What type of welder should I use?

Man I'm far from an expert... but I'd use whatever I was most comfortable with (stick, mig, etc). I would just be sure to get plenty of penetration so it'll hold well... especially if it's gonna see heavy duty use. I guess how it's gonna be used is a more important factor in what type of welding should be used =). Just my .02 cents...

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

If you have to ask that question, then you already know...........However, if you REALLY don't know, then get a #4 Victor tip, and gas weld that sucker with some gas rod.........

LOL! The Anti-Ernie is among us.

You're just plain cruel! I can respect that in a man. :)

'course, it _could_ be done and he'd either be one heck of a OA welder by the time he finished -- or done medium well.

In order for you to get any kind of sensible answer to such a vague question, how about more information?

2 feet long

Do you need 100% weld

no

Will you be welding it from one side or both?

yes

How many

just one but I intend to learn as I go. Meaning I am going to do other welding projects just not as thick as half inch

What experience do you or the one to be doing

none, just books, time for hands on.

GET THE IDEA?

yes

thanks

Where do you find this 'gas rod'? If I can get some Argon rod, could I wrap it around my Aluminum rod and TIG without that great big bottle?

Stuart

there is a few options to joins 1/2 mild steel, as mentioned earlier. I would stay away from 110V stick welders,

220V stick would be likely the least cost effective method , (well 110V would be less. ) with stick to make sound weld you need to know what you are doing other wise you will end up with slag inclusion and your weld will be weak. Even with a 220V stick welder I would bevel the edges and make multiple passes. you did not say what kind of metal round, flat , angle , can you weld it from both sides?

once you start welding next thing you know you want a MIG because it makes much nicer weld beads , easier to use, no slag to deal with, can weld variety of metals down to a 24 gauge sheet metal.

then you think you are really a good welder and wanting to attempt TIG welding.

it is addictive

Hmm ... unless you are talking about a Maxstar 150 running on 120v, I don't think you could begin to do this with a 120v buzz box. (Of course, if you're talking about an inverter like the Maxstar, you're not talking about a buzz box anyway ... nor are you at the lower ends of the budget range ... but I digress.) The 100 amp 120v buzz boxes that I have experienced cannot run

6011 at all (OCV is too low); about the best you can do is 3/32" 6013. I suppose if you did enough joint prep (bevelling), you might could cobble something up on 1/2" steel, but in general I found it very difficult to perform satisfactory welds on anything much over 1/8" thick when I had a 120v buzz box. Of course, I was just starting to learn then, so maybe I could do it better now ...

On the other hand, a 240v AC buzz box (like a Lincoln tombstone) could easily handle this. You'd still want good joint prep if you need reasonable strength ...

No problemo, sonny. Real MEN gas weld their steel with ox/acy torches. Girly types buy all that fancy equipment and try and impress the lasses. Where I live, we ain't got no electricity except what my stream turbine makes, and that's for the icebox and computer stuff. Gas welding has been done since about 1920 with fine work on everything from flying machines to Model A's/

I suggest you cowboy up and get with the program or go the sissy route and let the machine do the work. Of course, it leaves your chest hairless and your dick swiveled up.....