bolecailey
Well-known member
Where the subframe mounts to the unibody of my E46 M3, my car has developed the cracks that this generation of BMWs are notorious for. Rather than paying someone $1500 to weld up the cracks and weld in the reinforcement plates, I would rather buy a welder and have my dads friend that has been welding for a living his entire life do the welding. I would rather just borrow a tig as money is tight right now because I had to buy a new differential for (discovered the cracks when I did an inspection after pulling the differential). The problem is no one I know with a tig has anything remotely portable.
With all that being said, I have done some research but don't know enough about welding at all to know the difference between the models and what I need and will probably want when I learn what I am doing. What I plan on using it for after this job is mainly automotive type stuff. I have been scouring craigslist for a month and have not found anything small enough for a garage in 230v single phase power at a price less than a couple of hundred dollars less than I can get a new machine for. I have been looking at the diversion series 165 and 180 but keep seeing people recommending spending the extra money for a synchrowave 200. I open to all brands and would prefer to spend as little money as possible but I tend to be a buy once cry once kind of person. I will say that even after I learn to weld, I suspect I will only use the thing once or twice a year if that but I plan on building a track miata and I will likely come up with more uses for it in the future. I hate to ask these questions when a search and research often has the answers, the problem is I know so little about welding that I don't understand what makes one machine better than the other or even what I need to get the job done.
Also, if there is something for $400 or $500 dollars that would get the job done, I would probably rather just buy that than spend the money on something expensive only to want something better in the future. The steel is a 1/16'' and the reinforcement plates are about the same thickness. Here is a link to some a thread with some pictures of exactly what will be done. Link!
Thanks,
Cole
With all that being said, I have done some research but don't know enough about welding at all to know the difference between the models and what I need and will probably want when I learn what I am doing. What I plan on using it for after this job is mainly automotive type stuff. I have been scouring craigslist for a month and have not found anything small enough for a garage in 230v single phase power at a price less than a couple of hundred dollars less than I can get a new machine for. I have been looking at the diversion series 165 and 180 but keep seeing people recommending spending the extra money for a synchrowave 200. I open to all brands and would prefer to spend as little money as possible but I tend to be a buy once cry once kind of person. I will say that even after I learn to weld, I suspect I will only use the thing once or twice a year if that but I plan on building a track miata and I will likely come up with more uses for it in the future. I hate to ask these questions when a search and research often has the answers, the problem is I know so little about welding that I don't understand what makes one machine better than the other or even what I need to get the job done.
Also, if there is something for $400 or $500 dollars that would get the job done, I would probably rather just buy that than spend the money on something expensive only to want something better in the future. The steel is a 1/16'' and the reinforcement plates are about the same thickness. Here is a link to some a thread with some pictures of exactly what will be done. Link!
Thanks,
Cole
for what you can pick up a used machine for mig thats probley what some one who welds for a live would charge you. now if you dont have the skill to do it practice on scrap until you feel comfortable.
