Confused on which welder to purchase

[halfdome, Danny]

Hi Danny
If you don't have a need for a welder, don't buy one.
Any time you have a frame to weld, cut and fit the parts, load it up and bring it down. I have a miller wire feed and you can weld to your hearts content for nothing but a little effort and a few hrs drive. Bring your better half and maybe we can talk my son into doing the welding (machinist and welder) while we watch and consume adult beverages

same offer to any builders in the northwest who don't mind a drive to weld their frames.
I am about 45 min west of Portland, I have a guest room for overnighters and hook ups for teardroppers.

PM me if you all need help getting the welding done. the welder just collects dust if you ain't using it.

Gaston, that's a very generous offer and I'll definitely keep in mind. I would need to rent a car trailer to tow it home so the state patrol doesn't go ballistic on me. It would be fun just to take the tear out for a day or two and see your tear and others in the area.
Thanks, Danny

[wok]

Danny,
On what the other folks said...I recently got a welder because I had wanted one for a while (cambell-hausfeld mig/flux core) so i could make bike stuff and anything else I wanted. I have been making smaller things and practicing a ton. I am pretty confident in my welds, and some even look pretty nice. But I don't think I'd trust me to build something as risky as a trailer yet.. risky as in a bad weld could cost alot of money when it failed, and be very dangerous. I'd definitly take adavantage of the offer if it fits your needs, especially if you have no desire to weld anything else.

[halfdome, Danny]

Danny,
On what the other folks said...I recently got a welder because I had wanted one for a while (cambell-hausfeld mig/flux core) so i could make bike stuff and anything else I wanted. I have been making smaller things and practicing a ton. I am pretty confident in my welds, and some even look pretty nice. But I don't think I'd trust me to build something as risky as a trailer yet.. risky as in a bad weld could cost alot of money when it failed, and be very dangerous. I'd definitly take adavantage of the offer if it fits your needs, especially if you have no desire to weld anything else.

Thanks for your advice Wok . If I weld a trailer I will be competent in welding at that time as I don't do anything half a**ed and thoroughly study a project before I start one. If and when I get a welder I know I will be as good a welder as most given some time to practice and with my skill level. I have a half-brother (auto body man) close by who can give me lots of welding pointers. Not saying I would pass off a bad weld but the wood framing on these tears adds a lot of strength to the frame and there are some with little of nothing for a frame. Danny

[Dale M.]

Another option instead of purchasing welder may be to cut and fit all your steel and have everything "jigged" up and call a "welder on wheels" ( a welder who does on site work) and have him zap it together... This would be better than description of problem on getting it done in original post... Plenty of people who do "portable" work. check yellow pages...

Dale

[wok]

Again, I think this all comes back to the point that was made earlier... do you want to weld many other things too, or do you just want the quality and benefits of a custom trailer that you designed. And Danny, I was not at all doubting your abilites to learn, and succesfuly weld. I'm sure you'd be better at it than myself, and much more dedicated to a job well done. I only meant that it was a large time investment for one project, especially if welding wasnt something you gave a hoot about anyways ( I think that was your feeling). Though personally I think its a lot of fun.

I hope that all makes sense, and you see what I'm getting at.

[bobhenry]

Again, I think this all comes back to the point that was made earlier... do you want to weld many other things too, or do you just want the quality and benefits of a custom trailer that you designed. And Danny, I was not at all doubting your abilites to learn, and succesfuly weld. I'm sure you'd be better at it than myself, and much more dedicated to a job well done. I only meant that it was a large time investment for one project, especially if welding wasnt something you gave a hoot about anyways ( I think that was your feeling). Though personally I think its a lot of fun.

I hope that all makes sense, and you see what I'm getting at.

To quote a man much wiser, a manly man , a man among men , TIM "THE TOOL MAN" TAYLOR, " More power " that means more tools !!!!

[wok]

haha well yeah you gotta keep adding tools faster than the repo guy is taking them back. its a natural balance, naturally. Oh the things I would do with a (insert big tool supplier name here) gift card.

[bledsoe3]

Danny, This is the one I got. http://tinyurl.com/yrzqwx Nothing fancy, but it worked for what I did and didn't break the bank either. When I bought mine (less that two years ago) it was less than $200.

[wok]

For just a little more cash, I got this one as a christmas gift from the woman from tractor supply, sold under the "farmhand" name and green instead of blue paintjob, for $270. It comes ready for flux core, and MIG. Has all the gas hookups and regulators, just add a bottle of gas, which I have yet to do. I liked this option because I plan on doing alum in the future, but didnt want to buy the expensive gas kit that most sell separatley. Or I can keep using the flux core as long as I want. It has infinite wire speed, and 4 heat settings. 3 at 15 amps, and the 4th at 20 amps for thicker metals. I think this is the case with most welders, but it also came with gloves, a brush, some wire, and a cheesy face shield.

http://www.campbellhausfeld.net/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10051&productId=66183&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10620

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=1&paID=1011&sonID=600&page=1&productID=8957

[asianflava]

Hey Jim, does that welder have the option to use a shielding gas?

[bledsoe3]

Hey Jim, does that welder have the option to use a shielding gas?

No. But I have a grinder to make my welds look pretty.

[wok]

Good to know I'm not the only one who has to do that!!!

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Danny,
I've been real pleased with my MillerMatic 175.
It helped me write my new book... Gussets 101.
(Doug can explain that one)

[vairman]

I just purchased this welder from harbor freight its a tig/stick welder and it sure works well..


I paid $199 last week, and I bought the 2 year replacement warrenty for $35 and so far i have been happy with it. It has plenty of power (220v) While tiging some 1/8" stainless steel, I blew through at only 60% power and the stick welding works well too, but it has a start circut delay of about 1 second, but once you get use to it it's good..

Greg

[apratt]

I have both stick and mig. I have welded 1/4" steel with my mig, for things that don't have any stress it is ok, but like others said they don't do real well with deep penatration. IMHO I would go with the stick welder It penatrate better and no need to worry about bottle gas. Now if I was only welding up to 1/8" then I like the mig. Pretty welds means nothing if it is not a good weld. Have fun welding Danny.