How much would some decent welding equipment cost me? I would like to start making my own parts and doing some small exhaust work. Im tired of the shitty muffler shops around here.

How much would some decent welding equipment cost me? I would like to start making my own parts and doing some small exhaust work. Im tired of the sh*tty muffler shops around here.

if you have a 230V outlet you can get this from harbor freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93793


then the wire is somewhat cheap(20 for 2lbs)
.030":
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42913
.035":
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44877

get a cheap autodarkening helmet like this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91214

and your set basically

edite: left out a welding hammer/brush but those are easy to come by.

Ugh. Flux core sucks.

Get a gas setup. Here, it costs you about $100 to "lease" a tank for 99 years.

The HF autodimming mask is horrible. You can't see shit out of it and it's always falling down, getting loose and pinching your ears. Plus, it's really good at collecting embers on top of your head.

I guess it depends on how much you want to spend. The welder is decent. Nothing to write home to mom about, but it'll do just about anything you need. If you want to spend a little more, something like this:

http://www.toolking.com/hobartwelders_500501r.aspx

if you have 220V, or something like this:

http://www.toolking.com/hobartwelders_500500a.aspx

if all you have is 110V, will work great.

Don't forget things like gloves, clamps, magnets, brushes and cords (if you get 220V, since it doesn't come with one). A welding cart is a must as well, unless you want to just weld on a bench or like replacing gas regulators all the time (since you're likely to knock the bottle over a lot).

After that, lots of practice metal so you don't ruin something you care about.

Overall, I would say you should expect to spend about $1000 on some decent stuff, or $500 on HF stuff. Don't skimp on the mask though.

what type of welding do you want to do? tig, mig? i would buy one of tghe newer miller syncrowave tig machines. this is the type of stuff i wouldn't want to buy twice. i'm unsure on the mig since i haven't welded with a mig before. i've heard both the hobart and lincoln welders are good for the $$$

Yea I have a Hobart flyx-core mig and i'm pretty happy with it besides the fact that it's flux- cored. I do want gas and had no idea it was that cheap to have a tank. Now I need a tig welder so I can weld my tranny cases and *** not.

pend a hunnert bucks to go to a local Junior College and take a class. Seriously....you'll get a feel of what will work best for you and try out all different techniques without learning on your own dime. I took a class years ago at Santa Monica College and started with oxy-acet gas, then went on to stick, then wire-feed, and then tig -- all in one semester and at night after work. The best thing I learned was to control a molten puddle with a gas torch and it was all cake from there.

As far as equipment is concerned, you can hit up craigslist and get some bargains nowadays with all the folks closing up shop. For the best practical, do-it-all, easiest, and fastest to learn....wire feed with C02/argon shielding gas and 220V 50 amp. Get a good auto-darkening helmet with the biggest lens you can afford and go to town. You'd be in the club with $1500.

Hope this helps,

-Jimmy

pend a hunnert bucks to go to a local Junior College and take a class. Seriously....you'll get a feel of what will work best for you and try out all different techniques without learning on your own dime. I took a class years ago at Santa Monica College and started with oxy-acet gas, then went on to stick, then wire-feed, and then tig -- all in one semester and at night after work. The best thing I learned was to control a molten puddle with a gas torch and it was all cake from there.

As far as equipment is concerned, you can hit up craigslist and get some bargains nowadays with all the folks closing up shop. For the best practical, do-it-all, easiest, and fastest to learn....wire feed with C02/argon shielding gas and 220V 50 amp. Get a good auto-darkening helmet with the biggest lens you can afford and go to town. You'd be in the club with $1500.

Hope this helps,

-Jimmy

Yes I was actually thinking about taking a college course. Now that you said that that defiantly sounds like the right route. Thanks for all the help so far guys.

They also have ROP courses, which don't cost anything, IIRC.

what type of welding do you want to do? tig, mig? i would buy one of tghe newer miller syncrowave tig machines. this is the type of stuff i wouldn't want to buy twice. i'm unsure on the mig since i haven't welded with a mig before. i've heard both the hobart and lincoln welders are good for the $$$

You sir, are richer (or have more need) than me. A TIG is but a pipe dream for me... :D

BTW, not a fan of Lincolns and avoid a 110V welder unless you need one. The feed motors constantly bind up on them...