Can Crusher, Welding Newbie

More of an art than a science - discuss metalworking and welding here.



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PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:45 pm
Greetings,

I have been wanting to get into welding for awhile now, I have several projects that frequently pop up that I have to address with a 'unique' approach. So right now I have a project at hand (can crusher) and seriously considering purchasing a welder. I would say the major things holding me back is my house is not wired for 220 anywhere near where I am will place the welder. So I have always thought that I will wait until I upgrade my setup. Having that said, I guess that is the first thing I would like to discuss. Whether or not I can get a decent welder to work on a regular 110 outlet. If it matters here are some of the other projects I am working on.

1.) Can Crusher
I already mentioned this, there is a growing need for this because I have been collecting cans and now I either need to reduce them down or rent another place to live. They are starting to take over. I will post a picture of what I am working with at the end of this post. I am using an oak frame that others seem to have a lot of luck with but probably going to need to weld the nut of the pneumatic cylinder to the piece of metal that will crush the can.

2.) Muffler
I have an old project car that I am working on and one of the things that is keeping it from passing inspection is a few holes on the muffler. I got some compound that is suppose to do a pretty good job sealing them that I have not tried yet. However, doing it with a welder will probably be much easier and prove more reliable.

3.) Brush Guard
I have a little tractor and the guard for the front grille is not very 'sturdy' to say the least. I saw a guy on YouTube make a pretty beefy one with just some old pieces of metal and a couple pieces of rebar. This is obviously not on the top of my to do list and I imagine the rebar will probably be the hardest job for the welder.

now for the welder,

4.) Firstly could a welder that runs on a standard 110 outlet accomplish these tasks and some other fabrication work that may pop up from time to time?

5.) If so which type of welder should I target? I was doing some research and I think I kept coming back to a couple units that were MIG welders.

6.) What type of gear and other accessories will I need to get started? I saw there are a lot of face shields that vary for all different types of applications. How do I select one that I know will give me decent visibility but also make sure it protects my eyes as well?

7.) Some of you might be aware I originally came here for a painting project for a car. I got advice from some users that I should try to use a LVLP gun with my smaller compressor on a scrape panel first and check my results. However, can I buy a LVLP gun and try it out on this wood for the crusher to give me an idea of what it will be like and get some practice? I will be painting a couple metal parts as well. Would clear coating the wood make it look good too?

Thanks for any advice and help in advance. In the pictures you can see my plan somewhat. As I said the frame we are starting with is going to be oak. Now I need to fasten this nut in the picture to the circular plate it is laying on in the picture. The same question applies will I be able to accomplish this with a welder that runs off a 110 outlet and it be sturdy enough to last over time with this pneumatic cylinder? This cylinder is pretty violent to be honest. I am not sure if my compressor will do the same but I am certain it will be close. It is just a small Ingersoll Rand 20 gallon portable compressor.
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 5:42 am
TheFoxRocks wrote:Greetings,


4.) Firstly could a welder that runs on a standard 110 outlet accomplish these tasks and some other fabrication work that may pop up from time to time?
.


only focusing on this.
a 110 welder wont be enough. theyre ok for thin metal( fix a muffler) but when it comes to projects requiring welds that need deep penetration( welding thicker steel) a 110 doesnt cut it.

it reads like you could be looking at a variety of welding projects in different circumstances. migs are great machines. one problem is the shielding gas doesnt like breezy/windy environments. thats where a stick welder would come into play.



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PostPosted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:03 am
tomsteve wrote:
TheFoxRocks wrote:Greetings,


4.) Firstly could a welder that runs on a standard 110 outlet accomplish these tasks and some other fabrication work that may pop up from time to time?
.


only focusing on this.
a 110 welder wont be enough. theyre ok for thin metal( fix a muffler) but when it comes to projects requiring welds that need deep penetration( welding thicker steel) a 110 doesnt cut it.

it reads like you could be looking at a variety of welding projects in different circumstances. migs are great machines. one problem is the shielding gas doesnt like breezy/windy environments. thats where a stick welder would come into play.


Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned people did not have to answer every single one. I also posted to a dedicated welding forum before posting here. I did not realize this website had a forum section for welding. The general consensus is basically what you are saying as well. I think I already mentioned it already bought some compound that should at least work as a temporary job. I may even try to drill a small inconspicuous hole in the lowest part of the muffler to help some condensation escape.

It is the same project car that I am planning on painting later after I get some of the other issues resolved. It needs several other things before it can get legalized, so I want to get it there first and then see how the car runs and if it holds fluids after being ran for several thousand miles. Then I can start to address other things later down the road.

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