Thanks Terry,
Both tools are part of my goal to upgrade the metal working side of my sign shop. I purchased a Millermatic 200 mig, tig, stick welder then I got the Miller 650 plasma. I've always wanted to be able to weld small aluminum jobs in my shop so I got the spool gun as well. So far I have welded some inch and a half aluminum tubing for a friend of mine, the tubing was for a handicap ramp for his Mom's home. The job was way over my head for my first time welding aluminum but a little grinding made the job passable. My next job is welding a commercial flag pole that I had to cut in two to get it home. Its a tapered pole so the fit will be a bit of a challenge, I will fabricate a backing ring for this one.
The magnetic brake is a really slick machine. It will bend "S" curves as well as pyramids and any of the standard flat work. Baileigh has a nice video that shows what this machine is capable to doing but its also way above my skill set right now.
I have a couple of the Harbor Freight tubing rollers, a complete set of scroll benders and a twister that I use to make my own sign hangers. Most of these benders are mounted on heavy wall aluminum angle so I can hold them in the vise on my receiver hitch in the shop. The Bobcat 250 is used mostly as a generator for power outages but its nice to have the additional welding capability if I need to go to an offsite job.
Last edited by Keith Outten; 12-27-2015 at 11:57 PM.
Single phase 240 volt 250 amp Lincoln MIG with traveler / remote wire feed - for my eldest lad.
My older 3 phase 415 volt 330 amp MIG made by CIG (Commonwealth Industrial Gasses)!
And a old single phase 240 volt 100 amp el cheapo stick welder I haven't used since I bought the Mig!
Wouldn't mind a tig welder, but barely skilled enough to use the Mig... so probably no point.
Ian,
I'm in the same boat as you concerning tig welding but I am determined to teach myself
I still do a lot of stick welding, mostly on farm implements and other repairs around my home.
I have all the parts cut to fabricate a pulverizer for my tractor, its ready to start welding just haven't found the time.
I get motivation issues Keith. I am not so sure I'd be motivated enough to use it, even if I bought a TIG...
Most of the timber gear & metalworking gear that I have, sits idle most of the year!
I don't enjoy working alone and have no 'partner in crime' so seldom get motivated to go into the workshop unless something around the house breaks and I simply HAVE to fix it!.
Today was spent swimming thru my reticulation system which being summer seems to have a habit of always screwing up no matter what I do to it - something else breaks - its ~ 30 years old and should be replaced..but you know how it is - that capital could go into solar panels or something else to save a dollar and keep patching the retic for just one more season!.
I did go to a welding course evening once.. ended up welding the guys test piece to his welding bench - & he was still busy grinding it back off days later!. I had those light sensing prescription glasses on under the welding helmet so I could see, and once I struck the ark - in concert with the welding helmet - things just went black - all I could see was the arc - not the piece I was welding or the bench. Everyone in the class got a great laugh out of me screwing up!
I can weld enough to get bye.. if I have too.
Ian,
If you can purchase one of the adjustable auto darkening welding helmets it will help you to see what your welding much better than the old style helmets. Get a set of cheater lenses as well.
.
I went one better - I did purchase the auto darkening / adjustable helmet for starters, but I also got rid of the prescription "transission" (photo chromatic / auto darkening) spectacles- bye having lasic eye surgery!.
Now I can both see and weld with ease!. The eye surgery was the best thing I ever did!. Expensive at $6K but worth every cent!. (I was myopic / short sighted for 30 odd years).
Need to see "up close" - too easy I have half a dozen sets of clear spectacles from china with 1x or 2x magnifying lenses & they cost all of $5ea, doesn't matter if I lose them, break them scratch them or not!.
Also =- where I used to try and enjoy slat & freshwater fly fishing & need VERY expensive auto darkening / polaroid prescription specs specifically to be able to see fish on the flats, now I can buy any set of mirror polaroid sunnys from the chemists for $20 & see just fish as well as any of the high $$ Maui Jims, Makos etc that the "celebrity" anglers get sponsored to wear!
Its made a huge difference to my ability to drive without getting tired and wanting to fall asleep at the wheel etc. It also enabled me to keep my 100 tonne ships masters qualification with 20/20 unaided long vision!.
I don't know why people stuff around with prescription glasses these days... just not worth it... in my experience.
The eye surgery isn't exactly "pleasant" but hell does it work - I had 20/20 long vision, 15 minutes after the operation!.
Wished I'd done it 20 years earlier (but it hadn't been invented back then).
So welding itself is no longer a big issue - the motivation to even be bothered however, still is!.
Same here, 15 years ago. I went from 20/400, unable to recognize people from 5 ft away, to 20/10, better than 20/20.lasic eye surgery
JKJ