Verbalkint99

...but have always wanted to learn.

I have been trying to search different forums and such but everything is in tech speak and I dont quite understand it all just yet. Just need some advice in english I would love to be able to fab my own bumpers for the XJ and even found kits of pre cut steel that you weld yourself. My question is in picking out a decent, inexpensive welder to learn on that will be capable of welding 1/4 steel plate and such to build front and rear bumpers for my Jeep.

Thanks for any advice

91familyxj

Well IMO I like miller and even lincoln. Just remember when you buy one you want to buy one you can drive down to the local welding shop and get parts for. Do you have a prax air where you live?

jusper88

I'd check out any of the listed welders...What kinda price range you looking to spend?

claygrassmann

i have a craftsman and its capable of 3/16th i found a hobart i think or maybe a miller that was 1/4inch capable, i think the craftsman was around 300 but im borrowing it from my dad the one i found that welds up to a 1/4th was around 450 but it also ran off of flux core and household current

4.3L XJ

If you are looking for a 110V welder get one that can use either gas or flux core wire. The gas acts as a shield so you don't have to beat the flux off afterwards. Very handy. Stick with name brands like Miller, Hobart, Lincoln or in my case Ltec. If you want the very best welds and plan do a lot of fabbing with heavy steel like 1/4" or thicker, then you should pony up for a 220V welder. I know, some of you will say you aren't wired for it. I ran mine for a long time off the drier outlet and a long extension cord.

jusper88

4.3L is right...I'd say for you Jeep work and most smaller gauge steel stick with a MIG...and if running a 220v with a extension, have an electrician check it out before running it to be safe! Once you buy, post pics of your puddle pushing skills!

cjj98xj

I've got a Millermatic 140 w/ autoset. The autoset feature is nice for beginners to help give them an idea of where settings should be...pretty handy feature. It's a 110v machine. I'm currently building a front bumper out of 3/16". It works great for that. It says it's rated for 1/4", but you'd be there a while building the puddle to penetrate deep enough on 1/4". It's doable though, you just have to be a bit more patient. One thing to remember though, proper joint preparation is key in any welding process. You'll want to start learning and understanding that. It'll allow your smaller machine to weld thicker materials. Kind of opens a whole new door when you are new and are in the though process that you are limited to a max material thickness. With a proper bevel setup and proper sequencing of passes, you can easily weld thicker materials, although it'll take a while due to the increased number of passes you'll be making.

I paid $600 for the machine on sale at Airgas. Very dependable quality machine IMO. I fully expect it to last a long time. I realize $600 isn't in everyone's budget. There are other machines out there that are just as capable, and are quality machines also. Like has been mentioned, if you live in a rural area, you'll want to consider consumables and other parts and how easy they are to come by where you live. If you buy an Ebay special that you can't get parts for at your local Airgas/Praxair/etc. you'll be hating it.

One thing to consider...gas vs. flux-core...gas is nice, but if you don't have a garage to work in, you'll end up using a lot more gas than you would otherwise, especially if working on a windy day. Wiht flux-core, you can weld without that worry. However, you don't want to do too much welding in a closed in garage with flux-core. The fumes can get to you over time.

I went with a 110v maching because my old man has a Millermatic 210 machine I can use if I need to do anything tmuch thicker than 1/4". The smaller machine kind of fills the gap his bigger machine coudln't fill. He's borrowed it a number of times before to weld the thinner stuff that his 210 machine has a harder time with.

If you go with a 110v machine, make sure you follow the instructions and run it off the right size breaker. Otherwise you'll be tripping the breaker all the time and it can be very frustrating.

The best thing to do though is just buy a machine and get welding. It's a hobby you'll love the rest of your life. I started welding when I was 8 on a tombstone Lincoln stick welder, and haven't looked back. Been loving it ever since.

WVJEEPER

go with the MIG, it easier to work with in my opinion. i don't weld much and don't claim to be a welder. lets say i can get by.

i was at tractor supply the other day, they have an assortment of MIG's to choose from from $200+.

with the electrical end of thing as described before, just be safe with it. size your extention cords with you current draw and of course you breaker size does matter. i'd suggest a #12 gauge cord when using the 120V MIG...just saying...safety first

also, try not to run long distances with you extention cord. we ruined a small MIG by doing that. low voltage at the business and then added a long cord to drop the voltage even more. good luck

idahoblkss

thats awsome would of never thought of that... a mans got to do what a mans got to do!

4.3L XJ

Thanks. It was a 25' #8 three wire cord. I still use it in my shop so I can roll the wire feed around the shop. It is really a must have.