Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello,
I'm currently pursuing my AA in Welding at an area community college. I should complete the AA by next summer. Eger to beginning my own welding business (like everyone else). Has anyone had any ownership experience with the Miller Fusion 160, the good and bad please.

Welcome to the forum.

Can't say I have ever used one of those machines. It might be a bit small for starting a business and doing on-site repair work. Typically, everything anyone asks me to do is bigger than I can do with my 210A machine. In a pinch, you can just lay down more beads, but time is money. Most folks have welders in the low amp range, so I think you'll find typical work will be on stuff they don't want / can't afford a machine to do it. Jmho.

Then again, there may be a good market for it, I've never tried.

Buggy is pretty close to hitting the nail on the head. Find yourself a bit bigger machine, you will always have a "need" for a little more horsepower. There IS small jobs available, , , BUT , , , those folks already have made contact with the firms that advertise "welding" and seem to squeeze the small jobs in OR have someone in their employ that will tackle those jobs after work. That is all I do is small stuff and IF I had to rely on them for feeding my family ... well, my area of the country is pretty lightly populated. You could go to the larger shops and talk to the hmfic and let him know you are doing small jobs and he "may" help you out. Word of mouth is slow and advertising is damned expensive. Make some posters and plant them in C stores bulletin boards.
I do wish you well in your endeavor.

Hi, I will start with the fact that I dont understand the business model you want to pursue. Not all of us run our own businesses and those of us that do probably do as moonlighting.
In any case its not for the underprepared. I would encourage anyone interested to get the skills first and the tools as needed, sometimes the tools are for the skills, I get that.
There are lotsa guys who think welding is a "two minute, if it makes a clink noise you can weld it, I do it at home but just dont have my gear here..........add your own gems here" And you will get the opportunity to meet them all. If you can get a job with a company who does it right then thats ideal, learn more and make money while you work on your business plan. Dont tell your boss you dream of running your own business, if your good at what you do he will see you as a future threat to his clientele, just saying.
If you do work for yourself paint everything. Its easier to see what you left and what they modded after you left. Pics and diary with names contact no. and dates.
In any case good luck.

Def. too small to start a business with. I would at least start with a Miller Bobcat 260 or other machine that would give you over 200 amps. I prescribe to the simple moto of bigger is better. If you get something that will just do the job you need, it will struggle and wear out faster and you'll be limited as to what you can do. Always think of the future, act now for what you want then and the plain and simple fact that you can't make money without spending money (remember to put back 35% for taxes, i,e, 100 x .35 = $35, with receipts you'll even have some left over to help buy equipment with at tax time). Of course you have to start slow (unless you get a bank loan and put it all on the line from the start), but no need to waist money on a purchase you need for the present that you won't need in the future.