A welders opinion

[Winterracing]

I'm thinking about building a pit box.  I've welded once before and will need to polish up my skills before starting this project.  So i'll be needing to get a welder.  I'm looking for peoples opinions if you think it would be a good welder for building a pit box.  Heres the one i've found...http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-flux-wire-welder-98871.html

Thanks,
Dan
www.winterracing.net

[igotmylegend]

Welders very from a good 110v to just a waste of your money 110v. Gas is the way to go for a mig welder, flex core welder's are just junk in my opinion. I have a Lincoln 135 and it works great. Now if you want to weld 1/4in and up you'll need 220v to get a good penetrated weld. Don't play cheep  with welding you may need to weld something that you need to be strong.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947537000P?mv=rr&i_cntr=1309608969405
plus a bottle, not cheep.

[Legends57x]

I agree with Vince, flux core welding is pretty much useless in my opinion.  It leaves a spatter mess and does  not leave a good penetrating weld.  Get a 220V welder.  I've had a Hobart 185 unit that I've used for years that works very well and you can weld thin sheet metal up to 3/8" thick steel no problem.  You can purchase these units from your local Fleet Farm store if you have one in the area.  Remember also, that any welder you may purchase is often times set up to initially use flux core wire, which means in order to use a regular spool of wire, you have to switch the positive and negative lead connections inside the welder.  Otherwise it will weld like crap.  Finally, I use .035" diameter wire.  Works well for most everything.   .024" diameter wire works good mainly for welding sheet metal.

Good luck! 

[Hoopyboy]

 I have a 110v Miller with a tank set-up. Built my gooseneck trailer with it on rosin core. Honda ATVs come shipped on light steel crates. I always hauled the crates away and have a few tons of steel as result. Enclosed trailer was only one thing  I have used the welder for. Pretty much general purpose welding around my bike shop as needed. Hmm, never used the gas. Anything heavy I need to weld, I stick weld. Can't remember the name of the welder but it is out of my grandfather's coal mine shop. Stands almost 4 feet tall and is about 2 and a half feet wide. Walls of the welder are 1 and 1/2 inch thick  plywood. It was manufactured in the mid 40's, cast steel wheels 8" etc.. This baby don't whine when turned on, you can't hear it other than a low hum while welding. Welded in a lot of rollcages with that baby over the past 30 years, totally built my dirt Late Model with it in the 80's. In general, I'm happy with my welder set-up, the wire feed not on gas and my old stick welder... forgot to mention, picked up the ole wirefeed at a Farm and Fleet store, cheaper than at a welding store

~ Gimpster ~

[Hoopyboy]

 My bad (memory)... Wanda argued with me about my welder so I looked in my garage... It is a Clark 130EN. Google it, nice lil welder with it's dual dials for fine tuning the adjustments. Make sure, no matter what wellder you get to get extra tips too

~ Gimp ~

[Winterracing]

Alright, so i guess  i will pass up on that welder then and save up some money for the better one.  Heres the tool chest i'm going to be starting with http://www.harborfreight.com/13-drawer-red-industrial-quality-roller-cabinet-90320.html.  I want to add a big cabinet at the top for tires and also some cabinets on each side.  I will also put a better bottom frame and wheels on it.  It should be a fun project.  Let me know what everyone thinks,

Dan
www.winterracing.net

[VMS Motorsports]

I think I'd spend my money on other stuff.
I have everything I need to completely disassemble and re-assembly my car in a 2 drawer tool box from Menards for $30 in the back of my 15 year old Tahoe with 198,000 miles on it that pulls my 12' open trailer.


Just my opinion

[Vern Houseman]

or just go out to lowes or home depot and buy a roll around cabinet tool box

[Winterracing]

or just go out to lowes or home depot and buy a roll around cabinet tool box

Well its gotten to a point where looking around i need a new box or some kind of storage.  We have a cabinet in the trailer that is so jammed full when we open the doors the stuff flies out at me.  I want to keep all the tools out of that cabinet and just keep it for parts.  But we have a craftsmen box right now i think about 8 drawers.  It serves us well except its also pretty jammed to so i was thinking about building something.  But the way its looking it might be better to go to lowes and get one of those really nice boxes instead.

Dan
www.winterracing.net

[Hoopyboy]

 Yeah, cheaper than buying a welder, box and material to build one

~ Gimpster ~

[VMS Motorsports]

or just go out to lowes or home depot and buy a roll around cabinet tool box

Well its gotten to a point where looking around i need a new box or some kind of storage.  We have a cabinet in the trailer that is so jammed full when we open the doors the stuff flies out at me.  I want to keep all the tools out of that cabinet and just keep it for parts.  But we have a craftsmen box right now i think about 8 drawers.  It serves us well except its also pretty jammed to so i was thinking about building something.  But the way its looking it might be better to go to lowes and get one of those really nice boxes instead.

Dan
www.winterracing.net

Not trying to sound like I know it all, because you all know I don't, but you have too much sh!t in your trailer.
I'm serious when I say I can take apart and rebuild my car with whats in my 2 drawer tool box. Actually had someone last night at the track ask me if I had half a Legend car in the back of the Tahoe, because I had every part he broke on hand.
Organization my friend, is alot more efficient and inexpensive.
No offense meant.

[Hoopyboy]

Whew... 198, ooo miles on the Taho. I haven't came close to busting 100k on my old 92 Ford 7.3 IDI that we pull the trailer with.. Makes me feel like I have a NEW truck !!

~ Gimp ~

[VMS Motorsports]

Whew... 198, ooo miles on the Taho. I haven't came close to busting 100k on my old 92 Ford 7.3 IDI that we pull the trailer with.. Makes me feel like I have a NEW truck !!

~ Gimp ~

Original motor and trans too.
I bet yours still has than new car smell Gimp...oh wait, I forgot, Its a big ol stinky diesel 

[justfreaky]

If you have the time and money to spend practicing your welding skills on a pit box, I say go for it!  Like Jim, I have every tool I need to do engine and suspension work on race cars or street cars in 2 tool boxes (one 2 drawer and one 4 drawer).  OK, and a few larger tools thrown in a cardboard box. My filing system works for me. LOL!

Steve

[Winterracing]

well i see what your all saying.  I guess with the price of everything i'll just get a new cabinet and also reorganize them better.  One cabinet will be for the bigger tools (torque wrench) and the other cabinet will be for the parts.

Thanks for the help,
Dan
www.winterracing.net