I am shopping for an inexpensive welder, and have come across a gas/gasless MIG and also came across a TIG/ARC welder combination for about the same price. Correct me if I'm wrong but to use a TIG I need gas, and for MIG I don't need it if I use flux cored, but it does work better if I do use gas.
You are correct in what you stated. MIG can be used with out a shielding gas if you use fulx cored wire but it works better with the gas. Also, Mig is alot easier to use if you have never done it before. TIG takes more technique and practice but over all it is a better welding system. It can allw you to weld with a less heat effective zone. You can localise the heat and weld area. Chris If it was me I would get the TIG.
don't get a flux core Unless you are planning to go out to the north forty and fix the John Deere, buy the MIG that uses a 75/25 mix of argon/CO2. That is, if your experience is limited. If you have some ability to manipulate a hand-fed TIG rod, go with the TIG. But it takes some experience and set-up. Buy "quality" if you are planning on doing things that need "quality". And if you are planning on using it for your race bike or hot rod, take it to a pro and let them do it. Supplies are expensive.
What are you planning on welding for the most part? If you plan on welding thin wall tubing or sheet metal, the TIG is more suited as it transfers less heat to the weld area and distorts less. If you are looking for a welder to have one around when you need to weld heavier stock or make repairs, a MIG is a better choice. The material that you plan to weld will also dictate which welder would be a better choice - stuff like aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium are better welded with a TIG. A small portable Wire fed MIG welder is about a 1/3rd to 1/4 of the price of a decent TIG welder.
JIG no really, as said above MIG MUCH easier, and you can do a good job. And use gas. I can MIG all day AND make it look good and hold well. Can't TIG for poop. Quite difficult, you need a third hand and a second brain. If you can't rub your belly,pat your head, chew bubblegum and walk backwards at the same time, go MIG.
What I want to do for starters is repair/modify the frame on my Rebel. Most of the frame is 1/8" but crucial parts such as the motor mounts are somewhere between that and 1/4". Most welders I have seen are rated at 5/32" single pass. Can I still use one of those and make good welds up to maybe 1/4" materials?? The one I'm looking at right now goes from 25-87 Amps, and is rated at 5/32" single pass on steel. I am getting a MIG capable welder but I will have to start with flux core stuff due to lack of resources.
don't mean to threadjack, but how much of a strength difference is there between gas with solid wire and no gas with flux core?
Because I want to do it, and because I want to do it, and because I want to learn, and cuz I just dunno. Where the heck you been man, haven't seen you in a while.
Don't feel bad , that is part of my dilemma, I have been looking at a couple of flux core only welders that are much cheaper, and I wonder teh same thing. I know one thing about it is the shelf life. The flux in the wire "dies" overtime, or so I have been told. Gas, as long as there are no leaks or humidity present, can last ou a lifetime.
Miller EconoTig. On e-bay for under $1400. complete less gas, you can get a 5 yr lease on a "Q" size cyl for not to much. Linclon makes a small one to but I don't know much about them. I would stay away from the small mig for anything other than boat trailers and garbage cans...
We use both Millers and Lincolns. The Millers get used hard, abused, ridden hard and put away smoking. They come back for more. The Lincolns are mainly used in house for light fabrication. As for using Flux cord with out gas remember that doing this produces a lot of smoke and the welds aren't all that pretty. If you can get a combo rig go for it but I'd go Mig and run gas.
In my book, that is good enough! I wish I had a shop, I would have so many cool tools that I use once a year it wouldn't be funny...
I don't have that kind of money, that's why I'm in this dilemma. I know I can get a godd welder for about 1k more or less, but I can't afford that. I am probably going for the one that I'm looking at since I can start with flux and then later on move on to gas.
One of the things I am also concerned about is the amps and duty cycles. The one that I'm looking at has 4 different settings, from 25amps at 100% to 87 at about 18%. Is there a set number I should totally stay away from? Keeping in mind the money limitations?
I guess it would be easier if I did this. Is this good enough? Or is an item that I will see myself kicking myself in the next few months??
18% is 1.8 min of every 10 min... and you should let it rest for the other 8.2 min........ Buy it and give it a try, but I would think you would be better off with a Linclon 225 stick welder....
