WELDERS!?!? Where and how to get started.

[MoshJosh]

I love DIY, I enjoy woodworking (though my type of carpentry is. . . rustic at best), and am interested in trying my hand at welding. I have welded once or twice before in shop class. . . like 20 years ago. What type of welding is the starting point in your opinion (really looking at MIG and TIG right?) and what brands/machines might be considered entry level.

 

[19Mateo83]

Lincoln electric, miller and Hobart make great welders and are worth the price. I would recommend finding a welder that can do FCAW, which is a gas less flux core weld and MCAW which is your standard mig welding that uses a shielding gas. You should be able to find a welder that can do both. I think I paid $6-700 for my lincoln that does both. The gas tank for mig welding adds to the cost to get started which is why I recommend one that can do both. I’m not a professional welder by any means but i have a fair amount of experience in fabrication.

 

[ronnie]

Tig is harder IMO, so I would start w gasless MIG if you can. Practice practice practice. Then practice more. I’d imagine there are some YouTube videos to help get started as well.

I am crap at stick welding but was a MIG and TIG welder for a decade. Heat, wire speed, and movement will really drive the quality of the weld. Make sure you aren’t just bird pooping all over.

Don’t look at the weld without a helmet ever, too. It only took one bout of welders burn to teach me that when I was 16 helping my dad.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Some of these cheaper multifunction machines are actually pretty good, I don’t have one, I have a Miller multiprocess welder, but everlast is pretty popular.

Edit. Google weldmonger and mr tig. Both have decent videos and reviews. I buy some stuff from weldmonger as he has some pretty good accessories.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Check with your local Junior or Community College. Classes are usually inexpensive. A lot has change in 20 years.

 

[theatrus]

Note you'll also need a suitable electric outlet - many welders are fitted with a 6-50 plug, but a 14-50 can also be used or changed out. Upside if you don't have one in the garage right now is having a spot to plug in your EV :)

I somehow started with TIG and I'm garbage at it. Its pretty much an art, and more practice and experimenting is needed. Also, in addition to good safety helmet/visor and gloves, make sure you're covering all your exposed skin in something not flammable. The sunburns from the plasma are not great.