beginner machine advice

[Ch4p]

Like I said in my intro, I am currently in school learning to be a shop teacher and I took it upon myself to make sure I learn how to weld so I can teach my students. The pandemic kind of shafted me in that I am not allowed a whole lot of shop time to practice welding at school. So I am looking for some solutions I can practice my welds at home.

Only problem is that I live in a townhouse/apartment complex and all I have to work with is a stone patio with 120v plug (20A). I would call an electrician to try getting a 240v plug but I am afraid it might either cost too much or my strata does not want me to to change too much of the wiring. So I am look for 120v multiprocess welders so I can sample the different types of welding. I don't want to cheap out with a bad quality machine from Amazon but I do want stay under $1000 CAD if I can.

Some machines I am considering are:

-Eastwood Elite mp140i
-Blue Demon BlueArc 140MSI
-yeswelder mig-205ds

If you guys have any experience with these welders that you can share that'd be great.

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[Welder Dave]

You want to teach welding but but need to learn welding yourself? I think you'd be better off seeing if you could have someone experienced come as a guest to teach welding. That way you could learn too and not pass on bad habits. I can see real potential for bad things to happen when a noob is trying to teach other noobs. You don't want to be welding on the patio of your townhouse complex. Talk to the school that does apprentice training. I would bet an instructor would be willing to help on their day(s) off. Might have to pay a little but would be well worth it.

[Ch4p]

Yea I understand what you mean. It's not an ideal situation for sure. Shop teachers are not really experts at everything. I am just required to learn a little bit of everything in case I need to teach any one of the shop disciplines. For teenagers, all they need a good solid introduction and if they want work towards their ticket, that's up to them. Welding wise, I can strike an arc with Stick and do basic MIG welding on the Miller machines they have at school. I just need a place to refine my skills so that I can be as good of a teacher as I can be. And I am not just training on just welding. I am learning electronics, auto mechanics, woodworking, and metalwork at school so that I know enough to teach those subjects. And people at least in my part of Canada have been able to teach those subjects without much experience or at without having full on red seal certification in every subject. Just need to take the safety precautions and be able to professionally develop whenever they can. That's kind of where I am going on right now.

I am coming on here to ask people who are qualified welders or have extensive experience welding to help me out with my professional development. I am also asking because this is an interest of mine and I feel I can use it to my advantage as a shop teacher as we all know that welding is a very useful skill for any of the shops disciplines.

[Shootr]

I have the Yeswelder model you referenced. I like it very much and it's made me a much better welder.

However - the settings on it do not seem to translate well at all to the stalwarts of the industry - Lincoln, Miller, etc. I have only used the MIG function. It has a lot of power for a hobbyist using a 120V/30A circuit. Being "synergistic" though means the wire speed, the voltage, and amps are all intermingled - you can't set each individually. I picked it up for $330 earlier this year and feel I got a lot of bang for the buck. It just has quirks and limitations that more expensive machines don't.

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthrea...d-one-of-these

[Ch4p]

I have the Yeswelder model you referenced. I like it very much and it's made me a much better welder.

However - the settings on it do not seem to translate well at all to the stalwarts of the industry - Lincoln, Miller, etc. I have only used the MIG function. It has a lot of power for a hobbyist using a 120V/30A circuit. Being "synergistic" though means the wire speed, the voltage, and amps are all intermingled - you can't set each individually. I picked it up for $330 earlier this year and feel I got a lot of bang for the buck. It just has quirks and limitations that more expensive machines don't.

Good to know thanks. I'll take this into consideration.

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[Welder Dave]

Talk to a training school and they should be able to give you the basics. First thing is obviously safety but start by just running beads on plate. An understanding of different electrodes and what they are used for is also beneficial.

[Ch4p]

Talk to a training school and they should be able to give you the basics. First thing is obviously safety but start by just running beads on plate. An understanding of different electrodes and what they are used for is also beneficial.

Thanks for the feedback.

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[evan]

How old are you.

Do you have experience in any of the subjects youl be teaching

My best teachers in high school were the auto and welding teacher. Both retired in there fields and became teachers. I thought that was normal having experience to take on the position.

You tube may help.

A multiprocess machine from harbor freight is as good as anything under the 1000 mark. Theyre actually pretty good.

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[geezerbill]

Do you not have a dryer outlet in your Town Home?
A 30 amp 240 volt dryer outlet and an appropriate extension cord, will allow you to use a number of different 220 machines. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a small to medium sized machine.
You can pick up a used Lincoln 180, or similar Hobart machine, or even go to a supplier like Longevity or Lotos.
I have a Longevity 200 amp stick/Mig machine that I have been using for several years, and a Lotos stick/TIG machine I have had almost a year.
Both have been good machines.
The Lotos runs 6011 (and probably 6010) better than the Longevity does.

[MinnesotaDave]

Yea I understand what you mean. It's not an ideal situation for sure. Shop teachers are not really experts at everything. I am just required to learn a little bit of everything in case I need to teach any one of the shop disciplines. For teenagers, all they need a good solid introduction and if they want work towards their ticket, that's up to them. Welding wise, I can strike an arc with Stick and do basic MIG welding on the Miller machines they have at school. I just need a place to refine my skills so that I can be as good of a teacher as I can be.

Your desire to practice is a great sign.

As a current shop teacher, I can tell you that giving them a "good solid introduction" will be hard if you can't demonstrate every day in the booths as they make mistakes.
This one-on-one is critical and I make the rounds several times each class period.

At a minimum, you need to be able to produce smooth build up pads, groove welds and multi-pass fillet welds in flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead.
I include mig, stick and tig in these positions. Oxy/acetylene is an option, but I don't have them weld much with it.
I do have them cut with it many times though (and plasma of course).

Teaching actual fabrication is another thing that you have to have experience with to be able to teach well.

Other things I've taught in shop class were not nearly as critical to have such extensive knowledge in.
Wood shop and wood turning are simple to teach for example.
Basic electrical is also easy.
Mechanic courses are usually rudimentary in school unless the school has a feeder program for an automotive tech school.
Basic machining can be taught even if the only skills you have are for the project they are making.

A decent 120/240v machine will give you enough power to weld with 3/32" 7018 and 1/8" 6010/11 on 120v to develop all the stick welding skills.
We have one ESAB dual voltage machine at school and it fills the bill even on 120v.
When on 240v it really shines and goes up to 180 amps on stick.
My personal small machine is a Thermal Arc 161 stick/tig. Dual voltage and welds excellent.
I've had ESAB 161 stick/tig machines in class too - they do a great job but have been discontinued (I think) and replaced by the ESAB 180: https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.c...CABEgI_OvD_BwE

[Oldendum]

... My personal small machine is a Thermal Arc 161 stick/tig. Dual voltage and welds excellent.
I've had ESAB 161 stick/tig machines in class too - they do a great job but have been discontinued (I think) and replaced by the ESAB 180...

Dave, the ESAB was great at the time when it was selling for about $400. Not big on features and the power factor wasn't so great. The various Thermal Arc 161's and 200's were pretty darned good. I forget - did you get the 161S on the $300 closeout or the 161STL (the one with the gas solenoid)? I had a 161STL that I got when they were about $600 and gave it to my son, the welder. Then I got the Firepower branded version of the 161S for $350 with the TIG torch and regulator. I thought you got the T/A for $300. They were manufactured by WTL in China. They can make some good stuff.

My kid was lucky to have a good welding teacher in community college. The guy had been a millwright and had attended the Hobart welding school way back. No nonsense guy. I only met the guy once just before he retired. We talked for over 2 hours, LOL. My boy got a TIG welding job before he even finished the course, doing repair buildup on Inconel turbine blades for Alstom. He later went on to machining. Makes nice stuff.

[MinnesotaDave]

Dave, the ESAB was great at the time when it was selling for about $400. Not big on features and the power factor wasn't so great. The various Thermal Arc 161's and 200's were pretty darned good. I forget - did you get the 161S on the $300 closeout [snip]

I got the 161 on the $300 closeout - that was a great deal you listed - thanks!

[smithdoor]

A few good books will help.
This group can help too.

I have never had a class in welding I started welding be for jr high school.
By time could take class in high school I was all ready welding in construction.

Dave

Like I said in my intro, I am currently in school learning to be a shop teacher and I took it upon myself to make sure I learn how to weld so I can teach my students. The pandemic kind of shafted me in that I am not allowed a whole lot of shop time to practice welding at school. So I am looking for some solutions I can practice my welds at home.

Only problem is that I live in a townhouse/apartment complex and all I have to work with is a stone patio with 120v plug (20A). I would call an electrician to try getting a 240v plug but I am afraid it might either cost too much or my strata does not want me to to change too much of the wiring. So I am look for 120v multiprocess welders so I can sample the different types of welding. I don't want to cheap out with a bad quality machine from Amazon but I do want stay under $1000 CAD if I can.

Some machines I am considering are:

-Eastwood Elite mp140i
-Blue Demon BlueArc 140MSI
-yeswelder mig-205ds

If you guys have any experience with these welders that you can share that'd be great.

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[evan]

My life is held together with dirt and welding machines.

Practice and drive make better.

Yes sorry I was harsh if you have the will and drive youl be as good a teacher as any.

Thats some badass tigging

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