What welder for building barwork??

Post by **jorgo** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:33 pm

Im keen at having a crack at building a custom front bar, sliders and the other fruit and just wondering what style of welder is going to suit best. How much should i spend etc...

Cheers

Post by **Rory** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:39 pm

id be getting a gas mig welder. it depends, what else are u gunna build?what welders have u used b4?

Post by **joshy** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:48 pm

whats your budget?

Post by **sprungupcruiser** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:05 pm

i bought a mars 180 welder almost 2 years ago now. I run it gasless and i have built quite a few thing with and its really handy. the hand piece is based off a lincoln 180 so parts are easy to get. I have had some teething problems with it but once you know what works and what doesn't then your laughing. if your only a hobby welder it does everything i need for the $400 i spent on it. I got it it from trade tools direct which, i think they have a shop on the sunny coast.

Post by **bru21** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:20 pm

jorgo wrote:Im keen at having a crack at building a custom front bar, sliders and the other fruit and just wondering what style of welder is going to suit best. How much should i spend etc...

Cheers

I'm looking at selling my unimig 240 for $900.
Its time to replace it as its been depreciated at work.

search and you will see my thoughts in the past on this machine (not talking it up cause I'm selling it)- they are awesome.

Post by **wrksux** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:16 pm

arc welder cheap, electrodes are cheap no gas to rent

but if you cant weld go mig!

Post by **jorgo** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:31 pm

thanks for the quick replies fellas, i was more looking at the 400-500 dollar market. i have zero welding experience haha but i know a few people in the trade and obviously i wasnt going to jump straight into the barwork side of things but to get started i need a welder. I dont see the point in buying anything to special more just something to get me started but to will be able to weld tube well enough when i want to have a crack at the barwork. Will 400-500 bucks be enough?

Post by **brad 93hilux** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:03 pm

For your experience and quality of welds in mind a mig welder is the way to go, stick welders are cheap but are alot harder to use if you don't know how to use them properly...

You can get a 2nd hand one for around 500-600 but will have to look around and also you have to pay for the gas and bottle rental which adds up if you are not planning on using it often.

If it is only a hobbie thing and you are trying to save some money, buy a good caddy (stick welder) and find some one to teach you or go to tafe and learn it...

P.S. welding is learnt from practice, not really some one standing over your shoulder and telling you what to do. Thats why tafe is good, does not cost much but you can practise alot and burn alot of steel and work out what works and what doesnt. The last thing you want to do is make some thing and have the welds fail and some one gets hurt.

Brad

Post by **MART** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:46 pm

About 99% of barwork is in the correct notching , the pipe should almost touch each other right arround the join so a stick welder will work okay , it will allow more penetration than one of these cheaper mig welders , and once you get the hang of the stick you will be able to weld on all angles , practice , practice , practice , and you will need a notcher as well , Cheers Paul.

Post by **Tiny** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:13 am

I disagree with peoples comments thqat a mig wender is better for people who cant weld. True a mig will allow people who cant weld to get a nice looking weld easier, but will also let people who cant weld to get a nice looking weld with no penatration, especially with a cheap baby mig. If you have a small budget get the best arc you can imo

Post by **brendan_h** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:15 am

ive got a unimig panther 172. i think it was $900bucks. im not realy a fan of mig welding but i did use it weld on my trac bar mounts on my diff only because i couldnt get a MMA electrode in there.
all my bar work is TIG welded only because i like to tig welded and i want to get good at it

Post by **thehanko** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 10:00 am

HI mate,

I got a cig inverter stick welder. Ultra happy with it! its the size of a 6 pack for 170amp. cost $500

Have built an 8m long trailer with it, numerous other racks including the rear bar for my ute etc.

the only thing with stick welders which i regret is if you ever plan to do panel work - ie cutting out rust etc the stick isnt really suitable.

but for bar work its nice thick metal and perfect for a stick.

I spoke to a number of welders (tradies) prior to buying and they all said that this would be the easiest way for me to go with the most effective welds.

And i gotta say to pull the welder out for that little job is so easy when its so light and small.

Post by **brendan_h** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:51 pm

thehanko wrote:
And i gotta say to pull the welder out for that little job is so easy when its so light and small.

yup thats also why i rather use MMA.

with mig its tooo much to lug out the front if i want to weld on my car

Post by **ajsr** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 5:37 pm

use a mig
not gasless
not arc
not inverter/arc or tig
just a good well setup gas mig you cant beat them.

Post by **jorgo** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 5:23 pm

Well it seems everyones got their own opinion and it really comes down to personal choice. Im leaning toward a stick welder though, price is right and it sounds like it should do the job. Also gonna look into the tafe course mentioned, learn properly.

Cheers for all the input fellas

Post by **KYSI** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:05 pm

thehanko wrote:HI mate,

I got a cig inverter stick welder. Ultra happy with it! its the size of a 6 pack for 170amp. cost $500

Have built an 8m long trailer with it, numerous other racks including the rear bar for my ute etc.

the only thing with stick welders which i regret is if you ever plan to do panel work - ie cutting out rust etc the stick isnt really suitable.

but for bar work its nice thick metal and perfect for a stick.

I spoke to a number of welders (tradies) prior to buying and they all said that this would be the easiest way for me to go with the most effective welds.

And i gotta say to pull the welder out for that little job is so easy when its so light and small.

x2 i got one to and its an awsome little unit

Post by **neilpatrol** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:16 pm

The cheap mig welders are rubbish, i'd personally buy a cheap inverter stick welder if your not looking at spending the money on a decent mig or a ac/dc tig.

Your local tafe will hold courses that aren't that expensive and you can learn a lot from it. I know the boc store in Cairns will let you test run machines in there store also so they all might.

Good luck.

Neil.

Post by **wrksux** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:00 pm

Most reputable stores will let you try the machines,

Welding in my view is 1/3 theory understanding whats happening, process ect ect 2/3 experiance and having someone tell you what your doing wrong, go and get a mate who can weld IE does it for a living or go to tafe they can look at a weld and workout whats wrong with it, otherwise you may pick up bad habits

Post by **thehanko** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:19 am

KYSI wrote:
thehanko wrote:HI mate,

I got a cig inverter stick welder. Ultra happy with it! its the size of a 6 pack for 170amp. cost $500

Have built an 8m long trailer with it, numerous other racks including the rear bar for my ute etc.

the only thing with stick welders which i regret is if you ever plan to do panel work - ie cutting out rust etc the stick isnt really suitable.

but for bar work its nice thick metal and perfect for a stick.

I spoke to a number of welders (tradies) prior to buying and they all said that this would be the easiest way for me to go with the most effective welds.

And i gotta say to pull the welder out for that little job is so easy when its so light and small.
x2 i got one to and its an awsome little unit

my old man taught people to weld for 20 years, and when he used my inverter he was blown away how good it was compared to old sticks, they are so much smoother and easier to use.

for bar work and a budget they are awsome.

for panel work they are shit.

Post by **ADAM 26** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:59 am

if you can get someone to show ya, an arc welder is the way, they are cheap, and if you can weld good there weld beads look better than a mig bead!

they are tricky to learn, but once you master an arc, learning a mig is a piece of piss!!

Post by **shakes** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:34 pm

another vote for getting an arc first...

an ugly arc weld is normally a bad weld
a good looking arc weld is normally a good weld
a good looking mig weld can easily still be a bad weld if you dont know what your doing

Post by **wrksux** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:31 pm

shakes wrote: an ugly arc weld is normally a bad weld
a good looking arc weld is normally a good weld
a good looking mig weld can easily still be a bad weld if you dont know what your doing

Quoted for Truth

Post by **yamaha__308** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:58 pm

Ive got a Unimig 240 and I love it. Done everything I've ask of it.

Post by **SLASH** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:05 pm

Do the inverter arc welders run of a normal 10amp power point or do they need a 15amp? Cheers Loz.

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What welder for building barwork??

What welder for building barwork??

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