[alfa] Need advise on welding equipment

[AlfaNeely@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/10/2004 4:42:41 AM Central Standard Time,  
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

Date:  Tue, 9 Nov 2004 13:46:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Nash Bap  <nashbap@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] Need advise on welding  equipment

Hello:

I'd like to try my hand at welding stuff such  as Alfa sheet metal and 
exhaust and am considering purchasing a wire welder.  Needless to say there is a lot 
of stuff on the market and I am quite confused.  110V or 220V? Amperage 
range? What gauge thickness is typical Alfa sheet  metal? While MIG will probably 
be cleaner will a flux cored wire be able to do  the job? Any brand 
recommendations? Lincoln, Campbell Hausfeld, Harbor  Freight? Anyone familiar with the 
Henrob 2000 as sold thru  Eastwood?

Thank you in advance.

Nash  Bapasola



-----------------------------
 
    Buy a small MIG from Lincoln or Miller.  Stay  away from Harbor Freight 
and Campbell Hausfield.
    Ask the vendor what size to buy for sheet metal up  to 1/8 inch.  I do 
not know what model my Miller is.  I have  owned it for 15 years so that model 
number is surely not current anyway.
     I rewired my house to run my air compressor  and my stick welder.  But 
110 volt will be fine for light  welding.  Plus you can use a common outlet and 
extension cord.   
    Buy a gas bottle and regulator.  The gas  shield around the weld does the 
same thing as the flux, but you do not have to  grind, wire brush, clean away 
the welding slag.  Inert gas leaves a much  cleaner weld.
    I use a mixture of Argon and Carbon Dioxide.   Pure Argon is way more 
expensive.  If you try to weld aluminum, you will  need pure Argon.
    Sign up for a welding course at your local are tech  school.  You can 
learn by doing, but you might ruin a perfectly good  Alfa in the process.  And 
weld sheet metal in stitches.  That is, weld  half an inch, then move some 
distance away and weld another half inch.  If  you try to weld a continuos seam, 
you will warp the sheet metal.
 
Ciao,
Russ  Neely
Oklahoma City
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