welding tips and tricks

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hey mate i would reccomend looking up your local tafe a do a welding night course cost me 200 for 10 weeks i did it to learn all the theory side and improve my welding technique as i no how to use mig and arc but nowing what amps to us eon what thickness material how to do different types of welds vertical up,vertical down,mig,and arc.the gys who teach u are usally career welders and have heaps of knowledge so u can ask them questions about what u are wanting to weld at home

boxy

+1 Tafe welding courses are pretty good & the tickets can take you a long way. Plus its always fun to learn new skills.
 
Gas-less Migs are often on sale for $400-500 - the wire is not cheap but they're great for small lite jobs.

Don't underestimate the capacity of (professional grade) migs. We had one that would blow holes is 20mm plate and easily lay a 12mm fillet. And they're used to weld the hull on the Sub's.
 
Ok...if ya want the best....buy a "Submerged Arc Welding" machine.


I personally recommend a GTAW setup, tho i still use alot and recommend one for the first time buyer and beginner the basic "arc" weling machine.
 
As a boilermaker by trade and a coded welder last 20 odd years I have kept out of the home welder debates because until previously I have had a bad attitude towards welding at home.
You see home is for drinking piss and my house is far too nice to be throwing sparks around with pool area, shade sails etc

All fabrication welding etc has been done at work, where there is steel workbenches, vices ,pipe clamps ,oxy, plasma, overhead crane, my choice of stick, tig, fluxcore etc.

However I am looking to change my bad attitude towards welding at home and have started researching options.I was leaning towards a tig stick setup, but bottle hire and no aluminium unless you want an expensive outlay has held me up on that one.

Now looking at gas/gasless mig. I have heard they have improved dramaticly and can do ali as well as stainless without the gas.First project will be stainless exhaust.
I am sure these will be capable of welding 6 to 10mm plate for brackets etc.

One thing is for certain I will not be buying anything until I have had a play with em.

Even though I am an extremely experienced welder I kinda feel like im back to square one on the home handyman side of things.
All machines ive used are three phase heavy duty that run all day or diesel gen set types.
I think the answer lies in the gasless mig but wont know until ive used one
 
so what is it you dont understand...is it youve not heard of the "submerged Arc" welding process or you just withdrawing form some bad quality crack down your way

I know exactly what it is, I'm a ticketed welder.
 
As a boilermaker by trade and a coded welder last 20 odd years I have kept out of the home welder debates because until previously I have had a bad attitude towards welding at home.
You see home is for drinking piss and my house is far too nice to be throwing sparks around with pool area, shade sails etc

All fabrication welding etc has been done at work, where there is steel workbenches, vices ,pipe clamps ,oxy, plasma, overhead crane, my choice of stick, tig, fluxcore etc.

However I am looking to change my bad attitude towards welding at home and have started researching options.I was leaning towards a tig stick setup, but bottle hire and no aluminium unless you want an expensive outlay has held me up on that one.

Now looking at gas/gasless mig. I have heard they have improved dramaticly and can do ali as well as stainless without the gas.First project will be stainless exhaust.
I am sure these will be capable of welding 6 to 10mm plate for brackets etc.

One thing is for certain I will not be buying anything until I have had a play with em.

Even though I am an extremely experienced welder I kinda feel like im back to square one on the home handyman side of things.
All machines ive used are three phase heavy duty that run all day or diesel gen set types.
I think the answer lies in the gasless mig but wont know until ive used one

Its a good post Charlie and 1 thing that 3 phase does offer is a much better starting position for similar prices...I have a dedicated 3phase 300A water cooled TIG-AC/DC and overlay with pulse,,,, and a 400A MIG 3 phase with a traveller..plus a little 140A 240V invertor stick welder at home

Also spot on when at home-steel welding benches, good overhead lighting, and exhaust ventilation..the MIG is the problem with sparks and its why the traveller--10m cables comes in handy to do the work in another area.

there's the expense of bottle hire too..especially if you do more than the average run of the mill work with gas compositions and require a number of bottles
 
+1 on doing a TAFE course to learn.
If you go gasless mig, make sure you have fresh wire.

About bottle hire, there are a couple of mobs that will sell you your own bottle (about $250) and do refills for $35(?), but only Mig or Tig gas. No oxy(bummer).
 
+1 on doing a TAFE course to learn.
If you go gasless mig, make sure you have fresh wire.

About bottle hire, there are a couple of mobs that will sell you your own bottle (about $250) and do refills for $35(?), but only Mig or Tig gas. No oxy(bummer).

u know anyone who does this?
 
I got a UniMig 170 MIG/MMA at home and highly recommend it. I picked up the end of model for $690 normally they are about $900 and still worth it at that price. Welds 6mm mild on gasless wire, and I would challenge any non-professional welder to notice a difference to a professional machine with gas.

I'm halfway through getting my ticket, so I wanted something that I could use to practice stuff I was struggling with at Tafe - doing the course part time means you don't get much time if you aren't getting something you will fall behind.

A decent Stick welder will cost as much as a MIG these days - and MIG is easier to get right than Stick (imho)

Gasless wire will last, as long as you treat it right. If you aren't going tobe welding again for a couple of weeks (or more) then take the wire out, wrap it in a plastic bag and put it on a shelf away from concrete. It will last indefinitely like that. Same goes for Gas wire as well actually...
 
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u know anyone who does this?

:saberfighting: <gratuitous wiggly thing>
Lol, knew that would happen, but it was late when I originally posted.

Don't remember, so web search for "buy your own mig welding gas sydney"
turned up these;

http://http://www.speedgas.com.au/

There is another mob, but I can not find their url atm
They were about $250 to purchase and$39 to refill.



Also; last msg here for alternative.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/gas-bottle-rental-16614/

And just found this
http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/f1...ylinders-own-one-never-pay-rent-again-134877/

Caveat;
Absolutely no idea as to the value of any of these.
Also, no one mentions to need for a cylinder inspection every so often (10 years?

:tazzy: <insert second gratuitous wiggle thing>
 
Also, no one mentions to need for a cylinder inspection every so often (10 years?

I think that's because they expect you to use the gas well before then.

LP Gas bottles are the same if you use the Swap'n'Go system. The outlet managing the exchange is supposed to check that the bottle is < 10 yrs since inspection but I do think that's also checked by the refiller as well.
 
I think that's because they expect you to use the gas well before then.
If you own it, then it is your responsibility to get and pay for the inspection.
I would really like to know what they cost first. 12(?) years ago inspection and testing on a 9kg LPG was $36. Welding gas cylinders are a whole different case and I expect much more expensive since they are massively heavy cylinders. the burst cage would be interesting to see.


In any case, you would be wise to get your bottle refilled just before the ten years is up.

LP Gas bottles are the same if you use the Swap'n'Go system. The outlet managing the exchange is supposed to check that the bottle is < 10 yrs since inspection but I do think that's also checked by the refiller as well.

:yeahright: May be back in the dinosaur age, but these days I've never seen them check. Usually too busy running back and forth to deal with fuel purchases between connecting the bottles up and then running back to see if they've filled.
 
:saberfighting: <gratuitous wiggly thing>
Lol, knew that would happen, but it was late when I originally posted.

Don't remember, so web search for "buy your own mig welding gas sydney"
turned up these;

http://http://www.speedgas.com.au/

There is another mob, but I can not find their url atm
They were about $250 to purchase and$39 to refill.



Also; last msg here for alternative.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/gas-bottle-rental-16614/

And just found this
http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/f1...ylinders-own-one-never-pay-rent-again-134877/

Caveat;
Absolutely no idea as to the value of any of these.
Also, no one mentions to need for a cylinder inspection every so often (10 years?

:tazzy: <insert second gratuitous wiggle thing>

I had a search, found a couple in sydney. But i'm in Melb and I can't find any here.
 

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