Im considering a welder for exhaust work, mostly aluminized steel, I am stuck between 2 options:

1) mig welder for about $500, could do both mig and flexcore (140 amp)

2) gasless welder for $200, only does flexcore (80 amp)

the second choice is much cheaper, and I dont really want to use shielding gas either, so thats why Im leaning toward it. But I havent done welding before, and Im not sure If Ill want to do mig later.

What do you guys think? any drawbacks to flexcore wire feed, read that they have alot of smoke and spatter, but is it that bad?

is the second choice too weak at 80 amps?




Modified by SilverCIVIC96 at 8:50 PM 8/17/2003

 

check out home depot. they got MIG/flux welders there cheap. i got a demo unit for $100 made by campbell hausfeld. it was missing a grounding cable and connector but they sent it to me for free. dont be scared to purchase demo stuff with missing items. just call up the manufacturer before you buy to make sure.

 

I dont know much about welding either, but I believe if you can deal with the smoke, the splatter would be easy enough to smooth out with a grinding wheel. Someone correct me if I got the name of the tool wrong.

 

Most brands will offer a kit to change over to gas if you choose or will have the required equipment included inside that you just need to hook up when you get sick of flux core and need the gas. You can buy splatter shield in a can to use with the flux core wire. It works ok. Kind of like pam for welding. Make sure you get a unit with enough power for what you will dream of doing in the future and get one that can be upgraded to gas, just to save money in the future.

 

I have a Lincoln, that can do either Flux Core, or MIG.

MIG is prefered for thinner material, and clean metal. It will do a much better job for bodywork.

Flux Core is prefered for metals over 1/8" thick, for dirty/rusty metals, welding outside, etc. The flux won't dissapate/blow away like shield gas will. It also provides superior cleaning for dirty metal.

I'm happy with my flux core. I have run maybe 30 lbs of wire through it building my Jeep and dune buggy, and other projects. Easily paid for itself.

I wish I had a TIG, too, though. I just can't justify the cost for as little as I'd use it, but I always seem to have aluminum and stainless to weld..

 

thanks for the input guys, Im leaning toward the gasless welder (2nd choice) mainly due to the price difference. BTW, this will not allow me to upgrade to MIG later, its a gasless welder.

From Haggar's comment, it seems like flux-core isnt that bad, so I guess Ill pick one up from SEARS and try it out.