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welding thin metal

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wdTom

03-27-2004 19:14:42




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I have your basic Lincoln buzz box welder, 225 amp. I have been thinking of getting something for samll parts and thin metal. The Lincoln catalog shows a DC machine (model V-100 S) that will go down to 8 amps and can do TIG with the addition of a torch. Does anyone have any experience with such a welder? It seems like if I can do 16 gauge welding with my buzz box that I would be able to weld 20 gauge with something like this just with stick, and maybe add TIG later? I read that by using "reverse polarity" that something like 2/3 of the heat generated is concentrated in the end of the rod and 1/3 goes to the work. Seems like the setup for welding thin stock? I would sell my welder and get the AC/DC version and it would cost less, but that only goes down to 30 amps DC and 40 AC. Thanks for any thoughts.

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wdTom

03-29-2004 19:22:33




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 Re: welding thin metal in reply to wdTom, 03-27-2004 19:14:42  
Thanks for your imput guys. Am considering what I may do while looking at catalogs.



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old

03-28-2004 09:43:37




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 Re: welding thin metal in reply to wdTom, 03-27-2004 19:14:42  
With a tig set up like the one your talking about you could weld a beer can, I know in my day we did it just for kicks



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Mark

03-28-2004 08:15:14




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 Re: welding thin metal in reply to wdTom, 03-27-2004 19:14:42  
I went to Tractor Supply and bought their 85 Farmhand wire feed welder for that (<$200). It has flux core wire and is cheaper than MIG/TIG as you don't have to fool with gas. The flux makes gas at the tip as it burns.

I do not have a problem welding thin or thick material with this machine but I don't guarantee the beauty of the weld either. Definitely doesn't look good like a 7018 does on your Lincoln. Course if I ran it enough I might figure out how to make it pretty. Welds are very strong however.

Mark

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Wayne

03-27-2004 23:03:52




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 Re: welding thin metal in reply to wdTom, 03-27-2004 19:14:42  
If you want to be able to do sheet metal along with pretty much anything else around the farm simply find yourself a good MIG setup. If your gonna be doing alot of really thin sheet metal you can set it up with something small like an .023 wire, but for sheets in the 16 guage range you should be able to run a median size wire like .035. With the .035 you can weld up pretty much anything you want in one pass up to about 1/4 thick and thicker still if you crank it up a little and run multiple passes. I used to build bodies for service trucks and the material we used varied anywhere from 20 guage to 12 guage, and on up to 1/2 or better on some of the frames. Everybody in the shop ran .035 wire wether we were doing the lighter stuff on the sides or the heavier material that made up the actual bed frame. The welding I get into now is alot heavier than what I was doing building bodies so I normally run .045. Even with the heavier wire I can still cut the voltage down and do material in the 16 guage range without alot of problems. The main thing is getting used to your machine and the way it welds and being able to adapt by running the bead faster with the thinner materials. etc. etc. Like anything else no matter what equipment you get, in the end, it's the practice and skill that really counts. Keep an eye on E-bay and you should be able to find anything you want for a good price. For general use and to be able to do the widest range of work you'll most likely want something in the 200 Amp range. Something like a Millermatic 200 or 250 is always a good bet. You can usually get one used for a few hundred dollars and they will last along time (especially the older ones) under the most demanding conditions you'll ever throw at them. Some of the newer ones even come set up with both a standard MIG gun as well as a spool gun for doing aluminum if your wanting to get into that. Just my .02, hope it helps. Good luck.

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