Newbe equipment list.

[Baran]

So I'm looking to get into fabrication primaly to make and repair stuff for my LC/4runner but working metal is just a good skill to have in general. What would be a good a good set of tool for limited expense? Most I will try and find at my local pawn shop or craigslist but just need to know what I'm looking for:

So welder , grinder, air compressor and cutting heating torches and tubing bender/fitting is what I'm looking for to start.Also any good reference material mostly for learning to weld and cutting medal.

If I can just get a list of manufactures and the specs of the above that are a good mix of price quality to take me from a beginner to intermediate lvl it would be of great help.
cost is always a factor for me so nothing to overboard.
Thx

 

[haryv]

how much money and time do you have to spare?

If you want to get really good at it, take some classes in metal working. You might be amazed at what you can lean and how fast if you go this route.

 

[Tapage]

I would start with good bench and vise bench ..

 

[PAToyota]

If you want to get really good at it, take some classes in metal working.

I'll second that. Being able to play with the tools in a class will really tell you about what you find to be useful. Then start reading the threads here. You'll find a lot about what others are using for welders, cutting, grinding, and everything else.

 

[neufab]

weldingtipsandtricks.com good place to get info on welding.miller makes a nice autoset welder great machine for the price.check with local welding supply sometimes they have demos with low hrs.for a lower price.also try metalshaper.org get a cheep set of body hammers harbor has them,this way you can grind them to any shape and not be out the cash.buy a good set of wiss tin snips not cheep ones.

 

[jynx]

This may sound silly, but make sure you have plenty of space. I have a two car garage and I have kind of turned one side into my shop area, and I really want a welder and some of the other things you listed, but I know that access to 220 is part of the equation for both a good welder and a good compressor. Metal working takes space, for example a tubing bender will need enough room for you to have 4 or 5 feet of tubing rotating in some direction.

That being said, I like Makita for cordless tools, miller for a welder (miller owns Hobart too), ingersoll rand for air tools and compressors, probably a milwalkee grinder big, and makita for 4" size. Don't know much about benders.