Sch.40 pipe.

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Background- Stick welding. 1/4 or less angle iron. Never messed with anything else and never had to touch the setting or change the rods. I know how to weld quality welds with a stick, but have never used anything else.Preface- I have the opportunity to profit from being able to weld sch. 40 pipe and aluminum in my trade. Once I have a setup for one or the other or both I can figure it out from there. It is the setup I need help with. Question- (I'm sure answered elsewhere)- What welder, specs or process(s) am I looking for in a welder will allow me to weld schedule 40 pipe and aluminum? Use will fall somewhere between hobbyist and light commercial. Some of the schedule 40 would be in the field but mostly in controlled environment. I am open to buying used or new. I do not want to junk so I would say I want to spend as little as possible on good equipment. Once I get things rolling and made back my money I would have no problem upgrading.If those two processes could not be performed together with same welder I would rather buy one for the sch.40 first, make some money and then focus on the aluminum. Also open to buying a welder that does one but can be converted to do another. I am fine with 220v or generator although I think either would more money than necessary to get started.  Your help would be greatly appreciated.Last edited by DEET0607; 11-15-2013 at 08:02 PM.
Reply:Stick with stick if you're comfortable with it. TIG aint worth a damn outside. Others will have to help with field aluminum work. I suppose a portable tent rig could be made up. With that budget ? Older AC/DC and a scratch TIG.Bluntly said: If you " never had to touch the settings or change the rods" you're no welder unless you weld the exact same thing in the exact same position over and over.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:You want to weld aluminum pipe with a $750.00 budget? I think I'm about to learn something here!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Thanks burpee. I was hoping stick would work with the sch. 40 best but most of the guys welding the same thing use lincoln mig welders. The bluntness is appreciated but not sure why stated (think you meant "if"). I am not a welder either in hobby or trade. As stated my background is stick welding in which, yes, I weld the same thing in the same position, although I can weld vertical and overhead extremely well just don't remember any of the rod/volt specs needed. I built racks for various things including trucks so I never need to change anything. I guess I am really trying to figure out if there is a welder/process that will result in quality welds for the sch. 40 and also be used for aluminum.
Reply:Well aluminum yes but not aluminum pipe. Angle aluminum and maybe tube, depends on which is best for what I need. I also planned on buying used but not sure what to look for, resulting in the forum post.
Reply:Oh OK now I understand. Welding aluminum, and stainless steel pipe requires a purge. Stainless steel pipe is welded every day with just a Tig rig. Not so easy with aluminum!For carbon steel pipe I prefer SMAW over GMAW, harder for me to control the Mig gun going around small dia. pipe. Next would be GTAW for pipe.Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Alum really will limit you to two processes, AC tig and gas mig with a spoolgun. ( alum stick is just too limited for you to use most likely.) We'd really need to have more info on what you planned to weld to choose between the two. Tig has more control and is better suited for thin materials, say 1/8" and less. Mig would be better for alum say 1/8" and up. $750 budget really won't get you much unless you go used, and most of the AC/DC tigs in that price range aren't what I'd call "portable".As far as pipe, are you welding to a code or is just random stuff? That would dictate what you need to use if it needs to meet a certain spec. Again we really need more info.If I had to take a blind stab at this I'd guess you are going to end up with some sort of mig with a spoolgun as the most versatile option if you can only have one machine. That would let you do FC or solid wire mig for steel, and use the spoolgun for alum. But without knowing more about what you are doing, that recommendation could be totally wrong..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:Ok. I work for the largest fence contractor in the state. I am branching into my own business building custom wood fences, and installing aluminum chainlink and vinyl .For wood gates exceeding 5' in width a gate frame needs to be built. Options are either 2" tube aluminum (1/8" thickness(?)) or 1 5/8" galvanized sch. 40 pipe.  The aluminum gates are a few hundred a piece and the pipe is 200+ materials(always from a fab shop) I will profit from NOT having to outsource this work. Beings that I build custom fences and the gates to match the panels  I need these frames more frequently than your average fence company. I edited out the budget because I am more worried about the welder than finding one in my budget. I just bartered out 2 sets of new tires for both my vehicles and it cost me less than 200 in material and 8hrs labor. I will get the welder but need to know what to get. However, so far I see that stick would be best for the pipe. I was hoping I could by a mig welder to weld the pipe and convert it to weld alum. as well.
Reply:Being a fencing contractor, I wonder if an engine drive, with an LN-25, and spool gun wouldn't be the best way to go?Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:He is just making them in the shop. Keep your eyes on CL for MM200 with a spool matic gun. Can be had for $800-$1000. Near your budget and as bulletproof a MIG machine as can be had.
Reply:None of the suggestions could be found locally. I did find a Miller maxstar 150stl like new I could probably get for 750.00. Would that work? says its a stick/tig setup.
Reply:No, dc only as I recall. You need ac TIG for aluminum.
Reply:Perhaps if you update you user cp with your location we might be able to help more.