Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    CapitalRecovery started this thread.
    CapitalRecovery's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    318
    Thanks
    232
    Thanked 256 Times in 134 Posts

    buying a cheap welder, your thought please

    I'm going to buy a small welder 100 ARC WELDER 100AMP 120V ARC MMA 110V 100ARC BX100 | eBay I'm just going to weld the molds for my bars AL, Cu, Brass if I get any. Also weld my smelter with it too. Do you guys think it will handle this OK?

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to CapitalRecovery for This Post:



  3. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    99
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 82 Times in 45 Posts
    If you going to make molds to pour hot molten metal in . With a 64 dollar welder . I wish you luck . You need to be a excellent welder with a good machine to weld metal good enough not to leak . I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Plus if you make a smelter that is welded together. How are the welds going to hold ? The temperature of the metal being melted . Will probably be hotter than the welder. You are using .

  4. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by missouri:


  5. #3
    CapitalRecovery started this thread.
    CapitalRecovery's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    318
    Thanks
    232
    Thanked 256 Times in 134 Posts
    The smelter will be lined with K Wool

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to CapitalRecovery for This Post:


  7. #4
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,589
    Thanked 7,220 Times in 2,256 Posts
    I have mixed emotions. First if you do not have a lot of experience welding, buying a cheap machine to experiment, learn the techniques, and see if you like it would be a good idea. A better idea is borrow a friends and get their advice (if you are new to it). Another idea is to go to the local welding shop for their opinions and watch them and ask questions. The next consideration if you are new, wire feed welding is easier to learn than stick (rod welding).

    My first personal welder was a small Lincoln wire feed that I was able to use to build trailers with heavier iron than it was rated. Education on welding was provided as a millwright in the 1970's with company stick welders. I also worked in a welding shop for more than a year and a half to learn how to use a wire feed welder, so many hours under the hood were invested before my first purchase.

    Given my love for welding I started creating scrap metal art during the winter using the old Lincoln wire feed. I purchased a Miller Bobcat stick welder/generator for heavier welding. I prefer stick welding and use it far more than the wire feed. The other advantage is with the addition of a spool gun and various gasses, I am able to weld any type of steel, cast, or non ferrous although I have not become proficient in this type of welding.

    Looking back this was the perfect strategy for me and I never regretted it. Good luck and keep us posted.
    Give back more to this world than we take.

  8. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by Patriot76:


  9. #5
    eesakiwi's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    2,531
    Thanks
    2,909
    Thanked 2,556 Times in 1,227 Posts
    Its a AC welder to start with...

    Honestly, if I was to start learning welding again, I'd spend the $ on proper tuition first. There's so many bad habits and useless information that you can pick up by 'teaching yourself to weld'.
    While, with proper tuition, you will never find out these bad habits and starting afresh with knowing absolutely nothing is the best place to start to learn.

    After ten years welding, I got taught by a American, 'Willy' Witt, a Seattle surf enthusist who was doing the southern part of his life long tour of the worlds surfing spots, actually 'how to weld'.

  10. #6
    ScrapmanIndustries's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Easton, Pa
    Posts
    361
    Thanks
    99
    Thanked 303 Times in 132 Posts
    I have a lincoln 180 bought at the home depot and a hobart ac/dc machine equivalent to lincolns buzz box. They are considered cheap welders in my book but i wouldn't go much cheaper than that. And if your trying to get a cheap yet decent tig welder expect to drop at least $1k at the least.

  11. #7
    RLS0812's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Bucks County Pennsylvania
    Posts
    895
    Thanks
    155
    Thanked 633 Times in 358 Posts
    You plan on only welding sheet metal? To me, these numbers seem very low for doing anything else.
    Duty cycles ; 40A = 45% , 60A = 20% ,85A =10% ,100A =Intermitlant



  12. The Following User Says Thank You to RLS0812 for This Post:



  13. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Oil WELDER
      By sig in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 7
      Last Post: 08-01-2015, 06:25 PM
    2. Arc welder breakdown
      By Abuilder in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 02-12-2015, 10:22 AM
    3. Training a new welder
      By hmburner in forum Off Topic Discussions
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 05-15-2014, 12:09 PM
    4. Does anyone use a welder to cut metal?
      By newattitude in forum Tools and Equipment
      Replies: 11
      Last Post: 01-27-2014, 06:03 PM
    5. Antique welder
      By Immulmen in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 10
      Last Post: 03-09-2013, 11:50 AM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook