My dad was a Navy certified welder for missle launchers but it never rubbed off much on me until it was too late. I suspect WESW knows of what he speaks. I’d still suggest going used at a pawn shop of something for a more quality unit than that piece of %$#@ stuff with probably aluminum wire. By the time you buy your accessories like gloves, clamps, wire, etc., you’ll have more in that than the welder. Suit yourself though, just don’t expect much.
Navy certified welders are not a dime a dozen. they are professionals with great skill and knowledge.
they do not allow any mistakes to pass and i would trust their welds with my life.
your average production welder is nowhere near qualified to be navy certified
Yeah thats what he said. Would really sweat when testing time came.
He started out in the shipyard during the war. The instructor said “not another one” from your town that doesn’t know how to weld. Then he proceeded to demonstrate welding overhead with a stick in each hand. Then said if you listen to me, I’ll teach you how to really weld. Or so the story goes. Back when tires, gas and food were rationed and orange crates were the best available furniture. Just to editorialze, but my fear is our youth will forget the lessons of the late 30’s and 40’s and even 50’s and repeat the same mistakes again.
yes bing, the fact that our youth are not entering the construction trades is frightening to me.
this is a part of immigration policy that we don t take into account. instead of hiring an 18 yr old kid as a helper and letting them succeed and advance on their merits and work ethic, the contractors are hiring older immigrants with work experience already. this may be penny wise but be pound foolish.
even if the kids don t stay in construction, they learn lessons and skills that will serve them well and allow them to depend on themselves.
we are becoming soft, as did rome…
those who believe that we will never be threatened or face a foe in our own land know nothing of history
Are you really planning to weld outdoors? If so, forget the flux core wire. It’s hard enough to keep a gas shield going let alone when even a wisp of wind is going by. At least with gas, you can turn it up to compensate. Hard to turn up the flux core 
I have oxy/acetylene, wire and tig. I have one of the 120V lincolns in the mix. Started out using the flux core stuff because it was highly portable. But the quality was sketchy compared to gas and had the issue mentioned above. So I got some small tanks for it and never looked back.
Also bought the AL kit which has different pinch and guide rollers and well as the wire feed sleeve. AL will pollute your steel parts so you need separate bits and pieces where contact is made.
It’s quite reasonable for sheet welding although that takes ALOT of skill/practice to do right. I mainly use mine for light to moderate structural repairs and if I need to weld something up quickly. Quite handy, I would recommend one (just not for a beginner doing body panels).
As nice as the caddy looks in pictures, Its got a lot of work needed. I imagine if it was media blasted I’d have all kinds of holes. I really need to get to the point where I have a garage to tear the whole thing down. Right now its like trying to resurrect an old boat.
I know about welding but what are WEDLERS?
Welders meaning welder machines.
I think we had a couple letters turned around.
well, get the motor tranny and brakes right and you can probably make a bundle by selling it if the body work is more than you want to take on. or you can always go with the beater look and just fix the structural rust.
if you can fix the overheating problem you have a valuable car.
oops didnt notice the typo, even when mentioned twice! haha. Fixed it, thanks.
I sure hope so wes, but Im not counting on it. We’ll see!
don t forget that oil pan plug fender…lol
a couple months ago when I changed my oil, I added what I thought was almost the right amount after I had let it drain for a few hrs. but when I checked with the dipstick…, nothing.
doh! glad I did not start it. the plug was still in my drain bucket, along with 4 new quarts of oil.
Happens to the best of us. I’m in charge of servicing the mowers and snowblower at the cabin, so every spring I change the oil etc. My BIL was anxious to get started mowing so I was in a hurry. Started the mower and started to cut grass as I noticed the pre-measured bottle of oil marked push mower. Stop, stop. No harm I guess. It was only for a few minutes and its just between us.
Yikes. Luckily my drain pan leaves the plug on top when I drop it, so I couldn’t miss it once I pull the pan out before starting the car.
LOL, thanks wes. It proves I’m not the only one…
I use a turkey baster pan as a drain pan then discard it after every oil change. No screen. But, like Wes, I double check things. I’d love a lift, with a standing drain pan and all the accoutrements, but, alas, I no got.
alas, a lift is not in my future either
I would see if my local tech or trade school offers a beginners welding course, Just a 30 day hobby welding type thing…Trying to become a decent welder on your own with a $100 buzz-box welder, that will be frustrating…
Well now you guys got me going. I’ve got a little sheet metal welding in my future and I’m trying to decide if I should just bite the bullet and get the gas tank for my wire feed and convert it over. $150 for a five year lease but then the refills are only $30.
@wesw
even if the kids don t stay in construction, they learn lessons and skills that will serve them well and allow them to depend on themselves.we are becoming soft, as did rome…
YES YES YES!!! You are so right.
I have a coworker in his 30’s, he is proud of the fact that he hires everything out, painting, staining mechanical work, maintenance on his mower, carpet cleaning, detailing and waxing his car, changing furnace filters ect… you name it. He does nothing around his house except watch survivor and sports on tv, I remember a year or two ago his cable was out for a day and he acted like it was the end of the world. Speaking of which he got a new surround sound system and had the geek squad come out and install it. He literately does nothing around the house. Its so sad.
Growing up I had several mentors, one was a electrical engineer, another a retired machinist and a neighbor who was a plumber who worked on his cars and mowers on the weekends and would take me to the 3/4 midget races on Friday nights in the summer. I would hang out at their houses and learn stuff which served me well later in life. I can still remember building my first crystal radio at about 8, learning how to oxy-acetylene braze/weld and cut at about 12 and learning all about machining at 13. If it were not for these guys I would have probably gone on to mediocrity instead of having a great career.
That’s the thing about kids. You tell them and tell them and show them and tell them again and they just WON’T listen…until one day they surprise the hell out of you by actually applying the knowledge you pounded into their thick little skulls years ago.
About 6 years ago I hired a neighbor kid to help string a chain link fence and I actually had to show this 16 year old how to thread a nut onto a bolt!!! He simply never had anyone in his life show him these things, I tried to show him different basics, the problem was he wasn’t interested.
We were all were a ill informed young individuals at one time too, just like all of us. Actually taking the time to teach and show them will be something it’ll be worth it. Later in life they’ll do something and say to their kids, family and even friends “ole rick taught me this he did!”.