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wanted: fabrication tools & advice

staticrevolution

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Beaverton, OR
In the market for some fabrication equiptment, local is best. I am looking for a mig welder and tube bender basically. Any advice on which welder to buy or which bender to buy would also be appreciated. New or used doesnt matter. Also wondering what yall are using to notch your tubing and what notcher is best? Oh yeah I am looking to spend between $800-1000 for the welder and same for a bender and notcher. And what is best for cutting thick sheet metal a torch or a plasma cutter? Would be making rocker gaurds, bumpers, and other fairly non life threatening parts with this stuff.

Thanks,

Alan
 
staticrevolution said:
In the market for some fabrication equiptment, local is best. I am looking for a mig welder and tube bender basically. Any advice on which welder to buy or which bender to buy would also be appreciated. New or used doesnt matter. Also wondering what yall are using to notch your tubing and what notcher is best? Oh yeah I am looking to spend between $800-1000 for the welder and same for a bender and notcher. And what is best for cutting thick sheet metal a torch or a plasma cutter? Would be making rocker gaurds, bumpers, and other fairly non life threatening parts with this stuff.

Thanks,

Alan

For welders, definitely get one that takes 220v power. I use a hobart 175 MIG which I really like, at least compared to what I had. Also look at Miller, Miller makes Hobarts, and is a little better quality with a little added expense, it also has many more heat settings rather than only 4 like the hobart. They are priced nicely, and will probabaly be more than you will ever need for fab on your jeep. It can weld 1/4" easily.

For cutting, plasma cutter over a torch. We use a oxy acetylene, it cuts well, but not clean (jagged, metal drips, etc.). The plasma cutter will cut just about anything and will be very clean, but at an added expense...you're looking around 1000 for jsu thte plasma cutter, and maybe 400-500 for a decent oxy acet. torch and tanks.

Benders, JD2 or Protools, go search on pirate4x4.com and you'll find all the info you will need on benders. HTH a bit _nicko_
 
I would pony up for the Miller 210 or the Lincoln 215. I ended up with the Miller 175 but it just doesn't have the power to burn the occasional thick stuff. I ended up picking up a used stick to handle the 3/8" and up material. Also, I'm not over happy with the duty cycle. I haven't had a problem until this year and probably woundn't if I didn't keep taking on other people's projects. :)

Locally they were running them on sale for about $1050 to $1150 plus the tank.

I bought a pro-tools bender from www.rockbuggysupply.com . Haven't had it a long time, but I'm very happy with it. I ended up buying the Harbor notcher and figured if I bent the back I would just brace it and move on.

Do a search on the modified board for more info. There is a ton there.

Lincoln
 
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