Hey guys, question

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First off just want to say hey, been reading some threads seems like this is a good spot for valuable information.  In my garage I have a bridgeport mill, and a lathe, I was thinking about getting a mig welder for my garage, and a gas powerd arc welder.  My plan is to make parts for people, and do like a machine and weld service, I'm really worried about investing in the welding machinery because I want to profit in the " long run".  I could make the parts, and do what ever welding I can in my garage, then have the mobile welding service as well.  I'm looking about 2 grand for everything.  Will it be possible to fill my savings account back up!?  As of quailty of welds, I woulnt do anything structural although I know I can beat some welds iv seen on jobsites :-O  Any ideas how to market my self, or if my idea sounds like a prosperous plan, would be really great, Thanks guys.
Reply:That's exactly what we do here. Machining and welding/fab.I owned a trucking company for thirty years and bought this place 4 yrs. ago and never looked back. The filling up your savings account is up to you. What I mean by that is how much time and commitment are you willing to put in?Check your local area in terms of growth for fab work and machining etc., be realistic. If you're like us you must go outside of the area and it's actualyy been a blessing. By the best equipment you can, the first time you put out lousy stuff you'll spend heck recovering your reputation from pushing beyond your ability or the equipment's limitations. I found this one out the hard way!We now do alot with the Navy and other aerospace firms and it pays the bills. How to get there? Ask for advice EVERYWHERE. I don't know what your experience is with the lathe and mill but I can tell you this, never stop learning. It increases your odds of success tremendously. Ask for reference material from people who have been where your at.Last thing, use spellcheck and proper english. You never know who's reading and looking for your attention to detail.There may be that one person like me who needs some help on the east coast with a project and believe me--I check details!!Hope this helpsGreg
Reply:sorry about the misspelling--actually it's actually--rock on.Greg
Reply:Originally Posted by Shamboroni I was thinking about getting a mig welder for my garage, and a gas powerd arc welder.   I'm looking about 2 grand for everything.
Reply:Greg are you on the east coast?Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Laura what area of the "south" are you in? Im halfway between Jax and Orlando, FL myself....I dont think youll get engine driven and a mig for 2k, may source a used engine driven alone for 2k... Here we have Lindegas and they will actually negotiate on machine prices, I got a nice deal buying my Bobcat 250 when we had 3 hurricanes in 2004 (perfect time for a generator!)...  But I say shop around, watch for used machines if youre gonna go that route... Or maybe get a good MIG and start making some money... Some companies supposedly will finance machines, but I hate financing anything myself...  But 90% of what I do to make money gets done inside the shop, so my MIG is my money machine....
Reply:115 miles North of Tallahassee, up by Madison Fl.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Laura, I am located on the west coast in Washington state.About as far from you as possible,geographically that is. Google Port Townsend, Wash. and check it out. I like the weather where you are, and my daughter just graduated from FIU in Miami.Shambo, a good source for used equipment I have found is CraigsList. Check it out--a lot of times people want to unload something fast and that's where they do it now instead of pawn shops. Although sometimes those are good places as well.I personally think that a good used machine of higher quality is a better idea than a HF machine for instance.I'm no snob about such things and I do shop there, but you're talking about making a living with it.Also, take the time and effort to establish a BUSINESS relationship and account with your LWS. Let them know what your intentions are and you'd be surprised how that translates into cost savings.RespetoGreg
Reply:What's the best stuff to use to clean up a project? I've used mineral spirits, a degreaser and some generic stuff they had at our shop.  When I used the low end stuff it didn't work as well.  Figured out I must prime before paint, also wanting to know what to use for a poly finish.  How do you guys polish up work, the pad on the grinders? I don't have a wire wheel and that's not really an option for big pieces.  Eventually I want to learn the electopolish.Thanks.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Laura,If you have questions, it's usually good board etiquette to start your own thread posting.  When you tag your questions onto someone else's original thread, it's called a hijack.   Your questions are valid questions, no real problem there.  But you -should- start your own thread(s) if your posting isn't related to the original topic or goes off too much on a tangent.To clean stuff, you need to use the appropriate cleaner(s) for the task at hand.  To clean mill scale off, you can use a grinder with a grinding wheel, flapdisk, or wire brush, or a sandblaster (for big jobs), etc.  To clean old paint off before welding ( ) you can use the wire brush, the sandblaster, paint stripper, etc.  To clean off old grease and oil, you can use different solvents.  Etc, etc, etc.  There is often more than one tool or way to do a job right, and just as many ways to not do the job right!   To the OP (original poster) Shamboroni, unless you luck into some really good deal(s) on some used equipment, I don't think your $2k budget is going to go far for what you say you are looking for.  That $2k will get your started pretty well with the MIG equipment and accessories (smaller 'industrial' MIG plus a few tanks of gas plus some different wires, etc, etc), but won't get much going toward the engine driven welder.To succeed, come up with a business plan and make contacts and work hard and do good work and get a good reputation.  Good luck!
Reply:Interesting venture.  Invest your money in shop welder.  Perhaps your profit will allow you to get a good engine driven welder.  You might find that you can get along without a engine driven welder.  Your not real specific as to what you will be doing.  If you are doing machine work, I would think you would want to be inside your shop more than in the field, hence stock your shop first. I would suggest buying used equipment.  My money stretches further that way.
Reply:You can get a great used shop machine for as much as half price a new one, or even less if you look around.  An engine drive however is gonna cost you.  If you are gonna be in business, and rely on the machine day to day.  Step up and buy a new machine.  However a good 225-250 amp machine is gonna be $2500-$3000 alone not counting cables and accessories.   I agree as stated above.  Build your shop first, and if you still feel the need to go out in the field then go in that direction.  Keep in mind that field work is a different breed than shop work, and you will want to have a complete setup for the field if you are gonna go that route.  Having to load up all your clamps, and power tools from the shop just to go out for a couple hours and come back then have to unload it all.  You will work yourself to death, and it will grow old fast.   Setting up for field work is gonna be an investment in itself.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Well thanks guys, I work second shift, and I want to take advantage of my daytime to do this as a side job, with very high hopes of it growing into something big one day, when I say big, a career in business for myself making decent money ( decent can be viewed in many ways, but that can be left alone )  I'm extremely ambitious in my ideas and I love doing business and working with people.  This guy is liquidating his dads house, and has a bluestar honda 3500, for 900 dollars, it seems like a great deal for a new welder, but if I don't need the gas powered just yet, I wonder if I should take that and get a millermatic.  Hummmmm.
Reply:That would be a pretty weak setup to pass off as a mobile welding biz.You could put on your card "light mobile welding on steel".Oh YEA....IMHO!!!Miller Dynasty 700Miller 350P with Aluma-pro push-pullMiller 280 Dynasty with expansion card Dynasty 200 DXMigMax 215 Enuff power and hand tools to create one of anything..... but mass produce nothing!!!
Reply:Understandable, Is the difference with the bobcat, or weldanpower, trailblazer...etc their ability to properly penetrate?
Reply:The Bobcat and Trailblazer are Miller while the Weldanpower is Lincoln...but yes, the main difference is overall amps and generator power.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com