Beginer MIG welding projects for cheap?

[TheEquineFencer]

I'd go sign up at a local Community College and take welding...if it's a Continuing Ed class do it as a live project.

 

[Lelandwelds]

sberry, you are correct, 99% of what I will be welding is steel.

99% of what you see is made of, produced with, and delivered by steel. We live in a steel dependent world. 99% of all steel is welded by mig ( guessing)

I had clients who worked in the industry who took community college welding courses to use the equipment to complete paying jobs. It isn't a bad place to learn a thing or two, either.

The MM252 (especially the last two generations!) Is a world class machine. The MM211 is pretty darn good. Get one. Get any machine you like. Start welding. You can build so many cool things you will be pissed you didn't start earlier.

Forget tig until you can tell aluminum from zinc from titanium from stainless at a distance without handling. Forget tig until you get into nuclear reactors, home petrochemical refineries, marine transportation, or aircraft. Forget tig until duplex stainless, precipitate hardening, maraging, sigma phase, or beta become part of your daily vocabulary.

I can't tell you enough how cool it is to have one machine, one wire, and one gas to weld everything you tackle. Just turn one knob. Concentrate on developing your skill, knowledge and experience. "Just do it."

 

[Lelandwelds]

The trick to finding quality consumables is finding a quality LWS. I sold container loads of excellent inexpensive wire from Italy, Korea, and a mfg whose primary product was florist wire. The local guy is plugged in. He hears complaints and he stocks something else.

Consider Lincoln L-56 mig wire. It lists thirty countries as COO for source wire and where drawing could be done. How consistent do you think the quality control is? Is the company that makes Radner and ProStar the same one from two years ago? HF? HD? Some corporate chain ruled by six different VPs with different goals? Quality and customer satisfaction are not in the driver's seat.

 

[Will S.]

99% of what you see is made of, produced with, and delivered by steel. We live in a steel dependent world. 99% of all steel is welded by mig ( guessing)

I had clients who worked in the industry who took community college welding courses to use the equipment to complete paying jobs. It isn't a bad place to learn a thing or two, either.

The MM252 (especially the last two generations!) Is a world class machine. The MM211 is pretty darn good. Get one. Get any machine you like. Start welding. You can build so many cool things you will be pissed you didn't start earlier.

Forget tig until you can tell aluminum from zinc from titanium from stainless at a distance without handling. Forget tig until you get into nuclear reactors, home petrochemical refineries, marine transportation, or aircraft. Forget tig until duplex stainless, precipitate hardening, maraging, sigma phase, or beta become part of your daily vocabulary.

I can't tell you enough how cool it is to have one machine, one wire, and one gas to weld everything you tackle. Just turn one knob. Concentrate on developing your skill, knowledge and experience. "Just do it."

Best advice ever!

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I had clients who worked in the industry who took community college welding courses to use the equipment to complete paying jobs. It isn't a bad place to learn a thing or two, either.

They had a name for people like that, I was one of them. We'd sign up for a class and audit the class. We were called "Career Students"...We'd sign up for Machine shop to learn just what we needed to do, then drop the class or start another project. Some even managed to Sub for the instructor when he was out!

 

[ilovevocs]

If you buy a mm252 you won’t have regrets.

Doesn’t sound like your really doing much if any AL fab but a spool gun is always an option for 252. Not for finite work, but it’s awesome for everything else.

I have a small 110 red face machine used for body work. The power supply is tapped, ***** for everything but body work, but it works well for that.


I’ve said this before; and maybe I sound like a snob, but real mig welders don’t need a cart...

 

[atthebeach]

You might want to consider a Miller Multimatic 215. It is a multiprocess welder that, if ordered with the tig package, will do mig, tig, stick, & flux core. It is a small compact machine that is very easy for the beginning welder to setup and use. If you aren't sure which process you will eventually want to be using, this machine is a good choice. It is a DC machine that will also weld aluminum with the mig process.

I have only run it with the tig process so far. It is a good basic tig welder for the home hobbyist. It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles on it for the tig process which, for the average home hobbyist, may be more confusing than useful. If you are just welding up some brackets and making simple repairs using the tig process, you will find this machine to be quite capable.

The reviews online for the mig process indicate it is a terrific mig welder. I haven't fired up the mig process yet. However, I can say that switching between the mig and tig processes looks quick and simple. There are separate gas ports and solenoids on the machine for the mig and tig processes, so there are no gas lines to connect/disconnect. Your mig torch remains connected to the wire feeder, so it is just a matter of connecting your tig torch and work clamp on the front of the machine and changing the dial from mig to tig. You then dial in your tungsten size and work piece thickness and the parameters are automatically set to begin welding. You can manually adjust the current if you're too hot or cold, but so far I haven't found that necessary.

By now you have probably taken the welding class you mentioned. That's valuable experience to get you started. As others have stated, the mig process is an easier process in which to have some initial success. Most folks find the hand/eye/foot coordination of the tig process more challenging; but all things are doable with practice.

 

[sberry]

I totally agree with Leland on this take. Its so rare i really have to weld an alloy that i havnt turned my tig on in 10 years. I may have used a couple stainless rods in that time and other than irrigation pipe most people don't have had about half a dozen alum repairs I use a spoolly on. Meanwhile,,,,, 1000s of simple steel welds.
The 211 and that class of machine are fine,,,, I actually do 95% of my work with a 180 but if time and materials are money the larger machine pays off fast. For the home/small shop, 1 wire 1 has the Hobart 230 would be on my short list. It's full size, takes a big roll, has rack for a big bottle. It's about a grand cheaper than a 252. Only a 3 or 4 100 more than a 211. It's 2x as fast and 2x the power which also reduces gas cost. Can get wire substantially cheaper too, close to 1/2 of small spool.

 

[KMinAF]

here is a simple little project that comes in handy. Made from scrap tubing and a couple wheelbarrow wheel bearings that I had laying around

 

[The One]

99% of what you see is made of, produced with, and delivered by steel. We live in a steel dependent world. 99% of all steel is welded by mig ( guessing)

I had clients who worked in the industry who took community college welding courses to use the equipment to complete paying jobs. It isn't a bad place to learn a thing or two, either.

The MM252 (especially the last two generations!) Is a world class machine. The MM211 is pretty darn good. Get one. Get any machine you like. Start welding. You can build so many cool things you will be pissed you didn't start earlier.

Forget tig until you can tell aluminum from zinc from titanium from stainless at a distance without handling. Forget tig until you get into nuclear reactors, home petrochemical refineries, marine transportation, or aircraft. Forget tig until duplex stainless, precipitate hardening, maraging, sigma phase, or beta become part of your daily vocabulary.

I can't tell you enough how cool it is to have one machine, one wire, and one gas to weld everything you tackle. Just turn one knob. Concentrate on developing your skill, knowledge and experience. "Just do it."

Thank you sir! I'm negotiating for a used MM252. If I can't get it for a little savings over new I'll buy one from my local welding shop.

Are there any benefits of the MM212 autoset vs the MM252 for what I'll be doing? I'm tempted to just spend the extra money for the MM252 but if the autoset feature will be nice once I learn I'll go for that model.

 

[kazlx]

The auto set is kind of pointless. Just experiment.

 

[helterskelter]

MIG and TIG both have their applications where they shine. TIG is quiet, no spatter, clean and works well on a variety of materials and thicknesses. If you only ever work on mild steel then MIG and one wire makes perfect sense. But there's definitely plenty of applications for TIG outside of nuclear reactors. I wouldn't shy anyone away from learning the skill.

 

[great white tj]

Practice, practice, practice and having a good machine does make a difference when you're trying to learn. You can weld without having to fight the equipment.

An auto-darkening helmet will help also, I never got the grasp of trying to flip down a helmet .

When I came here to garage journal I felt I was good at this sticking metal together. With what I learned by my self and with the help and info from this group ... I am better.. This post is spot on... If you are fighting your equipment you are are going backward fast...

 

[great white tj]

As for welding projects, get your self some horse shoes and have fun. Working with horse shoes is a fast and cheep way to learn how to keep your work straight and plum, and getting your weight right so things stand up.. And there are easy to throw... I never was good at throwing a 4' by 4x4x 1/8 wall tube.....

 

[IndyGarage]

The auto set is kind of pointless. Just experiment.

You obviously haven't used autoset or don't need it.

I recently bought a new Miller 211 with autoset. The first welds I burned with it - on 3/16 steel on autoset - were some of the best welds I've ever laid down.

I'm not a pro, but not a newbie either. I have a big 3 phase Miller with a wire feeder, that will pound out .045 wire all day long, but I've always struggled with thin material.

For a new welder I think autoset is a very nice feature.

 

[ovrrdrive]

The first weld I ever did with my MM180 I used the autoset on. That was pretty much the last time I think... I agree it's useless. The ability to tweak by a few amps and a little wire speed is the whole reason I bought the Miller over Hobart or lincoln.

 

[The One]

I ordered one through my local welding shop!

When I go to pick it up I'll try on some gloves and jackets to see if there's any that I like along with wire. I'm thinking I should start with 2lbs of wire and see where it gets me. Right now my garage isn't humidity controlled so I fear that anything more may not last. They also only sell 100cf (or 120cf, I don't remember) tanks. Sounds pretty big but I suppose I won't need more for a long time.

Any suggestions on magnets, tips, anything else I should have for welding? I'll be checking out a metal supplier later this month too. It sounds like they only sell in 20-24ft lengths and provide a single free cut.

 

[atthebeach]

I'll be checking out a metal supplier later this month too. It sounds like they only sell in 20-24ft lengths and provide a single free cut.

You might check with your local weld fab shops. I have a local shop that makes drop-off material and material in their scrap bin available to home hobbyists at very low cost. I recently picked up over 400 lbs of 1/4" plate drop-offs for $50.

 

[sberry]

The 120 bottle is good. Get 10# spool of wire.

 

[rsanter]

Buy some angle iron and build a welding cart and welding bench.
Perhaps build a shelf to store stuff in the garage.
Go to a bodyshop and ask for an old fender or door to weld on. Tell them you are trying to lear to weld, odds are they will give it to you.

A friend of my daughter is an ‘artist’. She wanted to lear to weld. So I let her come over and she welded some scrap junk car parts I had around into some pieces of industrial art. I heard she sold a couple of them

 

[The One]

You might check with your local weld fab shops. I have a local shop that makes drop-off material and material in their scrap bin available to home hobbyists at very low cost. I recently picked up over 400 lbs of 1/4" plate drop-offs for $50.

I feel a little conflicted by that. On one hand the guy who runs the local (and only) fab shop seems like a cool dude, on the other hand I'd be taking (my own) business away from him. I guess if he can't handle finding out about that by my asking for scraps it's not worth keeping in touch with him anyway. I'll swing by there tomorrow, maybe it'll keep him as a good person to know going forward.

The 120 bottle is good. Get 10# spool of wire.

Will do!

Buy some angle iron and build a welding cart and welding bench.
Perhaps build a shelf to store stuff in the garage.
Go to a bodyshop and ask for an old fender or door to weld on. Tell them you are trying to lear to weld, odds are they will give it to you.

A friend of my daughter is an ‘artist’. She wanted to lear to weld. So I let her come over and she welded some scrap junk car parts I had around into some pieces of industrial art. I heard she sold a couple of them

I'll swing by the collision shop tomorrow to see if they have anything they can give me. I think they mostly replace entire panels than fix them so maybe there will be some good pickings.

 

[The One]

The fab shop sold me a small pile (maybe 40lbs? I'll weigh it tonight.) of random ends for $20. The collision shop gave me a tailgate for free! Both seem cool with me coming back if I need more to practice on. Thanks for the suggestions guys! Now hopefully my welder comes in at the welding shop soon!

 

[The One]

Turns out my guess was pretty much spot on. 40lbs.

 

[buildyourown]

A 252 is overkill. At double the cost of a 211 you will never see that back in a home shop.
Spend $1000 and start making cars and brackets and odd tools.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I bought a 212 because I didnt want digital displays. You will never come close to using up a 212's capacity for non-industrial work.

 

[sberry]

I think the BBQ with Franklin guy has a 212, showed him making a smoker. I think the upside of a 212 is that its essentially a 211 class machine, maybe better I don't know for sure but it has a full size chassis and will take a full size spool of wire. It doesn't mean a lot to true hobby types but if a guy is welding a lot it might.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I think the BBQ with Franklin guy has a 212, showed him making a smoker. I think the upside of a 212 is that its essentially a 211 class machine, maybe better I don't know for sure but it has a full size chassis and will take a full size spool of wire. It doesn't mean a lot to true hobby types but if a guy is welding a lot it might.

They are both rated "160 Amps at 24.5 VDC, 60% duty cycle", but for some reason I think they rate the 212 at 3/8" single pass and the 252 at 1/2" single pass. Either way, not many people welding in their garage will ever come close to needing to single pass that heavy of material. I still wouldn't have an issue going 1/2" with the 212 on a single pass, but stuff that thick would get a multiple pass regardless of the machine used.

 

[sberry]

The 252 is way heavier than the 212 which is basically a juiced 211 class machine in a bigger chassis. The 252 will output near 300A at a lower duty cycle. It probably outputs at near 28v, it's a powerful machine. Requires an 8 wire at full output. I think it will spray a 045 wire.

 

[Certified Drunk]

I bought a Hobart 190 about 10 days ago, Got a 80lb of Argon/C02 a couple days ago..., Bought a Lincoln Viking helmet a hour ago...
Cant wait to hear the frying bacon sound..

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

The 252 is way heavier than the 212 which is basically a juiced 211 class machine in a bigger chassis. The 252 will output near 300A at a lower duty cycle. It probably outputs at near 28v, it's a powerful machine. Requires an 8 wire at full output. I think it will spray a 045 wire.

Did you look at the spec's? The 211 and 212 have nothing in common. 211 is rated "150 A at 21.5 VDC, 40% duty cycle (240V)", whereas the 212 and 252 are rated the same "160 Amps at 24.5 VDC, 60% duty cycle".

 

[sberry]

Hmmmm, ok, I havnt really looked at the spec for a while. Yes, the voltage would be a little lower on the 211, the 12 is the 210 of old,,, it was a good machine. You are obviously more familiar with current models but the 252 is way heavier, it's why they made it.
Lincoln has a 215 in the same class, their 255 has a lot more poop. They are kind of orphans, hi was in a weld store the other day and asked the guy why it wasn't stocked in the lineup. He said, the juice between the 2 was so small he upsold the heavier models, not a lot to the serious crowd.

 

[The One]

Did you look at the spec's? The 211 and 212 have nothing in common. 211 is rated "150 A at 21.5 VDC, 40% duty cycle (240V)", whereas the 212 and 252 are rated the same "160 Amps at 24.5 VDC, 60% duty cycle".

So if the 212 and the 252 are the same, what makes it cost the extra $500?

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

So if the 212 and the 252 are the same, what makes it cost the extra $500?

I'm no expert, but the Miller comparrison tool doesnt show much difference. The 252 has digital displays, whereas the 212 just has dials. Also, the 252 has a higher amperage range. I've used the 252 and it's a killer machine, but it doesn't weld any different than my 212. I think Mike has a 252, so maybe he can comment. I personally didn't want the digital displays (personal preference). Anything from the 210 on up will be more than adequate for 99% of people. The thing to remember is welding super thick metals isnt common in a home garage, so unless you plan on running a big aluminum spool gun, the 252 is overkill.

 

[sberry]

You will get no argument from me that most do not need a 252. I use a compact for most work myself. The bigger machine is for where time is money and material use is high, its 2x as fast as a 211, cost 1/2 to do the same weld.
Its one of the only cord and plug machines that call out a number 8 wire. You can burn the stock gun right off it with spray. I used Shades (Ron) who owns shop floor talk for a few minutes, it really flies. I think he might have had a 400A gun on it.
I have a red Wirematic and I don't think it has the same poop. I am out of the loop for that kind of stuff any more as I simply don't use it but a couple guys on the Miller site and at Welding web do, they know the math between these machines.
I agree that if I was a hobby home brew guy would be looking at 211 and a small Maxstar S for field work as well as to do stick duty. I really could make it on those if I had to. Another upside of those is if a guy needed portable a cheaper genset would well power them saving a bundle for engine drive for occasional work.

 

[sberry]

So if the 212 and the 252 are the same, what makes it cost the extra $500?

They are not the same.
Hobart went t inverters for stick, they are cheaper.

 

[The One]

Well I picked up the welder today!

Is it normal to pay $275 for a 120cf tank and I think it was $50 to fill after that. He said if I filled the tank within the next 10 years after each fill I wouldn't need to recertify it ever.

I hate to report this but, the shop owner and receptionist were not pleasant at all treating me and my wife as if we were an inconvenience for them. And tried to change the price from what I was originally told over the phone. And honestly if it wasn't for needing gas I'd rather have bought online to be perfectly honest. Very "old school" and not in a good way. He called the receptionist (female) worthless and complained to me about how it's hard to keep employees (I wonder why...). They didn't seem completely legal in their money handling either...

 

[The One]

My wife restored my faith in small business somewhat reminding me about our washer machine that we love and the great customer service they have. Gotta stay positive!

 

[Bunk]

That price for your tank is very high. I just bought a 125cf tank of C25 for $190 for the cylinder + $45 to fill.

 

[BD1]

Tank prices vary by suppliers. If you buy a tank online you still need it filled. Suppliers may not be willing to exchange the tank you bought. Buyers need to check with suppliers on the policies. A couple local suppliers by me will only fill
or exchange their tanks. Yes some really ****.

 

[The One]

I started hooking the welder up. My gauge is saying there's 1250 psi on the tank. From what I found from searching online that's about half of what it should be? It's about 30F outside where the bottle is.