Seeking help from those who I know can help.

[SelfTaught]

Hello folks,
A little about me.......
My name is Robbie and I am a "self taught" welder. I can stick, mig and scratch start tig.
I learned how to weld by watching others, practacing and finding my own way.
I have been working at a textile plant for 21 years. Over the last 7 I have been part of the Technical Maintenance department and learned these things to better myself.
Recently the plant sent 8 of us to a tech to take the G3 7018 vertical up certification so we can work on the elevators in the plant. Only 4 of us passed. The instructor told me I had one of the best looking welds he had seen from someone who has never had any instruction (probably not saying much lol).
I have always enjoyed wood working and love to build about anything. This has helped enormously in my metal fabrication. If I can picture it in my mind, have the right material then I can usually make it.
My department now sends all of the fabrication and small piping jobs to me. This may come off as if I am full of myself but actually I am the opposite. I always question myself and worry over every little mistake in my wood work as well as my metal fab work. Even the ones know one else can see (but I know are there).
After passing the vertical up test I have been contemplating starting a small portable welding buisness. But I need help and advice.
First is the problem of scratch start tigging. It's all I have ever done but I woupd really love to get into the finer art of tig welding.
Is it harder to learn?
What is the best machine to use for a beginner?
We have a syncrowave at work BUT we do not use it for what it was intended for. We even scratch start 1/4" aluminium. I have been trying to teach myself but with no foot pedal or anything it's really tough.
I enjoy welding more than I do wood working and I didn't think anything would take away from that passion.
There are many more questions but my wife just looked at me and asked "do you really think anyone is going to read all that" so I guess I will give y'all a break.
Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice,
SelfTaught

[gnforge]

Seeking help from those who I know can help.

In the same boat. Pretty much self taught in everything I've done. Never been to collage or tech school. Have taken specialized courses to further my skills in different trades but all in all taught myself by working with someone that was good in the field and or reading anything I could find. From there it's live & learn, practice practice practice.
As far as Tig with foot pedal I think it's much easier than scratch. Control heat with foot. Easier to start, better control wile welding, better on finish. You'll hv no problem with it.
As Michine goes, Dynasty all the way!! Can't beat it. I looked for a used 200 SD to start out. Found one with low hrs. for $1700.00. Still use it, in fact use it a lot for stick also just love the way it burns a rod!!!
Greg

[SelfTaught]

In the same boat. Pretty much self taught in everything I've done. Never been to collage or tech school. Have taken specialized courses to further my skills in different trades but all in all taught myself by working with someone that was good in the field and or reading anything I could find. From there it's live & learn, practice practice practice.
As far as Tig with foot pedal I think it's much easier than scratch. Control heat with foot. Easier to start, better control wile welding, better on finish. You'll hv no problem with it.
As Michine goes, Dynasty all the way!! Can't beat it. I looked for a used 200 SD to start out. Found one with low hrs. for $1700.00. Still use it, in fact use it a lot for stick also just love the way it burns a rod!!!
Greg

could I run the dynasty off of a generator to make it portable? If so, what size gennie would I need?
I was thinking about a bobcat but I don't have the funds for the dynasty and the bobcat at the moment. I could get a used dynasty set up and ready to go for 2800 and a 5000 watt gennie for 800. Or a new bobcat for 3900.

[griff01]

Hello folks,
A little about me.......
My name is Robbie and I am a "self taught" welder. I can stick, mig and scratch start tig.
I learned how to weld by watching others, practacing and finding my own way.
I have been working at a textile plant for 21 years. Over the last 7 I have been part of the Technical Maintenance department and learned these things to better myself.
Recently the plant sent 8 of us to a tech to take the G3 7018 vertical up certification so we can work on the elevators in the plant. Only 4 of us passed. The instructor told me I had one of the best looking welds he had seen from someone who has never had any instruction (probably not saying much lol).
I have always enjoyed wood working and love to build about anything. This has helped enormously in my metal fabrication. If I can picture it in my mind, have the right material then I can usually make it.
My department now sends all of the fabrication and small piping jobs to me. This may come off as if I am full of myself but actually I am the opposite. I always question myself and worry over every little mistake in my wood work as well as my metal fab work. Even the ones know one else can see (but I know are there).
After passing the vertical up test I have been contemplating starting a small portable welding buisness. But I need help and advice.
First is the problem of scratch start tigging. It's all I have ever done but I woupd really love to get into the finer art of tig welding.
Is it harder to learn?
What is the best machine to use for a beginner?
We have a syncrowave at work BUT we do not use it for what it was intended for. We even scratch start 1/4" aluminium. I have been trying to teach myself but with no foot pedal or anything it's really tough.
I enjoy welding more than I do wood working and I didn't think anything would take away from that passion.
There are many more questions but my wife just looked at me and asked "do you really think anyone is going to read all that" so I guess I will give y'all a break.
Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice,
SelfTaught

Are you sure about the "scratch start on aluminum"? That is kind of like rowing a motor boat while the engine is running fine.

Griff

[MMW]

I think it's great for anyone who wants to start a business. First thing you need to do is to figure out what kind of work is needed in your area & does that equal what you want to do. You can be the greatest "whatever" but if there isn't enough work/jobs to support it then it is just a hobby & welding can be an expensive hobby especially if you tool up like you should to be in business.

A dynasty is a good machine because it is versatile. Then an engine drive to run it, then a vehicle to haul it all around to different jobs plus all the stuff to go along with it & you have a rather large investment. Not to mention the overhead of insurance & business stuff. Not trying to discourage you, just getting you to think before jumping.

As far as learning with a pedal why not buy one & hook it up to the syncro? Treat it like any other tool that you own & use at work. This way you can get some experience with it.

[SelfTaught]

Are you sure about the "scratch start on aluminum"? That is kind of like rowing a motor boat while the engine is running fine.

Griff

Lol it's tough but can be done. Getting the arc started is the hardest part. Once it is started you can run with it. Have to burn hot though.

[SelfTaught]

I think it's great for anyone who wants to start a business. First thing you need to do is to figure out what kind of work is needed in your area & does that equal what you want to do. You can be the greatest "whatever" but if there isn't enough work/jobs to support it then it is just a hobby & welding can be an expensive hobby especially if you tool up like you should to be in business.

A dynasty is a good machine because it is versatile. Then an engine drive to run it, then a vehicle to haul it all around to different jobs plus all the stuff to go along with it & you have a rather large investment. Not to mention the overhead of insurance & business stuff. Not trying to discourage you, just getting you to think before jumping.

As far as learning with a pedal why not buy one & hook it up to the syncro? Treat it like any other tool that you own & use at work. This way you can get some experience with it.

I want to start out small. I have a friend that said he would help me get started. He is looking for someone in my area that can help with his work load. He does fab work but got started on with a wire welder putting together pre fabed wrought iron fences and gates. He is now well known around Florence sc and has more businesses than he can handle.
He also still has his full time job at the textile company we work at (good benefits). I plan on doing the same. I work shift and have 15 days off a month.
I already have a truck (f150 super crew) and a trailer. I also have a small hobart 140 wire welder.
On top of the work he could send my way, I live in a high farming area and they are always needing repairs.
This is something I really love doing and it would be nice to make money doing something you love.
As I said, I want to start out small, hopefully with in a year or two I will have enough money to get better equipment and move on to bigger jobs. As of right now though I don't want to put over 5000 in equipment.
Can the dynasty 200 be gennie driven? If so what size would I need?

[gnforge]

Seeking help from those who I know can help.

Yep. Dynasty is Inverter so requires little input to feed. In fact just did that last night. Injection pump went out of my big 40 so out being rebuilt. Had a small job at local sawmill. Loaded 5000 watt gen. & Dynasty. 1/8 - 6010 run fine. Works fine off gen. power.
Was doing some casing work month or so ago and was using older bobcat that co. had and didn't like the way it was welding and also needed the dig on dynasty so just plugged onto bobcat and welded for 3- days.
Also just did a big job at another shop welding old 8" bridge beam 30' long and couldn't get around with there mig & my big 40 wasn't running right. So plugged long leads into dynasty and welded for 2-weeks. It's a lot of Michine for its size and got me out of more than one bind.
Really Tig welds Alm nice and I can pick it up with one hand. It's I good starter to build on a small business.

[gnforge]

Seeking help from those who I know can help.

I've run it off 3500 watt but limited to very light work.
Runs pretty good off 5000 watt if good gen. But with 7018 - 1/8 rods it works the crap out of it and is just not quit enough on the high side of that rod.
Off bobcat runs supper run about anything the dynasty will run.
So in my opinion 5000 min. And I'd go a little higher to get on the higher side of the dynasty.
Didn't look up specs just talking from my experience.

[SelfTaught]

Thanks for the replied thus far.
So in starting a small portable welding buisness it would be better to go with the dynasty and gennie instead of the bobcat.
I think that would be more versatile. I already have a100' of positive and negitive leads, tig torch with hoses and regulators as well as cutting torch set up. All I need is the bottles.
All I have ever used while tigging is 100% argon. For mig all I have ever used is 75/25.
I have heard of 50/50 helium mix.........what is this used for?

[MMW]

Everything you have mentioned says mig not tig. In my opinion if you want to do general repairs on farm equipment & also railing type work you need to use mig. I would look into an engine drive & a feeder before a Dynasty. Tig has it's place but is to slow for general work. Stick has it's place but also is slow. I run my feeder 90% of the time doing mobile work. The other 10% is stick. I can count on one hand the times I've been asked to tig mobile. Sure some guys do a lot of it but not around a farm or construction site.

[MMW]

Anything with gas outdoors is a problem. Any type of breeze & it blows away the shielding so you would need to tent up to block the wind. This is time consuming & if it is not a specialized thing your customer is not going to want to pay for the extra time. I run self shielded wire on my mobile set-up.

[gnforge]

Seeking help from those who I know can help.

In your 1st. Post you were talking about getting into the finer part of Tig welding and what Michine is best. And also if it was able to run off a gen. I was answering those questions and that it is a good stick welder also.
As far as starting a small portable welding business to do field work. I agree with MMW Bobcat & wire feed is the way to go. Then u get a free gen.

[griff01]

Lol it's tough but can be done. Getting the arc started is the hardest part. Once it is started you can run with it. Have to burn hot though.

The high frequency function of the SyncroWave negates the scratch start.
Do you not have a foot control pedal or fingertip controller?

If not, you are missing most of the advantages of GTAW.

Griff

[SelfTaught]

Great replies and good advice. Glad I joined.
The thing is I live close to the coast as well. People are alway wanting boats and toons repaired.
Like I said I was really looking into the bobcat 250.
After reading a few of the post I began to sway towards the dynasty and a gennie.
What can the bob cat do that they dynasty and gennie can't?
I have a hobart 140 wire welder but if I want to use a spool gun to weld aluminium I would need at least a 190 right?

What I have now.....
Torch/regulator and hoses for tig rig.
Cutting torch set up, no bottles.
Hobart 140.
Truck
Trailer
20'x20' shop

What I buisness I expect...
Farm equipment repair.
Boat repair
Fabrication
Anyother general welding.

Which set up would be better..
New bobcat 250
Or
Dynasty 200 with foot pedal for 2800 (used). And a 6500wat genie (just found one for 800).
I understand what's being said about the wire welders but I would like a versatile set up to start off with just incase I need more.
Thanks again for all of the great replies. Y'all are making this ole boy think, which is never a bad thing.