First time mig welding...

[OCD]

What is the rating of the circuit breaker which protects that circuit? Your conductors and plugs should be rated at or above the rating of the circuit protection.

You can do a hard wired cord, but is there a reason you don't just put a twist lock plug on the wall and then make up a cord?

For a cord, you should use flexible cord and not romex. SOOW or SJOOW are what I would recommend for making a cord. They are going to put up with use and abuse, whereas romex type cable is intended to be in protected spaces and is not intended to be used as flexible cable. The insulation just will not hold up.

30 amps, plugs and socket are rated for 50... Good point on the romex cable too, it's a thin jacket...

I think I might run some conduit and a new plug from the main breaker panel to a better spot in the garage...

 

[pi_guy]

Well, that test was a hard landing back to reality!!

Failed like a cheap tent!! Way to cold and a non prepped surface...

I am putting the aluminum away, for now!!

Like having *** with no penetration.

 

[OCD]

I have been busy and haven't had a lot of time to practice welding, I have used the plasma cutter a fair bit though... That thing is awesome!!

I did install another 220 plug in a better spot, instead of using an extension cord...

Ran 3/4" conduit, used awg 8 wire, and a 30 amp breaker... That gives the machines lots of head room, they each draw 20 amps!!

It puts the welding station in a more open spot!!

Everything fired up, and none of the magic smoke escaped!! "Whew", that was my first electrical project like that... When I was young and dumber, I decided to test a 120 light switch with my Dad's 12 volt tester... Grounded it to the box and proceeded to weld the tip to the switch, spark city!! Power kind of intimidated me after that!!

 

[OCD]

I have to build some speaker brackets to hang on the top of a building...

A real drill press mill is on the list, but for now I work with what I have!!

These are getting lots of use, I can't run a very straight bead yet...

They don't have to be pretty, they will be 35 feet up!!

I did the bending test, they are going better than my very first test on that aluminum!!

 

[OCD]

This is another set I made for the same job, different speakers though... No welding, just bending and drilling...

A hydraulic press is on the list too,

These kind of speakers go on the brackets I am making right now,

 

[OCD]

I sand blasted and painted the brackets I built...

 

[OCD]

Brackets worked out good!!

 

[tlc1976]

I have a Century 130 welder that has a gas kit but I only use flux core. I do a lot of auto unibody repair, and other odds and ends. I'd practice on pieces cut from a scrapped appliance, like a dryer or stove. About the same gauge as a floorpan or wheelwell. It's tricky, a balancing act of trying to get penetration without blowing thru. I basically pulse the welder as I keep the molten pools intact. And it's strong enough you can't beat it apart with a sledge. But once you can weld the thin stuff well, going to something thicker like even 11 gauge is baby stuff, you'll practically be able to do it in your sleep.