i'm looking to try out bending and welding. i'm gonna try to make my own front,rear bumper and rock sliders. any pointers?? i saw the thread of a guy getting a bender for less than a $100, and making his own bumper

 

Dont go cheap on the welder. Its real easy and tempting to go cheap but if you end up enjoying welding you will kick yourself later.

 

I would buy a good used arc welder, I ahve one that we got 15 years ago for 75 bucks,,,,,the thing is sick,,,have welded everything from frame rails to bumpers,,,

Id rather buy a larger better used welder for the same price as a new but smaller one

 

here are pics of my bumper build,,can get an idea of the welds that it is capable of

recently this bumper was put to the test as I broke down (first time ever in 5 years)

and a huge flat ramp truck pushed me and bumped me not gently,,,,no bends at all,,,,,,simply painted a few parts of it black again the next day and it was fine

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f88/1997-runner-bumper-build-acquired-materials-about-start-ideas-thoughts-60898/

 

get lots of scrap tube to practice on first.... i always seem to take a few tries to get the hang of different pipe benders...

 

keep bringing them, i'm a sponge. also wheres a good place to get the tube??

 

hmmm.... i got mine free from work... check www.thomasnet.com for suppliers of tube and all else, thats what I use

 

is it hard to ARC weld

 

harder than wire feed type welders, from what I have been told, but once you get the hang of it, it will still come out great

 

arc welders are typically more "heavy duty", able to weld much thicker steel (though you will have to bevel regardless).

i own a wirefeed welder that i have NEVER used. had it for over 2 years i think. it will be running by next week tho

wirefeed mig welding is basically point and click of the welding world. just takes time to learn control, temperatures, speed, etc.

 

ARC welding isnt too hard, it just takes some practice. it would prolly be best if uve had some expeirence on mig and oxy/acyl first before trying it. if ur new just prepare urself for burning a few holes into the pipe or getting ur rod stuck in it. good luck

 

i've
never welded before!!

 

so get some scrap and some time.... thats how i learned you should be able to figure it out eventually

 

Here is a good source for some welding info.

http://www.weldingweb.com/

You could also check with your local tech schools or welding shop to find out if they have any 101 classes.

 

I just started welding too. Here's some things that I have observed as a beginner:

1. Make sure your garage circuit(s) can handle the amperage draw. My garage is 15A and my welder is 20A; it trips the breaker all the time. I have since moved to the kitchen GFI, which is 20A, and no longer trip the breaker. Kind of a pain.

2. Get ALL the safety gear and a good flip-down helmet. Don't try to use the "OCC" method of welding (no gloves, close your eyes, etc). "Cherries" hurt bad - I got one in my shoe. Ouch!

3. Welding with gas is WAY cleaner than flux-core wire, but flux-core is good to start out with.

4. Get the right welder for the job (don't skimp), both now and for the future. I almost skimped and got something cheap, but decided to go with a good first welder (Lincoln 135) and I am very happy with it.

5. Make a welding cart one of your first projects (after messing around with scrap metal).

6. Consider taking a class if possible.

Have fun!

 

I am pretty accomplished with welding in general

I think a stick / arc welder is much easier and def is what I see as the first step, stepping stone to becoming a decent welder

A mig, requires alot more finesse and it is easier to learn to weld heavier metal with an arc....

 

my footwear of choice when welding in the summer,,,,

two resons

1. makes me more conscious of what I am doing, keep my feet away

2. if I do get a red hot in them I can flip them off quick, pour water in them etc---I always get worse burns if wearing a boot or sneaker, as the red hots sneak down inside and by the time you get them off they have burnt out and left some nice trails, marks on your skin

 

ive always worn jeans and steel toes, not even boots, just shoes, and a long shirt or t-shirt and kevlar sleeves, and a pair of cotton gloves, no burns except through cotton gloves so far

 

sounds sexy

 

haha... maybe... but point is that if you just wear the appropriate clothing you dont have to worry about the burns at all