What type of welding is best/what do you use for your bikes?
also, does anyone know where I can learn welding in the SF Bay?
also, does anyone know where I can learn welding in the SF Bay?
Best Type of welding??
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For most bikes MIG is fine, like Fatboy said wirefeeds are cheap and usually easy to get. If you want to start doing high end titanium roadbikes TIG is the way to go, it's more expensive than a wire feed MIG and it's also a little harder to get proficent at but you can lay some super clean tight beads if your good. I'm started on a wirefeed when I was around 7 or 8 years old and have been self taught ever since but if you want more fomal lessons check out local community colleges.
TIG is my preference.
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TIG is best but can be difficult to master, a regular wire feed MIG works great though. Lots of youtube videos out there with useful tips but nothing beats doing it. Go grab some scrap bike parts clean them up and get to welding. I normally say clamp one piece of metal into your bench vise and weld another to it then smack it with a hammer, if it falls off do it again. If you break the hammer before the weld you did good.
tig is about the best cost is high esp if you want todo aluminium as you need a ac/dc tig. mig is fine for frames,but i pref fuel/oxy as silver solder and braze give a bit better with frame flex plus you can use the heat for ennealing and shaping
i have mig what i use with co2/argon mix, and a oxyturbo setup with a 9L oxy cylinder
i have mig what i use with co2/argon mix, and a oxyturbo setup with a 9L oxy cylinder
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
You have all the right answers above, they will just start repeating now.
At this point, it's your preference based on your research and your wallet. When I came to that point I bought a used Lincoln wirefeed gasless for $180, only 1 roll of wire had been used in it. This wasn't much cheaper than new, but it was cheaper. I could've gone cheaper with a Harbor Freight unit or a Northern Tools, but I wanted a name brand because of availability or replacement parts (of which I've needed none after using over 2 rolls of wire in it). I also went with this unit because I wanted a 110v that I could plug in anywhere instead of being limited to the 220v plugs in my shop.
When it comes to learning, you can spend the money and take a class or buy a welder, either way, eventually you'll be buying a welder, so I just bought and started burning metal to teach myself. Still have a long way to go, but I don't like school. haha
At this point, it's your preference based on your research and your wallet. When I came to that point I bought a used Lincoln wirefeed gasless for $180, only 1 roll of wire had been used in it. This wasn't much cheaper than new, but it was cheaper. I could've gone cheaper with a Harbor Freight unit or a Northern Tools, but I wanted a name brand because of availability or replacement parts (of which I've needed none after using over 2 rolls of wire in it). I also went with this unit because I wanted a 110v that I could plug in anywhere instead of being limited to the 220v plugs in my shop.
When it comes to learning, you can spend the money and take a class or buy a welder, either way, eventually you'll be buying a welder, so I just bought and started burning metal to teach myself. Still have a long way to go, but I don't like school. haha
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And don't be embarrassed if your first welds look like wads of bubble gum we've all been there. Few weeks practice and you'll be laying 'em down like stacked dimes.
Thanks for the reply guys! Sounds like TIG is for me right now. I'm cool with the whole hit and miss/ teach my self, but I'm worried something will go wrong and I'll hurt myself. Are there any precautions I should take, besides clothing and the mask?
Don't stand in a puddle of water. 
OK, OK, sorry 'bout that! But Don't!
Wear clothes that cover. The arc will "sunburn" your skin.
Don't wear clothes saturated in oil or grease or worse. (you'd be surprised what people will wear!)
Wear pants that cover the tops of your shoes. Even a tiny red-hot piece of metal that falls inside your boot or shoe will not be a pleasant experience.
Keep anything flameable well away from your work. Survey your work site before you start. Look for worst case. Where is that lawn mower gas can?
It goes without out saying, your eyes are at most risk. Don't take any shortcuts with your eyes!
There are many more, all common sense. It's been a LOOOOOONNNNG time since I took that college welding course!
OK, OK, sorry 'bout that! But Don't!
Wear clothes that cover. The arc will "sunburn" your skin.
Don't wear clothes saturated in oil or grease or worse. (you'd be surprised what people will wear!)
Wear pants that cover the tops of your shoes. Even a tiny red-hot piece of metal that falls inside your boot or shoe will not be a pleasant experience.
Keep anything flameable well away from your work. Survey your work site before you start. Look for worst case. Where is that lawn mower gas can?
It goes without out saying, your eyes are at most risk. Don't take any shortcuts with your eyes!
There are many more, all common sense. It's been a LOOOOOONNNNG time since I took that college welding course!
I use a tig/plasma cutter/ stick welder from Longevity it was right around 1k buck . its a very clean way to weld no messy spatter. You need a gas bottle I bought mine for $125 it costs about $60 to refill/exchange lasts quite a while I think its a 125 cuft tank.
By xc204 at 2009-05-23
By xc204 at 2009-05-23
By xc204 at 2009-05-23
By xc204 at 2009-05-23
