O.K. here's my problem or issue. I have very very little experience in welding but am getting ready to start a restore on a 1999 dakota that I know a welder is neccesary to have and will need to purchase. I was told by an experienced welder that if i will be doing alot of my welding outside which I will be, that he would go with stick as wind and weather can be difficult welding with MIG. Also a have a backhoe that needs welding at least once or twice a year so would like a welder for that along with these body panels. So being I am inexperienced and welding mostly outside on thick and thin pcs. of steel whats your recomendations. I was also told to go with a 240V welder with higher AMP capability even if I dont need it right now.

Thanks,

Bob

 

You first need to find out if you have a service panel capable of handling the amperage.

 

You can't use stick welding to do sheet metal work! It can be done but can't compare to mig! It depend on what kind of work you will be doing. I have 90 amp set up for doing sheet metal. You need one with adjustable feed and amp setting along with argon gas. Wire thickness also plays into it. I am using .020. Using thicker wire needs more heat to melt and likely to blow holes in sheet metal. Especially if you are butt welding panels. I can weld up to about 1/8 steel with my set up but anything thicker will need more amps/thicker wire.

 

Bob,

You might want to look into a Miller Multimatic 200 or Lincoln Electric has one, you can run all the processes with one, depending on what you want to spend. They can both run on 120 or 230. If you are wanting to run a wire feeder out doors you can look at running flux core wire that doesn't use any shielding gas. If you want to get better at welding watch youtube and get some ideas.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00361
http://lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equ...ig-210-mp.aspx

Ben

 

THanks guys. I do have 220A service so thats not an issue. I think I will go mig, at least for now to do the smaller projects I have coming up and just look for a used stick welder throughout the year. Not sure what brand to go with exactly yet as I don't want to go too expensive but yet want to be able to get parts easily if something goes wrong.


Thanks again,


Bob

 

Migs are reliable, Most command problems are the guns and wire feed issues. You can look on craigs list and find used ones. Just get something in the amp range that you will be using.

 

I moved this thread to the second generation Dakota section.

 

Why? It's about welding not a Dakota specific question. It could have been any vehicle.

 

Go with mig for sure. You will wanna kill puppys if you are welding body panels with a stick.. Its possible but so is winning the 500 mil lottery. Problem with going from body panels to welding thick steel on a backhoe you need a good welder and they dont come cheap even used.. Im running a hobart 140 which is a 115v unit that is setup for gas already. Its about 500 brand new and works for most non pro welders who dont need to weld for a living. You can find them used for about 200 but make sure it all works. The 230 units are a little bit more to buy. New will run you about 700 for the smallest Hobart or Lincoln 230 unit. Miller is another good brand but they are also expensive new and used. For someone thats a new welder a smaller 115 welder will work fine and weld 3/16-5/16ish which on a dakota you dont really need to weld anything thick.

 

Yes i'm set on a mig for sure. I'm just stuck between 110v or 220v. Most ppl are telling me to spend the extra150 to 200 dollars and go bigger than what I need right now because i will in the future wish I did. I also am leaning towards a lincoln 180. Haven't checked out Hobart yet. Miller is probably out of my price range as I want my money going into the truck. haha