Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Advice needed regarding welder, no other content

[Paul Bennett (pbennett]

>I am in the market for a welder.  I need a tool that
>will weld sheet metal as well as structural steel on a
>car.  I don't need to weld anything but steel so fancy
>gas units aren't needed.
>
>So what KIND of welder (and current) would you
>recommended for the jobs I have described above? 

I thought much as you did and bought a Miller MIG 
(flux core or gas shield) without the gas bottle, think 
it is a Cricket.   Pre-chinese stuff- it is great-was $600
but the his Craigslist in the $200+ range.

When you use gas shield wire it is supposed to form a 
gas bubble around the weld  and after chipping away 
the slag, get a nice clean weld.   That world didn't 
exist for me, I added the bottle and now I get clean
welds without having to chip any slag.

Re voltage...
Many wire welders will work on 20A 110 but I'd 
recommend getting a unit which can be wired 110 or  220..

And spend some bux on a good helmet.  Anything which
comes with the welder isn't worth having.