A Story of Indecision and Frivolous Spending

Usually in the welding stores they have mig and tig welding gloves. I wouldn't buy them online, I would go to a good welding store and try some on. The mig gloves will be thicker. It all depends on how comfortable you feel with a grinder and how much safety you want. I typically just use some non-flammable mechanic's gloves for grinding.

If you start welding and don't feel comfortable enough to start throwing sparks on your rig, I can come down and help out. You're not that far from me.
There are typically 3 weights of gloves. Very light deerskin or similar for the dexterity needed for Tig. A couple of heavier weights with more insulation for Mig, and then the heaviest for Stick.

I have a heavy Tig set and a light Mig set that I use a lot and then when I start burning in a project, I grab the heavier stick gloves (also usually a lot cheaper) to do that because the heat ruins them quickly. I don't want to ruin the lighter more expensive versions so fast. I have no use for any of the popular mechanics gloves. They don't have the protection that leather affords.

Once you figure out the size you wear as you suggested, then you can usually find them online cheaper.
 
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ut it wouldn't take long to cut through them to your skin especially if you take the guard off.
I was hoping no one would go there. We don't use the guards. Yes, we are dumb, stupid, ignorant and everything else you can think of to describe how bad and dangerous it is. Do not use the grinder without the guard in place.
 
Most of us aren't using these tools often enough to read the tool or hear the cut or always know the best technique for the position we are in. The guards on our tools often have their place and will go a long way towards protecting us from our inexperience.

I had my bad experience with a cut off wheel binding, shattering and scooping halfway through my thumb knuckle as the tool jumped and fell. It was a combination of my bad technique and unfortunate circumstance. It all happened so fast, that I don't recall the quite what happened. The glove made no difference. The damage probably would not have been nearly as bad if the guard was on.

Guard or no guard, making sure the grinder is pulling itself away from your body parts is very important.
 
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I bought a like new Lincoln mig 220v with spot and stich weld off Craigslist a couple years ago.
 
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The new Miller Digital or the Lincoln Viking.


Easier to change. We don't use the wrench. Push the lock, grab the disc and spin it off. Faster and easier with your gloves on and you don't have to keep track of the nut and wrench. When we are grinding, we have a grinder set up with a cut off disc, hard disc, and a flap disc. That and the extended depth of the one with the attached nut will get into places that the other one won't.

Awesome, thanks as always for the solid advice. I'm putting together a list of things.

I look forward to your suggestion on a good MIG welder.
 
So here's a question. When making some of these cuts with the grinder, it seems like some of them might be pretty tricky to make with the guard on the grinder.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but what do you guys do when you get in a tight situation where the grinder might simply be too big to fit in a small area?
 
Awesome, thanks as always for the solid advice. I'm putting together a list of things.

I look forward to your suggestion on a good MIG welder.
I went and looked last night and did not like what I saw. The one I would recommend is also the one I have and has jumped way up in price since I bought mine and is at a level I can't recommend for a hobbyist.

Hopefully someone has enough experience with the smaller ones to make a recommendation that won't hamper your learning. I was disgusted at how much they cost now.
 
So here's a question. When making some of these cuts with the grinder, it seems like some of them might be pretty tricky to make with the guard on the grinder.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but what do you guys do when you get in a tight situation where the grinder might simply be too big to fit in a small area?
Sawzall with a Diablo carbide metal cutting blade. Die grinder with a cut off disc. Plasma cutter, etc.
 
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Okay, I've got a good reciprocating saw and a die grinder.

I went and looked last night and did not like what I saw. The one I would recommend is also the one I have and has jumped way up in price since I bought mine and is at a level I can't recommend for a hobbyist.

Hopefully someone has enough experience with the smaller ones to make a recommendation that won't hamper your learning. I was disgusted at how much they cost now.

Interesting. Would it be worth looking on Craigslist or eBay to see if someone has a slightly used one for cheaper?

I know with all my DeWalt lithium ion tools, I got them from a pawn shop on eBay. They were actually brand new, just not in the original boxes. I got them for almost 50% off what they cost new.
 
I have a Hobart 210 MVP MIG. It was an open box discount on Amazon. It's all I really know, so I can't comment too much on its quality. It's certainly capable of more than I am right now.
 
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So let me pose another question then:

If someone was learning to weld, but wanted a good MIG welder that would that would last them beyond just the "learning" phase, what would you want to look for?

For instance, I know that there's probably certain features one would want, and other features you wouldn't want (or need).

Apologizes in advance if I missed any of this that may have already been pointed out.

So far I've gathered that I want something that is 220V, correct?

I wouldn't mind spending up to $1000. Maybe a little more if necessary. I'd look at it as an investment.
 
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Why not make them relocate shock towers. You gave them all information they needed and @mrblaine contact information and told them to contact him about the way you wanted them to install them. Now you are talking about buying all of this other equipment to do it yourself , you have already stated that you don’t have time to work on Jeep without making your home life difficult, how much do you think you would use this equipment after this project? This is not a dig just thoughts on your situation and hoping what ever you decide works out best for you and your family.
 
Cutting the rear towers out will be unpleasant for a first time fab project, especially the back wall.

Actual measurements of the travels will be interesting and will inform what the next step ought to be.
 
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Cutting the rear towers out will be unpleasant for a first time fab project, especially the back wall.

Actual measurements of the travels will be interesting and will inform what the next step ought to be.
More than unpleasant actually. The first bit is making up your mind you aren't going to save the mount. Once that is out of the way, just cut it off almost flush with the top of the frame and get after it.

The hard part is the lower back edge and only removing the mount since it is so close to the back wall of the frame and you don't want it to go completely through.
 
No one has stated it yet but I REALLY hope you can move the new rear shock towers up enough to get rid of that so called notch they created in the frame for the shock reservoirs.
 
Why not make them relocate shock towers. You gave them all information they needed and @mrblaine contact information and told them to contact him about the way you wanted them to install them. Now you are talking about buying all of this other equipment to do it yourself , you have already stated that you don’t have time to work on Jeep without making your home life difficult, how much do you think you would use this equipment after this project? This is not a dig just thoughts on your situation and hoping what ever you decide works out best for you and your family.
Almost no shops respond well to being told how and what to do. Especially if they think they know what they are doing. After I saw the pics, I knew there is no way in hell they will ever get in touch. Just not in their DNA.
 
No one has stated it yet but I REALLY hope you can move the new rear shock towers up enough to get rid of that so called notch they created in the frame for the shock reservoirs.
Not gonna happen. He will need a section of frame to cut, bevel, and put back in to fix that mess.