LD85

Gonna TIG weld some Flowmaster Ball Flanges onto my 3" y-pipe and Header collectors this weekend.


A pic of the portable 110-volt Miller Maxsatar 91 TIG welder I just picked up, good for small jobs.

'

Strick

I have always wanted to have my own welder, but I know nothing about welding. How much does a rig like that cost and are those ball connectors S/S?

LD85

Strick, used is @ $500, new is $900,,, the "real deal" is a 220 volt setup but I dont have space for it right now

Nope the Ball/Flanges are Mild Steel

GRX

I'm looking to get a TIG. Right now I use a MIG. Need to weld AL easily.

tjwong

I like the little cart that they made for your welder. Rather ingenious of them to build it out of a dolly

LD85

Yes it is pretty cool , they use this cart for easy transport while doing a service call in factories etc.

I guess once you have the welder and a little steel, the sky is the limit.


GRX, for Aluminum I was looking at the Miller XMT300 CC/TIG with a Coolmate 4 ,,, 220volt, I just dont have the space for it right now,,

gonna build the Garajmahal someday

AGENT 86

I tried TIG for the first time, a few months ago. Getting the knack with filler rod is tricky for a first timer.

tjwong

I recently picked up a Miller 350P pulse MIG welder to do aluminum and steel. In pulse mode it will make a weld on aluminum like a TIG welder can. I wanted a Dynasty 200 to weld aluminum with but it would take me a year just to figure out all the do-dads on the Dynasty welder, not to mention the cost.

I got the 350P with two different MIG guns, one is a standard gun for welding steel, the other is their Python gun that has a motorized head for pulling aluminum wire while at the same time the internal feeder pushes the wire to the Python head unit. It can weld gauge thickness aluminum up to 1/2 inch thick plate with a single pass.

0ski_dwn_it

Since January I have been going at welding pretty hard core.

Bought two units:

Miller 210 MIG welder (mostly what I put my solid rear in the car with) - HIGHLY recommend it for anyone looking for a mig welder. Will run you about 1500 for the unit. Now its called the 212...



Then I got a Miller 200 Synchro TIG welder. With this puppy you can do anything from Titanium to steel. This one will run you about 2500.



My thought was get the best and then you are set for any project that you go up against. I am thrilled with the results of both units.

Some hits for welding. Make sure the material is SUPER SUPER clean adn you will get much better results. TIG surfaces should be cleaned and wiped down with acetone for best results.

Here are some MIG welds on my solid rear brackets with the 210.



And here are some TIG welds I was playing with....



Good luck if you need anyting let me know.

eschoendorff

Yes, that definitely qualifies you for a "YOU SUCK!!!!!" award.

dans87vette

I want one bad, problem is the wife doesn't need anything welded at the present time. Maybe I should break something steel in the house so that it will need to be fixed.

scranage

Good luck welding the aluminized pipe. I rewelded my entire exhaust with V-clamps and an X-Pipe a few weeks ago with less than great results. I wire brushed the hell out of the surfaces with an angle grinder with a wire wheel on it, but it kept gumming up my TIG electrode and cups. I got it done eventually, but it was tougher than just welding with flux core wire.

mseven

LD85

What rod did you use,,,, did you use SS rod or other?

Bob CTS

Very nice set up, I have the Hobart MIG and love it. What I want now is a plasma cutter.

scranage

I was welding some SS parts to the aluminized OEM parts and tried both SS and silicon bronze filler rod. I don't have a lot of experiance with TIG so I don't know why my torch got so contaminated, I just chaulked it up to the coating they use. Maybe it was my technique.

Slalom4me

I'm not sure about hazards from vapors while welding aluminized
pipe, but thought I would post a caution about welding galvanized.
Apparently some studies dispute whether the gases are harmful,
but opinions are unanimous that they will make you very ill with
flu-like symptoms.

Careful with parts that may have been cleaned with solvents before
welding. Solvent residue decomposed by the welding arc may
create phosgene gas - very little is required to harm you, it was used
as a chemical weapon in WW I. If there is a bad smell while welding, stop.

Also, remember that Argon is heavier that air. It settles into low areas
and welders need to be cautious about working in enclosed spaces.
Instructors here speak about commercial welders going home after work
to lie on their back with their head down over the edge of a bed so as
to enable argon that pooled in the lungs during the day to drain out of
their chest.

Ozone is an issue to become aware about, too.

.

Slalom4me

Some reading in order to be safe while welding

Hazard Alert — Welding Fumes and Gases

What are the hazards from gases during welding and cutting?

Feedback about welding galvanized material
WELDING FUMES FROM GALVANIZED METAL

.

Slalom4me

Back on topic

LD85, I like the handy cart, too.

Has anyone looked at the Miller Dynasty 200 DX? Cyberweld
and Indiana Oxygen have packages I find interesting.

.

Strick

I guess a good course in welding at the Tech school is in order. My buddy was welding with shorts on and sunburned his legs.