Is there anywhere that sells pre-braced Quietline engine cradles?

[Shaner]

Once you have a welder you will wonder how you managed without one. I have three welders. A 225amp stick Lincoln tombstone, L-tec 250 migmaster and a Hobart 300amp Tig welder. Love them. Also, get a decent set of torches. No shop is complete without a set of torches.

[jimbob200521]

Great, now ya'll got me looking at welder's! Would an arc welder be a good place for a welding newb, such as this small guy just to get started with?

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Grade-Ultr...eywords=welder

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by jimbob200521

Great, now ya'll got me looking at welder's! Would an arc welder be a good place for a welding newb, such as this small guy just to get started with?

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Grade-Ultr...eywords=welder

IMHO If you don't learn to weld with a stick welder, you never really learn how. Is that a good thing for a newbie: not really. Chances are, unless you plan to do some building of some pretty sturdy stuff, you are going to be welding "gauge" metal. Which, unless you are an experienced welder, is going to be hard to do with a stick welder. For what you are doing, and given you don't yet have any welding experience, you should probably get a mig. HF has a good mid range for under $200, and a really small one for $112 (IIRC). The small one is only 90 amp, put would probably suit you fine.

[jimbob200521]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

IMHO If you don't learn to weld with a stick welder, you never really learn how. Is that a good thing for a newbie: not really. Chances are, unless you plan to do some building of some pretty sturdy stuff, you are going to be welding "gauge" metal. Which, unless you are an experienced welder, is going to be hard to do with a stick welder. For what you are doing, and given you don't yet have any welding experience, you should probably get a mig. HF has a good mid range for under $200, and a really small one for $112 (IIRC). The small one is only 90 amp, put would probably suit you fine.

Yeah, I wouldn't be doing a whole heck of a lot of welding, and most of it would be tacking a few things together for the Cub's. I've got a subframe to be welded back together, perhaps engine braces like the Quietline in the future and whatever else comes up. I may have to check out HF then, though I usually steer clear of them. I've found there prices are cheap for a reason

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by jimbob200521

Yeah, I wouldn't be doing a whole heck of a lot of welding, and most of it would be tacking a few things together for the Cub's. I've got a subframe to be welded back together, perhaps engine braces like the Quietline in the future and whatever else comes up. I may have to check out HF then, though I usually steer clear of them. I've found there prices are cheap for a reason

If you want a good one, check CL. Lincoln, Miller, Hobart would be name brands. Personally don't like Hobart. I have several Lincolns, and a miller, but my fave is my 250 ESAB with the aluminum spool gun!

[Sam Mac]

I bought a Miller 175 MIG a few years ago when I was into the racing thing. My friend who is a professional welder talked me into it. At first I thought it was a waste of $$$ but now it is a go to tool. I've used stick welders but a wire feeder is about as stupid proof as it gets, even I can stick stuff together and so far no problems. Even came with a how to video.

[Shaner]

For someone with little to no experience welding...a wire fed welder is the way to go. My ltec is exactly the same as an Esab, just painted green. I love it. Lays beads like stacks of dimes!

[Yosemite Sam]

As much as I hate to agree with anyone, the earlier statement about "starting out with a mig" is about as true as it gets.

I learned to stick weld (I hate that term) years ago in high school, and did it for many years after. 30 years later, I got my first mig and I found it very difficult to learn to use it. Now, we have a mig that will burn through 1/2" steel if you want it to, I can't remember the last time I used a stick welder.

The point I'm trying to make is, stick and mig are so different, if you learn to mig first then most likely you will never "really" learn to weld.

Mig welding really is a lot of fun though...

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[sawdustdad]

I have to agree with getting a Mig. I've had a Craftsman stick welder for 35 years, and used occasionally. Worked OK, but I never got good enough with it for the welds to be "pretty" though they were serviceable. Bought a Hobart Handler 140 MIG earlier this year. That thing is so easy!

As with all hobbies, there's always an excuse for a new tool.

[R Bedell]

This thread is about ISO rails and the brace modification. This thread has gone way off topic.

Time to end the misery,