Motorcycle welding.

Does anyone know, what is the best type of welder to use on a motorcycle?
Mig or Tig?
120v olt or 220 volt
Gas shielded or not?
Wire fed or stick?

Well Chuck, we're waiting!

Chuck wirewelds if'n I'm not mistaken.....................

Ya been pulling a stinkin trailer or somethin

Tommy, I have used wire feed for everything that I have ever welded. I like the ease of it. I have also used 110 volt and 220. I guess which one is better depends on how much you are going to use it and for what. I personally did not like the 110 volt as they can't be dialed in as good as the 220 units. For small things I use the 110 volt. It was an expensive unit too. I also use flux core, I just make sure that the surfaces that I am going to be welding are clean. For a motorcycle, depends on how clean you want the look to be. Think of some of the old Harley frames, I have seen some real crappy welding. Tig will allow you to be more precise, it allows you to regulate the heat if I am not mistaken with the use of foot pedal. If I had the proper set up in my garage, I use a tig over wire feed, but wire feed works really well, just a a lot of grinding.

Is stick welding still around???

Thanks JB.
I don't think a 110 volt welder is sufficient for a motorcycle frame.
I think a 220V MIG wire fed will work.

Probably a good idea to use the 220. What happened to where you need to weld the frame??

Nothing, just thinking about my next project. I wanna learn to weld my own stuff.

Whatever you do, don't PRACTICE on the frame. When you find the welder that (YOU) like, get scrap pieces of steel that you can practice with. Trust me on this. Welding seems easy but it can be difficult. If all you are welding is a MC frame, it shouldn't be that hard, but learning feed speed and temps for the thickness of steel that you are welding takes time, then if you are welding two different thicknesses, just like anything, a lot of different variables.

Yes, I will practice a lot. I'm looking to find a used welding set-up on craigslist. I don't know much about it yet so I want to be sure I buy the correct equipment for what I will be doing which is just light stuff. Exhaust pipes, fenders and frames will be the heaviest stuff I will attempt to weld.
Thanks for the info.

No problem my friend. A simple flux core wire 1/16" should be sufficient for that stuff.

Is that used with the shielding gas or no?

1/16" is the wire size. Flux core means that the wire will have (flux) through the center of the wire, helps keep the surface clean to help prevent pinholes in yours welds. You can get (flux) that you brush on, but why do that. Spend the very little extra money and get the Flux Core wire, saves time and hassle.

Johnny most of the folks I know that use wire welders , when they weld aluminum they got Argon hooked. When they weld wire they have carbon dioxide.
don't know a lot of folks that do flux core.
Course I'm out of the circle right not.
Used to do a lot of Welding for Great Dane Trailers in B'Ham, Ala many years ago.

Thanks.

I've always looked it as, Stick is good for plate and structural welding where you want good penetration. Mig is a very good general purpose that is also pretty easy to learn. Tig works well on lighter materials that if you want alot of control of the arc and penetration, with an exceptional finish, Tig does well. Just starting out it's hard to beat a Mig but with alot of practice I've grown very partial to the Tig... jmho

Thank you Jammer.