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  1. #1
    CapitalRecovery started this thread.
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    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?

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  3. #2
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    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 .

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  5. #3
    CapitalRecovery started this thread.
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    The smelter will be lined with K Wool

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  7. #4
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    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.

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  9. #5
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    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
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    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
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    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



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