What welders do you own

[Scott T Smith]

For MIG I have a Miller 130 that I use for sheet metal, and a Miller Suitcase MIG that I use if I need to do aerial or heavy duty mig welding. The Suitcases are made for heavy industrial plants, ship yards, etc.

For Oxy-acytelene I have an Victor set that I've owned for years. Includes a rosebud and various brazing and cutting tips, along with a large Smith's cutting torch.

For TIG I have a Miller Syncrowave 250DX, complete with pulse mode.

For stick I have an 35 year old Miller crackerbox welder that is AC/DC.

For a portable power source I have a Miller Trailblazer Pro 350A diesel engine welder with 100' of lead. It will drive the suitcase MIG, stick weld, and serve as a power source (12KW).

For plasma cutting I have a Miller Spectrum 2050.

I also have a Carbon Arc torch.

Support equipment includes a large welding trailer with 71 gallons of fuel, 80 gallon air compressor, 11 metal bins for storing grinders, welding supplies, welding tanks, clamps, Mag drill, etc. The trailer includes a large Jobox for storing porta-bands, sawzalls, etc.

The main accessory that I don't have that I wished that I had was a portable oven on the welding trailer for pre and post heating cast iron prior to TIG welding.

[Mike Wilkins]

You guys have some serious metal working tools. My only metal jointing rig is a mig setup that has come in real handy for making my own mobile bases with good quality casters. Quality of welds is suspect but easily covered up with a grinder, primer and paint. You have to use these machines consistently in order to get good beads, but it is enough for me.

[Dok Yager]

I usually hang out in the Wood Turners corner. But I have a little Miller 140HD, I sold my Lincoln 225 stick welder I just never used it. I have access to a Miller Spectrum 375 Xtreme plasma cutter. I am seriously thinking of getting a Tig next year.

[Keith Outten]

I recently purchased a spool gun so I can teach myself to weld aluminum. I haven't had but an hour or so to practice so far but my goal is to be able to weld my flag pole back together and put it back in service. When a friend of mine gave me the flag pole I had to cut it in half because it was to long to transport. Its a commercial flag pole, spun cast aluminum that tapers from top to bottom.
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[Bill Ryall]

I'm primarily a woodworker, but my "fun" furniture is a mix of wood and steel. I do some welding for my "real" job, but that is simply because I can do it myself rather than sub it out.

Lincoln 225 Stick
Century 100AC Stick
Lincoln 3200HD MIG
Miller Spectrum 375 Xtreme plasma cutter
Oxy-Acetylene kit with cutting and welding torches
Support equipment includes a horizontal/vertical metal cutting bandsaw, porta-band with stand, dedicated metal drill press, and a job box filled with all the little bits and pieces like positioning jigs, clamps, etc.

[Terry Hatfield]

I've accumulated a few metal working tools since we got our electric powered dragster project. I bought a Hobart 190 with spool gun. Love my 190!! I highly modified an existing metal table I had into a welding/fab table with trailer hitch style interchangeable mounts for grinder, vise etc... I also have a Northern Tool dry cut saw which I love. Also accumulated a port a band, several grinders, shears, small brake etc... Not very good at it yet but I'm having a good time playing with metal.

011 (13) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

018 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

028 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

023 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

[Keith Outten]

Terry,

Nice welding setup you have there and its good to see you posting again here at The Creek. I have been upgrading my welding gear over the last couple years including a new band saw and some benders. I hope your having as good a time as I have.
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[Terry Hatfield]

Terry,

Nice welding setup you have there and its good to see you posting again here at The Creek. I have been upgrading my welding gear over the last couple years including a new band saw and some benders. I hope your having as good a time as I have.
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Hi Keith! How have you been?? I have enjoyed getting more into metal working.

[John K Jordan]

Wow, nice space!! Beautiful.

I put a cramped little weld shop in my new shop. It's only 12x12 but double doors open to an concrete porch for fair weather welding. Fortunately I can spread out in my maintenance bays if needed.

I like the way you store your grinders on the table, mine are a mess. (You can't have too many angle grinders!) The trailer hitch idea is interesting - mount, switch, and move out of the way when needed.

I made a steel stand for my big vise so the jaws are about 30" above the floor. I find this perfect for most of what I use a vise for - hacksawing, grinding, threading, pounding.

I was a welding inspector at one time but never had my own equipment until much later. I started with a torch, portaband, and a little 110v wire welder, then got a Miller MIG, a Miller TIG (what a great way to weld), an AC/DC stick for bigger farm stuff, and the crown jewel, a Hypertherm plasma cutter - love that thing, it will cut 1/2" steel cleanly, 1" with some slop. Retired the chop saw to the barn. Amazon took my credit card in exchange for a Jet horizontal bandsaw with coolant, and Northern Tool gladly loaded a 20 ton press in my truck. I only fab for fun and farm but it sure lets me make and repair things on the spur of the moment and save a lot of money. I don't think the equipment has paid for itself yet, at least not in money!

No brake (would be nice) but small shears, and a mill and lathe for when I need to start from scratch. Bought 8000 lbs of new steel at scrap prices so I almost always can make something without going shopping. Life is good!

JKJ

[Terry Hatfield]

Wow, nice space!! Beautiful.

I put a cramped little weld shop in my new shop. It's only 12x12 but double doors open to an concrete porch for fair weather welding. Fortunately I can spread out in my maintenance bays if needed.

I like the way you store your grinders on the table, mine are a mess. (You can't have too many angle grinders!) The trailer hitch idea is interesting - mount, switch, and move out of the way when needed.

I made a steel stand for my big vise so the jaws are about 30" above the floor. I find this perfect for most of what I use a vise for - hacksawing, grinding, threading, pounding.

I was a welding inspector at one time but never had my own equipment until much later. I started with a torch, portaband, and a little 110v wire welder, then got a Miller MIG, a Miller TIG (what a great way to weld), an AC/DC stick for bigger farm stuff, and the crown jewel, a Hypertherm plasma cutter - love that thing, it will cut 1/2" steel cleanly, 1" with some slop. Retired the chop saw to the barn. Amazon took my credit card in exchange for a Jet horizontal bandsaw with coolant, and Northern Tool gladly loaded a 20 ton press in my truck. I only fab for fun and farm but it sure lets me make and repair things on the spur of the moment and save a lot of money. I don't think the equipment has paid for itself yet, at least not in money!

No brake (would be nice) but small shears, and a mill and lathe for when I need to start from scratch. Bought 8000 lbs of new steel at scrap prices so I almost always can make something without going shopping. Life is good!

JKJ

Thanks. I love being able to interchange the vise, grinder etc... I actually didn't use a hitch even though some people do. I used square tubing and made my own mounts.

Welded the receiving tube into the table with the added provision for a couple of mounting bolts for a rock solid mount.

032313 (4) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

018 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

016 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

031 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

003 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr


The grinder rail is just a piece of 1/4"x1" strap welded across the front legs. I also incorporated a few other things I stole..er...borrowed from other tables I saw on line. Tubes on all the corners to hold the MIG gun. Carriage bolts welded to the corners to hang clamps, vise grips and such. They also double as points for the ground to attach to the table.

001 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

[John K Jordan]

Nice! I built a table 20 years ago and haven't enhanced it one bit. You've given me some good ideas.

I love working with square tubing. I built a llama restraint chute entirely from tubing using ideas stolen from.. er.. inspired by commercial chutes and improved on - probably saved close to $2000. A restraint chute is necessary for medicating, trimming toenails, and shearing llamas. This one has various removable side panels and bars, a padded neck squeeze, and d-rings welded everywhere for straps. It is SO nice to be able to make what you want, the way you want it, and when you want it! And it's fun when a visiting llama person asks where I bought that chute - oh, I made it. :-)

JKJ

[Keith Outten]

I'm a big fan of using square tubing myself, have been for a very long time. I purchased a 20 foot length of heavy wall square tubing years ago so I have been able to make custom hitch points wherever they fit the needs of current projects like my steel workbench and the 6" pipe support in my shop. I also have them on my XUV, my van, tractor and mounted on the rail of my trailer.

[William M Johnson]

Victor oxy/a telexes with 3 torches. Med victor for thicker sheet metal, small one for car or aluminum repairs, tiny smith for jewelry. Yes you can weld aluminum with a torch. It is better for thin sheet than tig.

Lincoln Square Wave 175 Tig. Added water cooling after I burned up first torch welding aluminum. Also has pulser box but I don't use it often. I weld a lot of aluminum.

Miller 211 Mig with aluminum spool gun also. Nice machine in that it can use either 110 or 220. Aluminum spool gun is good but preheat on material is necessary.

Hypertherm plasma cutter

Bill

[Keith Outten]

Terry,

I went though your photo album looking for a pipe bender that you used for the electric drag racer. I think I saw a Hoss Bender in one of your pictures, is that the only pipe bender you have?
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[Terry Hatfield]

Terry,

I went though your photo album looking for a pipe bender that you used for the electric drag racer. I think I saw a Hoss Bender in one of your pictures, is that the only pipe bender you have?
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I bought the chassis from a chassis builder in Florida. We made some significant changes to it once I got it home but a friend did that work. He had a JD Squared hydraulic mandrel bender on a custom stand with a Harbor Freight tubing roller on it as well. I don't have a tubing bender.

tubing bender1 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

tubing bender2 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

tubing bender3 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr

Unfortunately my buddy Bob that did that work and was one of the most talented fabricators on the planet was tragically killed in a car accident in 2014.