[Alberto]

Hi everyone. I´m new here. I´m learning English, excuse me if I make mistakes.

I love make things and I know metal is the next step and I´m going to need to weld (Iron, steel and aluminum). Small things and as a hobby. I was thinking about a MIG welder, but I saw TIG-MIG welders not very expensive, around 250-300$.

What do you recomend to me?

Thank you very much.

Kind regards.

[LtBadd]

Hello Alberto
Welcome to the forum, to recommend a welder it would help to know where you are located and what machines are available to you

[Alberto]

Thanks for your answer. I have uptated my profile.

I´m from Spain, but here, a lot of people prefer stick welding but I don´t like it (No ofense stick welders), so I think I will buy in the internet.

I don´t need the ultimate machine in the market. I´m starting, but I would like be able to practise MIG and TIG with the same machine in Aluminum iron and steel. Small proyects (A table, a base for the telescope...).

I think MIG is enought for taht, but I see all this guys whit theese perfects welds with TIG and I know I´m going to want to try.

I was thinking of spending about 250-300$ only in the machine (I know I will need other things like the mask, gloves, etc...).

This is quite a wolrd to me and I will greatly appreciate your advice.

Kind regards.

[cj737]

$300 will not buy you much of a machine. And very likely it will not buy a TIG machine capable of welding aluminum. Aluminum TIG process requires AC not DC current. There are TIG boxes that do both, but they tend to be much more expensive and have higher amperage output (200 amps or greater).

You can MIG aluminum, but you need to use 100% Argon. To MIG steel, you would use 75% Argon, 25% CO2. Your welding supply shop can sell you the bottles or gas depending upon what you own.

Steel, stainless TIG can all be done with a low- to medium- range box. For the type of projects you are describing, as long as it does 150 amps, you should be fine.

[Alberto]

Ok ok.

So, I can use MIG for aluminum and iron/stell and TIG only for iron/stell Right? In that case (Machine without AC) Are there machines of 300$?

I don´t have any idea bout brands an quality, but I´m not going to use it for heavy duty. Can you recommend me some?

Thank you very much.

Kind regards

[Oscar]

Thanks for your answer. I have uptated my profile.

I´m from Spain, but here, a lot of people prefer stick welding but I don´t like it (No ofense stick welders), so I think I will buy in the internet.

I don´t need the ultimate machine in the market. I´m starting, but I would like be able to practise MIG and TIG with the same machine in Aluminum iron and steel. Small proyects (A table, a base for the telescope...).

I think MIG is enought for taht, but I see all this guys whit theese perfects welds with TIG and I know I´m going to want to try.

I was thinking of spending about 250-300$ only in the machine (I know I will need other things like the mask, gloves, etc...).

This is quite a wolrd to me and I will greatly appreciate your advice.

Kind regards.

Alberto,

Necesitas mucho mas que $300USD para que alcanses tu meta. Esta soldadura es un juego que cuesta much dinero para entrar y jugar. Para empezar, no puedes soldar aluminio con MIG facilmente con maquina basica; requiere maquina y procedimiento especial. Las maquinas MIG de nivel basico si cuestan como $300 USD, pero muy apenas son adecuadas para los proyectos pequeños. Las MIGs de calidad empiezan como $600 USD y para arriba. Y para TIG eso es otro mundo entero; requiere un nivel de practica de escala de meses y años para aprender a nivel principante. Yo ha tenido TIGs economicas y nunca estaba contento; siempre habia algo que le faltaba or preferia. Ultimamente tuve que comprar un TIG con torcha enfriada con agua. Es basicamente necessario si piensas algun dia querer soldar aluminio con corriente alternando (AC). Por ahorita te recomiendo un MIG de pueda producir minimo de 160 amperes, pero 200 amperes seria mucho, mucho mejor. 200A seria adecuado hasta aproximadamente 6 or 7mm de grossor de fierro de carbono leve. usando microalambre solido con gas de Argon/CO2, y hasta 8 or 9mm usando microalambre con centro de flujo sin gas. Con esto vas a realizar el progreso mas rapido comparado a TIG en mi opinion. La mayoria de preguntas en los foros en estos dias son preguntas de principantes de soldadura de TIG que no saben lo que estan haciendo incorrecto porque todavia no han aprendido como hacer soldadura basica, asi que no saben los conceptos basicos de las caracteristicas del arco, introduccion de alambre, movimientos y angulos y posicionces de torcha. Por eso no pueden aislar llos problemas. But if you learn some of these basic concepts with MIG (or even with a basic stick welder), you will be much better prepared later on for TIG.

Y por casualidad, no tendras conecciones con la compania Beyma que produce alto parlante es España? Estoy tratando de conseguir unos parlantes nuevos de ellos para un proyector pero todavia no han llegado a los Estados Unidos.

Translation:

I think You need much more than $300 to reach your goals. This welding game costs a lot of money to join and play in. To begin, it is not easy to MIG aluminum with an entry level machine; it usually requires a special machine and set-up. Basic level MIGs can be had for $300 but those are barely adequate for anything except the smallest projects. Decent quality MIGs start at $600 in my opinion, and up. And for TIG that is a whole 'nother world; it requires a level of practice of the scale of months and years just to become a beginner. I've had cheaper TIGs and was never happy; there was always something else needed or that I preferred. Ultimately I bought TIG with a water-cooled torch setup. It's pretty much necessary if one day you plan on welding Aluminum, which uses alternating current (AC). For now I recommend finding a MIG that can produce at minimum 160 amps, but 200A would be much better. 200A is enough to weld 6 or 7mm steel mild carbon steel using solid wire and Argon/CO2 shielding gas, and up to 8 or 9mm mild carbon steel using gas-less flux-cored wire. With this you will be able to progress and learn welding much faster than TIG IMO. The majority of questions on forums revolve around beginner TIG welders that don't know what they're doing wrong because not only do they not know how to TIG, they don't even know the basics of welding, so they can't isolate the issues that are very important regarding the characteristics of the electric arc, introduction of filler metal into the weld, torch movement/angles/positioning. But if you learn some of these basic concepts with MIG (or even with a basic stick welder), you will be much better prepared later on for TIG.

By any chance do you have any connection with Beyma loudspeakers of Spain? I'm trying to get a hold of some of their new speakers for a project I have, but they have not made their way to the United States yet.

[cj737]

You can MIG aluminum with an entry level machine. You're not performing industrial welding, you're making decorative stuff. Yes, a more capable machine is better, but you can do it but you will be limited to the thickness of the material you can weld.

$300 is pretty hard to come by for a decent machine, especially in Europe. I don't know whether you can order online from a US retailer and have it shipped in, unlikely due to CE certification requirements. I suggest you start with a DC-only small machine and see how it goes. If later you evolve your experience and need, then acquire machine more suitable for welding aluminum.

Learning how to weld depends as much on the guidance you receive, your motor skills and eye-hand coordination as much as anything. If you practice with guidance, you can weld acceptably quickly. But find someone local to you who can mentor and instruct you. That is the fastest way to become competent. And then every time you weld, it will be better than the last time.

Enjoy it, its a skill you can benefit from your entire life.

[Alberto]

Thank for your answers

So, I better forgot about TIG...

Can you recomend me a MIG welding? I see a lot of options in on-line stores

Oscar, if you need, I can make a call to Beyma, I don´t have any coneection, but by telephone I can ask about your speakers.

[JayWal]

If you're looking for the cheapest way to try welding id say go with stick/SMAW welding. Very simple machines, consumables are cheap. And no gas needed. $20 of electrodes will make a lot of home shop projects. There's even aluminum electrodes available but they're apparently very difficult to run. Still, probably ok for the occasion home project.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[Alberto]

I tried stick weldin but I don´t like.

[tweake]

I tried stick weldin but I don´t like.

first thing is you need to do is learn welding and the best way to do that is stick welding.
start with stick, get good with it and then go to mig or tig.

there are middle of the road migs that will also stick weld.
also a lot of stick welders you can tig weld with.

[Oscar]

I tried stick weldin but I don´t like.

A lot of what you didn't like might be related to the machine. Very cheap stick welders run poorly. They do run, but compare them to more expensive ones and it is a big difference. I have a $65 stick welder, and a $1500 stick welder. Major difference between the two in how well they burn the stick electrodes.

Thank you for the offer to call Beyma, I have their emails, so I will just continue to bug them!

[Alberto]

Yes, but I work a lot with sheets and I think is not very good for thin sheet

Oscar, but by telephone maybe I can get a better response.

[tweake]

Yes, but I work a lot with sheets and I think is not very good for thin sheet

what size do you call thin?
car panels used to be done with stick. i've done 1.6mm tubing with 2.4mm rods before.

you don't need to have top end welder to do a good job, just not bottom end rubbish. it will drive you crazy learning to weld with a rubbish machine. one of mine is a cheap inverter and it can do the job fine but doesn't have any fancy features.

[Alberto]

Yes yes, I realize I´ll need a more expensive machine

[LtBadd]

Perhaps you could post some links or photos to machines that are available to you

[Alberto]

https://www.grupocevik.es/producto/2723 ... -promig165

This one is multifunction (Mig-tig-mma) I know a only MIG is better, but I have heard people talk well about this one.

And the tig function is not the primary function.

One question about the current. With a 160Amps for example, Can I weld solid iron tube of 1 cm?

I have read that with bigger current is better becausethe duty clicle will be longer in lower current, but for puntual things do you think I´m going to need 200 amps?

[tweake]

https://www.grupocevik.es/producto/2723 ... -promig165

This one is multifunction (Mig-tig-mma) I know a only MIG is better, but I have heard people talk well about this one.

And the tig function is not the primary function.

One question about the current. With a 160Amps for example, Can I weld solid iron tube of 1 cm?

I have read that with bigger current is better becausethe duty clicle will be longer in lower current, but for puntual things do you think I´m going to need 200 amps?

its probably ok for a cheap machine. i have no idea on brand.

its not going to weld 10mm in one pass. you would need something like a 250 amp machine for that. however you can do it in multi pass weld.
it has stick function to learn with and for doing thicker metal with. also a good back up when you run out of gas.

tig, i have no idea. it will be very basic and may be poor. my multi has a terrible lift arc on it.

what power connection does it take? does your home/workshop have the required power connection?

[Alberto]

Thank you. Is a spanish brand, with good reputation.

So, if I need weld thick pieces, I can do it well with 160 Amps, but I will need more work. Am I right?

Yes, my house has the right power conection

[Oscar]

Thank you. Is a spanish brand, with good reputation.

So, if I need weld thick pieces, I can do it well with 160 Amps, but I will need more work. Am I right?

Yes, my house has the right power conection

That is actually a very complicated question because it all depends on the part, and the joint geometry. Its all about how much mass there is, and how is it oriented to each other. 160A is not enough for 10mm thick flat bar in a T-joint, but it might be enough for an edge weld, or another configuration where the heat has "nowhere to go". The more surrounding mass that presents paths for heat to flow out of the weld area, the more amperage you need to weld in that area. This is why you always need to buy the most powerful machine you can afford. You can turn down a machine's output, but you can turn up what the machine doesnt have (extra output).

[Alberto]

Ok ok, I understand. More mass, more heat (And current to reach this heat).

Again, thank you very much. I have read a lot, but here I´m learning much more with all your help.

I will try to propose it from another point of view. For a benigger, that it´s going to play a little, small things for the house...

Do you think is enouhg 160 Amps?

[cj737]

Ok ok, I understand. More mass, more heat (And current to reach this heat).

Again, thank you very much. I have read a lot, but here I´m learning much more with all your help.

I will try to propose it from another point of view. For a benigger, that it´s going to play a little, small things for the house...

Do you think is enouhg 160 Amps?

Yes.

[Alberto]

Thank you!

[Oscar]

Do you think is enouhg 160 Amps?

160A is enough for....approximately 5mm steel..again, depending on actual configuration/part size/orientation. More is better, it is always better.

[Alberto]

Yes yes, I know it. But a good machine of 200 amps it will be more expensive. And I´m not sure if mi power conection of my house can manage this machine