For the past 30 years, ever since jr. high when I wanted to make my own a tandem bicycle, I’ve wanted a welder. Tonight’s the night! After spending weeks researching welders and equipment to no end (typical engineer), I’m heading out to Rock Falls, IL after work today to buy a Hobart Handler 140. It’s a gas/no gas 110 v. unit with 140 amp. output that we’ll use to finally get going again on Jeep repairs. The Jeep’s been sitting idle in the garage for awhile.
I’ve only welded a couple times in my life but now I’ll have the freedom and the tools to make house and vehicle repairs that to this point I’ve left undone. Gonna be good! Great price, too. $382 for the unit, spool of wire, regulator and flow meter, helmet and extra tips. Even has a Miller gun and components (since Miller bought out Hobart) so replacement parts will be readily available. I’ll be heading up to Beloit, WI in a week or so to attend a hugh welding show, probably with Steve (machinehead61). There, I’ll look at possibly purchasing an argon tank and other equipment to increase my welding flexibility.
Mary’s van is also in need of some rust through sheet metal repair so I get an opportunity to keep her happy (a good selling point to Mary, right?). My daily motto: “Happy wife, happy life.”
Congrat’s! It’s nice to get tools for projects you’ve wanted to get going for a while. Now, soon, you’ll be justifying a TIG outfit, and sheet metal equipment. “Dear, your car’s bodywork will be far easier for me to do with a $1000 beverly shear, slip roll, ironworker, Miller TIG 210, and full set of anvils.” Metalworking’s like a bug (Since the mill i’ve gotten an 8" rotary table, 13x44" south bend lathe, and am soon to be getting a bandsaw or two and possibly be given a 9x42" bridgeport mill).
BTW, keep your eyes open if you’re looking for a TIG outfit. It seems there’s been a lot of old-ish TIG welders going cheap lately. Someone offered to give me a Miller 210 from the '80s (didn’t take it). Also, if you’re looking for machine tools, old 13" and larger South Bend lathes are pretty good. Someone gave me one.
One warning, try to avoid welding galvanized steel without proper respirators. The zinc in the plating is supposed to be very unhealthy.
Thanks for the encouragement. I can’t wait to get the welder set up and running. I may have to run another electric wire out to the garage, though, but that’s no big deal.
Next on my wish list is an air compressor and pneumatic tools then possibly an acetylene torch kit. Steve (machinehead61) has the tools and he’s always more than generous with his tools and time, but I’d like to have my very own someday so Steve doesn’t have to keep funding my projects. But I can relate to a guy’s username on the Jeep forums, it’s “jeep1wallet0”.
I’m aware of the dangers of galv. welding and also of welding PVC. The machine shop guys at a former employer of mine used to weld PVC quite often and had to protect themselves. Different tools used of course but the results were the same.
The frustrating part is that I have this new toy but no time to use it. Right now, it’s 5:30 a.m. on Saturday and we’re leaving in an hour or so to go play floor hockey for a couple hours. Then it’s back home to rush, rush, rush off to the first of Brad’s soccer games in the 'burbs, then zipping back to Rochelle for church this evening. Sunday morning, we’re off to Ben’s soccer game at first light then rush, rush, rush back to get set up for a parade in another community an hour away while Brad rushes off back to the 'burbs for his second soccer game of the weekend. Once again, I used to have hobbies but now I have children.
What kind of repairs around the house require a welder? I would love one also, but the Jeep, and Unicycling wouldn’t be good “reasons” to get one in my house, but if I could find some “house” repairs… That’s another story. Not likely to need it for cars since we don’t get rust on vehicles in the South, but for some reason, we do get a lot of primer.
You could weld something onto the frame of that mini van for pulling it, just in case you are, say, stuck on the side of a mountain in southwest North Carolina during a camping trip and need to be pulled up. Just a random thought, mind.
Just damn! No friggin kidding. Maybe I could build me a big ass luggage racks for the jeep. Then I won’t need to bring the mini van. Dang… that’s back to welding for the jeep.
Most VW’s have rust on the pan under the driver’s seat and under the battery, they’re easy, but tedious to replace, so I’ve been learning to weld so we can repair the pans ourselves.
No friggin kidding. Maybe I could build me a big ass luggage racks for the jeep. Then I won’t need to bring the mini van. Dang… that’s back to welding for the jeep.
