How do you find a good welder?
How do you find a good welder?
I have a '05 CRF250R frame coming so I can "practice" on it with the option to use it if it turns out as good as planned (thanks for keeping the pics up in your thread Bob!). However, I need to find out how to locate a guy that can weld aluminum. I know no one in the industry.
I don't want to go through all of the mock-up work, etc, just to have someone who claims to know what he's doing screw it up.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
I don't want to go through all of the mock-up work, etc, just to have someone who claims to know what he's doing screw it up.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
http://www.weldingschool.com/weldingcontest.html#jax
These guys are in Jacksonville, I'm sure they could point you in the right direction
These guys are in Jacksonville, I'm sure they could point you in the right direction
- redrocket190
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You take the dog for a walk and meet a guy drinking beer on his driveway 100 yards away and after a little conversation find he owns a hot rod business and can fabricate just about anything. I'll get a picture of his car later. It is completely custom built, looks like a '37 Ford but has a Ford racing V8 in it. I gave him the vintage restoration and AF story complete and he just got given a late 70s CX500 he is good to restore.
Michael Stiles
2007 Honda CR500R-AF
2007 Honda CR500R-AF
- 87CR500Rider
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What the hell are you talking about man?redrocket190 wrote:You take the dog for a walk and meet a guy drinking beer on his driveway 100 yards away and after a little conversation find he owns a hot rod business and can fabricate just about anything. I'll get a picture of his car later. It is completely custom built, looks like a '37 Ford but has a Ford racing V8 in it. I gave him the vintage restoration and AF story complete and he just got given a late 70s CX500 he is good to restore.
Go to www.htpweld.com and look at the invetig201. I went to chicago and looked at this machine and I think its a good buy for the money. You can purchase it with a water cooled torch and all the necessary bs for much less than an inverter based machine alone from Miller or Lincoln. It's made in Italy like everyone elses stuff....
- 87CR500Rider
- Posts: 168
- Joined: January 4th, 2008, 7:47 am
- Location: San Antonio, TX
I bought a Chinese TIG/Stick welder off Ebay with a 30 day return policy and 5 year warranty (If of course, they still exist). Here's a shot of the front panel. It's got alot of knobs.100hp honda wrote:how much is a new tig welder ? considering buying one, but i have no clue how to use it.
Long story short, the cover got bent in shipping, they had one that had some scratches and had it painted to my color choice. Here it is.
At less than $800 (with shipping) brand new, I'm in. Spend a couple of hundred more on an argon bottle, tungsten and some TIG rod and you're ready to go. As far as Tigging, I find it easier than stick welding. Most likely because I can actually see the puddle. I didn't say I was good at it, just that I found it easier.
If you buy this machine be careful what you expect it to do.
The duty cycle is so small that it will weld about 3" of 1/8" aluminum and the thermal breaker will shut the machine down.
Welding frames require a bunch of energy, to create the heat and high frequency to stick those two pieces together. It may do it but it could get frustrating.
My suggestion buy a used syncrowave 250 by miller or Lincoln equivalent.
It will have everything you want and cheaper in the long run.
The duty cycle is so small that it will weld about 3" of 1/8" aluminum and the thermal breaker will shut the machine down.
Welding frames require a bunch of energy, to create the heat and high frequency to stick those two pieces together. It may do it but it could get frustrating.
My suggestion buy a used syncrowave 250 by miller or Lincoln equivalent.
It will have everything you want and cheaper in the long run.
- Roostius_Maximus
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We just bought a new Miller Dynasty 350, UNREAL what that thing can do!
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
- dannygraves
- Posts: 8020
- Joined: June 1st, 2007, 2:03 pm
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My welder is less than a mile from my work and builds these
http://www.tinytrophytrucks.com/Home_Page.html
I asked a friend of mine if he knew a guy, and he did. he uses a miller synchrowave 3500 and gets some damn nice welds.
when I was living in cali and needed an AL welder, I opened up the phone book and called up the first place. ended up being a super chill dude who made the cleanest damn welds I have ever seen. he also didn't really want to take my money. I had him weld up a couple bungs on an intake manifold and put a plate over the filler cap on the rad for my starion and I think he charged me like $40. Hoofarted had the same dude do his gen-2 and the welds came out fucken sexy!
http://www.tinytrophytrucks.com/Home_Page.html
I asked a friend of mine if he knew a guy, and he did. he uses a miller synchrowave 3500 and gets some damn nice welds.
when I was living in cali and needed an AL welder, I opened up the phone book and called up the first place. ended up being a super chill dude who made the cleanest damn welds I have ever seen. he also didn't really want to take my money. I had him weld up a couple bungs on an intake manifold and put a plate over the filler cap on the rad for my starion and I think he charged me like $40. Hoofarted had the same dude do his gen-2 and the welds came out fucken sexy!
'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
- dannygraves
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- Roostius_Maximus
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Dude, we tried it at the show, welded a perfect bead down the edge of 1/16th aluminum, NEVER had that kinda controll before. Got a couple of weldtech torches for inside head port work too. Its by far the nicest we've used. It'll be here this week
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
My luck I call the first guy in the phone book and get bird shit welds that break. It's a Woods' family tradition.dannygraves wrote:My welder is less than a mile from my work and builds these
http://www.tinytrophytrucks.com/Home_Page.html
I asked a friend of mine if he knew a guy, and he did. he uses a miller synchrowave 3500 and gets some damn nice welds.
when I was living in cali and needed an AL welder, I opened up the phone book and called up the first place. ended up being a super chill dude who made the cleanest damn welds I have ever seen. he also didn't really want to take my money. I had him weld up a couple bungs on an intake manifold and put a plate over the filler cap on the rad for my starion and I think he charged me like $40. Hoofarted had the same dude do his gen-2 and the welds came out fucken sexy!
Of course, now that Adam is getting a new welder I think my problems are solved.
- Roostius_Maximus
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solved? hows that? you buy a jet?
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
- dannygraves
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serisouly, you have to have some local fabricators, it would suck to mail your frame back and forth, especially in regards to canadian customs.
I have a harbor freight cheapo MIG and I used that to tack everything, then just dropped it off with my welder, didn't even have to leave a mockup engine in it or anything.
I have a harbor freight cheapo MIG and I used that to tack everything, then just dropped it off with my welder, didn't even have to leave a mockup engine in it or anything.
'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
- Roostius_Maximus
- Site Admin
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ya, theres going to be an unreal amount of guys within 100 miels of you, i wouldnt consider shipping a frame up here for that
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd
Yeah I know, I was just goofing around. How much did the Harbor freight MIG welder set you back. I like the idea of being able to tack everything in place. Thanks.dannygraves wrote:serisouly, you have to have some local fabricators, it would suck to mail your frame back and forth, especially in regards to canadian customs.
I have a harbor freight cheapo MIG and I used that to tack everything, then just dropped it off with my welder, didn't even have to leave a mockup engine in it or anything.
I talked to my buddy today and the guy that built his wife's open wheel VW should know a really good guy for aluminum so we'll see.
- dannygraves
- Posts: 8020
- Joined: June 1st, 2007, 2:03 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=55525
then I got a regulator for free from work, but they are usually $35 and a bottle of argon.
then I got a regulator for free from work, but they are usually $35 and a bottle of argon.
'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
- asteroid500
- Posts: 1047
- Joined: January 5th, 2009, 1:29 am
- Location: Australia Melbourne
Sounds great Danny. Is Argon pretty cheap? Sad, that I'm so fucking illiterate considering that two of my three brothers were welders. Sadly, one is dead and the other lives in Ohio.dannygraves wrote:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=55525
then I got a regulator for free from work, but they are usually $35 and a bottle of argon.
Thank you.
We had a place that built frames for boats tops but they closed a year or so ago. We had them repair a crack in my brother's '98 CR250 and you absolutely couldn't tell it had been welded.asteroid500 wrote:do you have an alloy boat builder nere you.....honest question.
they weld over 400mm in one run and sure know how to weld.
I'll give the Yellow pages a good look when it comes that time if my buddies friend doesn't know anyone. Thanks man.