Welders,benders,and tubing questions

[Uncle Stretch]

Ok seems several people are curious about what welder to buy and build a frame with. The one I chose 25 or so years ago is called a Miller Cricket. They had just come out with these 110 volt welders. They are supposedly good to weld up to 1/4 mild steel. I have used mine for everything. I built several Street Rods, welding everything on them ...Front nova clips ...rear 4 bars and everything in between. Mine will use argon gas ,but I always use flux core wire. The difference is they put the flux to weld inside that small wire ,and with the gas bottle it comes out over what your welding and dosent need flux. The gas is cleaner on your weld ,but I never run out and have to have the bottle filled. :wink: They make alot of 110 volt welders that you can buy. They are my choice ,because they are smaller and you plug them into a regular plug in your garage. Most have 2 knobs ...One will be for the heat setting...usually 4 different ranges....the other will be a knob for the wire speed...that is how fast the wire comes out.
The cheap ones are made in china. An old welder friend told me the way to judge a welder is by weight. Pick it up and it should be in the 40 to 50 lbs range. I love quality...miller has made these forever. They will cost in the $575 to $650 range for one. Mine has lasted for 25 years so far no problems. if your serious about welding buy quality. If you think you may or may not get into it buy the cheapest one you can find ,because you probably wont use it anyway. I wouldn't have a problem buying one off of C/L. Let the other guy pay retail and then decide he wont use it. Maybe he needs money or getting a divorce....look for the deal. 8)

 

[Ratfink1962]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

From my research several years back...

Miller makes a good welder, so does Lincoln, Both priced about the same, Hobart is cheaper but I think If I remember right the duty cycle was really low. Then the off brand China made stuff.

What does the term "duty cycle" mean?

Duty cycle is a welding equipment specification which defines the number of minutes, within a 10 minute period, during which a given welder can safely produce a particular welding current.

For example, a 150 amp. welder with a 30% duty cycle must be "rested" for at least 7 minutes after 3 minutes of continuous welding. (When you are paying an employee for welding, anything less than 100% duty wastes money.)

Failure to carefully observe duty cycle limitations can easily over stress a welder's power generation system contributing to premature welder failure. Many welders do not have internal protection systems that prevent this sort of over stress -- leaving the task to the owner or operator.

I bought the Miller, and it works like a champ!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

Nice explanation of the duty cycle. My miller will shut down when you hit the duty cycle limit. If you pick a welder that dosent have the duty cycle it will probably be a 220 volt unit and will not be a smaller or cheaper portable unit.

 

[drabe]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

UncleStretch
I thought this thread was going to detail what type of tubing to use.
What do you use for tubing?
Seems like most bikes would use thin wall tubing.
Do you just cut tubing off of a parts bike or buy new?
If buying tubing do you know of a supplier in the Houston area?
I was thinking of going by Rose steel or or Triple-S (just haven't gotten around to it yet) or someplace that deals in used or shorter pieces.
I'm planning a sex change one one of my bikes and wasn't sure what tubing to use.
I know to stay away from electrical conduit!
Thanks!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

I believe in over kill. I use schedule 40 ,which is black pipe. I buy steel from Tripple S . they give me a deal, I have an account. You can use tubing and they sell it there too, but its hard to bend unless you fill it with sand . With pipe you can really burn into it welding and not go through. :roll:

 

[drabe]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

Schedule 40 is pretty thick isn't it?
I imagine you have to use heat to bend it, right (if it's the stuff I'm thinking of)?

 

[Rat Rod]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

Don't expect to win any road races on Uncle Stretch's bikes. :lol:

Well, unless it's all down hill. :mrgreen:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

I imagine you have to use heat to bend it, right (if it's the stuff I'm thinking of)?

Its the black stuff you see in Lowes. I use a Harbor freight hydraulic bender. It will just mash tubing ,but does a nice job on the pipe.

 

[deorman]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

The white sch40 might not work. :lol:

 

[drabe]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

[/quote]I use a Harbor freight hydraulic bender. It will just mash tubing ,but does a nice job on the pipe.[/quote]

Do you have the 12 ton bender?
How long have you had it and have you had any problems with it?
I know the guys on the GarageJournal have a field day bashing anything from Harbor Freight (Update; Actually I just looked and they gave the bender a passing grade).
Regardless, for around $100.00 it might be a worthwhile investment, I probably wouldn't use it too much though.
I've got a large conduit bender that would work on thin walled tubing (probably).
I could do the 'fill tube with sand' trick.
Come to think of it I may try that first and if it looks like I'll be bending more tubing in the future, then I could go out and buy the pipe bender.
Wow, looks like I answered my own question, sorry for thinking out loud!
Still let us know how your bender is holding up.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: What to build a bike frame with

I bought the 12 ton when it was on sale for $89. Its done everything I wanted it to. Anything that has a jack it it will eventually loose some oil. This one hasn't yet ,but it will. Just stick some more in and your back in business. The electrical hand benders work good on thinwall conduit so they should work on tubing without the sand. They cost quiet a bit and then you can really only do 90 degree and such bends. If your creative I guess you could bend other bends too. Seems like it would be hard to come up with a long easy bend. I might be wrong. I would think sand and then bend over a wooden form cut from plywood. Ill have to try it because I bought some 1 inch thinwall tubing and never used it. :roll:

 

[Tommy Atoms]

I use a Miller Synchrowave 250. its a very versatile TIG welder and I haven't had anything that I haven't been able to weld with it. I do alot of aluminum repairs on things so I needed a machine that goes from steel to alum. in a heartbeat. I do alot of intricate metal sculpture with it as well in steel and have made some very tiny welds with it. I love it and will prob keep it forever.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Yeah If I had more extra money I would have a tig too. Its the only way to go, but then I would also have a plazma cutter ... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Tommy Atoms]

I have a buddy of mine that just bought a Plasma cutter 8) He couldnt figure out how to use it so I gave him a lesson. He hadnt realized that he was actualy lifting off the piece and breaking the contact with it, thus loosing his arc. Small correction and now he's cutting everything :shock: He said anytime I need it I may come over and use it. I'm geeked!

 

[icyuod2]

i also use gas pipe and a cheap bender from princess auto ($100)
the pipe is heavy, but i don't race my lowriders.

guess i'm lucky though, my budy has a sweet miller tig welder thats at my disposal.

 

[drabe]

I'm still 'old school' and only have a Miller mig welder.

 

[Philphine]

i just got a $99 mig from harbor freight last fall. getting a little better at it. better than nothing anyway. before that i'd bring things to work, if i could get them in my car, and use theirs. don't remember off hand what it is, but it's far and away better then mine. i still try to bring stuff i weld at home in and touch them up. the bagger project i've been posting on recently i did initially at work a couple years back, but all i've posted in the last month or so i've done at home.

since i've mostly been making the same bike over and over i use some pipe that is a gutted conveyor roller from the conveyors that run all through the plant. pretty much any bike i've shown has a large diameter tube at the bottom. that's the conveyor tube. the rest is either black pipe, electrical conduit, scape bike frames, and whatever i come across that looks like it might work to make an interesting bike. got some chair legs on my table now that may become a swing arm for something.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

At first I cut up a bunch of throwaway bikes and then it seemed like it was easier to scratch build them, and they turned out better. I but schedule 40 pipe from a steel company and pay $17 for a 21 foot piece of 1'' od . They cut it in half for free. That and a piece of 3/4'' od $12 for the chain and seat stays ,and I can build at least two bikes. Works out for me. :wink: