New Welding Machine

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there folks,

Well, I finally got my welder that I was wanting for the past several years! It's a simple Lincoln Pro-Mig 135 model, they recently upgraded their accessories so it came with an actual welding helmet and not just that stupid hand held shield!!!!

I've read the manual twice now, and watched the video. I've got it spooled up with the .35" flux cored wire, and have the polarity set for (-) per the manual for this type of wire. I've never welded before, but have soldered a bit....I know, big leap here!!!! I've got some new welding gloves, will be wearing good protective clothing. My work environment will be free of flammable products and such.

One part in the instructions surprised me. Along with attaching the grounding clamp from the machine to complete the "ARC" circuit, it also states that the item to be welded should be "Grounded" to a ground source. Does this mean I really need to connect another wired clamp to it and to a piece of metal that actually goes/connects to an earth ground??? How many of you home welding enthusiasts actually do this, or do you just have it secured to a bench that makes good contact with the ground, garage, driveway, etc.??

I'm anxious to get started with my "Practice" welds before I attempt any actual projects, gotta learn to watch that "Puddle" and not the arc, and make a nice bead, learn to tell by sound when I've got a good "ESO"-electrical stick out, the proper distance, angle and speed of making the pass, etc.! I'll be acquiring a gas bottle later to learn how to do MIG(GMAW) later, which from what I can gather may allow me to make much nicer/cleaner beads, but is possibly a bit more difficult to learn to do!?

[xswilly]

hi
I have a 135 amp mig welder also
I have had it for about 2 years
but i have been welding stick for about 20 years

and hands down the mig is a great welder
once you get used to it
you will wonder how you ever did without it

I also run flux core wire without gas

and the extra ground forget it
i just clamp the grond clamp to the piece and go

I have welded a piece, sitting on a wooded workbecnh

don't need the extra grond

as far as your workshop
i bought a heavy duty extension cord, ( welder runs on 110 )
and i run it out the back door of my garage, and i weld outside on the lawn, less chance of burning down the house, as sparks go everywhere

biggest thing is to get your wirespeed where you like it
my dial goes from 1 to 10
and i run around 2 to 3 at the high amp setting, hope this helps


good luck with it
willy

[mitch]

round

I like Willy have stick welded for well over 20 yrs self taught, never used an additonal ground only time i ever got shocked was my own stupidty, laying in a puddle under a car on ramps, zappp!!!! yeee haaa banged my head on the car frame as i jumped from the shock lol. I wish i had a mig ive tried them and they weld easier than a stick welder enjoy....................MITCH

[CMA1]

Hi TC,
Congrats on the new 'toy'!!
The extra ground is a 'safety' thing... as stated above. Should you have a problem with water, a short, a welder break-down ... stuff that may travel along your cables (or wire hand) then the idea is to have a seperate path straight to 'earth-ground' from your piece you are working on. (so it doesn't travel to your wire-hand) Up to you whether or not you use it

I have experienced a couple of shocks in my time too
maybe that is my problem ???

Be safe!!

[wildbill]

Good luck with it TC.Make sure you wear a good cap or hat,those sparks will get your undivided attention if one lands on top of your head.Sounds like your all set.I have used a mg a little,don`t have one at home.Good luck and be safe.

[Jerry]

Have a older wire-feed unit, has only a high-low voltage switch and dial-type wire feed adjustment. Had done a little stick welding before I bought this unit. I've found a difference in wire quality, now use Century wire in the 4 pound spool (.035 flux-cored) all the time.

Get the right tension on your spool, or you could end up with a mess inside the box if you let up on the trigger and the spool keeps spinning. Remember that these welders (at least mine) has a fairly low duty cycle, something like 10 -15 minutes per hour before they have to cool down. Finally, 10 minutes of prep is worth 30 minutes of swearing.

By the time I finished my trailer I could lay down a pretty decent weld on mild steel. An angle grinder can be a good friend, though.

[Dragonrider]

You'll wonder how you ever did without.

As far as the extra ground? Don't worry too much about it.

The time that I would suggest it is when you are working on a big piece (like the one below) and you may be leaning on or actually ON the piece and possibly grounded. The potential is there for you to be better grounded than the piece (I was once on my knees, leaning on the boat, and the ground was moist . . . little bit of resistance in my ground clamp and WooHoo!).

Anyway, practice . . . single most important thing is how clean the metal is.

I have a miller 185, with gas (sometimes I use flux cored wire). It is great . . . but leads to "harder drugs" (I have a plasma cutter too!

Have fun!

[chevy45412001]

Im a body man by trade .I ve used thesse welders for years.I have found that gas does make a huge difference though.ours is a snap -on 110 volt modle. Works great for tin and steel . Have fun with your new TOY.Youll love the results.

[Pat Kelly]

Ok. I've been reading this post with great interest. I would like to learn how to weld. I've always done very well at the "self-taught" approach. A mig welder is a good starting point? My main hurdle at learning to weld in years past is having been burned rather badly when I was 7 years old. Not a problem now, no fear of fire.

[buffalo]

As an extra precaution, when welding on your bike remove or at least disconnect sensitive electrical components (ign. box, voltage reg, etc). It is very rare but if there is a voltage feedback it could fry these parts. I have worked and welded around automotive stuff for years and have heard of alternators and computers getting fried, never had it happen to me though. Make sure you have a good, clean ground as close as practical to what you are welding.

[desert1]

cost

How much did your welder cost TC if you dont mind my asking and will it weld stainless of 1MM in thickness? Heck, TC I'will visit the local bulk tool store and ask the clerks.....watch you dont get hot droppings in your boots! Happy burning!
Bruce

Let The Good Times Roll!

[Jerry]

I would like to learn how to weld. I've always done very well at the "self-taught" approach. A mig welder is a good starting point?

A mig welder is a good place to start. Most units will use either a gas-shielded welding wire or can be converted over to using flux-cored (no gas needed) wire. Home units run on 115 - 120V, so you don't need a 240V outlet to run them. Generally they have two controls, one for voltage (higher for thicker material) and feed rate of the wire.

I am self-taught, and while I wouldn't do this for a living, I have built the trailer I pull behind my bike, fixed odds and ends around the house, made muffler mounts and various brackets, and built a box for my utility trailer over the years. Have also made the wife happy by making plant holders and ornamental items. These little welders are handy to have around and are not hard to learn to use.

The only real problem I have is that my standard welding helmet is to dark for the small arc of a wire-fed welder. If you have the budget, a self-darkening helmet is a good investment. Getting used to seeing the welding path by the light of the arc was the hardest part for me.

[Dark Horse]

Way to go TC! There have been lots of good suggestions regarding your new purchase so far. I'd like to add one if I may.

Find out if a vo-tech school or college near you teaches welding. Usually in the long run, it's less expensive to take a beginning welding class at one of these facilities than try to learn on your own. Having to buy consumables (metal, wire, etc.) to practice on can get costly.

These schools usually get state funds to run the programs and for the cost of tuition you can burn up their materials plus get some good professional instruction.

I grew up welding. My Dad was a welder, welding instructor, welding inspector.

I followed in my Dad's footsteps. I have taught welding for 28 years. Currently I teach part time at Salt Lake Community College, and full time I am the quality assurance inspector for a steel fabricator. I deal with welding on a daily basis.

If I can be of help let me know.

Good luck!

Bob

[John]

Gas vs flux core

Last year I bought a flux core wire welder, (Harbor Frieght) and at work we have a gas shielded wire welder (MIller). I am very proficient with a welder, gas and stick, having fabricated many things at work, rebuilding truck bodies, and such, and I am very disappointed with the flux welder. Granted, it's not a top o' the line machine, but I find the versitility of it not up to what I expected. It works ok with 1/8-1/4 in material, but on thinner metals, like sheet metal, it tends to burn through. I wanted it for welding sheet metal, replacing body panels on my 69 El Camino. The spatter is terrible. Maybe I need to use it more to get better accustom to it, but right now I know I don't like it. Sometimes I wish I wasn't so frugal (cheap). I would have bought a gas welder, and been satisfied.

[Pat Kelly]

There is a welding school in my burg. I thought of going there before but a friend suggested I just buy a welder and start practicing on my own as that's what they do, have you practice, practice, practice. Good idea tho using their stuff to learn on.