Welder under $1000.
- Thread starter jmforge
- Start date
Bühlmann
Well-Known Member
Look at Primeweld. I have two, and am very happy with both. A lot of welder for the money, excellent warranty & reputation, and US support (haven’t needed to date, but nice to know they are responsive) and native English technical docs. Even the packaging is high quality. Worth a look.
Gliden07
Well-Known Member
I agree with Buhlmann. If I was in the market for a welder I think this is the one I would get. Note it will end up costing you more than the $1K after getting the gas for Mig and Tig I'm sure but, this machine will do it all!
PRIMEWELD TIG225X 225 Amp IGBT AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Pulse CK17 Flex Torch and Cable 3 Year Warranty https://a.co/d/2DBhL5N
PRIMEWELD TIG225X 225 Amp IGBT AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Pulse CK17 Flex Torch and Cable 3 Year Warranty https://a.co/d/2DBhL5N
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Chris Railey
Well-Known Member
First, I am no welder but I can make metal stick together. I have a Lincoln Pro-Mig 140 I run with shielding gas and I have welded countless billets and more with it and no problems at all. $500
jmforge
Well-Known Member
It looks like it comes with everything for that price. I set up to TIG or stick weld.
Gliden07
Well-Known Member
Yeah comes with all the welder associated items but you still need to get the actual bottles of gas from a local welding shop.
jmforge
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that sis what I figured. What gas do you actually need? Also, how well does it work in stick mode? I was thinking maybe sealing up the seam with Tig fusing using no filler metal and then stick weld the handle.
I picked up a YesWelder Tig 205DS last summer. I run stick and TIG. I use the TIG (no filler rod) to weld up quarters for Mokume and to seal billets (weld all of the layers of the billet so air can't get in) and the Stick for more structure type welding, ie welding work sticks on to billets, welding the ends of cable, making up molds, etc. It works, but I wish I went with the one with the MIG option as well and I could use the flux core wire to not need another gas cylinder. TIG uses 100% Argon. I tried my buddies MIG welder and it was much easier to get a decent looking weld!
My welds suck, but it's stuck together! I was welding outside in the wind and trying to get my gas level right. I wish I took welding classes!
My welds suck, but it's stuck together! I was welding outside in the wind and trying to get my gas level right. I wish I took welding classes!
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jmforge
Well-Known Member
of course, the problem is that the "decent looking weld" is made up of stuff that you do not want in your billet.
jmforge
Well-Known Member
I had that cheap 110V HOme Depot Lincoln flux core and it never really works for handles. So I need 220 for that no matter if it is Mig or stick. I have seen sa guy do the whole job with a TIG with no filler, but it was a commercial machine.
Yeah, 110v on the YesWelder sucks, but it also does 220v as well and works much better. I just have no clue how to weld properly!
I am getting better with TIG, but still struggle with stick welding. I would go for a 3 in 1 machine that has MIG capability in case you hate stick welding as much as I do! TIG isnt good for dirty metal welding.
I am getting better with TIG, but still struggle with stick welding. I would go for a 3 in 1 machine that has MIG capability in case you hate stick welding as much as I do! TIG isnt good for dirty metal welding.
Bühlmann
Well-Known Member
You can do autogenous TIG on the entire perimeter of your stacks to completely seal up for a “fluxless” billet, but it is pretty time consuming. Not necessary for building traditional stacks. Any mild MIG wire or SMAW deposit metals will be kept to the outer edges of the billet and won’t be an issue at all.
So if it’s simplicity & speed you want, MIG it. If it’s the absolute lowest cost that matters most, stick it. TIG isn’t necessary for damascus, and has a much steeper learning curve than the other options.
So if it’s simplicity & speed you want, MIG it. If it’s the absolute lowest cost that matters most, stick it. TIG isn’t necessary for damascus, and has a much steeper learning curve than the other options.
Chris Railey
Well-Known Member
The Pro Mig 140 I run is 110v and it works just fine not only for billets but for welding work sitcks on too. Many times I have to cut the work stick off before I cut and re-stack the billet. Don't get me wrong, you can buy whatever you wish but if you are getting a welder just to keep billets from sliding before the initial weld, like you stated above, you do not have to spend $1000. Do you perhaps have a friend who is a welder and may be willing to give you the bare basics. Most welders I know will show you the bare basics for a 12 pack. Of course, that does not make you (or me) a welder but it really helped me once I understood how to set up a welder for the material and what needed to be accomplished to get a weld. Just my 2 cents, like I said, you can buy what you want.
jmforge
Well-Known Member
I have o firends where i live as I just moved here. LOL. i was able to weld with the crap HD machine. It was just nadequate from the get go and degraded quickly. What gas do you use with MIG?
Chris Railey
Well-Known Member
I believe it is an Argon CO2 mix. In truth, and I know the true welders out there will cringe when I say this, but unless I am trying to produce "pretty" welds because someone will see them later, I do not use the shielding gas. Like on billets, those welds are just to get me through setting the first forge welds, so I never use my gas for those. I only weld on the ends of the billets too, not the sides. I always cut the ends off any way. Its just the way I do it, does not make it right.
Bühlmann
Well-Known Member
Standard MIG ops use 75/25 Argon/CO2 mix. That will likely be your most cost-effective mix, too. I definitely would never recommend not using shielding gas, as its purpose is much more than for making welds look “pretty”. Trust me when I tell you that you’ll make plenty of “ugly” welds with gas, but you’ll never make a good/sound weld without it.
Jesse Latham
Well-Known Member
Straight CO2 works for mig. It leaves more splatter and the welds don't lay as flat but works just fine and is less money than the mix. I use both depending on the application.