VHS Welding - Miller 211 and accessories

VHS is looking to buy a Millermatic 211 Autoset MIG 120/240 volt 210 amp welder!!!

This is the Tilt link.

Please contribute what you can to make it a reality. Using the VHS equipment purchase policy, VHS members must contribute $502.50 to have VHS cover the rest. Any extra cash will go to getting protective gear, welding accessories, and some raw stock. (in that order of preference)

Details:
This is continued from Buying a welder for VHS That welder fell through, so we started watching online for others. A Millermatic 211 came up for sale, and I didn’t want to miss it, so I went and picked it up asap for $750

I’d LIKE VHS to buy this welder off me. If not, I’ll have to sell it, I don’t need a welder that badly :slight_smile:

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I’ve put in 102.50 from my pocket, and I’ve included the VHS amount in the TILT.

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Where in the space would you be using the welder? There are fumes and safety issues to deal with here.

The loading bay

Can we get an aluminum feed gun and 100% argon gas for it? If so I’ll put in on that. I’m looking for a welder for aluminum since I can fabricate that on my CNC.

If we raise enough money, yes.

What I’ll do is this: If the tilt hits $750, and there are more supporters of the Aluminium welding idea, I’ll start another here for the additional Aluminium setup.

Is the welder in good shape, and worth this much?

Its in excellent shape (almost new / hardly used) and is actually worth much more then Rob paid for it.

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Like Luke said, it’s in great shape, clean and barely used.

I jumped on this one because it’s such a great and powerful welder for us. In the Machine shop channel on slack, I posted the Miller 211 as our “dream welder”, not thinking we’d ever get one that good.

Should we get permission before using it in the loading dock??

I suggest a welding tent in the parking lot. I assume we should ask for
permission to use a parking spot for the welding tent.

http://www.norseman.ca/products/construction/pipeline-construction/welding-utility-tents/

I am sure there are many others tents.

Tilt for the Welding Tent! :blush:

We Tilted! Thanks everyone who’s put their part in!

We now own the welder, but we still need to get safety gear, so, don’t stop now potential welders! We need a couple hundred more to get everything we “should” have.

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Yeah, I’ll be starting a discussion with the landlord, carefully.

What parking lot? Is there a parking lot I’ve been missing???

My plan so far is to:

  1. Clean up the loading dock
  2. Get ventilation for the dock (box fans)
  3. Get welding blankets for the dock to keep everything contained
  4. Build a metal god
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There is a gravel parking area just north of the building.

The area on W 1st Ave is that city controlled or for this building?

The area across the street looks, I think is restricted access private property. But we should check.

I don’t think these areas are suitable for welding, for one you would need to shroud your area completely to prevent any welding flash from injuring any passers by. You would also have to contend with wind and rain, both of which can be disastrous to the welds and the welder. How are you going to power the welder out there?

I think that welding in the space is a bad idea, and that the only real option is to have permission to weld in the loading bay with appropriate ventilation and safety precautions to prevent any passers by having welder’s flash injury to their eyes.

I am also willing to buy the welder from the VHS and then make it available to members at my shop in Railtown Studios provided the hackspace covered the gas, tips, and rod filament.

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This why out door use requires a welding tent. Site3 in Toronto used a welding tent for many years before moving their welding indoors.

http://www.norseman.ca/products/construction/pipeline-construction/welding-utility-tents

I am sure there are many others tents.

Security is the main problem with a welding tent. Equipment could NEVER be left in the welding tent. And the whole tent would need to be taken down.

I agree the loading dock might be the more practical. It is going to require ventilation and screens to make sure passer byes are not blinded.

Any ideas on when training will be available?
I also think those who contributed to buying the welder should get dibs on training.
Thanks Rob for grabbing the welder and starting the tilt

Hi all. I haven’t been a VHS member for a while now, but I still follow the forums. I always wanted VHS to have access to welding equipment, so this is awesome to see!

A few years ago I was planning to buy a welding rig, but finances took a turn for the unexpected and I didn’t actually purchase the welder.
But I did purchase a welding mask and a welding cart (something to hold the welder and gas tank). These two items have been sitting in my basement for a few years now, unused, and I’d be happy to donate them to VHS if they’d be useful. They’re both new and probably worth about $200 total.

If this is something that VHS would like, just let me know an appropriate evening and I’ll come by and drop them off.

Alan.

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Wow, thanks @abucior! I’m sure @Rob_MacKenzie will be in touch with you.

We will need some flash screens fabricated to prevent people being injured, also what do we need to get the welder working? De we have gas tank(s)? I will also contribute money to the welder.
Is there any word from the landlord as to the loading bay being acceptable?

I can come into the space today to grab a few things as well as donate for my laser orientation.

That link is broken