Advice Please

[JohnRUFC]

Hi all, I'm looking to start welding in my garage. I've read quite a fair amount so far regarding different types of welding, equipment required and other bits on the forum. I still can't decide what I should be picking first in terms of a welding unit (or which type of welding mig tig or arc). I plan to do small amounts of car body work, maybe bench building and roll cage work along with other small fabrication jobs. Ideally I would like the ability to weld steel, stainless and aluminium.

I have no experience at all In these matters. Garage is just a standard 240v wiring setup I think nothing special.

Any help is appreciated as I really can't decide what to do!

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum:

I think you need to decide what you really want to do, how often and with what thickness before any solid advice can be given.

Your wide selection of metals and projects can mean machines from a decent hobby MIG at £300 which will limit your welding, to a do it all TIG closer to £1k

It all boils down to what you think your budget is and if you are prepared to upgrade your workshop electrics.

So many variables I'm afraid, my suggestion would be to start off with a decent basic MIG set up, although if you are certain you want to get into stainless and aluminium then the argument could be go for a high end set up from the start.

 

[blenkie1]

Got to agree with cumbriasteve. If you have very little welding experience I think you would be better learning with the mig.

 

[JohnRUFC]

What sort of price could a multipurpose unit be bought for? I don't think I will be working with Aluminium or Stainless all that often I had just planned on creating an Aluminium space frame for the bodywork on my race car to save weight.

Are there Mig units that also offer stick welding? As I haven't really read anything regarding that. It looks much more convenient to MIG weld so I think I will be taking that advice and just go for a MIG

The first thing I will be looking at making is a steel bench to work on. I'm a trained mechanical designer so I will be working on a nice design in the meantime. Any tips or tricks you guys know about benches that aren't obvious haha?