in metal working tools lately and I just don't know if the additional investment will be worth it.

Next on my list is a power washer. I actually got one with the welder deal. Unfortunately the thing would not produce pressure so it went back to some very unhappy Pawn shop owners.

OHOH OH and an air compressor. It is getting so I simply can't live without one of those. Again I actually have one. A friend who loves yard sales dropped on off that he was told worked great. That is, after the dog chewed wires were fixed. This is a 220 volt 35 gallon Craftsman (DeVilbis) compressor. After rewiring it I nervously hit the power switch and the electric motor worked great. Unfortunately the compressor is frozen. A look at the cylinders showed potato chip sized rust chips. Oh my that simply won't do. So I'm still looking for a compressor, then will come the air tools, then painting equipment .... it may be the other way around though..... Tools, a relatively harmless addiction.

Once you get all of those tools your sex life might get a lift as well. Women love a man that can do it all!

 

[Hedgehog]

Sex life???? What's that. Ignorance makes fo fewer problems.....

I've allowed this thread to fall behind. Thanks to Harbor Freight my air compressor is up and running. I've lived without air for so long I have to think twice before grabbing the hose. It is nice to have a couple options for tools. My air tool grinder isn't he beast the angle grinder is, but it can go places the big electric can't. For doing small spots like ground points it's great. Next will be painting stuff. A sprayer seems inexpensive enough, but getting all the filters set up can be daunting. ....... but those 3/8" and 1/2" socket drivers call my name every time they are in sight, along with the various buffers/paint sanders/impact drivers/drill motors ....... So many really good air driven toys.

The MIG welder is still my very favorite tool/toy purchase. Where I once was nervous about welding I'm excited and sure footed, love it. Can't imagine the fun of having a TIG too. I fear it would be too much fun for one man to handle.