opinions on a good beginner welder?



basic car sh*t really, wanna be able to weld stuff like strut bars(3/8 thickish i guess), has to be good for a noob like myself, be simple to use, and do strong welds in case i decide to do weird mods like suspension work or make my own roll cage



i plan on stickin with brand name, just donno if i should go mig or stick

 

MIG will give you MUCH better welds. Once you get the technique down, you'll be great.

 

I got a stick welder and wish I got a mig.

 

get something like this.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...u=00920580000P

 

you want a mig for general use but you'll want a tig for a roll cage-...



lincoln, miller, esab, or hobart are the brands i would trust and parts are pretty common for as well.



pay attention to the duty cycle of the machine!

 

Hmm I've never heard of people having to tig mild steel before for a cage

Even the rule book says MIG is fine

 

Lincoln is a reliable brand and what I have. Cost me about $380 shipped. Its a mig and has welded everything I've needed so far but I had to settle for a 120v due to the house I used to live in. Get a 220 if u have an available outlet for it. I've been using fluxcored wire without the hassle of hooking up gas. If I need aluminum done, or something that must look perfect, then I take it to someone with a tig. Hasn't happened much.

 

you could use mig on a roll cage but you have to be a bit more carefull as to where the sparks/spatter will land-... they will stick to glass!



with tig you wouldn't have to tear as much of the car apart to put in a cage as there isn't any spatter in that welding process. also if you're looking to do a chromoly cage, tig is definatly the way to go!