I need some tips and pointers. i just pulled the frone end off of my 66 mustang and there is alot of rust damage. i want it professionally done, but really can't afford to right now. i figured that i could get a welder and some sheet metal and do most of the work myself. can anyone gimme an idea on what kind of welder to buy (tig, mig, heli arc, ect) whichever one is the easiest to use with GOOD results. thanx.

 

I only have experience with Heli-arc. Here's info on all the types.

http://www.weldingengineer.com/

 

thanx derf. looks like it will help alot.

 

Crash,

MIG welders are the easiest to pick up and learn quickly. You can be making some decent welds after very short practice (compared to the others). And if you go with a gas shielded unit, you can have pretty good results. TIG generally produces the highest quality welds and offers more versatility, but you need to practice much longer if you've never welded before. Arc welding is a blast, my welding teacher used to say it's the "spray paint" of the welding world (it literally sprays into the weld puddle). But just like spray paint, if you're not skilled it's easy to do a crap job that will fall apart quickly.

You should figure in a good amount of practice time with whatever welder you pick. Also, you probably know that you'll need to take into consideration what power supply you have available--if you're doing light gauge metal it won't matter much, but if you're welding up some heavier stock you may want to look into the 220 units.

Best,
-j

 

really, for now, it's mainly stuff in the front end of my 66 coupe. i took off the fenders and the front end and there's some rust that needs to be taken care of. a few of the spots are thru the metal, so i figured on cleaning them out and welding a piece of sheet metal over it. i'll try to get a few pics of what i'm talking about and post them so you guys can get an idea of what i'm looking to do. i figure someone here will be able to steer me down the right road if i can give you enough insite into what i want to do. thanks again guys.

 

well i use stick and im 17. I love it the hardest part is gettin used to striking it, everyones first instict is to strike it long like a match but you only need to touch it. Also just go slow and take your time dont go to fast or it will fall apart. and when u weld weld in a half circle motion.

 

Stick is not good for body work^. You want a MIG set up with a sheild gas, it is by far the cleanest weld. Warping is a big issue when doing sheet metal work. Honestly you are taking a huge chance trying to do this yourself, it's not impossible to learn, but is mess up the body it will cost a lot to have it fixed down the road.

 

Welding takes lots of practice. Many other things to consider, like do you have the proper outlets if you run a high voltage welder. I bought a line feed welder and built a case for for my tools. Almost $300 for a decent welder from Lowe's. If you do not need extensive welding right now I would say find you a guy with a welding shop. They usually charge $25-40 per hour.