Need advise

[Climber]

Hello Fellows,
I need your advise in selecting correct tools for me.
As you know from my previous postings I am running Tree Service company.
I can not say the business is slow, but it's more correctly – tight. Every dollar counts. Last year I spend $7,000 in reapers (mostly welding). This year along - $4,000. I am trying to cut back on this cost by buying fabrication tools and equipment. I have decent welding experience (little bit rusty, 15 years ago), excellent fabrication skills, and degree in mechanical engineering.
My fleet:
4x six-wheeler trucks, 2 chippers, 16K enclosed trailer, Kubota tractor, Stump grinding.
My jobs:
Removing, trimming/pruning trees, grinding stumps, snow plowing on 2 trucks for State of NH.
My  to-buy list:
Mig-welder, portable acetylene (map?) torch, hand held band-saw (by-metal), drill press, chop-saw.
What brand and model should I get? Please give me a suggestions what else do I need to buy, what brand.

[Dave Shepard]

I would try to find a Lincoln or Miller wire-feed welder. Don't buy a cheap flux-core welder (no gas)! You don't need an $1,800 wire welder, but on the other hand, you do want one that can weld 1/2" in one or two passes. I have a Milwaukee hand-held bandsaw, it is great, and will serve most of your stock cutting needs. I think an acetylene or propane cutting setup is also a good choice. These three tools are a good start, and will allow you to make many repairs and also do a lot of fabrication work.

[DR Buck]

You can't go wrong with a Miller or Lincoln.  Hobart is not a bad choice either.

[Climber]

Welders:
1/2" is good. Gas - OK. Lincoln, Hobbart or Miller  - brands are good. Whitch is better on replacement parts? There are hundreds of models. Which one?
Portable torch:
is craftsman is good?
Hand held band-saw:
Milwakee - I like this brand. Realy heavy duty stuff. What model?
Drill press:
Craftsman? Delta? What else?

[Fla._Deadheader]

We have an older Miller Roughneck, engine generator welder. Stick welds and use as generator in the field. Only welder I would have if portable is necessary for emergencies. Welds to 1" thick.

[DR Buck]

Welders:
1/2" is good. Gas - OK. Lincoln, Hobbart or Miller  - brands are good. Whitch is better on replacement parts? There are hundreds of models. Which one?
Portable torch:
is craftsman is good?
Hand held band-saw:
Milwakee - I like this brand. Realy heavy duty stuff. What model?
Drill press:
Craftsman? Delta? What else?

Can't speak for Hobbart but Miller and Lincoln have good parts support.   Check out their web sites.


Torch -  Go with Victor. Best on the market.

Milwaukee is good.

Delta is far better than Craftsman.

[Climber]

engine generator welder - big NO for price, noise, small etc. reasons.

[isawlogs]

A stick welder is a lot cheaper then a mig , if money is an issue , go with the stick , you can get a lincoln , or a miller that will do all three , Mig tig and stick if the money is there , this macine I have tried a few times and it is great . It would and is on my wish list  :D

[Don_Papenburg]

I like miller and Lincoln for welders.
Harris and Victor for torch. I have a harris with propane tip . Propane is the cheapest way to go . I have the big bottle and use about five oxy to one fill of propane.  Acetalene bottle seemed to be emty everytime I needed oxy.
Don't jump at Craftsman unless it is at a yard sale,cheep.
  you do not know who mfgd. it.
Look at auction listings for many of the tools you need .  I have gotten a Delta drilpress for $50.00   Millwalkee hole hog for $25.00   

[Dave Shepard]

My band saw is the variable speed model. I like that better than the two speed. Should be just under $300. A friend of mine has a Craftsman torch set. I think it is really a Harris. Good torch.

What you need to do is find your local welding supply shop. Most of these shops carry both Lincoln and Miller. They may even have some good used machines available as well. You'll need them for torch and argon/CO₂ tanks anyway. I use Airgas company, formerly Merriam-Graves. I've had good luck with them, and you may have one close by.

[ErikC]

  If money is tight, an old Lincoln stick welder is the best thing for the money. Get one with a high duty cycle though, some are 100% and some are 20%. They never wear out. I use mine mostly for hard facing buckets and cutting edges, and welding pretty heavy iron on backhoes or dozers, and I think I have seen similar for $150 or so. That and a victor oxy/acetylene can do many repairs. You can get a used drill press in the paper most weeks it seems like for under $100. I have 2 and use them quite a bit. An angle grinder and bench grinder will come in real handy a lot of the time on this type of repairs also.

[Climber]

I got:
4" angle grinder,
6" banch grinder with metal brush.

Dril Press:
should be floor standing, low speed 200-250, heigh 2000, good table for vise.
what do you think about:
NEW TJL Industrial 16-Speed Drill Press - $200
Built with a three-quarter heavy duty motor, two and three quarter column.
Max drilling capacity 5/8"
Chuck 5/8"
Max Spindle Stroke 3-1/8"
Swing 16"
Number of speeds 200-3850 RPM
Max. Distance from spindle to table 30-3/4"
Max. Distance from spindle to Base 47-5/8"
Diameter of Column 2-3/4"
Diameter of Table 11-1/2"
Size of Base 17" x 9-7/8" x 1-3/4"
Overall Height 61-13/16"
Motor ¾"

[Climber]

Welder:
Intresting in some think like - MIG Welder 150 amps on 40% duty cycle.

[Qweaver]

The problem that I see in getting a MIG welder is that many/most people make really bad welds with them unless they know how to use them.  I was a lead hand in a code vessel shop for three years and a vocational welding teacher for twenty years and in both cases we tested the welds and the failure rate for MIG was high unless good procedures were used.  Good welds can be made with MIG but few are.  A Lincoln AC 250 will do just fine for most work.  My AC 250 gets used more than the $5000 Hobart square wave simply because its handy and easy to move around and I make excellent welds with it.  My cousin and another worker had to take a welding certification recently and both passed the stick part and failed the mig.  Both were experienced but untrained welders and both had cold laps in the MIG welds...a common fault.  If you are willing to learn how to properly use a MIG welder and then practice good technique...then get one...otherwise stick to the stick.
Quinton

[Climber]

Thanks Quinton,
Even I am not a pro, my MIG welds are stnonger then still. My friend is fabricator with military contract and testing equipment. He complimented my weds after testing them.
So MIG it is.

[ksu_chainsaw]

I would find a larger duty cycle welder than that- 40% means it will weld for 4 minutes, then have to cool for 6 minutes- that usually goes longer than that- experience speaking there. 

I would look for at least a 70% duty cycle- that will allow for a larger weld to be made in one pass.

On top of the brands already mentioned, ESAB is another brand that I have had decent luck with.

Just my two cents.

Charles

[ErikC]

  In addition to the duty cycle, 150 amps isn't enough to burn a good weld in 1/2 inch, maybe in some cases it could be pre-heated and work alright, but basically it's not enough. over 200 would be better.

[isawlogs]

  I think some are not realising he is not starting a building fabricating shop , he is wanting tools to fix his equipment . All's i got here is a buzz box , and a small mig , harris cutting torches with propane tip . half a dozen grinders, cut off saw , gas powered cut off , variable speed drill press . A few more odds and ends to help around , and it has done me well up till now .

[Rockn H]

Sounds like everyone is giving good advice.  The only thing I can do is second the advice of staying away from Craftsman torches.  They are fine until you need parts or accessaries.  If you may want a gouging tip for removing welds or a propane tip later on, I'd go with a Victor torch.  The gauges, regulators, and hose don't really matter as much as the torch.  I'd also recommend propane with a good tip for cutting.  It seems to be alot more economical.

[Climber]

Welder:
1/2" - no tanks in my fleet just trucks. . 150 Amp is sounds good. 70% I can aford this.

Torch:
Victor - will be the winner. Is Victor making small package, portable ones?

Any one about drill press?

[Larry]

My  to-buy list:
Mig-welder, portable acetylene (map?) torch, hand held band-saw (by-metal), drill press, chop-saw.
What brand and model should I get? Please give me a suggestions what else do I need to buy, what brand.

For the band saw I've had both a Milwaukee and Porter-Cable.  The Porter-Cable has a slight edge...plus you can get a stand...Milwaukee probably has the same.

Chop saw...Makita all the way.  I would buy this before a band saw and give it a try...you may never want a band saw.

Victor torches seem a good choice.  Forget MAP.  Acetylene for general use or maybe propane if you do some junking.

Any one about drill press?

Drill press...the one you described sounds like China junk.  Maybe this one that I looked at yesterday?





A Foslick & Holloway...it can be yours for maybe $200...delivery extra.  2,000 pounds of made in the USA iron.  Think the guy had some 3" drill bits he would let go with it.  Suppose I might be teasin a might, but the buys and quality is in the used market.

[Hilltop366]

Two welders might be better.

You sound sold on the mig, thats ok if you have a sheltered (no wind) place to weld if not a stick works better also migs are much more fussy about clean joints, wire feed rate, wire feed slipping, dirty wire (wire not being used soon enough will get corrosion).

I have a stick welder for the thicker stuff and a small (110v)mig for the thinner and clean jobs.

Chopsaws are noiser and a lot messier than bandsaws and the chopsaw blades are not cheap for good ones.

Can't help you on the drill press. Just don't go too cheap one with slow speeds will be handy.

[Dave Shepard]

Keep in mind that duty cycle is for 100% load. At half the amperage, it doesn't have to cool as long. ;)

[ErikC]

  I think that for the jobs at hand, a lesser duty cycle is not really an option. When welding on heavy steel, the strengh of the welds will likely be compromised by a lot of unexpected starts and stops. I would say the money is better put toward amperage and duty cycle than wire feed mechanisms, if one had to choose. I have a little china drill pres, and an old porter cable. They both work fine.

[Climber]

Welder:
Miller 211 with aluminum spool gun. Dual voltage - 110 and 220. Gives me up to 210 Amp in small package.
$1,200 new
Plasma cutter:
Miller 375 X-Tream, dual voltage as well.
$1,200 new


I got slightly used JET 17" drill press. Awesome tool! Craig's list - $300