Can anyone tell me some pro and cons of this welder?
I haven't used it for much so far, just some practice and a roof rack I made for my truck anyways I am wanting to do a new project soon. Make some step bars for my truck I will be welding a plate (not sure how thick yet) to the frame (or I may just bolt it on) then I'm gonna have either square or round tubing welded to the plate then thats gonna run to the actual step bar part.
here is a pic of what I'm talking about Let me know your thoughts on this project...
Do NOT weld it to the frame. Try to use pre existing holes, or at least drill holes at the center of the frame rails. Consider clamping to the frame so you don't damage the frame. If you live as I do where corrosives such as road salt are a problem, clean the mating surfaces well, butter with a grease such as Texaco Rustproofing grease, and sandwich. In Vermont it is common to cause a frame to rust out with careless installation of accessories such as steps or reciever hitches.
Hi mattmark6, are you new to welding? I hope I am not misunderstanding you.
Try a few jobs in between "practice" and "stuff that will travel thousands of miles on the road".
The loads that can arise on the road might surprise you (or they might not: I don't mean to be rude). Rethinking this, it is the roof rack, of course, that will be under stress, and welds here will have to contend with both static and dynamic loads. Keep an eye out for cracks, if you do any real distance, rough terrain, and a load with weight and wind force on the rack.
The welder (Hobart Handler, 140 amp) that I think you are referring to, might not be quite the best machine for the jobs you are referring to. Here I was concerned about penetration in thick-walled material, but I think now I shouldn't doubt the machine to cope with this.
Hobart operates under the same parent company as Miller, and the only problem I see with your machine is the likelihood you will outgrow it with amitious projects like a roof-rack and running-boards as your starting point. The Hobart is essentially a Miller built to hobbyist/occasional use standards, rather than all-day-every-day work.
I weld on frames frequently, and I recommend against it for most people. There is engineering involved in doing it in a way that does not compromise the frame. Bolt-on can probably be done without even affecting the factory warranty, if that applies.
Are you running gas or flux core? I have the same welder and it is a great welder to run. The only thing I do not like is the fact that they advertise that it will weld 1/4" but that is only with 0.35 diameter flux core wire. If you are running gas, they only have suggested settings up to 1/8". You can over come that by turning the wire speed down and slow your speed down to really burn in. I found that this makes it really burn in good. It is a very good machine but like Steve said you will out grow it fast. I got it a year ago and have been begging my wife to let me buy a new one. It is a great machine but I would start saving up if you are interested in welding more.
It's always best to build your own, especially when it comes to hitches!!!
Matt
You should never weld onto a vehicle frame without knowing what you are doing. The frames are heat treated so they can be thinner to save weight on the vehicle, but they have the same, if not more, strength than a thicker metal. Welding to a heat treated frame can weaken it.
anyways I am wanting to do a new project soon. Make some step bars for my truck I will be welding a plate (not sure how thick yet) to the frame (or I may just bolt it on) then I'm gonna have either square or round tubing welded to the plate then thats gonna run to the actual step bar part.
