A couple buddies and I got together and bought a used TiG on Craigslist after we burned through a $100 one. If I remember right we paid $700 for it but the products are 5000% better. Contractor liquidation sales pop about every month on Craigslist. And I kinda remember an A&P one popping on barnstormers. Mark > On Feb 3, 2016, at 6:02 PM, Tracy Hallock <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote: > > Dave, > > 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > One other thing, most everything is made in China, so having a > US-based manufacturer is no guarantee of not getting Chinese > equipment. > > Tracy (the other one). > > > > -----Original Message----- From: David Leonard > Sent: Tuesday, February 2, 2016 7:00 PM > To: Rotary motors in aircraft > Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Welding Equipment Recomendations > > 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. > > 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. > > BTW, I cant spraypaint either. > > Thanks again > David Leonard > >> On 2/2/16, kenpowell <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote: >> I have to agree with Lynn here (no surprise) - o xy-acetylene is the easiest >> 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 that >> 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 torches. >> 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 want >> a set of torches from the Tinman: https://www.tinmantech.com/ >> >> Ken Powell >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> 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 >> >> 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 similar. >> 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 could >> weld aluminum with paste flux and blue glasses. >> Wire feeders are difficult to master when starting from scratch. If it runs >> 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 sticks >> 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 critical >> aircraft work. >> The heat is controlled by a foot pedal and it is a joy to use. Much welding >> 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: >> >> >> 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. >> >> 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. >> >> Thoughts? >> >> David Leonard >> >> -- >> Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ >> Archive and UnSub: >> http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html > > -- > Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ > Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html > > -- > Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ > Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html