new to welding

[jbone]

Hello,

I havent even actually really begun welding much but I am very iterested in it. I am planning on signing up for local classes on welding but in the mean time ill try to teach myusef what I can and read as much as I can on here. I am having one dilemma though: I cant decide on what type of welder to buy. My original intentions were to buy an o/a troch kit b/c they seem to be a cheaoer way to get into welding than most others, and it is a very valuable tool to have regardless of what other types of welders you have. But now Im wondering if the money would be better spent on a mig/tig welder. THe cost is much greater but worth it. It just doesnt seem like too many people are using the o/a for much more than heating/cutting. Any opinions on which route I should take to learn? Also does anyone know where to get a good o/a kit with an assortment of welding, cutting, and heating tips as well as everything else? (other than tanks). Thanks for the help, and the little time I have spent here so far I have already learned a lot.

Jason

[mla2ofus]

I prefer Victor for an O/A,however Smith runs a close second. Parts and tips are easy to find for either.Stay away from the cheaper ones as parts/tips aren't so easy to find.
Unless you plan to cut a lot of plate and do hot bends,get a quality chop saw and put torch money toward a good MIG/TIG welder.
JMHO,
Mike

[Aric]

I would never be without a torch set, EVER. I like Victor, but have seen no differences in the cheaper victor style/compatable tips and torch handles. Its pretty hard to find harris tips in my area.
As far as what other type of welder you need,,,, what are you going to do?

Torch skills will help if you want to TIG later.

[aluminumman75]

jbon maybe it would a be a good idea to wait until you have taken a few classes. before you purchase you own machine. So you can determine what proccess best applies to what you will be doing. Welders can be a big investment and you don't want to purchase something that won't suit your needs. But you can't really go wrong with a torch setup. I think just about every welder has one. But as far as the other process I would figure out what my requirments were before I purchased a tig, stick, or mig setup.

[Short on Expierience]

I am getting better at this..... O/A is probably....
Oxygen Acetelyne......now what is..... B/C.........??

[WHughes]

You should get a mig, tig and a torch. In a perfect world that would be the thing to do.
If you take classes at your college, they will most likely start you of with stick welding unless you make arrangements to mig or tig. So, you could buy a tig/stick machine and practice your stick for a while until you feel comfortable enough to tig. Alot of the hands on welding classes at the colleges let you move at your own pace so you could really cover some ground if you had access to stick and tig at home.
Myself, I took college classes and bought a mig for home to build trailers. I have never welded with my torch but found myself needing one for cutting and bending soon after I bought my welder.
I am sure that I haven't helped in your decision so I will just say this..
What ever you buy first, you will find a day you wish you had bought that, or that. I don't have a tig machine at home but really haven't had the need yet.
My mig and torch do fine. Along with a chop saw and plenty of grinders and wheels.

Have fun, build stuff!

[MAC702]

Originally Posted by Short on Expierience

I am getting better at this..... O/A is probably....
Oxygen Acetelyne......now what is..... B/C.........??

"because"

[zapster]

Originally Posted by MAC702

"because"

...zap!

[jbone]

thanks for the input guys. Does anyone still weld with an oxy-acetalyne torch anymore or is that basically a thing of the past? I understand theres a lot more advanced machines out there nowadays. I have been reading a book called "welders handbook" by John Finch and it was suggested to start with an o/a setup. I know I will buy one regardless just wasnt sure if it should be the first thing bought. By the way I plan on doing a variety of things. Mainly work on cars. No serious fabrication or anything but Im tired of paying people to do what I could be capable of doing myself. (initial costs aside). Exhausts, intercooler piping, brackets, and other things around the house too. Thanks again for the input!!!

[MAC702]

I weld with my torch, just because I can. But, I have no jobs which require that process, nor would I choose it as the process for any jobs I routinely encounter just because one of my arc welding processes is always better for economics (electricity v. gas) or time or ease.

[jbone]

good point mac I will prb. be buying a small torch setup to start off. I think ive finally convinced my father to chip in for a mig/tig welder. we'll see. Ill be looking for something under $1,500. Any suggestions?

ps- I already have a lot of the small things like welding mask, gloves, etc.

[MAC702]

Originally Posted by jbone

good point mac I will prb. be buying a small torch setup to start off. I think ive finally convinced my father to chip in for a mig/tig welder. we'll see. Ill be looking for something under $1,500. Any suggestions?

ps- I already have a lot of the small things like welding mask, gloves, etc.

That $1500 has to include a torch, welder, and other tools and safety gear, or just a welder?

[jbone]

$1500 for the welder (or under). Many of the tools we already have. Same thing with safety gear. Sorry I forgot to clarify about the torch.

[jbone]

I almost forgot to mention before: eventually I would like to be able to weld a trailer. I do landscaping and really cant find anything I want along the lines of trailers. It would be nice to be able to make my own. Also for repairs of equipment including plows and sanders in the winter.

[MAC702]

Millermatic 210 would be quite ideal.

[Tailshaft56]

You beat me to it Mac! Guess I'll just second your motion.

[jbone]

would it be smart to wait and save for a tig instead? Does it really make that big of a difference?

[MAC702]

Totally depends on what you want to do. I use a MIG far more often because I'm in production more often than I'm doing something really precise or thin.

[jbone]

The main reason I ask is b/c a friend of mine jumped at the price of a millermatic 210 and said for that much money I may as well save and get a tig. Keep in mind though this friend has only a lil more knowledge or experience than I. From what I have been reading tig seems to be the preferred method of welding but its disputed that mig and other forms are just as strong but lack in the "neatness" of the weld. Am I on the right track here? I dont plan on doing anything too precise, and the look of the weld to me is only half as important as the integrity of it. I may be missing parts of the puzzle so school me if I am. But if thats the case I dont see the point especially as a newbie in buyign a tig welder until I can learn the basics and maybe even master a "simpler" or cheaper form of welding. Which was actually my main reason for wanting a oxy-acetylene setup first.

P.s. - sorry about all the questions

[Aric]

Saving for a tig would be nice, but if it were me, I'd get that Millermatic 175/210 and a small O/A setup (even if its a small 20cf/10cf tote cart) and be welding and cutting tomorrow.

[jbone]

anyone have part numbers for they think would be the best o/a setup from victor. They have a bunch listed that they prduce but I dont know what to get. Thanks again!!

[smithboy]

Originally Posted by Short on Expierience

I am getting better at this..... O/A is probably....
Oxygen Acetelyne......now what is..... B/C.........??

Don't feel bad. It took me quite a while to start reading this kind of stuff without having to think...now what the heck is this web-acronym. There is a site somewhere that has literally hundreds of these little dohickies. I read through them...it helped...I just kept wondering why lol was all over the place

[BigEd36]

Originally Posted by jbone

anyone have part numbers for they think would be the best o/a setup from victor. They have a bunch listed that they prduce but I dont know what to get. Thanks again!!

jbone,

I have a Victor SuperRange II outfit, it works great for working on cars etc. I got mine off Ebay on a "buy it now" auction from Indiana Oxygen Co. weldingsuppliesatioc is their ebay store. I got mine for $25 or $30 less than the local shops would sell my the Performer setup, a lighter duty set that didn't come with the grade "T" hose needed to use propane instead of acetylene, and it came with a shorter 12 foot hose set instead of the 25 foot that I got. Their service was great, it was shipped the same day that PayPal cleared my payment to them, and at my door the next day! They also have FREE shipping! They have a SuperRangeII set now with toolbox, tip cleaner, guage guards, multi wrench. Check it out HERE

I have to agree with Aric, with the money you have to spend, you could get a torch and tanks, and go with a 220 volt 175-180 amp mig welder, like the Millermatic 175, Hobart Handler 180, or the Lincoln Sp175 series. Any of these three welders would work for maintenance on your equipment, and work well for building a trailer. They're all good for 5/16" or so material thickness, most trailers are built with 1/4" material, so they would work well for trailers. With working on your landscape equipment, you're gonna have something bent that needs heat to straighten it. With your budget you could have a welder and a torch kit. Later, if you needed to to you could trade up in power for the welder, but in the meantime the welder and torch would be helpin' you make some $$$$$, and gettin' projects done!

HERE IS is their (Indiana Oxygen Co's) deal on a Millermatic 175 for $721.77.

Ed

[jbone]

i cant thank you guys enough. But what do you guys think I should go with the 175 or 210? They both look like great machines.

[zapster]

the more the merrier in my book...

...zap!