I have minor welding projects that i wanna do to my baha..Like tach welding and at the most building a custom bumper...I dont want a welding career..I just want an affordable solution that I can do at home..I wont use the welding often..What might yall recommend...What is line welding or feed welding?....What exactly do I need to start welding??I really want to do this myself if at all possible..Thanks this is a great forum,,Thanks for reading take care..

I got the $200 burn box at homo depo. it has worked great but alot of splatter. If I had a few extra bucks I would go with the next one up that you can use gas with(less splatter). I made sure mine had a problem before the warrany was up and got a new one, lol. It is the lincoln model. miller of coarse is the bling but you gotta have bling to get the bling bling, lol.


you can always use the flux core wire if you cant get the gas right away. don't buy the wire at the homo depot though, go to a welding shop. they come with a free role and you can buy 1 lb rolls for $13 or go to the welding shop and buy 2lb roll for $15, good times.

also buy a cheapo helmut at oak harbor that auto tints, you wont be welding full time so the cheapo should be fine. cheap leather gloves also. if you decide to get down and dirty with the welding then you need to get quality poop.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GOOD WELDER, JUST A GOOD GRINDER.

<<<<< private salt t nuts reporting for duty sir, lol. I said duty, LOL. sorry just noticed I moved up in rank.

i think what the slug was saying is, a burn box is a stick welder, and if you want to step up, go wire feed... you can buy both at harbor freight, sense you dont want to spend alot of money on something you'll never use... i hope i translated that correctly for ya slugo....

NO HARBOR FRIEGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

their welders have more problems than a hooker with vd!!!!


go to home depot. get the book on welding (its next to the welding supplies). sit down and read through it.

to start out, a 120vac Lincoln mig welder is fine. it splatters a smidgen but gets the basics done. if ya go with a 240vac unit, it minimally spitts on your work and should be usable with various gases.

the difference between miller and Lincoln welders is the same as ford and chevy. which ever you prefer. My family has used Lincolns since the late 50's.

your best thing to do is aquire a usable welder. be it: mig, or arc (stick).
go out and pick up scrap steel to learn on before you TOUCH your projects.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said!

Anoter place to look for good/cheap is pawn shops. You can find a lot of good tools tht some one got ride of or stole on sale. (Air Comprsors) for one

so h.b. welders are junk ? personal experience ? or word of mouth ? you can also check the newspaper for used ones, you never know...

I started with a little 110 volt wire feed welder from Sears for under $200. Even though it came with the hook ups for the Argon bottle, I never added it. I just used the flux core wire. I used it for several years until I started doing a lot more welding and bought a 220 volt Miller Mig (off EBay).

Even with the splatter, the little 110 did a good job for little $$$.

im going to be purchasing another welder. i have an arc and it sucks. MIG is the way to go. im just going to be getting a cheap one, burt i never thought to look in a pawn shop. that is a good idea.

72BajaBen wrote:

i have an arc and it sucks.

thats cause you arent usin it right. too much/ too little heat., wrong rod , etc..... my family has used lincoln arc welders since the 50's with no trouble.

they are not recommended for thin metals. anythin less than 3/16 - 1/4" is way to thin. even with a small rod.

Thanks so much for the great replys...The mig means its the linefeed style right? and the arc welding is the stick...I definatly dont want to go that route....It sounds like I should look for a 110 wire feed with argon hookups..and argon is some kinda gas that keeps it from splattering as much... Or use flux core wire and I wouldnt require argon...Ive got lots of investigating to do..ebay here I come..Thanks guys ...take care

like I said, go to Homedepot or a local welding supply (even use the internet. you have internet right??) and read the welding books that discuss the difference and techniques of the welders that are available. you can also weld with oxy/ acet, oxy/ nitro, etc. (gas welding)


even hit up the local library if your broke.

books are very important. i have a lincoln electric pro mig 135, came with a helmet,the lines and guages to hook up to a bottle, and a video that i still haven't watched for about 500. and i love it. i've hooked a bottle up to it and wow!, i felt like a pro. and with flux cored wire it does a great job as long as you know what you're doing. if you don't know what you're doing then you can grab a piece of scrap metal and figure it out real quick.

I agree NO harbor freight for the welder, but the masks are pretty cheap and if hes only doing it for pratice and minor baja welding it should be ok.

The biggest thing for me is not looking at the arch, look a lil away and then look right below or which ever way your welding. Pretty much just keep your eyes on the puddle and go slowly back and fourth, good luck man its easy, teachin the ol lady was hard, lol.