Frame rust hole. Am I fu**ed?

[Tlee94sbc350]

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An 80a welder will barely stick 2 pieces of 16 gauges together. They just don't have enough ass to weld a frame that's probably close to 3/16 give or take. You can end up with a beautiful looking weld that's just sitting on top of the metal. A cold weld with little fusion or penetration.

Not to say it can't be done other ways(stick) but Er70s6 is what's recommended for everything autobody and does ok given less then polished clean metal.

In your shoes without equipment. I would get all my patches made up, fitted, everything ready to go, and go to a local rent-a-center and rent a 140a whatever they got mig.

Probably have to have the gas tank out so you can move the fuel lines , brake lines and wiring away from the drivers side rail.

I think I'm going to take this advice and put it to use! Prolly end up just purchasing mig welder. My harbor freight flux core is for small stuff only. But it works!

 

[TechNova]

you'll never regret getting a 140. It will weld your frame but not much thicker.
I use my 140 a lot and hardly ever use the 220V 200amp welder. When I do it's not for automotive.

 

[Tlee94sbc350]

you'll never regret getting a 140. It will weld your frame but not much thicker.
I use my 140 a lot and hardly ever use the 220V 200amp welder. When I do it's not for automotive.

What brand do you have?/ recommend. I would rather not get the 220 cuz I'm not hooked up for that.

 

[Hipster]

double post, sorry

 

[Hipster]

I've used a lot of different ones over the years. miller , Lincoln, Hobart, Esab, Clark, offshore units, etc. They all work. In bodyshops guys will fight over the Miller autosets units while the others sit in the corner. The machine self adjusts so you don't have to climb out and go mess with the wire speed for different welding positions.

Like TechNova said 140a is about at it's limit on a frame rail and why I went with the Miller 211 over the 141. 120/220v , a little more machine etc.

I like infinite heat and wire speed controls, and that would be mandatory on a small machine for me. Get a machine set up for gas. You can always run some flux core until you put some coin together for a bottle.

It's the features you have to compare when shopping. The Lincoln 140 in Home Depot or Lowes is not the same 140 you would find at a welding supply. Miller and Lincoln have some pretty strict guidelines for pricing as a requirement for dealers so you can get the same pricing from a welding supply as internet if you go in with a little info. Dealers on the net can't advertise at less then msrp so there's really no smoking deals to be had buying that way and it's good to get to know the guy that also sells the gas.

 

[Hipster]

Parts and service matter also. Stuff happens. A piece of slag ground the nozzle and kill the board. It's nice to be able to get a circuit board instead of tossing the machine out and starting over .