Funny you should say that. My wife got the kids some Pygmy goats. I was watching them eat hay and look cute, wondering if they are good for anything. It turns out they are poison ivy eating machines. They will eat it down to the dirt in a matter of a few hours. I use them to keep the edges of our property cleaned up.
Build The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota
- Thread starter RWBeringer4x4
- Start date
Member Build Threads
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #622
I'm trying for a dog...but the fiance has been eying up the Pygmy goats something fierce...Gotta say, the dog isn't sounding like it has much utility in comparison!
For your electrical wish list, make absolutely certain that you have several 110V receptacles that will withstand long extended heavy draw. I have the property that I grew up on, 3 acres of it anyway.
Forty some years ago Dad built a small shop building. It is very frustrating trying to rip multiple pieces of thick/tough lumber with a table saw when after a few minutes the breaker starts tripping too easily. I need to do some re-wiring, making certain I have several very heavy duty circuits, scattered throughout the building, that will take that kind of use without whimpering. Be absolutely certain you have some of those heavy duty circuits, and have them labeled clearly at the receptacle and the breaker so others can also know which ones they are.
On the subject of goats, I grew up with having goats, milk cows, chickens, etc. Goats can be fun to have around as they have more character than other farm animals. They don't have the brute strength of cattle, but they have the inquisitiveness and intelligence that other farm animals don't seem to have. Very well constructed fences are very important for goats. Diagonal bracing, like on the inside of the pasture fence at corners, proved to be super highways for them. They loved getting out into the raspberry field "smogasborg" and used the bracing as their "gate" out of the pasture. Having barrels or ? for them to play on also can be helpful to keep them occupied. And of course, they are brush eaters (think raspberries?). After a few years the area of timber at the back of the pasture was clean as a park. Even the wildflowers that Mom loved were gone.
Enjoy having the room to spread your wings, and all the extra work property requires.
Don
Forty some years ago Dad built a small shop building. It is very frustrating trying to rip multiple pieces of thick/tough lumber with a table saw when after a few minutes the breaker starts tripping too easily. I need to do some re-wiring, making certain I have several very heavy duty circuits, scattered throughout the building, that will take that kind of use without whimpering. Be absolutely certain you have some of those heavy duty circuits, and have them labeled clearly at the receptacle and the breaker so others can also know which ones they are.
On the subject of goats, I grew up with having goats, milk cows, chickens, etc. Goats can be fun to have around as they have more character than other farm animals. They don't have the brute strength of cattle, but they have the inquisitiveness and intelligence that other farm animals don't seem to have. Very well constructed fences are very important for goats. Diagonal bracing, like on the inside of the pasture fence at corners, proved to be super highways for them. They loved getting out into the raspberry field "smogasborg" and used the bracing as their "gate" out of the pasture. Having barrels or ? for them to play on also can be helpful to keep them occupied. And of course, they are brush eaters (think raspberries?). After a few years the area of timber at the back of the pasture was clean as a park. Even the wildflowers that Mom loved were gone.
Enjoy having the room to spread your wings, and all the extra work property requires.
Don
- Thread starter
- #625
I'm definitely thinking 1 220 outlet (possibly 2, per sarge's suggestion) plus a 110 circuit capable of handling 90A. I feel like 15A circuits are virtually worthless from a shop perspective.
Also - thanks! I've grown up with farms in the family so I'm familiar with what this is going to take. It will never be a farm, but it's still a lot of yard to manage! Maybe my next resto after this will be my grandfather's 1950's Farmall
Which model Farmall? I grew up with a 1949 Farmall Cub. A whole whopping 12 HP out of a four cylinder motor. My wife's great grandparents had a Farmall A. My parents bought their property from her great grandparents, so I was used to seeing that A used on the four acres that they kept.
My first experience driving a tractor was an old John Deere. Don't know what model, but my uncle had changed it from steel wheels to rubber tires. It had hand brake and clutch on it. A real beast to drive/handle!
Don
My first experience driving a tractor was an old John Deere. Don't know what model, but my uncle had changed it from steel wheels to rubber tires. It had hand brake and clutch on it. A real beast to drive/handle!
Don
- Thread starter
- #627
It's a cub, I believe early-mid 1950's - not sure of the exact model. It's got rubber tires and the wider-stance front wheels (not the roll-happy tricycle style). I think it just needs tires and carb work. Before my grandfather gave up on it, it was leaky, but it ran. I mowed some of his pastures with it a few times - very cumbersome thing to drive, but awesome nonetheless.
I think the Cub designation is the model. I'm not aware of any other designation for them.
I think all of them were set up with the motor offset and the four wheels spread out. It seems to me they were designed as a cultivator tractor. With that configuration the operator could look directly down on whatever they were cultivating. We only used the cultivator bars with an old grader blade to maintain the long driveway.
As I remember it the carb was real simple. If you can find gasket/rebuild kit it should be real easy to work over. And, as I remember it had a top speed of a whole 12 MPH. 12HP four cylinder motor, 12MPH top speed, three speed trans, and PTO. About as simple a tractor as you can find.
Don
I think all of them were set up with the motor offset and the four wheels spread out. It seems to me they were designed as a cultivator tractor. With that configuration the operator could look directly down on whatever they were cultivating. We only used the cultivator bars with an old grader blade to maintain the long driveway.
As I remember it the carb was real simple. If you can find gasket/rebuild kit it should be real easy to work over. And, as I remember it had a top speed of a whole 12 MPH. 12HP four cylinder motor, 12MPH top speed, three speed trans, and PTO. About as simple a tractor as you can find.
Don
The highest rated 110v receptacle available is a 20 amp , they have an additional blade at 90* for heavy draw plugs . There is an oddball 30 amp available , but it will not accept a standard 115v plug . 110v welders , in my opinion are worthless - look at how many get sold used in a short time , you can get them pretty cheap and nearly no hours on them , for a good reason . The duty cycle is too low and not enough raw power to do any real work . Stick with 220v , you can get used welders for a decent price and not too much fear of them failing . It always works the same with welders/compressors - start out too small and always wish for bigger , spending twice as much in the long run .
Sarge
Sarge
- Thread starter
- #630
Good to know, I just thought you could run fatter wires.
In terms of welders: I suppose I should also just learn TIG out of the gate, as opposed to going with a MIG?
Tig isn't for everything and definitely not for everyone - not to mention the expenses . I've got over $6,000 in mine not including the custom aluminum cart I built . Everything has to be perfectly clean to weld it and most parts get seriously ground or just put in the glass bead cabinet . I will say this - I can weld any metal that conducts electricity given the correct filler rod and settings . Mig is fine for most things and the only issue is the splatter . My biggest problem with most people using a mig is the fact you can make perfectly good looking welds with very low/little penetration - which leads to failures . Given the fact there are a lot of folks new to welding using 110v welders and making bumpers , tow points and doing structural mods to frames/axles is a bad combination . I've seen firsthand shackle mounts , axle perches , bumpers and shackle points come off at very bad times - sometimes resulting in someone getting hurt . Even a 110v in the hands of an experienced welder can work fine , but they are marginal for anything over 1/8" in my opinion .
Learn stick first , and learn it to a high degree - everything after that is fairly easy , just different . I self taught on the tig , took a lot of time and cost me a pile of money in the process but don't regret a bit of it . Started out in grade school doing flame work and just went from there ....over 38yrs now .
Sarge
Learn stick first , and learn it to a high degree - everything after that is fairly easy , just different . I self taught on the tig , took a lot of time and cost me a pile of money in the process but don't regret a bit of it . Started out in grade school doing flame work and just went from there ....over 38yrs now .
Sarge
Agree, plus a couple of 20amp 110s for heater, vacuum, sand blaster, corded drill, circular saw, table saw, drill press, etc - all of which you might want/need in the next few years.
FYI - the 110v MIG machine may only pull 18 amps, but it will generate higher amperage at the work end. Same with a 50amp 240v welder - it can deliver a lot higher amps inside the machine. Drops the voltage down, ups the amps.
Put a 110v circuit in the center of the garage ceiling and hang a retractable cord from it. This will give you quick access.
Oh, also, screw stick - MIG is for welding novices who have to get the job done - like me. I suck at welding. Tried TIG on stainless. That was dumb - it's very hard. I'd rather work on mig, then master TIG. But TIG requires nice machining and a tight fit to start with. Not great at filling gaps.
Uh , you can fill insane gaps with TIG if you know what you're doing , it's not that hard . I build up parts that are worn all the time , many times on the edge of things and even on very thin material - you can lay a bead on a razor blade if you're steady enough and have the machine set right . Mastering stick is where everyone should start , period . It teaches how get proper penetration , great practice at being very steady and understanding how rod angle and depth affects puddle shape/penetration . Jody Collier has a great current video on his site right now - www.weldingtipsandtricks.com that shows how to polish/etch welds to see a defined weld nugget - great tool for learning how what you just finished actually worked , or didn't work .
A great tip - if you really want to learn tig - get highly practiced in gas welding first or just brazing , it's almost the same thing as far as techniques .
Biggest factor in welder draw on a circuit is whether the welder is transformer based or an inverter based unit . Inverters use much less current and electronics to ramp up amperage . Transformers use a huge draw to do the same thing , but well-built heavy units last forever .
Sarge
A great tip - if you really want to learn tig - get highly practiced in gas welding first or just brazing , it's almost the same thing as far as techniques .
Biggest factor in welder draw on a circuit is whether the welder is transformer based or an inverter based unit . Inverters use much less current and electronics to ramp up amperage . Transformers use a huge draw to do the same thing , but well-built heavy units last forever .
Sarge
@Weber Sarge
I had read that TIG was for tight fitting stuff. I was successful at filling some holes where I blew thru the thin stainless, but it was ugly, so I just assumed what I read was true. Thanks for that clarification.
My point is that unless someone is going to weld a LOT and thus invest $6000 in welding equipment, they should probably do MIG to get done what they need to get done here in MUDland, and then invest in TIG if they want to do some really pretty, nice welds.
I see stick as messy, inexact, and fading out for hobby welders such as myself. If I were a trained welder, I'm sure I could weld beautifully with it (but I'm sure that you could weld with a car battery and a coat hanger if you had to, far better than my best TIG attempts). It's not the equipment, it's the training and skill of the welder.
I think that buying the equipment to do all 3 processes is likely beyond the reach/desired investment of most. I happened to get a multi-process unit that was used, but it was still $1600 and pretty well "used".
That said - I have not investigated a single-use, 220v device that would be either a MIG or Stick. Perhaps there is a great stick welder out there that can do TIG, or that you can add MIG onto later. I assume there are some very good MIG units out there that can get the job done that are 220v. A quick search shows a Millermatic MIG 180 220v unit for $900 new, and a Hobart MIG in the same general range. Used is an option but harder to find. (wait, here is an ESAB MiniArc 161 220v Stick/TIG for about $600).
I agree with your experience and level of gained knowledge through years of practice - but what about all of us "I weld when I need to fix the body panels of my truck" type folks?
I had read that TIG was for tight fitting stuff. I was successful at filling some holes where I blew thru the thin stainless, but it was ugly, so I just assumed what I read was true. Thanks for that clarification.
My point is that unless someone is going to weld a LOT and thus invest $6000 in welding equipment, they should probably do MIG to get done what they need to get done here in MUDland, and then invest in TIG if they want to do some really pretty, nice welds.
I see stick as messy, inexact, and fading out for hobby welders such as myself. If I were a trained welder, I'm sure I could weld beautifully with it (but I'm sure that you could weld with a car battery and a coat hanger if you had to, far better than my best TIG attempts). It's not the equipment, it's the training and skill of the welder.
I think that buying the equipment to do all 3 processes is likely beyond the reach/desired investment of most. I happened to get a multi-process unit that was used, but it was still $1600 and pretty well "used".
That said - I have not investigated a single-use, 220v device that would be either a MIG or Stick. Perhaps there is a great stick welder out there that can do TIG, or that you can add MIG onto later. I assume there are some very good MIG units out there that can get the job done that are 220v. A quick search shows a Millermatic MIG 180 220v unit for $900 new, and a Hobart MIG in the same general range. Used is an option but harder to find. (wait, here is an ESAB MiniArc 161 220v Stick/TIG for about $600).
I agree with your experience and level of gained knowledge through years of practice - but what about all of us "I weld when I need to fix the body panels of my truck" type folks?
- Thread starter
- #635
Interesting comments on both sides - Money is absolutely an issue for me (hence the absurdly slow progress on the Clustertruck) which is why I was initially leaning toward a MIG. Ultimately, any structural work (i.e.: moving my engine and trans mounts) is going to get farmed out to my friend who is an engineer and accomplished TIG welder. If not him, then someone else. As VV mentioned - I really fall more into the came of just needing something to handle sheet metal repairs, maybe make a bracket here or there...and for that, MIG seems like a good option.
As far as truly LEARNING to weld, Sarge - I can absolutely see your point. The relative "point and shoot" nature of MIG sounds like it makes it painfully easy to mess up and not realize it. I'm going to practice on scrap first, whenever I get a welder, and make sure I'm working on things where I can see both sides of the weld and torture testing it a bit to make sure I'm getting good penetration. I've seen the downfalls of a bad MIG weld - my father in law welded the brake line brackets onto my axles. One side ended up great, the other side popped off as soon as I tried to tighten down the line. Both welds LOOKED identical, clean, and solid. Even felt solid to the touch.
I tend to also agree with Sarge's "buy once, cry once" philosophy - but Welders cost more than my Land Cruiser did, new - so I'll probably have to shop for a middle ground somewhere.
As far as truly LEARNING to weld, Sarge - I can absolutely see your point. The relative "point and shoot" nature of MIG sounds like it makes it painfully easy to mess up and not realize it. I'm going to practice on scrap first, whenever I get a welder, and make sure I'm working on things where I can see both sides of the weld and torture testing it a bit to make sure I'm getting good penetration. I've seen the downfalls of a bad MIG weld - my father in law welded the brake line brackets onto my axles. One side ended up great, the other side popped off as soon as I tried to tighten down the line. Both welds LOOKED identical, clean, and solid. Even felt solid to the touch.
I tend to also agree with Sarge's "buy once, cry once" philosophy - but Welders cost more than my Land Cruiser did, new - so I'll probably have to shop for a middle ground somewhere.
IMO, MIG is the best all around machine for a hobby welder. I do have a old stick "buzzbox" for welding super thick stuff, but I don't think I have turned it on in 10 years. I have a 220v MIG that (with .023) welds sheet metal great and (with .035) can weld 1/2" in a single pass. That takes care of 99% of the welding I do!
Very good advice. This is the most used circuit in my shed. I made an umbilical cord of three so i can have a drill, grinder and work light all at hand.
There are many multi-process units available , Miller even has a mig/stick/tig unit now and it's priced around 1800 new , won't find a used one for awhile . Older used transformer migs are affordable as long as they are in decent shape and not abused . Duty cycle is most important - if it's been ran a lot up against or over it's cycle they can degrade a lot and will never weld very well . Keep your eyes open , deals do come up now and then in sale papers , ect . Decent welders on Craigslist and such disappear very quickly . Don't discount a stick welder - I've welded body panels in with 1/16" 7014 rod using a stitch method , not easy but it can work . Anything thinner than 20-22ga sheet is pretty tough to work with , even with a mig if you aren't experienced . Cruiser body parts are easy , I'd just use a stick on them here over the tig - it's faster anyway doing stitch and no gas cost . Any stick machine that is dc can be used for tig , just have to use scratch start and whip out of the puddle to finish or make a breaker switch . Keep in mind most stick machines are ac , at least the cheaper ones . AC/DC units aren't cheap and harder to find .
For a lot of stuff , a good used Lincoln 140 or the Miller version is great for beginners and do hold their value quite well - always someone wanting to get started and they are always out there from someone working up to more power . Just make sure it's in good shape and not beat up , take a buddy that welds a lot for some testing and push it a bit hard and see if it overheats easily .
Best advice , spend some serious time on the weldingtipsandtricks.com site - Jody is an ex-instructor and experienced in the aircraft industry , guy is excellent at explaining things better than I ever could . Never , ever skimp on a hood , especially those junk-ass Harbor Freight units . If nothing else , buy a used auto-dark or just spend the $30 on a new Jackson #10 and learn to tip it - there are videos about how to prop yourself so you don't get lost and weld something not intended or cause damage . I cannot express how important it is to protect your eyes , trust me on this please - it doesn't take a lot of time to do a major amount of eye damage . Good hoods have great clarity and it does make a difference - borrow someone's good Jackson or whatever with a "gold" lense - they are amazing .
Honestly , I'm not that good anymore , going slowly blind due to severe myopia - most of the time my helmet is clear down to 8 so I can see , even at 150a on the tig . Not nearly as steady either , I hate arthritis . Used to be able to weld anything - broken heart and the break of dawn....now I can't find it to get started , lol .
Sarge
For a lot of stuff , a good used Lincoln 140 or the Miller version is great for beginners and do hold their value quite well - always someone wanting to get started and they are always out there from someone working up to more power . Just make sure it's in good shape and not beat up , take a buddy that welds a lot for some testing and push it a bit hard and see if it overheats easily .
Best advice , spend some serious time on the weldingtipsandtricks.com site - Jody is an ex-instructor and experienced in the aircraft industry , guy is excellent at explaining things better than I ever could . Never , ever skimp on a hood , especially those junk-ass Harbor Freight units . If nothing else , buy a used auto-dark or just spend the $30 on a new Jackson #10 and learn to tip it - there are videos about how to prop yourself so you don't get lost and weld something not intended or cause damage . I cannot express how important it is to protect your eyes , trust me on this please - it doesn't take a lot of time to do a major amount of eye damage . Good hoods have great clarity and it does make a difference - borrow someone's good Jackson or whatever with a "gold" lense - they are amazing .
Honestly , I'm not that good anymore , going slowly blind due to severe myopia - most of the time my helmet is clear down to 8 so I can see , even at 150a on the tig . Not nearly as steady either , I hate arthritis . Used to be able to weld anything - broken heart and the break of dawn....now I can't find it to get started , lol .
Sarge
Sarge, you are a good dude. Sounds to me like you are still making the most of what you have left! We all appreciate your helpful and thoughtful responses.
(I'd still like to see what you could do with a battery and a coat hanger. I'd bet you could out weld me with me using a new machine.)
Actually , it takes two batteries and coat hangars don't work for squat . With a good heavy set of jumper cables , wire brush , #10 pair of goggles , gloves and an assortment of 6011 & 7018 rods is a great trail repair kit - I used to carry a sealed ammo box in the Sami for that just in case and used it many times to get folks off the trail . 12v isn't really enough , need two series wired batteries to make 24v to weld decent and it's pretty hot depending upon battery and cable sizes .
I did gas weld an old 1500# Federal boiler back together after drug it out of the basement of this old place I live in - used it to burn all the wood scrap back when I was doing woodworking at home . Held up quite well , used the old stiff gold-colored wire hangers and an oxy setup to braze it - top never did break off even when the unloaded it at the scrap yard years later .
This was today's quick project - a jig to set the 55* angle needed for the 30 ton hydraulic folder knife made from 4130 alloy , had no other decent way to hold it in my buddy's Enco mill ....had to brace the bottom side so we can lock it down tight .
Anyway - get a decent mig , if you have any questions about model quality and stuff do a search for opinions on the welding boards before buying - there are deals out there . Just watched a nice condition Miller Dynasty 200DX , just like mine - selling for $1100 including a lot of extra consumables and parts , way cheap .
Hijack off - get to work on that truck already !
Sarge
I did gas weld an old 1500# Federal boiler back together after drug it out of the basement of this old place I live in - used it to burn all the wood scrap back when I was doing woodworking at home . Held up quite well , used the old stiff gold-colored wire hangers and an oxy setup to braze it - top never did break off even when the unloaded it at the scrap yard years later .
This was today's quick project - a jig to set the 55* angle needed for the 30 ton hydraulic folder knife made from 4130 alloy , had no other decent way to hold it in my buddy's Enco mill ....had to brace the bottom side so we can lock it down tight .
Anyway - get a decent mig , if you have any questions about model quality and stuff do a search for opinions on the welding boards before buying - there are deals out there . Just watched a nice condition Miller Dynasty 200DX , just like mine - selling for $1100 including a lot of extra consumables and parts , way cheap .
Hijack off - get to work on that truck already !
Sarge