MBRfarms
Junior Member
Posts: 95
Likes: 133
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Post by MBRfarms on Jul 14, 2022 21:45:25 GMT -6
We've been spoiled for years with a top notch welding shop 2mi down the road that treats us great and does fine work. Our ancient stick welder gets the odd bit of use patching up a break or building random brackets. Got a few welding projects piling up and starting to figure that the cost of hiring them out would almost buy us a decent welder and supporting tools/supplies.
Never had a torch or wire feed welder before, tried Mig welding a few times and found it much easier than stick welding but don't really have too much experience in either.
What's everyone's recommendations for a basic setup for general farm use, especially for someone without too much experience? Don't plan on any major builds or anything just general repairs. What do guys use for torches? Would be mainly used for heating/bending stuff but might make some cuts with it if we had one handy.
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Post by SWMan on Jul 14, 2022 22:54:54 GMT -6
I'm by no means an expert on welding, when doing light stick work I use a rod called "Easyweld" which starts super easy(get at Auto Ag Parts Direct in Brandon). My uncle was a lifelong professional welder and he always said Miller made the best mig welder, I bought one last year but haven't used it enough to get familiar with it.
For cutting besides the oxy/acetylene torch I have a Thermal Dynamics plasma cutter and absolutely love it. I think it cuts to 1/2" but maybe is rated for a bit more. The thing I like about that brand is it has a tip guard that keeps you a proper distance from what you are cutting, and if you clamp a ruler or something to the piece you are cutting you can slide that guard along and make perfectly straight cuts! For cutting the plasma is far superior to the torch IMO.
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Post by meskie on Jul 14, 2022 23:19:43 GMT -6
We have a Millar mig welder. Nothing fancy but it works good. I think my brother said that smith torch is the one to get. We need a new one for our shop. We have a older plasma also that we bought off a friend as he no longer needed 3 and haven’t used it a bunch but it works decent. I just have a lot more practice cutting with a torch and can do as good of a job with it. I always clamp a straight edge of something to the metal if i want to make a long straight cut. Otherwise i just free hand it. Spent 3 weeks learning to use a torch in mechanic school some of it stuck with me.
My brother is the welder so i don’t know a lot bout them except how to use them.
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Post by slipclutch on Jul 15, 2022 5:24:28 GMT -6
SWMan. Do you have a pic of that plasma cutter that you can share. Thanks.
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Post by kenmb on Jul 15, 2022 6:53:15 GMT -6
I am the typical farmer hack when it comes to welding so bought a Miller mig with the auto-set feature. Just set the dial to the thickness of the metal being welded and the wire feed and heat is preset. The few times I try manually setting the parameters I find the auto set works better. Bought a cheap Miller spool gun for aluminum and it is a PITA to use but have patched together whatever I really had to do. I suspect a higher priced spool gun would solve most of my issues but then again, for all I use it, much like the welder - it is good enough.
Torch is a Victor that has been on the farm all my life. Ventured into buying some new tips recently and that is the extent of my expertise with that kind of hardware. Use it mainly for heating things. Rarely cut metal with it as I use cut off discs and die grinder for most things like bearings or bolts. Torch is my last tool to reach for.
Really like using the mig welder though. I don't mind taking on the task of welding something. It really comes down to skill and experience at that point. The mig welder makes the job easy so it comes down to the operator. What I am saying is there are a lot of jobs out there that one has the abilities to undertake but not the tools to make the job go well, with a nice mig that isn't the case.
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Post by generalchaos on Jul 15, 2022 7:56:00 GMT -6
I use a stick welder for the more heavy duty steel and a Lincoln 110 volt mig for the smaller stuff. I can use the mig pretty much anywhere on the yard as long as I don’t use too long an extension chord. Then it wants to throw a breaker.
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Post by OptimallyDismal on Jul 15, 2022 8:08:12 GMT -6
One thing about plasma cutters is that if you are working on a computerized machine you need to take the same precautions as welding on them, disconnecting the batteries and maybe tying the leads together even to prevent spikes to the electronics.
Or just use the acetylene torch, which I will never give up willingly.
It is great to have options, and having all of them. mig, tig, stick, gas torches, plasma, gives a nice variety and skills.
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Post by torriem on Jul 15, 2022 12:08:06 GMT -6
For many years I've been using a clip on surge protector on the battery leads of every vehicle I weld or cut on. It's got a calming and reassuring LED that lights up so you know it's doing something. Not sure what exactly. Haven't fried anything yet so it must be working, right? Always wondered about these things. Removing the battery leads is probably better.
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Post by SWMan on Jul 15, 2022 23:18:13 GMT -6
SWMan. Do you have a pic of that plasma cutter that you can share. Thanks. No pic but the model is a Cutmaster 52. |
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CTS2
Junior Member
Posts: 74
Likes: 27
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Post by CTS2 on Jul 16, 2022 4:16:31 GMT -6
For many years I've been using a clip on surge protector on the battery leads of every vehicle I weld or cut on. It's got a calming and reassuring LED that lights up so you know it's doing something. Not sure what exactly. Haven't fried anything yet so it must be working, right? Always wondered about these things. Removing the battery leads is probably better. An auto electrician once said to me about them - "they're great, just don't use them on anything that you own yourself". |
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Post by snapper22 on Jul 16, 2022 11:16:38 GMT -6
Ive welded with stick since I was 9 and got my first wire feeder a year ago. My 10 year old took to the flux core right away. Far as I’m concerned if you are doing mostly repairs a wire feed welder with flux core wire is a lot less cost cause you don’t have bottle rental and gas cost. You don’t have to clean it too much cause flux burns through crap better, and you can weld in wind. My preference but do as you wish is stick as it’s cheap and between some 6010’s and 7018’s of varying sizes I can repair a lot of stuff without a lot of extra pre cleaning and in tricky spots. I have the wire feeder for the thin crap and it’s awesome for that.
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Post by northernfarmer on Jul 16, 2022 17:21:30 GMT -6
Ive welded with stick since I was 9 and got my first wire feeder a year ago. My 10 year old took to the flux core right away. Far as I’m concerned if you are doing mostly repairs a wire feed welder with flux core wire is a lot less cost cause you don’t have bottle rental and gas cost. You don’t have to clean it too much cause flux burns through crap better, and you can weld in wind. My preference but do as you wish is stick as it’s cheap and between some 6010’s and 7018’s of varying sizes I can repair a lot of stuff without a lot of extra pre cleaning and in tricky spots. I have the wire feeder for the thin crap and it’s awesome for that. What model of mig is that as I am guessing its a small unit set up for flux core only or is one that could be swapped over to gas. I am surprised you are impressed by your welder as a friend had bought a Lincoln Weldpak 100 years ago and of course a unit like that has no capacity to begin with amperage wise but it welded like total crap, didn't matter what metal thickness or what settings. It got stolen years ago as I have always wondered if there was a chance the polarity was not correct from the factory or if that is all that could be expected out of a low end welder like that. Of course with flux core its back to having slag to deal with vs a mig with gas but also realize a mig can be set up with flux core ( not sure if its a different type of wire then ) to use with gas and is said to penetrate better and so on. I don't have a mig, have wanted one but for the amount it would get used the yearly bottle rental I assume becomes costly ( like the acetylene torch ) . |
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Post by northernfarmer on Jul 16, 2022 17:28:28 GMT -6
Ken, what model of Miller mig is that and I assume you have a bottle with a mix like 75% co2 and 25% argon, then a 100% argon bottle for the aluminum.
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Post by snapper22 on Jul 16, 2022 18:55:07 GMT -6
Ive welded with stick since I was 9 and got my first wire feeder a year ago. My 10 year old took to the flux core right away. Far as I’m concerned if you are doing mostly repairs a wire feed welder with flux core wire is a lot less cost cause you don’t have bottle rental and gas cost. You don’t have to clean it too much cause flux burns through crap better, and you can weld in wind. My preference but do as you wish is stick as it’s cheap and between some 6010’s and 7018’s of varying sizes I can repair a lot of stuff without a lot of extra pre cleaning and in tricky spots. I have the wire feeder for the thin crap and it’s awesome for that. What model of mig is that as I am guessing its a small unit set up for flux core only or is one that could be swapped over to gas. I am surprised you are impressed by your welder as a friend had bought a Lincoln Weldpak 100 years ago and of course a unit like that has no capacity to begin with amperage wise but it welded like total crap, didn't matter what metal thickness or what settings. It got stolen years ago as I have always wondered if there was a chance the polarity was not correct from the factory or if that is all that could be expected out of a low end welder like that. Of course with flux core its back to having slag to deal with vs a mig with gas but also realize a mig can be set up with flux core ( not sure if its a different type of wire then ) to use with gas and is said to penetrate better and so on. I don't have a mig, have wanted one but for the amount it would get used the yearly bottle rental I assume becomes costly ( like the acetylene torch ) . Mines a powerfister from Chinese Disneyland (Princess Auto). It’s a multiprocess machine and have the gas regulator. Forget the actual capability as far as amps concerned but it’s over 100 amps. Think it’s 140. Seems to melt in good. Flux core leaves slag but nothing like 7018. Run 0.30 wire with a 0.35 liner at least that’s what praxair told me to do. Buddy was welding brine locks in potash mine with gas shielded flux. Don’t thinkMost of what I weld thickness wise this rig can burn in but duty cycle is key. Full power it’s only 30%. My big Lincoln stick welder could burn 5/32 7018 as I can. Our miller trailblazer is pretty much 100%. Mig is easy to run but like any welding preparation makes it easier to do a good job. By no means am I papered welder and I ask questions and watch the papered guys. They’ll show you lots if you’re willing to learn and be their helper. Stick takes more learning but it’s far cheaper and penetrates with far less prep and far more portable to take to the field. It’s the reason why rigged welders are stick and overland pipelines are mostly stick running 5p+ 6010 roots and 7018. |
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Post by northernfarmer on Jul 16, 2022 19:45:40 GMT -6
I have noticed that welders have sure gone up in price in just the last few years, example would be the Miller Trailblazer 325 which I am guessing is what you have Snapper, very popular machines from what I see and have taken the place of a lot of the big heavy very expensive generator welders for on a pickup welding rig. Never heard that term used for Princess Auto, certainly hit and miss with some of their products but as to their welders I imagine some factory in China is making them for a variety of companies and rebadging them. Since yours is working ok they can't be all bad but could be an issue if anything goes wrong with it, sadly the same is probably said for the lower end Miller/Lincoln/Esab. I've looked at Everlast welders ( on youtube and their order site ) and while interesting there is zero dealership backing up anything in your local town but the price is what catches ones eye for its specs. Totally hear you about duty cycle, that is where the compact lower end units are very poor with sustained output. As I recall with that Lincoln Weld Pak, it sputtered around and didn't seem much better then bird shit welding, maybe who ever stole it found out the treasure they stole and was not worth packing out of my friends basement.
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