From: "Mark McClure" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
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Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Welding Equipment Recomendations
Message-id: <E44666E5-0BA9-4208-87B8-743A6D3878A5@me.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2016 18:22:28 +0300
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In-reply-to: <list-8377212@logan.com>
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

A couple buddies and I got together and bought a used TiG on Craigslist afte=
r we burned through a $100 one.

If I remember right we paid $700 for it but the products are 5000% better.=20=


Contractor liquidation sales pop about every month on Craigslist. And I kind=
a remember an A&P one popping on barnstormers.=20

Mark

> On Feb 3, 2016, at 6:02 PM, Tracy Hallock <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wr=
ote:
>=20
> Dave,
>=20
> There's a lot of good advice here, and I probably don't have a
> lot more to contribute, except that after seeing your rotary
> installation, I know you can learn to weld.  My advice is that
> you absolutely, positively, do not purchase a $100 stick welder
> from Harbor Freight, witt the hope that you can successfully
> tack weld parts together.  I had one for many years and was
> never able to get the damn thing to consistently draw an arc.
>=20
> Imagine spending an hour with nothing but stick-pull, stick-pull,
> stick-pull, never  actually drawing an arc.  Getting frustrated,
> giving up for the day, going back out to the garage next week,
> another half hour of stick, stick, stick, no arc.  Try it a few months
> later, a few years later.  Like Tracy said, POS, please do not waste
> your money.  You'll only be frustrated and give up on welding.
>=20
> My first MIG welder was a $200 refurbished MIG 140 from that
> other low-cost Chinese tool seller--Northern tools.  At first it
> worked pretty good, and I was able to join steel after a little
> practice.  Then it got erratic, and I spent a lot of time messing
> with it, taking it apart, putting it back together, until I finally
> gave up again.  Again, trying to save some money, which was
> totally gone with very little to show.
>=20
> Then I bought a $279 Harbor Freight 220v MIG welder on sale
> for $179 that had pretty good reviews online.  This welder worked
> pretty good, and I would recommend it.
>=20
> After moving down to South Texas, and not having a 220v outlet,
> I bought the 220v/110v Everlast PowerMTS 211Si MIG, TIG, Stick
> welder for Christmas this year ($1100).  I haven't done TIG yet (no
> gas), but the MIG (flux core) and stick work great.  I'm still not
> great with the stick, but at least the problem is now my own skill,
> and not the equipment.  With the installation of a 220v outlet in
> my garage, I how own two welders that work for me.
>=20
> I would suggest the Hobart 140 MIG as the easiest way to start,
> with a fairly well-regarded lower-end welder that you should be
> able to get for around $300.  I know you can learn to weld with
> this using flux-core.  It just takes practice and maybe a little help
> from someone that already know how to use it.
>=20
> One other thing, most everything is made in China, so having a
> US-based manufacturer is no guarantee of not getting Chinese
> equipment.
>=20
> Tracy (the other one).
>=20
>=20
>=20
> -----Original Message----- From: David Leonard
> Sent: Tuesday, February 2, 2016 7:00 PM
> To: Rotary motors in aircraft
> Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Welding Equipment Recomendations
>=20
> Oh man, if gas is the easiest to learn then I am in big big trouble.
> I once watched a set of videos on gas welding 4130 then spent a day
> practicing.  I never so much as joined to molicules of iron.  Someone
> told me that gas was the hardest and I should try his MIG machine.
> After 4 hours of practice I got enough wire tacked down to be able to
> limp the opject into a professional, who gave me a discount because it
> was the best laugh he had in a long time.  In fairness I was outside
> in windy conditions, but weld integrity was the least of my concerns.
>=20
> I am pretty sure I will never be good enough to actually trust any of
> my welds and anything of significance will have to go to my guy after
> I tack it.  So thank you every one for the great opinions and leads to
> get me going.  I guess I should also rephrase my question.  What is
> the easiest system to learn to do acceptable tack welds?  When you say
> 'stick welding' is that the same as some of the machines I see labeled
> as 'arc'?  I think that Lynn is right (he always is) that I should go
> take a class.
>=20
> BTW, I cant spraypaint either.
>=20
> Thanks again
> David Leonard
>=20
>> On 2/2/16, kenpowell <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote:
>> I have to agree with Lynn here (no surprise) - o xy-acetylene is the easi=
est
>> to master. I have an old Lincoln 225 AC stick machine that actually works=

>> pretty good with an easy-to-use 6013 rod. I also have a Hobart 140 mig th=
at
>> I have just never been able to conquer - I end up firing up the o
>> xy-acetylene if the weld matters. Lastly, I love my o xy-acetylene torche=
s.
>> You can create the puddle and control it with either hand speed or flame
>> distance from the puddle. Very easy to learn and to use. The biggest
>> downside is welding gets to be really HOT in the summer months! I still w=
ant
>> a set of torches from the Tinman: https://www.tinmantech.com/
>>=20
>> Ken Powell
>>=20
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>=20
>> From: "Lehanover" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
>> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 2, 2016 1:46:02 PM
>> Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Welding Equipment Recomendations
>>=20
>> Try to take a course at a local trade school. Best option. I have gas
>> (Oxyacetylene) and a 600 amp Hobart
>> TIG machine. I only use Argon as a shielding gas. I sold my wire welder
>> years ago. Good for building trailers tacking on quarter panels and simil=
ar.
>> I like gas welding. Slow and easy. Also brazing and shaping and bending
>> steel parts. Gas welding is the most versatile of all forms. My mother co=
uld
>> weld aluminum with paste flux and blue glasses.
>> Wire feeders are difficult to master when starting from scratch. If it ru=
ns
>> on 110 volts it is just about a toy welder. Thin steels nearly horizontal=

>> only. Takes lots of practice to even get some spot welds going. A stick
>> welder is actually easier to learn the basics on. Use match tip 6013 stic=
ks
>> and build your first trailer.
>> The key is to get an instructor to teach you the many welding systems and=

>> how each has its good and bad points. The end game is a big TIG machine
>> where any metal, any thickness can be done. The same machine will also do=

>> stick welding AC or DC. Straight or reverse polarity. And the most critic=
al
>> aircraft work.
>> The heat is controlled by a foot pedal and it is a joy to use. Much weldi=
ng
>> training on the Internet.
>> Lynn E. Hanover
>> In a message dated 2/2/2016 2:06:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>> flyrotary@lancaironline.net writes:
>>=20
>>=20
>> I have a number of small welding projects around the home and hangar
>> that are starting to accumulate. I am thinking about getting one of
>> those $100 welders from Harbor Freight but I have almost no welding
>> experience. There is plenty of info on the web but I thought I would
>> put the question to my rotary friends.
>>=20
>> Given that I just want to be able to do occasional projects around the
>> home and airplane, what type of welding equipment would be best for me
>> and what do you consider the minimum power level that is acceptable?
>> I will skip the desire to do anything with aluminum. I am thinking
>> that Arc or Flux Core would be easiest. I tried to weld with
>> auto-feed MIG and I just couldn't keep up with the wire. Also, most of
>> the airplane projects are too difficult to keep any gas bubble in
>> place.
>>=20
>> Thoughts?
>>=20
>> David Leonard
>>=20
>> --
>> Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/
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>=20
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>=20
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