The Chopper Compendium

What kind of welder would I need in bike building? Mig, Arc, or...? For stuff like brackets and so on?

any welding process will work but mig is the easiest to learn and the smaller machines arent that expensive anymore

curt wrote:any welding process will work but mig is the easiest to learn and the smaller machines arent that expensive anymore

So, I won't need a real powerful welder?

Hi there, welcome to the forum. Curt is right all welding process will work more or less, get yourself a 180amp-200amp welder mig or tig with gas bottles for cleaner welds. Takes alot of practice to get good descent welds in all materials. Good luck.

jonester123 wrote:Hi there, welcome to the forum. Curt is right all welding process will work more or less, get yourself a 180amp-200amp welder mig or tig with gas bottles for cleaner welds. Takes alot of practice to get good descent welds in all materials. Good luck.

Thanks for the help guys. I was thinking about this welder. Problem is, I've heard bad things about Harbor Freight tools. Looks like a good welder, but I don't know.

http://www.harborfreight.com/120-amp-23 ... 97503.html

I wouldnt waste your money on that welder, if you are going to do fabrication work and welding on frame tubeing and thick plate materials then you need to pay for a descent welder that is capable of welding that size materials. Look for a lincoln or miller mig welder of atleast 140amp- 200amp, they cost around $500.00 and up for a quality welder, it is always better to buy bigger so you have the power to weld thicker materials, and make sure you have the power to run them right.

Harbor Freight mig welders arent bad , in fact they held up in a comparison test against 3 other welders that cost more to buy as a good tool for the money !!

It's a crap shoot at best buying tools there.May work, but what happens when it needs parts.Id save & buy from a reputable manufacturer..... ie Lincoln, Miller to name a couple.

Thanks everyone! I've got a buddy that has a mig welder....maybe I can get him to weld what I need. We have a Tractor Supply store here too....they sale Hobart welders.....I can save for one of those I guess.

Hobart is a reputable brand in business for many years. For a purchase that will hopefully be a longtime tool, you should do some research
on several things.
Learn the major differences in the welding processes, not difficult to do. You have a friend who welds, he can tell you in a few minutes, and show you examples.
Cost for purchase, use of power, consummables, accessories
Power output, features, adjustable settings, ease of set-up.

The main thing to consider is whether you actually need a welder. One time project, possibly not.

Gaining knowlege is never a waste of time.

check with your local welding supply house sometimes you can pick up a used machine that they have worked on or refurbished or someone traded up for a bigger welder usually you can get a much bigger machine than you thought that has many years use left especially for a home shop at a reasonable price

think about what you want it for now, then think about what you might want to use it for a year from now. you don't want to go cheap and have to upgrade any time soon, there's nothing worse than paying for something twice. i like lincon cause thats what i'm used to, a lincoln 140 will handle anything your likely to be doing on a bike, my brother has one and thinks its great, it also plugs into a regular 120v outlet with a 20amp breaker. i run a lincoln 180, and would recomend it, can't imagine needing anything bigger for hobby use. but thats just my opinion

Dan.in.Can wrote:think about what you want it for now, then think about what you might want to use it for a year from now. you don't want to go cheap and have to upgrade any time soon, there's nothing worse than paying for something twice. i like lincon cause thats what i'm used to, a lincoln 140 will handle anything your likely to be doing on a bike, my brother has one and thinks its great, it also plugs into a regular 120v outlet with a 20amp breaker. i run a lincoln 180, and would recomend it, can't imagine needing anything bigger for hobby use. but thats just my opinion

Well, the only thing I'd probably use it on is a bike, but there''s some stuff I'd like to do for our church too! I'll check out those Lincoln 180's!

Don't waste your hard earned cash on a cheap welder, a good one will last you years and produce more consistent and better results...also get a good welding helmet etc..... Maz xx

im thinking welding with those exposed might be a lil painful but id like to watch