Newbie here with some questions
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:52:11 GMT
I want to own my own home welding setup, and I want to be able to weld disimilar metals together. I am a very well rounded guy, with lots of skills in different areas (Electronics, Software, Home Repair, Plumbing, Auto Repair, Landscaping, etc...). I have arc welded in the past with my Dads huge Miller/Lincoln/Hobart setup ( This was in the days before auto-darkening hoods ) and I have used his cutting torch some. I haven't done gas welding. I have done a lot of soldering of metals and copper fitting with a butane torch.I've heard that gas welding ( Oxy-Actelyene ) with brazing rods and such has the most flexibility for non-similar metals.Can it weld aluminum ? Stainless Steel ? What do I need for a typical home setup ? Everyone is in love with these inexpensive 115VAC little wire feed welders, but aren't they kinda limited ? I don't have 220VAC receptacles yet at home.Can anyone recommend a small gas welding setup for me to buy ? I realize Gas welding is harder to learn, but I like a challenge...What are the downsides of Gas Welding ?
Reply:1st, welcome to the forum! Glad to have you. You'll learn a lot here. My first suggestion would be to look into a class at a local votec school at night. This will give you an idea what process will work best for you and get you started right.Lets take this in parts. Originally Posted by prginocxI want to own my own home welding setup, and I want to be able to weld dissimilar metals together.... I've heard that gas welding ( Oxy-Acetylene ) with brazing rods and such has the most flexibility for non-similar metals.
Reply:I'm a hobby welder with basically the same background as you and have been welding for about 8 months. I definitely agree that taking a class is a great way to check out all the different welding processes you'd be likely to buy. Local college classes are usually a bit pricey (my tutition plus class ran about $421). If you check around, there may be technical/vocational schools in your area that only charge for the class ($75-$100).Good luck getting started, I'm having a blast melting metal (though by the look of my welds maybe I should say burning )Miller MaxStar 150 STHTIG Advice From Co-Worker - "Just don't burn a hole so big I can't fill it."
Reply:I took a year of welding classes at a local Adult school, and while they were the "hands on" classes, NOT the theory classes where you need books and things, they were only $55.00 a class. NOT bad considering I got to go weld for 3 hours a night on anything I wanted . I would look into this, as it teaches you LOTS of things besides just point and weld. I learned stick, MIG, the torches, correct SAFETY porcedures (HUGELY important), and tons of other things. It's MUCH nicer knowing that if you have a question, or screw up something good, or even make a WONDERFUL weld, there is an experienced instructor close by to give you hints and tips and critique your stuff! It was for me, anyhow .Best luck!Have a Jeep Cherokee? Click Here!
Reply:I'd say I want to spend about $400 to $600 or so...I've seen little knee high gas torch welding setups for around $300, then you still need the goggles, gauntlets, etc...I guess I was asking about Brazing. My Dad used to do it with rods and a big can of powder flux. The key thing that was good is he could weld Stainless to Iron, Aluminum to Steel, Copper to Aluminum, etc...I do need the non-similar metals capability. The fact that Gas Welding is harder to learn wouldn't deter me, nor would the fact that it is more time consuming. I would be deterred if it was a lot more expensive...
Reply:Ok brazing is doable and not to hard. You will have some strength limits. Basically you heat the metals until they are red hot(steel) aply flux and brazing rod. Its very much like soldering.The small torch sets are ok for some things. I would try and find a kit with a large selection of tips. The small tanks are a little limiting due to the quantity of gas they hold.Again having an idea what you plan on doing would help. If all you want to do is fix the lawnmower a small setup will work fine. If you plan to weld a home built plane the kit is most likely to small for what you plan to do.It's been years since I needed to braze much of anything. Mosly now I can weld it with an arc welder of some sort. You will find that there are different rods and flux used to join different materials. It will not be a get rod x and use it. I wouldn't even begin to suggest different brazing rods and fluxes for different materials. I just don't use it enough. As said before, a class will be best. You have just narrowed it down to a class that covers brazing. Look around and you should be able to find something.One thing skip the goggles and get a face shield or helmet for oxy welding /brazing. You will see better and it will not fog up as bad.Good luck.Last edited by DSW; 04-24-2008 at 05:43 PM.
Reply:I'm not try to be negative to your ideas , just realistic. $ 600 won't get you very far into welding. Like every one has already said, different machines for different welding processes. There is no universal welding machine. Also, you cannot weld aluminum to steel or copper, period. There are some solders that are supposed to be able to join them but I haven't tried them because I had no reason to. Manganese bronze( commonly called brass) can be brazed to SS but can be kinda contrary to do. True brass is not very common now because manganese bronze will do every thing brass will and is far superior in strength.A/O welding isn't difficult to learn and is pretty versatile. Stick and MIG are much easier and quicker for heavy materials. Tig is easier for the difficult to weld materials, aluminum, thin SS, etc. Thick SS is easy with stick. A/O will teach you the basics for fusion welding though. A welding class is a good idea. Be advised that welding instructors come in different grades too and this will determine how much you learn in the class.
Reply:You can't weld steel, copper, stainless, etc. to aluminum except by inertial welding. That requires some very expensive equipment, and it's a very specialized process. With OA, though, you can use some silver solders. It's not welding because there is no fusion of the base alloys, but it can make acceptable joints.I r 2 a perfessional
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