Welding Advice needed for 63 S2A

[timc930]

So I just bought a 63 Series IIA, and will be replacing some panels and the rear cross member which will require welding. I've done some welding years ago, but a friend set all the equipment up and I just welded. Instead of paying someone to do all the work I need, I'd really like to do some of the welding. Very mechanical just not alot of experience welding...SO, I am looking at some of the Lincoln Welding machines at lowes, and not sure which would be the best fit:

1) Lincoln Electric 120-Volt MIG Flux-COred Wire Feed Welder
2) Lincoln Electric 120-Volt / 90-Amp Stick Welder


tim

[westcoastkevin]

Tim,
Find out how much your local community college wants for a welding class..... You can probably do your project there if you play nice with the instructor.

Is it a Flux core only or a MIG unit with the regulator for the gas bottle? I would take that I guess. but on a machine that small, borrow one.

[SalemRover]

Such a can of worms. Not that I am a professional welder but I have never been satisfied with the quality of welds I get out of my gasless mig. I have used gas migs, stick and now finally on a tig and gas makes for a much^3 better quality weld versus gasless. That said gasless is the only way to weld in the wind. Depending on the welder you go with having the amp range with a low of 30 will make doing sheet metal work near impossible. As a DIY welder the duty cycle wont be that critical. The other consideration is what power you have access to. 220v will have greater capacity, but if you are on 120 then a mofset based transformer versus coil will be more efficient at converting to welding amperage. The downside of Mofset is that they are not as durable as a gigantic coil. I said a lot of things here and they are food for thought. Take your time and really look into it before jumping at what Lowes/Home Despot has on the shelf.

[o2batsea]

Hey what's an old 2A without a foot or two of booger welds?
The stick welder is probably a bit more challenging for the novice especially on thin stuff. The wire welder can do thin sheet metal, but the process is less laying down a bead than it is making lots of little puddles that eventually all connect. It's not too tough to achieve adequate results with a wire welder. That said, if you do end up getting into the finer points of gluing metal together, you will end up spending for the tig. They just make nicer welds that need way less clean up.
I've been plodding along with an old POS wire welder for 20-odd years and I've learned to live with it. It'll do up to maybe a 1/4 inch or so (needs a couple passes for that) and I can stitch patches in a bulkhead, and repair door frames with it.
While you are there at Lowes drooling over the welding schmidt, toddle over to the grinder aisle and buy yourself a cheapie angle grinder, well actually, better make that two. One for the grinding wheel and the other for a wire brush (get the twisted strand kind). You will be picking those two up frequently when welding. Also get an auto darkening helmet. I think thats all you can buy nowadays but they really do make life worth living if you've ever suffered with a flip helmet before.
I would also say that you should also find some time to try welding with good old fashioned oxygen/acetelyn. On things like a frame it's really the best. You can see the weld pool much easier. You can control the heat way easier and there's less muck to clean up. You can also braze with acetelyn, which is another skill that is often, sadly, overlooked as a solution to sticking metally things together.
Good luck with your decision, I'm sure that you'll do fine.

[giftshopduane]

Skip the Lincoln.. you are better off with a Miller or even a Hobart. I have never liked the way Lincoln's work. Look into the Millermatic 230 dual voltage mig.. $800 or so. Well worth it. I also could get my little Hobart handler 120 do lay down some impressive welds. Lincoln is good, i've just like the way the others weld. I've used them all. Ditch the gasless and go with a regulator and tank.

The thing about MIG is its a glorified glue gun, point and shoot, fill and grind. Once you get the settings right its pretty easy. If you are adventurous try gas welding, beautiful when done properly, I found it elegant, and its a great primer for the control and patience required for TIG, should you get hooked and want to venture into stainless and alu..

[timc930]

So years ago, I was making my 71 911 into a 73RS, and used a friends welding machine to butt weld the flares, as well as welding on new rocker panels and some patch work. Most of the welding on the flares came out so good once I ground down, there was no body work required to fill voids. IIRC, it was a auto feeding mig with gas. The welding machines that I am looking at are a much lower grade, and don't appear to have gas. I have a budget of around $500 for this. So this is going to be a weekend warrior welder, and all I am really looking for is something that will allow me to install the rear cross member, and do some other minor frame patch work, as well as a few patches to some of the panels and weather strip channels. Am I being unrealistic on budget for what I am trying to accomplish?

Again, I really appreciate all the help, and looking forward to playing with this IIa, wanted one for a long time.

tim

[I Leak Oil]

To echo other's sentiments, skip the flux core wire feed welders. They will just continue to bash your welding ego! You really can't go wrong with any of the name brand welders. They are all decent. I've built a bumper, sliders, raised airintake, and completely refloored a RRC with a Lincloln 130, used Lincolns in a coachworks shop for 4 years, no complaints. Would the miller 220 do a good job? They absolutely do and we have 4 of them at work that do production work all day long.

Get what ever training you can. Most of the machines will give you a chart with basic settings to start at based on the machine, process and what you're welding. Don't be afraid to fail, that's how you learn.

[superstator]

Far from a pro welder myself, but after taking a class last winter I came to the conclusion that I really wanted a TIG, but oxy acetylene was the best bang for the buck. About $500 for outfit, bottles, and gas gets you a really nice setup that can cut & weld almost anything, and you can get really good results if you take your time at it. You loose the ability to do alu or stainless easily, but you gain the ability to braise and do a lot of finer work if needed. And of course, no electricity required.

[NC_Mule]

So years ago, I was making my 71 911 into a 73RS, and used a friends welding machine to butt weld the flares, as well as welding on new rocker panels and some patch work. Most of the welding on the flares came out so good once I ground down, there was no body work required to fill voids. IIRC, it was a auto feeding mig with gas. The welding machines that I am looking at are a much lower grade, and don't appear to have gas. I have a budget of around $500 for this. So this is going to be a weekend warrior welder, and all I am really looking for is something that will allow me to install the rear cross member, and do some other minor frame patch work, as well as a few patches to some of the panels and weather strip channels. Am I being unrealistic on budget for what I am trying to accomplish?

Again, I really appreciate all the help, and looking forward to playing with this IIa, wanted one for a long time.

tim

I've been teaching myself on a 120V 135amp MIG with gas from Eastwood.com $339 bucks shipped. It's made in China and I'm not normally a China guy but I was on a tight budget and I remember looking at some of the name brand small 120V welders and some were made in Mexico. Check out the reviews on Eastwood. I'm too much of a beginner to say that it's awesome or a piece of crap.
My link is not working but go to www.eastwood.com and check look up the $339 MIG with gas. I didn't buy the welding cart, that was my first welding project.