Recommended welder to use on a hardtail kit?????

[THE ROLLING BONES]

I'm in the market to purchase a good used welder for my project! I want to weld a hardtail kit on myself! I have some skills so I do think i'm capable . I can't afford a Tig so whats the next best welder to purchase USED? Please include type of machine whether it be an Arc,Mig,flux,include amps - volts -wire size for each machine! I know a lot of you weld the frames yourself and think your input would help me a lot! I've looked for a thread on this topic and couldn't find one! If there is one let me know! Thanks

 

[bobber_xs]

First what is your budget?$$$

go with lincoln electric!

fantastic brand

 

[rusty rocket]

Ive always had good luck with miller machines. if you are going to go the wire feed route DONT get flux core. spend the extra $ and get a bottle of argon.

 

[THE ROLLING BONES]

Thanks but what's a good size for welding a hardtail???? Is a licoln mig 100 good enough?

 

[650Skull]

Thanks but what's a good size for welding a hardtail???? Is a licoln mig 100 good enough?

You say you think you have enough welding skills to weld on a hardtail? asking this question makes me second guess your ability.

Use the search HEREhere are the threads on welders.

 

[wallywheels]

I have a lincoln 100 with argon adaptor kit It is ok for doing hard tails but If I did it again I would go with a much larger Miller. My welds penetrate as deep as the metal is thick so that is good. But when I am making custom brackets and such that are 3/8" or thicker I could use some more juice. All around I would at least go bigger like a lincoln 125 or 150 if you go that route.

 

[Craft518]

Tig weld it.

 

[Sn34ky]

It all depends on your budget and 220v or 110v? I'll go Mig and bottle ready for sure!

1 amp / .001'' thickness .... so .125'' = 125 amps this is the minimum i'll be heading at if I was you for welding frame tubings, but I'm not you!

You are in Canada? look at Canadian Tire...I grabbed a Lincoln MigPak 180 a couple years ago for a pak of peanuts... but my experience tell me that preset settings sucks!!

 

[650Skull]

What are the regulations for home building a hard-tail in Canada. Are you allowed to or do you have to have a registered welder do it and submit plans to the relivent Gov't departments.

I ask because i have been going through the same questions here in Aus and i just done an internet search for Canadian regulations and you could be up against regulations that will stop you registering a home built/welded bike.

Not trying to be negative, just trying to warn you may need to do some research or you might be building an expensive boat mooring

A lot of members from other countries seem to forget this is an American site and most of the information and regulations are US based and do not apply to other countries

 

[bobber_xs]

yep like I said you im pm mig-pak 180 is a great machine.....

 

[bobber_xs]

don't know in another province....(state) but im from quebec,canada and rolling hardtail is illegal

 

[650Skull]

don't know in another province....(state) but im from quebec,canada and rolling hardtail is illegal

Are you allowed to weld it yourself then register it for the road? If so does it require a engineers certificate to say it has been done properly before registering.

 

[Carolina]

gas weld it

 

[THE ROLLING BONES]

Thanks for your input! I guess I should look into the regulations with the ministry here in Ontario before I continue with my Hardtail plans! None the less I would still have to weld up shock plates if I'm going to Brat it! I Would still need the same penetration! Guess a 180/220 Mig with .025 wire will be my best bet! Thanks to all!

 

[THE ROLLING BONES]

650skull What I'm trying to say is that I have welded in the past! Small pieces like tables and chairs! I used a flux and worked fine! When it comes to something like a frame where the safety of lives are involved, Yes I want advice from people you are skilled in this department! I Know there are guy's who use 110 flux on a frame and think it's fine! It might look like it's getting the right penetration but is it going to hold??? Just want to make sure I get the right and safest penetration! Thanks!

 

[650Skull]

Not trying to put you down, more, help you to do it properly and you gain good proper skills in the process.

have done a lot of stick welding, and have the 4711 stick welding standard which is a pass on welding 2 12mm plats of mild steel together with a bevel and 2mm face. 3 positions, down-hand, vertical and overhead. haven't used tig or mig but i used to set up XX heavy pipes for the welders on petrochemical plants that had to have 100 percent penetration with an argon root run and then layers of stick.

It is worth doing a course just to understand the main principals, (penitration, to hot or to cold, undercuts), welds can look great and have no holding power. If you don't do a course then do some internet searchs, there are plenty that are good.

This is a good link that shows that, so called professionals, get it wrong and has a all the information you would need. Not so much the simplified form, a lot of other stuff to wade through

A 130amp welder is big enough to weld your frame and any plate or brackets you would need

 

[THE ROLLING BONES]

It's a good thing you mentioned regulations on hardtailing! It never crossed my mind! I have heard that it's hard or just expensive to insure cause of the modifications to the suspension but never heard of anything coming out of the ministry! Getting right on that on monday! Wonder if there's a thread on regulations from the ministry on a hardtail in Ontario,Canada!

 

[Sn34ky]

I'm in Quebec Canada too and rolling hardtails aren't legal here, only if it came rigid from the factory. I'm not 100% sure, but I live just at the border of Ontario and a couple friends got modded harley hardtails registred in Ontario... worth the look imo.

As for the Ingeneering... I won't bother with that if your bike is already registred... that's how it works in Quebec... My Xs is registred as an ''antique'', if I want hardtail it, i'll probably can roll it long time before I get pull by a cop who knows something about my '' Antiquity '' Xs650 hardtail... but with our road... hardtails are like rolling no suspension in a ploughed corn field.

I saw in a magazine that Cleveland Cycle Wreck got a new dealer near quebec city and they sold a little bobber called ''Tha Heist'' that is a hardtail... is seems to be legit...

You can give them a call about legislation :http://clevelandcyclewerkscanada.com/dealer-locator-2

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

You cannot safety or insure a hardtailed xs650 in Ontario.

Anyone who does it has already gotten their bike plated and insured and then doesn't tell anyone.

Problem with that is if you bit it on your bike your insurance will not pay out. Period. They have armies of experts on staff who do nothing but look for reasons to not pay out on a claim especially when its something like you dieing.

I have a wife and daughter. So instead of buying a hardtail kit and running the risk of leaving them in a lurch I bought a Voodoo Vintage MK4 frame.

These you can register and insure legally.

And when you add the cost of a donor frame, hardtail kit + having it welded to your frame properly in a jig by a pro, well I think the full custom frame makes sense not only legally but economically as well.

 

[THE ROLLING BONES]

So basically if I buy a hard tail frame from a dealer I can register it and insure it?