Since you have experience with Oxy-Acetylene welding you might consider a tig welder. Eastwood has a new one out now (on Ebay) that's pretty decent for the price @ $899. (Sign up for "Ebay Bucks" and you'll get $90 back!) It's a Chinese rig but it's backed up by an established American company and built to their specs. And it comes with a three year warranty.

I've had one for about 2 months now (Eastwood Pro 200 AMP Tig Weld Welder) and it works as good as any tig welder I've used at work. I opened up the case to look inside when I first got it and was impressed. It'll run on either 220 or 110 volts and I just built a plasma cutting table, using 1/8" angle iron, on 110 volts, and it worked fine. It's an AC/DC rig so it'll do aluminum too and it also comes with a foot pedal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd-u-...mbedded#at=517

Here's the Ebay advert:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...253D&viewitem=

 

I only use one type of Tungsten for all the welding I do. It's tip is sky blue and is a hybrid tungsten from Arc-Zone.com. It works excellent on aluminum and stainless as well as mild steel. Some people dont realize the red tipped tungsten is 2% Thoriated which is Radioactive. Yes I said Radioactive. I have used Zirconiated tungsten for welding aluminum which handles the higher temps better but the Hybrid is the most stable at higher temps. it doesn't bubble and dance around at higher temps when welding with AC power on aluminum.

 

Tungsten schmungsten. Duct tape, chicken wire, krazy glue.

Seriously though, I've heard of bad things happening with bad welds. Not on motorcycles though. I've hired a few welders for various needs and I wish I had the time and resources to learn the trade myself. Your prudence is vital at 70 mph on two wheels.

 

Learning to weld is a skill I think everybody should learn to do. For me it's like meditation I find it be relaxing....dirty but relaxing.

 

Thanks for all the positive replies guys. Its much appreciated. Great video!

 

I agree with the ones that say to have it done, this is an expensive piece of equipment to be working on. That being said, since you plan to do this yourself, and I can certainly understand that, here is what you will need to know.

I personally prefer to use Miller, ESAB, or Lincoln welders. They are all three the finest in the business, and will work great for what you plan to do with them. You will need a welder that is rated for your shop and the work you plan on doing with it, plus 25%. This means that if you need to weld 1/2" plate, get a welder that is capable of welding 5/8" at least. As for rating it for your shop, don't invest in a 220 welder if you do not have this outlet. A good MIG is a Lincoln 125. They are 110 rated and are a great machine!

Here are some benefits and downfalls to both processes, as well as some tips.
MIG
MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas. Contrary to popular belief, MIG is not the same as flux core. Steer clear of flux core welding, but not necessarily flux core wire. Flux core is supposed to be an alternative to using gas, but can be used in conjunction with gas to make a really clean weld, especially if the welder does not have a lot of experience.
You will need a good MIG welding machine, helmet (get an auto darkening, they will be a HUGE benefit), a bottle of gas (75% Argon/ 25%CO2), and a good pair of gloves. With the MIG welding process, you will want to angle the torch at a 45 degree angle from the workpiece, then push the torch into the weld. Start a good puddle and make a swooping "C" shape between the two pieces being welded. A good weld will look like a blob of metal with a consistent discoloration around the bead, no holes or pores. MIG can be used to weld steel or aluminum, but requires changing out liners, torches, wire, etc., and for a good aluminum weld will require an aluminum specific machine. Since you are not welding aluminum, this is not a concern.

TIG is a lot more expensive and produces a much better weld. It also is a lot more difficult to do. TIG is more versatile, and can be used on aluminum or steel as well as other types of materials. A TIG machine will set you back five or more times more than what a good MIG welder will cost. You will also use pure Argon with most TIG welding. With TIG you will have a torch and tungsten, as well as a filler rod. Unlike MIG, you will be pulling the torch against the weld. Start the process by switching the machine to the correct current and shaping the tungsten according to the material being welded. Change the current setting, make sure that the two parts are gapped properly (should be a LOT tighter than with MIG), set the voltage, then apply pedal to strike the arc. At no time should the tungsten touch the metal, otherwise the weld will become contaminated and will need to be cleaned and the tungsten reshaped. After the puddle is established, dip the filler rod into the puddle and move the torch. Once the weld is made, keep the torch at the weld until you hear the shielding gas shut off, usually ten or fifteen seconds. The weld should look like a roll of dimes stacked on their side.

With TIG, the metal has to be perfectly cleaned and the process is a lot harder to do. Also it gets very expensive.

Don't weld as a novice... get some scrap and practice, practice, practice until you get it perfect. There should be good penetration with a slight ridge on the underside of the weld with MIG. Also, no weld should have porosity... make sure they are all good, solid welds.

 

I bought a Hobart 180 Mig unit and a tank of argon/CO2 and it cost close to 700, plus mask and gloves. The hardest part for me was saving the money to buy a decent machine.