anyone ever rent a welder from home depot or somewhere similar? how much did it cost you?

im thinking of redoing my seat brackets, as i did a really shoddy job the first time. just not sure how much it costs to rent the machine.

how hard is it to weld? it LOOKS easy, im sure i could do it myself...are there any tricks to it?

your help is appreciated, thanks!

 

if you've never welded before I wouldn't be touching seat brackets.... those break and you are dead...

 

its not as hard as people think it is ....
it also depends on the type u use also(MIG or TIG)
MIG to me is easier due to the fact that u don't need to have both hands occupied...but this can get messy if your a first timer because unlike a TIG where u supply the stick and can go back and rework the weld, the MIG has a constant wire being fed to the weld.


Now don't take me for an expert because I'm just a newbie to welding but this is what I have experience with and know so far.

Marshall

 

well thats what im trying to find out...whats the trick to a strong weld? i think i can take this on...if anyone has any advice/comments (preferably someone with experience in the matter) id appreciate it.

gotta learn sometime!

 

Clean the base metal thoroughly, no rust, oil, tar dirt etc,

Use a .030 wire with 75/25 shielding gas. I use a hobart Handler 135. My initial settings would be 2/40.

If this is your first time welding, make a test coupon from 1/8" thick plate, Butt-weld 2 1"x4" strips end to end. Let cool, place in a vice with the weld just above the vice jaws. BEAT with a hammer until strip breals in half. Did the weld fail or the metal? If it was the weld KEEP practicing

 

Keep the weld work in a flat position and the nozzle at a slight (30 degree or so) angle pointing in the direction on the weld. Careful with the distance of the nozzle from the work. The actual tip should be around 3/8" from it. When the distance of the tip and the amperage/wire speed is correct it should be a smooth sizzling sound. You need to do a web search to see pictures of correct welds. That will help you to know what to look for and how fast you will need to travel to get a semi flat looking weld with no undercut.