Looking to learn to weld advise needed.

[dean4england]

Hello people.

I've wanted to learn to weld for a while now and have a new project looming that is giving me the excuse to look in to it.

I want to make up some racks for weight lifting. I would love to make these up on my own but truly have no idea where to start.

What kind of welding would be sufficient for my needs?

I would be looking to hire equipment to cut down on costs and the hire shops require a cert for tig welders to would have to another method of welding.

Thanks Dean.

 

[astro_al]

With a safety critical project like this, I wouldn't attempt it. Or I would do it in conjunction with a decent welder to learn the ropes, but end up with something reasonably safe.

If a squat rack or safety bar fails on you, you'll be in trouble.

By the time you've done enough practice to not be squirting out bird-turds, your hire costs will probably not be cost effective. You'll not just grab it and make the thing right first time. Look through the 'beginning welding' section for examples of what will happen to you first time out.

Good luck, if you want a half hour of pointers to get you going, I'm in Hants.

Al.

 

[shenion]

Probably cheapest to buy an inexpensive arc welder and some good rods. Probably 140A or above.

Arc takes some practice, a few hours to get sound welds (more for ones that look great ) Hire an arc welder would get you a nice machine, but you will need it for days to practice.

 

[brightspark]

clarke do one 40 to 150 amp only 75 quid will be fine for what u are wanting to do. most jobs are done at under 100 amp

 

[dean4england]

Cheers guys.

@ astro_al. Thanks for your concern. I understand what your on about regarding safety aspects involved. I'm planning it out well and shall reinforce where necessary with bolts.

I've made up a squat rack in the past using just bolts and it held up just fine. I'm kinda using this as an excuse to get in to welding. The half hour of pointers is a very kind offer. Thanks!

shenion and brightspark. I'm going to look in to the welders you have recommended.

I'm also reading in to what the difference between arc and mig welding is. lol Spot the complete novice.

would you say arc welding is strong enough for load bearing welds?

 

[shenion]

Arc, MIG and TIG are all strong. For this type of work, all 3 are applicable.

Arc is cheapest. MIG machines are several times the cost and then there is the issue of renting has or expensive disposables. TIG is the most expensive, but the most versatile.

MIG is easiest to learn. TIG is the hardest. Arc is not that bad, but easily makes poor welds when not done right.

 

[dean4england]

Cheers shenion.

Thats why I love forums. I could of spent hours trying to find out that info.

Cheers buddy.

 

[Marty2005]

I'm a relative newbie and have found, as has been mentioned elsewhere on the forum, that it's relatively easy to get a good looking MIG weld that has little or no penetration, i.e. looks good but could be dangerously weak if used in load bearing situations. Can't comment on arc, but would certainly feel that the practice required would justify the cost of buying the kit rather than hiring.

 

[SirDick Diodenob esquire]

I cant advise you on electric welding because I cant even do it properly yet myself but you can get some great machines on ebay secondhand , out of a pile of scrap welders I recently purchased one turned out to be good , a Murex Tradesman DC135 for £40 , it has a good quality transformer and choke , knob current control from 10 to 130amps and even I managed to use it first time ( not great welding but probably ok once I have painted over it and scraped off the baubles ). Its a popular model and I have seen a few claiming to be working examples on ebay for about £50 and apparently the DC makes it easier to arc weld than a basic AC machine ( I dont know if this is true or not but as far as I can see it does help ) , much lighter than an Oxford oil cooled so its easy to move about . The Tradestig range of the same era also appears to me to be based on this basic machine using the same transformer/choke/thyristor diode modules as the Tradesman but with a TIG controller mounted on top so if you bought a Tradesman you could probably add one those add on torches later if you wanted to try TIG welding without it costing a fortune for a new welder , I think you cant do this if you buy an ac machine but I dont know if those add on torches are any good or not , maybe someone who has used one can advise .

 

[toddy]

well i would agree with the others
but a cheep ish arc(mma/stick) welder i picked mine up for £2.
i would say it doesnt matter if you have an inverter or a tranfomer. mine is a tranformer.
and i would say is buy a few packs of welding rods i would recomend 2.5 6013's and use these at about 80a and you will soon find your way.
try not to weave to start with. and make sure you clean befor and after. as some time a weld looks nice with the slag on but once it is removed it is snot. and again clean befor, due i have had some that i had welded and looked ok but as soon as any pressure was put on it, it went. this was due to a oil coating on the metal.