Need help with minor welding - Vancouver WA/Portland OR area

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halfafish

halfafish

Damn those rabbits, and their holes!
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I'm taking apart the front end on my 66 Valiant, and will need to get some welding done. The first piece is welding a support plate on my lower control arms, then in a bit when I swap engines I will need more welding to add a bunch of gussets to my K-frame, as well as to improve all welds from spot welds to continuous bead for the whole thing. Is there anyone local that does welding, or can you recommend someone who can? Would prefer to do this on the WA side of the river if possible.
 
you might be better off checking out the local area forums
but, who knows, there are plenty of good members here, im sure some that are close to you
 
Take a welding class or restoration class at the local community college. Do it yourself with their equipment while learning how to weld.

It will cost about the same as paying someone to do it.
 
For the amount of hours of welding you're talking about and paying by the hour or piece work $$ wise you could buy a basic machine(Lincoln/hobart/Miller) and tank. It's not that hard to learn to mig with a little guidance and practice. A skill and equipment you'll use over and over.
 
Firm Feel charges $450 to fully reinforce a K frame, and that includes hot tanking, blasting, and checking to make sure it's straight. And it doesn't take all that long to weld one up, especially if you've done it before.

You won't get your hands on a Miller, Lincoln or Hobart MIG welder with a gas set up for less than that. Sorry, you just won't. The flux core set ups from those brands that max out at 1/8" thick steel are $300+, and you'd still need a helmet, supplies and some training or at least a bunch of practice, so, more supplies. And you'd still have a flux core set up.

I'm all for buying welders, taking classes, and learning to do it yourself. But be realistic. You won't do that for less than Firm Feel charges to reinforce a K frame. Even if you bought a harbor freight welder, added a gas set up and bought the supplies you'd need you'd have more into it than $450. It costs $80 to fill the cylinder for my MIG, and that's an exchange.

Like I said, I'm all for doing it yourself. I do. But if the K frame is all you're going to weld, you'e not going to save money learning to do it yourself. Not if you're in driving distance of Firm Feel. Now, if you have a bunch of welding to do, it's a different story. But the initial buy in is still going to be more than $450, it's the long run where you might come out ahead.
 
72bluNblu said:
Firm Feel charges $450 to fully reinforce a K frame, and that includes hot tanking, blasting, and checking to make sure it's straight. And it doesn't take all that long to weld one up, especially if you've done it before.

You won't get your hands on a Miller, Lincoln or Hobart MIG welder with a gas set up for less than that. Sorry, you just won't. The flux core set ups from those brands that max out at 1/8" thick steel are $300+, and you'd still need a helmet, supplies and some training or at least a bunch of practice, so, more supplies. And you'd still have a flux core set up.

I'm all for buying welders, taking classes, and learning to do it yourself. But be realistic. You won't do that for less than Firm Feel charges to reinforce a K frame. Even if you bought a harbor freight welder, added a gas set up and bought the supplies you'd need you'd have more into it than $450. It costs $80 to fill the cylinder for my MIG, and that's an exchange.

Like I said, I'm all for doing it yourself. I do. But if the K frame is all you're going to weld, you'e not going to save money learning to do it yourself. Not if you're in driving distance of Firm Feel. Now, if you have a bunch of welding to do, it's a different story. But the initial buy in is still going to be more than $450, it's the long run where you might come out ahead.
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I disagree. For $450 you can have someone do the welding for you vs spending the same amount, still getting the welding done and learning a lifetime skill.

It's a no brainer for me.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
I disagree. For $450 you can have someone do the welding for you vs spending the same amount, still getting the welding done and learning a lifetime skill.

It's a no brainer for me.
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Ok, show me the MIG welder with a gas set up you're going to buy for $450. Be sure to include the price of filling the cylinder, buying the wire and a welding helmet. I want links and prices.
 
Anyway.... I'm in St. Helens. It's between Longview and Portland, Oregon side. I have daily access to a ProSpot SP-5 welder and I'm certified in structural and non-structural welding of both steel and aluminum.

I could possibly do it if you can't find anyone, but be warned I take my days off seriously and on these days, I'm incredibly lazy and slow.
 
$450 plus freight both ways? Not much more to be in a 130A machine with a tank of gas and have it when it comes time to do connectors, patches etc. There's enough resources on youtube, welding sites, and here to get somebody who's seriously trying to learn going. The settings chart inside the lid is a good starting point and you're not going to burn up a 10 lbs of wire and a 40lb cylinder before you can pull beads.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Like I said, take a class and use their equipment.
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Yeah ok. A lifetime skill with no equipment to perform said skill. You can't weld without a welder. Most beginning welding classes don't start with MIG welding, and you'd still have to convince the shop to let you bring in your own stuff from home and spend hours welding on it using their equipment and supplies. I'm guessing you haven't tried taking one of these classes recently.

GeorgeH said:
$450 plus freight both ways? Not much more to be in a 130A machine with a tank of gas and have it when it comes time to do connectors, patches etc. There's enough resources on youtube, welding sites, and here to get somebody who's seriously trying to learn going. The settings chart inside the lid is a good starting point and you're not going to burn up a 10 lbs of wire and a 40lb cylinder before you can pull beads.
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Did you notice what city the OP lives in? There's no freight, he literally lives in the same city as Firm Feel. And yeah, it's going to be more. If he has a bunch more welding to do, it could be cost effective. If he doesn't, well, it won't be. Pretty simple.

Like I said, I tell people to take welding classes all the time. But that doesn't mean you can have a fully functional MIG welder in your garage with the ability to use it well enough not to ruin your car for under $450.
 
72bluNblu said:
Yeah ok. A lifetime skill with no equipment to perform said skill. You can't weld without a welder. Most beginning welding classes don't start with MIG welding, and you'd still have to convince the shop to let you bring in your own stuff from home and spend hours welding on it using their equipment and supplies. I'm guessing you haven't tried taking one of these classes recently.



Did you notice what city the OP lives in? There's no freight, he literally lives in the same city as Firm Feel. And yeah, it's going to be more. If he has a bunch more welding to do, it could be cost effective. If he doesn't, well, it won't be. Pretty simple.

Like I said, I tell people to take welding classes all the time. But that doesn't mean you can have a fully functional MIG welder in your garage with the ability to use it well enough not to ruin your car for under $450.
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I think you are angry.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
I think you are angry.
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Me? I'm not angry. I'm just don't think you have the foggiest idea of what you're talking about, regardless of your welding ability.

You guys keep saying you can weld a K-frame yourself for less than $450, including buying your own machine, with a gas rig no less, and learning how to weld. I'm just waiting to see the equipment you're supposed to use to make that price-point. Even welding classes aren't free, and you just can't walk into the shop outside of class and put in 4 or 5 hours of welding on your own stuff. At all, let alone without paying extra for all the supplies.

Seriously, I want to see how you're supposed to do that. Otherwise you're just not being realistic.
 
72bluNblu said:
Me? I'm not angry. I'm just don't think you have the foggiest idea of what you're talking about, regardless of your welding ability.

You guys keep saying you can weld a K-frame yourself for less than $450, including buying your own machine, with a gas rig no less, and learning how to weld. I'm just waiting to see the equipment you're supposed to use to make that price-point. Even welding classes aren't free, and you just can't walk into the shop outside of class and put in 4 or 5 hours of welding on your own stuff. At all, let alone without paying extra for all the supplies.

Seriously, I want to see how you're supposed to do that. Otherwise you're just not being realistic.
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I didn't realize he lived in the same town, and I never said he can run out and get a full set up for $45O, but it will damn near buy a Lincoln or Hobart 140 @ $499 leaving a tank of gas, a helmet, and a little bit of a learning curve to get sorted. I know you have a vast amount of knowledge concerning suspension and tires.
Not sure where you're coming from here or pushing Firm Feel so hard.
 
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72bluNblu said:
Me? I'm not angry. I'm just don't think you have the foggiest idea of what you're talking about, regardless of your welding ability.

You guys keep saying you can weld a K-frame yourself for less than $450, including buying your own machine, with a gas rig no less, and learning how to weld. I'm just waiting to see the equipment you're supposed to use to make that price-point. Even welding classes aren't free, and you just can't walk into the shop outside of class and put in 4 or 5 hours of welding on your own stuff. At all, let alone without paying extra for all the supplies.

Seriously, I want to see how you're supposed to do that. Otherwise you're just not being realistic.
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Clackamas Commumity College has a restoration class, and yes, in that class you can just walk in, use their equipment and get basic instruction.
 
GeorgeH said:
I didn't realize he lived in the same town, and I never said he can run out and get a full set up for $45O, but it will damn near buy a Lincoln or Hobart 140 @ $499 leaving a tank of gas, a helmet, and a little bit of a learning curve to get sorted. I know you have a vast amount of knowledge concerning suspension and tires.
Not sure where you're coming from here.
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Right. So, you can't do it, is what you're saying. $500 for a welder, $80 for a tank of gas, $20 for a crappy helmet, you're in over $600 and you still haven't taught yourself to weld, hot tanked the K, blasted it, checked to make sure it's straight or laid down a single weld.

Where I'm coming from? I can't know more than suspension? I've been welding for over 20 years. I learned from a certified aircraft mechanic. I do all my own welding, all the chassis stiffening I've done on all of my cars is my work for better or worse. I use a couple of ancient welders I bought used and maintain myself. An old Miller 320 AB/P TIG machine circa 1972 and an old Millermatic 35 from around '75 converted to a Tweco gun. Yes, that makes both of those machines older than I am. I'm not, and have never been, a professional welder, so maybe you've got me there. And I'm still way better with a TIG than a MIG because that's what I learned on and probably still have the most hours on by far. But that doesn't mean I can't add, or that I don't understand what it would cost to go from an empty garage to having a machine and set up capable of welding up K frames. Because I've done a few of those myself as well, you know, being a suspension guy.

1968FormulaS340 said:
Clackamas Commumity College has a restoration class, and yes, in that class you can just walk in, use their equipment and get basic instruction.
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Awesome! Glad that's available local, but classes like that aren't always easy to find. How many hours a week is it and what are the registration and shop fees? Because not everyone can manage a class like that with a day job. And a class that lets you walk in and work on your own projects isn't exactly the norm, but I'm sure you know that.
 
72bluNblu said:
Right. So, you can't do it, is what you're saying. $500 for a welder, $80 for a tank of gas, $20 for a crappy helmet, you're in over $600 and you still haven't taught yourself to weld, hot tanked the K, blasted it, checked to make sure it's straight or laid down a single weld.

Where I'm coming from? I can't know more than suspension? I've been welding for over 20 years. I learned from a certified aircraft mechanic. I do all my own welding, all the chassis stiffening I've done on all of my cars is my work for better or worse. I use a couple of ancient welders I bought used and maintain myself. An old Miller 320 AB/P TIG machine circa 1972 and an old Millermatic 35 from around '75 converted to a Tweco gun. Yes, that makes both of those machines older than I am. I'm not, and have never been, a professional welder, so maybe you've got me there. And I'm still way better with a TIG than a MIG because that's what I learned on and probably still have the most hours on by far. But that doesn't mean I can't add, or that I don't understand what it would cost to go from an empty garage to having a machine and set up capable of welding up K frames. Because I've done a few of those myself as well, you know, being a suspension guy.



Awesome! Glad that's available local, but classes like that aren't always easy to find. How many hours a week is it and what are the registration and shop fees? Because not everyone can manage a class like that with a day job. And a class that lets you walk in and work on your own projects isn't exactly the norm, but I'm sure you know that.
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Well there's another option, scrounge up a used machine for less money and sell it when you're done with all your welding and have very little in the process. :thumbsup:If cleaning and reading measurements taken from a K-frame is only something Firm Feel can do how the hell you do yours?

Teach a man to fish! I didn't need Firm Feel and despite what you're saying neither did you.
 
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72bluNblu said:
Right. So, you can't do it, is what you're saying. $500 for a welder, $80 for a tank of gas, $20 for a crappy helmet, you're in over $600 and you still haven't taught yourself to weld, hot tanked the K, blasted it, checked to make sure it's straight or laid down a single weld.

Where I'm coming from? I can't know more than suspension? I've been welding for over 20 years. I learned from a certified aircraft mechanic. I do all my own welding, all the chassis stiffening I've done on all of my cars is my work for better or worse. I use a couple of ancient welders I bought used and maintain myself. An old Miller 320 AB/P TIG machine circa 1972 and an old Millermatic 35 from around '75 converted to a Tweco gun. Yes, that makes both of those machines older than I am. I'm not, and have never been, a professional welder, so maybe you've got me there. And I'm still way better with a TIG than a MIG because that's what I learned on and probably still have the most hours on by far. But that doesn't mean I can't add, or that I don't understand what it would cost to go from an empty garage to having a machine and set up capable of welding up K frames. Because I've done a few of those myself as well, you know, being a suspension guy.



Awesome! Glad that's available local, but classes like that aren't always easy to find. How many hours a week is it and what are the registration and shop fees? Because not everyone can manage a class like that with a day job. And a class that lets you walk in and work on your own projects isn't exactly the norm, but I'm sure you know that.
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I have that same TIG welder in the shop. That thing has paid for itself so many times it isn't funny.

To the OP...Diversified Welding is in Vancouver, just off of 78th street, just east of where the old Vancouver dodge dealership was. I forget the owners name, but when I didn't have access to a TIG he's done some welding for me. They do good work.
 
I am in the same boat as the OP, have some welding I eventually want to do on my control arms and K member, and probably make my own frame connectors. I would probably think of other non-car related items I might make if I had the welding skills and equipment.

A local welder I have used in the past on various projects also does one on one training. He has an impressive shop and does a lot of custom sand rail building. I found him on Craigslist several years ago. I am going to try a class with him and see if I have enough talent to weld, if not I will face the reality and just use him to complete the work.

I do not have any welding equipment, but if I decide to go that route I plan on buying used off Craigslist - there are always a bunch of welders on sale and if you wait long enough a good deal will eventually come up.

For me a big part of the enjoyment for this car hobby of mine is learning how to do things myself. It just seems to be ingrained in me, probably instilled by my father. Another part is this car hobby enables my tool fetish:D
 
yellow rose said:
To the OP...Diversified Welding is in Vancouver, just off of 78th street, just east of where the old Vancouver dodge dealership was. I forget the owners name, but when I didn't have access to a TIG he's done some welding for me. They do good work.
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Yellow Rose,
Thanks. This is what I was looking for. After the topic went a bit sideways I decided to bow out for a bit. I know about Firm Feel, I bought their kit parts to work on my K frame and LCA's. I have no interest in buying a welder or learning to weld, even though I can afford it and I'm probably smart enough to master it. I only have so much time to devote to things, and sometimes it's a better decision to pay a pro. I will give Diversified a call.
 
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