Newbie questions. Please help me

admin

Hello,I want to get into hobby welding. I don't know what to buy but my budget is tight. I live in Canada and was thinking about buying the following welder:http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortmen...=1145164102283Would I be able to weld aluminum with this welder?And I was wondering about safety and health. What else would you need other than a welding mask and gloves? Maybe even a gas mask?Any help would be apriciated.
Reply:Hey Blue,Ok, heres the deal, this machine is good for steel and pretty much thats its.  carbon steel that is.  Granted thats most of the world, but You wont get into stainless or alum.  For those you need to either go with a gas wire or a stick, but a stick has severe limitations for alum.  The sp135 is a much better size for you, but I understand money is an issue.   I noticed the http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortmen...=1145166301859 offers a similar rig with gas.  Shielding gas that is.  Perhaps consider this.  I would prefer the http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortmen...=1145166301843however this machien runs on 230 v power.The differnce is the first is 100 amp which will get best prolly 1/4inch on mild steel and around that on alum.  The 15 is a 175 amp machine and will be much more powerful.  However, the 10 will work for a hobbyiest if you follow close adherence to preperation.  Sandy can prolly give you more input as he has a 175, a miller but a 175 and give you more info on its need or such.Hope this helps,  Good luckIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:ok,  the gas welders are out of my price range.So the  Lincoln Handy Core 100 Wire Feed Welder would be a pretty good for just welding steel and nothing else.And with the  Mastercraft Stick Welder I would be able to weld aluminum and stell. Please tell me more about it's limits. Also how would you weld with it?  Would it be similar to soldering?And what about safty?
Reply:the stick welder has limits with aluminum that its not good for thinner than 1/8" thats any stick welder.  On steel this particular machineis going to be very weak.  Its good for up to 1/8" steel.  This pretty well tells you its not much good for alum, and for steel its pretty weak.  Stick welding is not like soldering, you strike the rod and it begins burning.  Tends to want to stick especially on a machine this small.  As it burns it melts the base metal and the rod forming a solid piece.  I usually dont recommend a stick welder less than 200 amps acIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Oh and you asked about safety.   Welding helmet for both types of machines, long sleeves, long pants, and gloves.  There are sparks and intense UV light that will give a burn like a really nasty sunburn to any unprotected skin.IF it Catches...Let it Burn