Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

Wal-Mart sells this little cheap wire-feed welder. Sort of like what I see them using at the muffler shop. Has a ground cable that clamps to the thing you're welding on, and a little wire-feed that welds to it. (As you can tell by the way I'm speaking, I don't know jack anything about welding)

My question is, if I ordered some mandrels for my char pipe and down pipe, would this little welder be sufficient in welding these pipes together?

Reason I ask is it's only like $80.. and if it's good enough for this, then I'll pick one up.. May come in handy for osme other things down the road..

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

the welder should say somewhere on it what guage metal it can weld. i wouldnt go welding any manifolds with it but maybe charge piping...

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

well for one is it a real wire feed? It feed through a spool in the base right? How many amp is it? I have a 135 amp, and I didnt use more then 1/2 power for any of my welds. Also, if your going to buy a welder I would go ahead and buy a good brand. Like Lincoln, hobart, miller. One more thing, I would buy one with a gas hookup also. Using argon is alot cleaner then using flux wire. there is alot of spatter without gas from my little experience. I bought mine from grainger.com. its a hobart handler 135. Miller owns hobart, so they are the exact same thing. Mine came with a gas regulator and everything. it was alot more expensive though, about 500 bucks. But well worth it. You can buy used ones from gas supply shops too. I am sure there is somewhere you can rent one also. I only bought one because I have other uses for it other then my crx.
Jason

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

the $80 welder at walmart is a stick welder, it is 80 amps.. it will be sufficient, but the welds will be ugly...

walmart has a wire feed welder for a little more with the same power..

they also have a mig welder for $260 that will make better looking welds, but it is the same power...

I would also recomend a better welder, but it costs a lot more.. if you dont plan on doing anything but light duty welding any of the walmart ones will work...

if you want a good brand, but cheap welder lowes has a lincoln 80 amp hobby mig for around $260 and a 135 amp pro mig for $395..

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

I have the same welder at Wal-Mart but I got mine at home depot. Same price and brand. It's a Cambell Hausfeld. I guess that's a pretty good brand. I've only welded exhaust piping with it. I've done some mufflers and a cat convertor. It only says it can weld up to 1/8 thick steel.

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

its all good but be prepared to grind the ---- out of your welds to make them look purdy :)

id just borrow a tig and get er dont pro :)

Re:Wirefeed Welder + JC Whitney Mandrel Bends
 

i was thinking of the same thing all i want it for would be for a down pipe and charge pipes. i'm not sure how good they work though or what gauge wire you can run through them.