how to spend my money
 

Help me out, broz. I came into some Christmas monies.

Option 1: spend christmas monies on a mig welder capable of welding aluminum. For my needs, I do not need to drop a couple K on a tig welder. This is what I am considering:






Option 2: the Christmas monies plus my existing car funds balance put me into 949 Big Grip kit territory. I was planning on upgrading to Xida's eventually, but not this year. But now I could, conceivably.

So what sayeth the mature adult track time classes? Get the welder, and enjoy fab abilities I do not currently have and get the Xidas next winter, or go for Big Grip now and enjoy that for the next driving season, and sell my gently used Tein Flexes ?

Welder. Soo much that can be done. Earlier I welded a bunch of old brake disks together to make a stool.

Yay...not.

Seriously though, I think weldings over rated. I have a $85 mig welder, and I hardly use it. I can weld great with it (steel only obviously), but beyond that, I don't have a huge amount of need, and I do a lot DIY.

I'd suggest a decent MIG setup, it'll get you through the vast number of brackets, test pipes, and other goodies while you hone your welding skills. If you're still interested once you're at that point, go for the TIG.

Save the money now for big grip stuff I say.

Pics of the stool pls?

tl dr.

Blow and hookers.

Dann

+1

Honestly I would not spend that much on a beginner MIG welder. I spent $100 more then that on my used Lincoln TIG Welder a few months ago. So that seems very high to me. If you want a decent MIG that is a decent quality and good price check out this one from Northern Tools. I found it by searching all the welding posts in here and another forum member had bought it and loved it. It also uses all Miller or Lincoln parts, I forget which exactly. For the welding cart just go to harbor freight and get theres. If the HF is good enough for TurboTim, it will be more then good enough for you.

You just linked a $100,000 house.^^

Everyone wants to weld, then they get a welder, and it normally just sits. Hell, even mine does most of the time.

Get coilovers. Because grip is overrated.

I have no clue what you are talking about linking to the wrong thing. :giggle::giggle:


I would agree for most hobbyist the welder probably sites around most of the time. I can say though for the amount of things I have paid to have welded in the last 2 years would have nearly cost me what a cheaper MIG welder goes for and I would not have had to wait for it to be done.

Outstanding find. That one will work just fine for me.

I think ... I think I may now be able to do both. Why choose?

The idea is that if you give them a place to lean, they won't lean on your fenders.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1356994627

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1356994627

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1356994627

That thing looks like an automatic door dent generator.

What no action shots?

If your dumb enough to hit that with your door, hold your breath for a day.

No action shots, they left me home alone today. Im gonna make a wood, foam and cloth seat for it at some point, then maybe some sweet action.

I also have a few factory sways laying around. See what I can do with that. Ran out of wire for now.

Personally i would have made it straight so at least u got somewhere to put your beer.

You can put beer down?

Ok serious answer.

I paid 1500 for my TIG, stick, plasma cut combo and its been great.

I build an exhaust or hotside setup every week with it, and do great looking strong welds.

however TIG is an art and not everyone can just pick it up.

+1 for cheap gas mig.

Dann

Just know that buying the welder is just the tip of the ice burg. Then you need tanks of gas which will probably run you a few hundred depending on size. Welding helmet and gloves, a million random clamps, and a ton of other small things that keep popping up. Do not be surprised when all is said and done that you are $750-$1000 into getting your welding setup to where you want it.

Yep, expecting all that. I have helmet & gloves. The tanks I can put into the "operational expenses" budget so it doesn't have to come out of my actual car funds. The welder is ordered.

Do you also have some sort of saw to cut metal with? If not that will be another thing you will need to pick up. Just FYI HF has a 25% off coupon for today only and you can pick up a decent metal chop saw or band saw from there.

Orange angle grinder ftw! I will pick up a saw when I have to have it. Garage space keeps shrinking ...