New to welding - Help with 110v for working on bikes..

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Hi there,I'm new to welding and I'm trying to decide on a 110v welder I can use for working on motorcycles.  The reason I say 110v is because my shop only has 110v power - one outlet to be specific...and it's stolen from the air hangar next door!   I was thinking that something like a Miller 130x would do the trick.  I've got a chance to pick one up locally for a couple hundred bucks used.  I'm wondering though if a 110v welder will do enough for me.  The only experience I have with Welding was with a big 220 arc welder and a ready welder running off dual truck batteries which had tons of power.Would there be a benefit to getting something that I can run gas to if it's only 110v?Could I somehow combine two 110v outlets to make a 220v setup or is that just nuts?Any suggestions would be much appreciated.Take care,Jason
Reply:If you are leeching power, chances are you won't have the ampacity to run a 120V welder.You can combine 2 120V outlets to give 240V only if the 2 120V outlets are fed from seperate halves of the panel.A flux core machine will give better penetration than gas, but with a sacrifice of weld appearance.Perhaps it's time to get you own electric service and get a 240V welder.
Reply:Wow - lots of people want to build bike frames, perhaps I'm in the wrong business.  Welcome to the forum!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Originally Posted by 64bastagbombrCould I somehow combine two 110v outlets to make a 220v setup or is that just nuts?
Reply:Thanks for the reply guys.  I'm not leeching because I'm cheap...  Trust me - I've got a competition Land Rover, 2 XR650's, a 64 CB450 Racer and an Airplane...in the hangar.  .....Just didn't want you guys to think I was a CB steeling power.The problem is that where my hangar is located they simply can't run power out there and for 4 hangars there is only one outlet.  Most guys don't do what I do in my hangar so it's not an issue.  We all have extension cords and just plug/unplug accordingly.  I do however have overhead florescent lights...I wonder if I could tap into the power feed they pull off of?...oh and the airport won't run any more electric which is my problem
Reply:I don't care which welder you buy.  If you don't have enough power to supply it, performance will be terrible.  I plug my 110v Mig into the plug just below the panel on a 30 amp breaker.  It also works great if I plug it into my gas driven welder which has 110v out put.  Have fun with it DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:You're going to build a frame with mild steel ?Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:and a 110v welder Fire!, Fire! Oh wait, that's my torch...Lincoln PT-225 TIGLincoln 175 MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by 64bastagbombrThanks for the reply guys.  I'm not leeching because I'm cheap...  Trust me - I've got a competition Land Rover, 2 XR650's, a 64 CB450 Racer and an Airplane...in the hangar.  .....Just didn't want you guys to think I was a CB steeling power.The problem is that where my hangar is located they simply can't run power out there and for 4 hangars there is only one outlet.  Most guys don't do what I do in my hangar so it's not an issue.  We all have extension cords and just plug/unplug accordingly.  I do however have overhead florescent lights...I wonder if I could tap into the power feed they pull off of?...oh and the airport won't run any more electric which is my problem
Reply:Originally Posted by olddadYou're going to build a frame with mild steel ?
Reply:You could be correct but that's not how I'd build one. There's really only 3 kinds of non-factory bikes, trailer queens, garbage scows and hot rods. Even trailer queens wind up on the road after the purty wittle trofys stop coming in so they are all to be considered riders eventually. I'd use moly on a garbage scow because of the weight. I'd use moly on a trailer queen because it needs sleeker looks. I'd use moly on a hot rod...well that DON'T EVEN need explaining...lol. ANY tube welding I do that is not out of my hands is moly, I tend to overbuild maybe ?...lol. It just doesn't make sense to use MS on such a critical part for a home build.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:Saying that a chopper/harley is just a cruiser is a pretty poor statement. And saying that 4130 isn't worth throwing at it shows a significant lack of knowledge. Some of the custom bikes have very serious power going to the rear tire, a well made and designed frame is a must, NOT an option, a statement like that could get somebody killed. Harley/chopper or otherwise!
Reply:Originally Posted by HRBSaying that a chopper/harley is just a cruiser is a pretty poor statement. And saying that 4130 isn't worth throwing at it shows a significant lack of knowledge. Some of the custom bikes have very serious power going to the rear tire, a well made and designed frame is a must, NOT an option, a statement like that could get somebody killed. Harley/chopper or otherwise!
Reply:Well, Harley uses mild for their frame tubing already. So, that's why I said it would be fine. And at $7 a foot for 4130, I would not even think of using it on anything but a very high stressed part, like a life saving rollcage, or a racing chassis. It's....not worth it.Mild steel is used on 90% of all steel frames on motorcycles. Only Ducati uses it for their stock chassis on stretbikes. Dirtbikes are another story.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Rojodiablo, with regards to stock harley and MILD customs I agree with you. On custom builds from $17,000 to over $100,000 PAINT SHAKERS I really think you need to look at ALL materials. And $7 a foot is what % of the cost on my brothers $45,000 bike. Some of these paint shakers put out up to 200HP and run over 300 series tires = serious stress. Just my opinion, no offense intended
Reply:Did you check the DVI by miller? Miller DVI2City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I don't think moly is expensive at all considering it makes the main part of a solid bike. How much is it worth to be riding and not worm food.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT