Beginner welder and projects.

[Noid]

Just after some suggestions on what welder and projects to start me off teaching myself to weld with the final goal to be able to make a steel spaceframed vehicle for road use.

I assume just starting off with some scrap and seeing if I can get it to hold well before anything serious but what after then, I like the look of the "patio heater" from the can bottles.

I have nothing as yet so it really is from a complete beginners point of view and have never welded anything at all before either.

I think a small cheap MIG is the way to go but open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rosco454]

I made myself a welding trolley for a first project,pretty straight forward but good to get you off and running.

 

[Noid]

I made myself a welding trolley for a first project,pretty straight forward but good to get you off and running.

Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind.
Seems like something that would be nice and basic, just box section, so spot on for me really.

 

[eil]

I agree with Rosco there Thats the first thing I did used an old thrown out bit of shelving from a shop, cheap and cheerful and you get the practise.

 

[Jake]

make a work
bench dude

 

[rosco454]

There loads of different ways to make a trolley but heres the one i made to give you an idea.

 

[oz.]

yeah, make something that will be used by the welder... trolley, bench, torch holder...

It'll be a little while before you will be able to make the spaceframe but practice plenty and it should come sooner. Good luck

 

[Noid]

yeah, make something that will be used by the welder... trolley, bench, torch holder...

It'll be a little while before you will be able to make the spaceframe but practice plenty and it should come sooner. Good luck

Yeah, that's why I want some projects first. I wouldn't trust amateur welding to hold a car together right away so all idea welcome. Thanks for the ones so far.

 

[Angusdog]

On my MIG trolley, the D-sized gas bottle lies down on wooden cradles, so the overall height is lower and the whole kit will roll under my workbench.

You can also make tabs to wind the cables around. If you use an 80mm length of say 20x4mm steel strap, cut almost all the way through with an angle grinder halfway along the length, bend on the cut to 90 degrees then fill in the outside of the bend with a MIG seam, you have a bracket you can weld to the frame. Three is enough to wind your MIG, earth and power cables around.

The other great beginner projects are shelving, other workshop carts and furniture. I made the counters in my wife's cafe from 20x20mm steel tube with panels of kauri ply polyeurathaned and pop riveted to the front and sides.

 

[cookie munsta]

your goal space age frame? AC tig for alu Alloy no ? or am i off the mark?

 

[Noid]

your goal space age frame? AC tig for alu Alloy no ? or am i off the mark?

Not going for alu, going for steel.

 

[cookie munsta]

D.C. INVERTER perhaps, can do stick good if 160+ or tig. most but alu. d.c for steel. ac for alu as a rule. consumables different as well