Are these examples of projects that could be completed using a MIG welder?

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If anyone has time, would they be able to click on these links and tell me if these are examples of projects that could be constructed using a MIG welder?1) http://www.yardzooks.com/mm5/graphic...0001/72181.jpg  2) http://www.weldmyworld.com/.a/6a0120...6dfd970d-800wi3) http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/ima...ter:GUI008.jpg 4) http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/cleanairgard...2270_601343262  5) http://www.millerwelds.com/interests...69129_350w.jpg6) http://img2.wfrcdn.com/lf/49/hash/1887/9557487/1/.jpg 7) http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23...892c0d015f.jpg 8) http://www.weldmyworld.com/.a/6a0120...7de1970d-800wi9) http://www.millerwelds.com/interests...59584_350w.jpg10) http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/73...cf963fadc3.jpg 11) http://www.kevincaron.com/page_image...withhandle.jpg12) http://www.vintagetub.com/images/medium/m_MC-30.jpg  13) http://www.cmstatic1.com/8335/c/9-bo...M1LjM4MTgx.jpg   14) http://www.gardenista.com/files/styl...rdenista_0.jpg  15) https://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/59....224946171.jpg 16) http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:SIW016.jpg 17) http://ecofriend.com/wp-content/uplo...ched_bowls.jpg 18) http://windowwellexperts.com/images/...ate/grate2.jpg--I’m just trying to get a feel for what a MIG can do from reading online.
Reply:Yes! Absolutely! Those are great projects for the hobby welder to make!Some very cool projects there.
Reply:you could even do them with a 120volt mig like a licocoln, milller, hobart or comparable 140 machine. a multi voltage or 240v can do even more
Reply:Thank you. I think I have a better understanding of what MIGs can do now. --It's actually rabbit hutches and fruit tree enclosures I'd like to learn how to weld and then it would be nice if I could repair some of my tomato cages. I'll need to be taught how to weld first and I'm blessed to have found someone who is willing to teach me this coming May. He'll probably start me on scrap and I'll probably stick to scrap until I'm comfortable enough to tackle a real project. --Would something like this be a good 1st project after he gets me going, http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...expanded+metal ?adding something... I missed this at the bottom of your post, "Why buy food when you can get tools?" Too funny.  Thank you for making me laugh. Laughing is a good way to start a day.Last edited by Equilibrium; 04-19-2014 at 08:33 AM.Reason: adding something
Reply:puty72> sorry... I missed your post when I was typing. I won't be doing any of those projects I linked to. I was just trying to sort things out in my head when I went online looking at images of metal projects. --I don't own a welder and I'm going to hold off on getting one for a while. I'll be using the MIG the man already owns to learn. It's a 240v Miller of some sort.  He also has other welders and I think I'm going to try some stick welding. After I see if I can see well enough to do this, I'll probably start looking for a good used welder or maybe a dinged floor model that I could afford. --All I'll need to buy right now is a good helmet, a welding jacket, and gloves. I'm just beginning to research those.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumThank you. I think I have a better understanding of what MIGs can do now. --It's actually rabbit hutches and fruit tree enclosures I'd like to learn how to weld and then it would be nice if I could repair some of my tomato cages. I'll need to be taught how to weld first and I'm blessed to have found someone who is willing to teach me this coming May. He'll probably start me on scrap and I'll probably stick to scrap until I'm comfortable enough to tackle a real project. --Would something like this be a good 1st project after he gets me going, http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...expanded+metal ?
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumI don't own a welder and I'm going to hold off on getting one for a while. I'll be using the MIG the man already owns to learn. It's a 240v Miller of some sort.  He also has other welders and I think I'm going to try some stick welding. After I see if I can see well enough to do this, I'll probably start looking for a good used welder or maybe a dinged floor model that I could afford.
Reply:Canadian Welding> A cart with wheels sounds like a nice first project and I suspect it could be used in a greenhouse if I built something too small for which ever welding machine I end up with. I honestly don't know what I'd do with those stairs however they sure did look nice. Yes, I think this is going to be fun once I deal with the fear factor. I'll admit I'm scared to death of hurting myself. This too shall pass. I originally had problems when I was 1st taught to use a chainsaw. I had these visions of making a mistake and sawing off my arm or worse yet... my instructor's arm. I just ended up getting more help and now I'm fine using a chainsaw... a welding machine will be similar and the man teaching me will be right there so I don't burn down his garage or myself.  Oh... he's going to teach me how to use a grinder. I've never used 1 before so I'm looking forward to that too.  --tbone> Yes, I just don't have $$$ to waste... who does in this economy.  I'd rather learn from him then let him steer me to which machine is best so I don't end up with something that won't do what I want it to do. --I took a class at the senior center on the internet and for $10 it included how to search. I don't know if you're old enough but I really learned a lot about computer when I took their classes and most senior centers offer them cheap. A little trick they taught me is that we can go to yahoo or bing or whatever our favorite search engine is and type in weldingweb.com plus welding helmet and if we definitely want the word helmet to appear in our results... put a + directly in front of it like so- +helmet. Maybe that will help you refine searches? I already found a thread here recommending a Miller auto darkening and went online and found this, http://www.weldersupply.com/P/501/Mi...obbyAutoDarken. It's more than I wanted to spend but I'd rather spend more on safety equipment than a welder because I need what's left of my vision for the rest of my life. I'll have to do some more research then run that helmet by the man who will be teaching me. Then I probably should find a store selling them somewhere so I can try one on my head.
Reply:It sounds like your off to a good start. My cousin showed me the basics with his miller on scrap one time and it started the itch for me. I found a used 110 Lincoln in a pawn shop because I didn't have 220 in my building. I quickly decided I wanted bigger so I got the electricity dealt with and bought a Hobart stickmate. The stickmate is much more capable compared to a new mig in the same price range.
Reply:Mig can do a lot trust me it just depends on the machines size, example a 120 volt 140 amp machine might be rated for 90 amps at a 20 percent duty cycle but a 3 phase Miller CP-302 can do 300 amps at 100 percent duty cycle so the quote "I’m just trying to get a feel for what a MIG can do'' totally depends on the machine,operator skill, wire,etc.Lincoln pro core 125 14''chop saw7 inch grinder,2-4.5 inch grinders,electric die grinder.Half inch drillAnd alot of hand tools
Reply:That Miller hood you linked is a decent one. I'd avoid AD hoods less than $100 on average from having tried the inexpensive ones the students bring in at the tech school. There's a huge difference between the cheap HF hoods and my Miller as far as optical clarity, and if you can't see well, you can't weld well.That said, you can make "do" with an inexpensive fixed shade hood. In fact when I learned years ago one of my 1st instructors wouldn't let any new student learn with an AD hood. His point was if people wanted to do this for a living, at some point you'd have to use a fixed shade hood, even if it was for a back up when the AD failed. The optics in my old Jackson $35 fixed shade hood are just as clear as those on my $300 Miller and way better than many "cheap" hoods. Learning to flip down the hood takes some time, but it's not impossible..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I looked at most of the projects you posted and I agree, those could be done with MIG.Just note that when you are working with aluminum (like the bird house), you may need more equipment for your MIG machine.But, as long as you stick to steel, even the 110-volt machines would do well with the projects you showed.As far as hutches, fruit tree enclosures, and tomato cages, even brazing would be adequate (using a gas torch).Whatever you do, please post pics here of your projects.KevKevin / Machine_Punk from The Aerodrome Studio - Lincoln PowerMIG 210 MP - Meco N Midget w/custom welding station - Vintage Victor 100Current Projects: The Aerodrome Studio
Reply:dman24> I am so lucky, I checked with my husband and we have 220 in our garage.--flux core joe> I totally understand what you're saying. I'll probably look for a welder that is a step up from what meets my needs so that I can grow into it if needed. I like the Miller 210. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a floor model or used to save $$$.--DSW> I researched welding helmets and that was the best I could find in my price bracket that could be used for grinding as well as actual welding so thank you for confirming my choice. All I need to do now is find a place that sells it so I can try it on my head. --Machine_Punk> I didn't realize the birdhouse was aluminum. Oopsie.... I for sure want to stick to steel. I can't buy anything beyond the basics.  Aluminum would actually be nice for a birdhouse because it doesn't rust. Just in case you're thinking about a birdhouse.... there's an issue with that particular design.... there is no way to access the interior to clean or delouse it. Mites can be a real big problem for cavity nesting birds.... mites can literally suck the life out of nestlings. --You are so right on the hutches. The man who is going to be teaching me how to weld came over to my house, looked at the stackables I have and what was concerning me then made a few suggestions which I think will meet my needs better than what I originally had in mind. We'll see what I ultimately end up with. He had suggestions on fruiting tree enclosures also based on the damage I showed him compliments of Bambi and Thumper.  And the tomato cages I have that have been self destructing on me after one season.... he had ideas for those too. He looks at things differently than I do given he has 40+ years of experience so I'm really lucky he has a wife who is going to "share" her husband with me.   --Oddly enough, brazing doesn't scare me as much as MIG welding does. Perhaps it's because I've been trained on using a Weed Dragon already? --I will most certainly post photos of what I'm taught how to do. I need to figure out how to post photos myself or else I'll have to wait until the boys start coming home from college the end of May. I didn't grow up with a mouse in my hand like the kids today do. I still can't program our coffee pot.
Reply:What we use for tomato cages and bean rigs is welded wire concrete  reinforcing mesh. I'd have to measure what we use, but I know it's heavier than the typical home store 10 ga stuff. Tomato cages are about all we use the rolled wire mesh for as it won't lay flat well for concrete. We don't even weld it together, we simply wrap the wire from one end around the pieces at the other to connect the two. For beans, cukes and other climbers I prefer to use flat mats in a frame vs round cylinders, though the last two years I've done cukes in a large bucket with 10' of wire cage to climb on..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:That may be exactly what the problem is with the store bought tomato cages I'm trying to repair... the gauge of the metal. I know exactly what concrete reinforcing mesh is because they did manage to put it in our patio and in our sidewalks. I was thinking along the lines of using the heavier gauge hog panels for new tomato cages but what you suggested sounds like the better choice. Thank you. --Cukes I've had success training out horizontally believe it or not. Pole bean varieties of green beans, Malabar spinach, luffa, and birdhouse gourds are another story. They need to go up. Based on my limited understanding... I'd still need a grinder to "fabricate" supports even if they weren't welded. The grape vine supports I have in mind would need to be welded. Grapes are heavy vines and I'll need a means by which to drape bird netting over them so the feathered rats in the skies (European starlings) don't get to my grapes before I do.
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Reply:11) 12)   13)    14)   15)  16)  17)  18) If you replace the url with img it will display the pictures.  I think they could be done with a MIG.