Overwhelmed

Need some advice.  I'm looking into getting an inexpensive but good welder.  I will begine under supervision by practicing on some angle iron.  What kind of welder should I go with for a truck build?  I will begine by boxing the frame and patching the corners of my 52's cab.  Then put IFS on the frame and find a good rear end to get the 3/4 ton to ride nice and low.  Any suggestions on welders and good IFS and rear end from you experienced builders?  I'm looking for my 3/4 to sit about 8 - 10 in off the ground (from ground to running board).  Thanks a million.

-Greg  

I'd suggest a Lincoln 225, or something similar.  Don't cheap out, or you will be frustrated.  Avoid gasless, like the plague.  .030 wire is good for sheetmetal, .035 will handle most of the heavier work.  CO2 gas is the cheapest, 75/25(CO2/Argon) is better, 88/10/2(CO2/Argon/Oxygen) is great, but expensive. If you get into aluminum, you will need straight Argon.

I've got a SnapOn MuscleMig 250. In 10 years, I've replaced the wire liner, and cleaned the gas solenoid, once.  I eventually bought the TIG torch attachment, and spool gun(for aluminum).  
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1949 Chevy 1 1/2ton, home-built hydraulic wrecker.  Rustoleum industrial black, with flames.  Flamethrowers out 5" dual stacks.
1962 Chevy C-20, 402BB, 4-speed, 3.90 positrack. Hauls my camper.... among other things.

I would suggest a Lincoln unit also but I would recommend you get a 110VAC unit like their SP140 model.  It will come with a regulator for the shielding gas which I strongly advise you use.  Do not use the flux core wire.  The gas bottle will run another $100-150 fron your local welding supply and refill/exchanges are about $30.

This unit will handle any sheetmetal repairs you will come across but you need to use the .023 wire for sheetmetal NOT the .030.  That will cause you to blow through the metal or not get good penetration.  The .030 wire is good for the heavier metal.  

As for the boxing the frame and welding in the IFS I would suggest you use this welder to tack weld everything in place and then hire a professional welder to weld it out.  Since you are just starting out as a welder these installations are too critical to be left to a beginner.

Other small welders that work well are the Hobart and the Miller.  I have been using my Lincoln 135 welder for four years of hard use with no problems.

DO NOT BUY A WELDER FROM HARBOR FREIGHT unless you like to throw money away.  

I tend to agree with the others. I use either the Lincoln or the Miller, either one have done great work for me.Don't buy the cheapies you won't be happy down the line.
 This is what I susgest. Get the new DV Miller, it can be used as a 110V or 220V,that will give you some extra cranking power on the bigger jobs. 110V is handy cause you can virtually run it anywhere if you have a 25/30 amp circuit.Mind you over the years the 110V only machine has done just great. But look into the DV series from Miller, it is a little more but well worth it.
  If you are concerned at the moment until you get going go for the 110V only Miller or Linclon.
   Not sure on what Snap-on have these days, but they used to sell CENTURY, they are junk and very temperamental.   Hey thats my opinion.  

Thank you very much guys.  I'll start looking to see what I can find around here.

-Greg  

I found out that the auto-hobby shop here on base has a welding station and they will train me also which is great.  Since that part is taken care of, what kind IFS should I look for?  Also would a 292 swap be pretty easy?  

Here is my 10 cents worth. I have been welding automotive frames, bodies, etc. for about 25yrs. The market has been both good and bad for hobbyists in the last ten years or so. The reason I say this is that the manufacturers are, of course, trying to sell welders. Because of this, they love to let us think you can weld everything you need to with a cheap, small capacity welder. All kinds of bells and whistles have been added to make them look attractive, but most of these features confuse the new welder. When I was in your shoes 25 years ago, my local hot rod/racing shop guy told me "buy a Millermatic 200, period". I started to ask him about others and he said, "Millermatic 200"...... I got the picture. I bought one then, still have it, and have NEVER had to do anything to it!!! It is a very simple machine and I have welded 22ga steel to 3/8" plate with no problems. The think has a couple of big switches on it and thats it; no digital stuff etc. Now, that being said, dont be lured into the bells and whistles. And DONT go light. Get MORE welder than you ever think you will need, because you will need more than you think. I agree with the other posts. Dont get gassless, they suck. The 120v welders are good for sheet metal/bodywork and that is about it. Get a 240v welder and pay the money to get a circuit installed to run it. You wont be sorry. For body work, try an easy-grind wire in .030. Its great for most body work and the weld bead is softer than with a regular wire. Its not for structural work, but great otherwise. I use a .035 for plate, roll bars, etc. The easy-grind also will allow a little working without cracking. Most mig beads are rock hard and you cant work them with a sledge. I have changed in the last five years or so to tig welding all my body work whenever possible becuase you can work the bead with a hammer and dolly.
My personnal opinion is to buy a bigger, used workhorse like the Millermatic 200 before a smaller less capable unit. Dont stray away from the other big names: Lincon, etc, They are good units also. Check features and talk to the reps. I have a Lincoln Tig. I had a Miller but when I wanted a newer square-wave machine, it stood out abouve the Miller.
Hope this helps
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions
warnerjoe@comcast.net  

I personally have a Hobart Handler 135xl that I use for sheetmetal only, with .025 wire.  In the past I have put .035 wire in it and welded stuff on frames, they were abused and the welds never broke.  The welder is now 10 years old and I haven't had any major problems with it. Though it may be getting tired.

I have since bought a few year old Hobart Beta Mig 1800, its awesome for frame welding.  If I put smaller wire in it would work great for sheetmetal also, but I have the 135xl for that.

Both of these migs are good options for the hobbyist.  My cousin just bought a brand new Hobart Handler 140, I've only used it on sheetmetal so far, but it works great, and its rated up to 1/4".  

I have a Hobart 187  
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