Good to see you again!! When I started my business, I started it as a side hustle. Got a 91 3500 Chev flatbed paid 1000 bucks for it, it's not bad looking, could use a paint job. Found a Lincoln Ranger 250 in a pawn shop for 1000, had to buy leads for it, I went ahead and bit it and got 150ft each of 1-0 leads. Went ahead an got an oxy/acet. set up, And a 100ft hose, a pair of 7 grinders, one for grinding, one with a brush wheel, same with my 4 grinders. in fact, with the exception of my tanks, and leads, 90% of my equipment was purchased at pawn shops, yard sales, junk shops, and equipment auctions. But guys, go easy on the harbor frt. crap!! You get what you pay for, some thing's they have is ok, but mostly its just junky happy homeowner stuff that's really not good for serious work. but, by the way I did this over about a year's time, I have most of what I need, I don't do aluminum, or stainless, as I primarily stick weld, hard face blades&buckets And repairing equipment, also pipe corrals, fencing, and cattle guards. I sat down yesterday and figured up about how much I've spent to set up, And it was about 3500 bucks for truck, welder and eqpt, Point is, you don't have to have the newest, latest or greatest stuff! But it does need to be good stuff. Good luck all of ya!! Stay safe out there!
Thanks for the info!! Personally, I have been fostering my credit score as well as a loan history for a long time to be able to get mostly new (the truck is somewhat brand new, 2017 ram 3500 that came with a crane and service body)... I wouldn't get a brand new truck because it would lose a large chunk of value once it left the lot, and I got one with everything I needed. Was able to open multiple lines of business credit and loans for the bobcat 260, bottles, torch kit, clamps etc. and the ability to buy tools as I go along this adventure. I do not regret getting myself into this healthy debt, this is farming territory and I have faith that there will be many in my area in need of my passion. I AM SO EXCITED!!!
Awesome video! From a younger guy in welding school trying to start his welding business you truly are a inspiration! You where the main reason I started up my own business because I was very hesitant at first. Your reviews on the Hobart champion 145 made me go buy it and start up my side business! Thanks for the awesome videos, your honest reviews, and showing people you don’t have to have the most expensive equipment to be a good welder! You will forever have support from this Louisiana boy! Keep up the great work and look forward to more videos!
It all depends on what you need... i would say your right on the money. My only advice to anyone startimg out is whatever you do dont get into debt setting up your welding business unless you have guaranteed income coming from it. Take your time and build slowly and debt free. It seems like forever but being debt free at the start i promise you will pay huge dividends later
Tim Westendorf this comment really made me feel better about my ‘buy what I can as I’m able to buy it’ approach to my mobile welding business. 90% ready today, just ordered business cards 👌🏼
@Matt Caldwell That is my opinion dumb fuck! If you want to start your own business go ahead take fucking risk is your money your time I don’t give a fuck!
God bless ya man... when I started I advertised to the public and all I got was rusty mufflers and stuff like that.... as you're starting to see all your work is going to be word of mouth.
pretty good and accurate, just a great guide for people starting out, for clamps Derb is correct cheap ones SUCK!, but I have found that at Harbor Freight look for Breman brand, they do great in my opinion, only for welding, they suck for working as a mechanic holding stripped bolts, but just clamping metal together, great, but stay away from no-name stuff, & Irwin is top notch, but if you are on budget & need a dozen, them Bremans have impressed me, I put in rocker panels & cab corners this week & wish I had more, & I will eventually. in body work I use several colors of SHARPIES markers, depending on color of vehicle, & color of panels I am cutting to fit. angle finder is awesome when cutting neck of motorcycles & making a chopper, lol. the cut off saw is great for repetition, when you have a lot of same cuts to do, not my priority, but I do have, but I find I use other methods to cut with, the majority of the time, unless I have a lot of same thing to cut. also worth mentioning torch is great if needing to bend, however, if you have a a stick welder, a carbon arc torch can be used to braze or heat & bend metal with.
I dont have any engin drive I go off a generator and an inverter welder. I don't have the budget for any engindrive welder. I'd love to have one. Pretty much i use what power sorce I can use and my cheap $150 Amazon 160 amp stick welder. Its nothing fancy but it gets the job done and dose it well. I loved seeing the videos on the champion 145 because that might be the next upgrade to what I have now. Seeing what you put that thing thru makes me feel comfortable enough to go out and get it when I have enough saved up for it.
I have been in business before and I decided to start back up with the Hobart 225 Elite I also have the Harbor Freight titanium series 140 amp 110 wire feeder welder pretty good little sheet metal machine I have the 160 Hobart electric stick welder dual voltage great machine also it will run 6010 and or everything else I am going to throw the Hobart 225 at it with a Lincoln activ8 wire feeder I also found cold cutting blades that fit a worm Drive saw and I'm using a Ridgid Worm Drive saw to cut steel eventually I'll have a set of cutting torches to and a plasma cutter
I have a harder freight Vulcan 215 mig welder and a Vulcan commander 225 stick welder and I've made some money with them both but my thing is I have a lot of people wanting me to come to them I was using my generator with my mig welder but just got tired of hauling that around I just picked up the Hobart champion 145 and I love that thing I have a old 1976 ford f150 I'm starting to get it ready building a flat bed for it and I'm planning on mounting in on the back I actually had that idea before I seen u on RUclips so don't thank I'm stilling it from u lol
Yes that is very true I have a 200 and a 305g too now and 3 job box's of too to go with it but like you sead it's about 3 1/2 years of hard work getting tools
I was waiting for you to show it when you picked up that combination square, but the little knurled button on the end is actually a stupid sharp scriber. You just pull it out, it's held in with friction.
Have a competent accountant or be one because there are thousands of great (mechanics, weldors, fab guys and machinists) who lose their asses because they don't DO BUSINESS IN A BUSINESSLIKE MANNER. Backup equipment never hurts because downtime is deadly. Those little foo-welders like the Hobart have their place (with gas or a gas conversion which is easy) because they're easy to carry. So do beastly industrial monsters for the home shop. I hit auctions and estate sales and wallow in equipment for dirt cheap. Study how to buy cylinders cheap. I know what sizes and brands I can exchange so I buy used for pocket change and have more cylinders than most professionals. They don't depreciate and ya never run out on weekends. A 6" or 7" angle grinder is a terrific size but I also mod my smaller grinders to take 6" cutting disks. Totally agree on that approximate grinder size. There is little point in buying 4-1/2" grinders new when 6" grinders abound in the same motor sizes. Want a high speed right angle die grinder? Buy a GOOD Jacobs steel chuck then have it drilled and tapped to match your angle grinder (5/8"-11 is usual in the US). It will fit places my beloved Milwaukee 5196 (fine to buy used because easy to work on, I maintained a school fleet) cannot. Now go make money!
It's just for beginners to start with I started with a harbor freight 120amp stick welder and a couple grinders and some other necessary things now I got a lincoln 10000 plus and I'm still not not done yet you're right
I have a makita 7 inch grinder and I really wish I bought a dewalt instead. Nothing wrong with the makita, it's made extremely well. It's just it seems like it's more suited for concrete work and grinding metal only as apposed to cutting.
What do you think about Eastwood welding machines? I'm specifically looking at the Eastwood MP250I Multi Process 250amp welder mig/tig/arc it costs $1,049.97. I'm also looking at Hobart, Lincoln, Miller, Vulcan, and Titanium.
Whoa bud I actually run a 3500 Duramax with Classic 300MP...not triggered one bit. Keep up the good work hand, and damn your rig is looking slick with that paint job 👍
Hey, Derb! This is CavemanJoe! Finally set myself up a channel and uploaded a video! It's machining, not welding, though. I'll have to get some kind of mount for my phone so I can record steady videos.
Do you have any info on a good Co2 regulator for a Forney 135 mig welder? I only been welding fluxcore with it and I know it does MIG as well but cant seem to get the right regulator.
I thought maybe you had caught a troll in a heavy steel cage trap and maybe you were torturing him with welding and grinding sparks as indeed we probably all would! You can and should start a welding business by buying god quality used equipment. Search the closing down sales, ebay and Facebook.Loads of used gear out there at affordable money. I avoid new or used Chinese equipment in favour of high end used equipment. The choice is yours.
I don’t know. It’s a tough call. Plasma is very nice but you can do a lot with o/a that you can’t with plasma. I guess it would be a personal call. For me I don’t know how I could live without o/a.
Nice for sheet metal and similar but it only makes sense to ADD plasma because torches braze, gouge without needing electricity (arc gouging is brutal on medium and small power sources and requires an air compressor too), heat including for torch bending, cut heavier stock than plasma, braze, solder and (try it!) flame straighten bent structural members. Plasmas cut and gouge, that's all and they pay off for many jobs so let the job and the money make up your mind.
I've got a lot that stuff already because welding with my everlast tools has been my hobby for a while now. I'm not quite ready to get an engine-drive welder.
Brandon D unless you are needed to run 300amps via wire the 210mp is the better choice. Because it’s a stand alone unit you can use it anywhere you have 110v or 220v. With a suitcase feeder you have to run your generator all the time. I’ve been on a lot of jobs with the 210mp where I just borrowed the 110v on sight and used a 100’ drop cord.
@@derbadortheweldor8940 nice. I bought one with the spool gun with it. Also, if you dont mind me asking, what insurance do you use for your business? Thanks man and keep up the good work
Good to see you again!!
When I started my business, I started it as a side hustle.
Got a 91 3500 Chev flatbed paid 1000 bucks for it, it's not bad looking, could use a paint job.
Found a Lincoln Ranger 250 in a pawn shop for 1000, had to buy leads for it, I went ahead and bit it and got 150ft each of 1-0 leads.
Went ahead an got an oxy/acet. set up, And a 100ft hose, a pair of 7 grinders, one for grinding, one with a brush wheel, same with my 4 grinders.
in fact, with the exception of my tanks, and leads, 90% of my equipment was purchased at pawn shops, yard sales, junk shops, and equipment auctions.
But guys, go easy on the harbor frt. crap!! You get what you pay for, some thing's they have is ok, but mostly its just junky happy homeowner stuff that's really not good for serious work.
but, by the way I did this over about a year's time, I have most of what I need, I don't do aluminum, or stainless, as I primarily stick weld, hard face blades&buckets
And repairing equipment, also pipe corrals, fencing, and cattle guards.
I sat down yesterday and figured up about how much I've spent to set up,
And it was about
3500 bucks for truck, welder and eqpt, Point is, you don't have to have the newest, latest or greatest stuff!
But it does need to be good stuff.
Good luck all of ya!! Stay safe out there!
Thanks for the info!! Personally, I have been fostering my credit score as well as a loan history for a long time to be able to get mostly new (the truck is somewhat brand new, 2017 ram 3500 that came with a crane and service body)... I wouldn't get a brand new truck because it would lose a large chunk of value once it left the lot, and I got one with everything I needed. Was able to open multiple lines of business credit and loans for the bobcat 260, bottles, torch kit, clamps etc. and the ability to buy tools as I go along this adventure. I do not regret getting myself into this healthy debt, this is farming territory and I have faith that there will be many in my area in need of my passion. I AM SO EXCITED!!!
Awesome video! From a younger guy in welding school trying to start his welding business you truly are a inspiration! You where the main reason I started up my own business because I was very hesitant at first. Your reviews on the Hobart champion 145 made me go buy it and start up my side business! Thanks for the awesome videos, your honest reviews, and showing people you don’t have to have the most expensive equipment to be a good welder! You will forever have support from this Louisiana boy! Keep up the great work and look forward to more videos!
Accurate video. I would agree on all the tools. Not everybody has 10k + to start a welding business.
Excellent video showing that you don’t need absolutely everything “high end” to get started and be successful. Great video, love the truck!
An older welder who will help you out in succeeding. Man it’s a plus. Not working on my own but old KIND welders are awesome.
Definitely a plus! I’ve been working with a old timer recently who has helped me out a lot. We even tag team welding jobs.
It all depends on what you need... i would say your right on the money. My only advice to anyone startimg out is whatever you do dont get into debt setting up your welding business unless you have guaranteed income coming from it. Take your time and build slowly and debt free. It seems like forever but being debt free at the start i promise you will pay huge dividends later
Tim Westendorf this comment really made me feel better about my ‘buy what I can as I’m able to buy it’ approach to my mobile welding business. 90% ready today, just ordered business cards 👌🏼
@@honda5456 how's the biz now??
If you don’t know what kind of tools you need to start a business you’re not ready to start a business... Thanks for your time. Great video
@Matt Caldwell
That is my opinion dumb fuck! If you want to start your own business go ahead take fucking risk is your money your time I don’t give a fuck!
God bless ya man... when I started I advertised to the public and all I got was rusty mufflers and stuff like that.... as you're starting to see all your work is going to be word of mouth.
Triggering those diesel boys lol
Great video thanks for sharing.
pretty good and accurate, just a great guide for people starting out, for clamps Derb is correct cheap ones SUCK!, but I have found that at Harbor Freight look for Breman brand, they do great in my opinion, only for welding, they suck for working as a mechanic holding stripped bolts, but just clamping metal together, great, but stay away from no-name stuff, & Irwin is top notch, but if you are on budget & need a dozen, them Bremans have impressed me, I put in rocker panels & cab corners this week & wish I had more, & I will eventually. in body work I use several colors of SHARPIES markers, depending on color of vehicle, & color of panels I am cutting to fit. angle finder is awesome when cutting neck of motorcycles & making a chopper, lol. the cut off saw is great for repetition, when you have a lot of same cuts to do, not my priority, but I do have, but I find I use other methods to cut with, the majority of the time, unless I have a lot of same thing to cut. also worth mentioning torch is great if needing to bend, however, if you have a a stick welder, a carbon arc torch can be used to braze or heat & bend metal with.
I like how you started out but when I started I had to have a big SA200 to do have stick welding it was about 200 lbs of 3/16 a week at 12 hours a day
Totally understandable but I don’t think most people following me are going to be starting off doing that much.
I dont have any engin drive I go off a generator and an inverter welder. I don't have the budget for any engindrive welder. I'd love to have one. Pretty much i use what power sorce I can use and my cheap $150 Amazon 160 amp stick welder. Its nothing fancy but it gets the job done and dose it well. I loved seeing the videos on the champion 145 because that might be the next upgrade to what I have now. Seeing what you put that thing thru makes me feel comfortable enough to go out and get it when I have enough saved up for it.
Neal Jr just curious how big is your generator? Wanting to get a rig like yours together soon
I have been in business before and I decided to start back up with the Hobart 225 Elite I also have the Harbor Freight titanium series 140 amp 110 wire feeder welder pretty good little sheet metal machine I have the 160 Hobart electric stick welder dual voltage great machine also it will run 6010 and or everything else I am going to throw the Hobart 225 at it with a Lincoln activ8 wire feeder I also found cold cutting blades that fit a worm Drive saw and I'm using a Ridgid Worm Drive saw to cut steel eventually I'll have a set of cutting torches to and a plasma cutter
I have a harder freight Vulcan 215 mig welder and a Vulcan commander 225 stick welder and I've made some money with them both but my thing is I have a lot of people wanting me to come to them I was using my generator with my mig welder but just got tired of hauling that around I just picked up the Hobart champion 145 and I love that thing I have a old 1976 ford f150 I'm starting to get it ready building a flat bed for it and I'm planning on mounting in on the back I actually had that idea before I seen u on RUclips so don't thank I'm stilling it from u lol
Ive had the 24v max kobalt drill driver impacts 1/2 and 3/8 for years they hold up just fine. And the batteries are affordable.
Your doing good I’m with you all the way crawling before your walking is my way
Yes that is very true I have a 200 and a 305g too now and 3 job box's of too to go with it but like you sead it's about 3 1/2 years of hard work getting tools
Definitely getting that 8750 to throw in the back of my tire service truck so I can use my power arc 161 wherever I need to.
I was waiting for you to show it when you picked up that combination square, but the little knurled button on the end is actually a stupid sharp scriber. You just pull it out, it's held in with friction.
Nice I never knew that. I’m going to have try it out.
Have a competent accountant or be one because there are thousands of great (mechanics, weldors, fab guys and machinists) who lose their asses because they don't DO BUSINESS IN A BUSINESSLIKE MANNER.
Backup equipment never hurts because downtime is deadly. Those little foo-welders like the Hobart have their place (with gas or a gas conversion which is easy) because they're easy to carry. So do beastly industrial monsters for the home shop. I hit auctions and estate sales and wallow in equipment for dirt cheap.
Study how to buy cylinders cheap. I know what sizes and brands I can exchange so I buy used for pocket change and have more cylinders than most professionals. They don't depreciate and ya never run out on weekends.
A 6" or 7" angle grinder is a terrific size but I also mod my smaller grinders to take 6" cutting disks. Totally agree on that approximate grinder size. There is little point in buying 4-1/2" grinders new when 6" grinders abound in the same motor sizes.
Want a high speed right angle die grinder? Buy a GOOD Jacobs steel chuck then have it drilled and tapped to match your angle grinder (5/8"-11 is usual in the US). It will fit places my beloved Milwaukee 5196 (fine to buy used because easy to work on, I maintained a school fleet) cannot.
Now go make money!
What do you suggest for a mask? I see these auto dimming masks... what do you think? Thanks, great video.
It's just for beginners to start with I started with a harbor freight 120amp stick welder and a couple grinders and some other necessary things now I got a lincoln 10000 plus and I'm still not not done yet you're right
I have a makita 7 inch grinder and I really wish I bought a dewalt instead. Nothing wrong with the makita, it's made extremely well. It's just it seems like it's more suited for concrete work and grinding metal only as apposed to cutting.
What do you think about Eastwood welding machines? I'm specifically looking at the Eastwood MP250I Multi Process 250amp welder mig/tig/arc it costs $1,049.97. I'm also looking at Hobart, Lincoln, Miller, Vulcan, and Titanium.
You’ve gained a subscriber my fellow steel bender.
Whoa bud I actually run a 3500 Duramax with Classic 300MP...not triggered one bit. Keep up the good work hand, and damn your rig is looking slick with that paint job 👍
Milwaukee is king !!!!!!!!!!!!
You doing right by me you have to craw before you walk
great video ..thanks !
Hey, Derb! This is CavemanJoe! Finally set myself up a channel and uploaded a video! It's machining, not welding, though. I'll have to get some kind of mount for my phone so I can record steady videos.
You know it’s the best
Do you have any info on a good Co2 regulator for a Forney 135 mig welder? I only been welding fluxcore with it and I know it does MIG as well but cant seem to get the right regulator.
I call it a speed square
Awesome brother always like yer videos
Where did you get your bottle thing that you keep your rods in?
Great info thanks 🙏🏼
Can the Lincoln ac 225 stick welder be used with a generator
It can but it’s a power hog you probably won’t get full power out of it
I've got an everlast welder and want to start doing some business making repairs and small fabrications. This was good information.
I thought maybe you had caught a troll in a heavy steel cage trap and maybe you were torturing him with welding and grinding sparks as indeed we probably all would!
You can and should start a welding business by buying god quality used equipment. Search the closing down sales, ebay and Facebook.Loads of used gear out there at affordable money.
I avoid new or used Chinese equipment in favour of high end used equipment. The choice is yours.
Hey bud do you arc goudge with that harbor freight electric compressor on your rig?
Haven’t tried it but I think it would be a little small. I use the o/a torch with a gouging tip for gouging.
Did you build your new bumper ?
Yep I built the bumper out of leftover parts around my shop.
"I can't weld cuz I ain't got no GAS"!
LoL 😂😂😂 omg A great inside joke.
Be sure to turn on the acetylene before you leave for the weekend LoL 😂
What about a plasma cutter over a asedahline torch
I don’t know. It’s a tough call. Plasma is very nice but you can do a lot with o/a that you can’t with plasma. I guess it would be a personal call. For me I don’t know how I could live without o/a.
Good point
Nice for sheet metal and similar but it only makes sense to ADD plasma because torches braze, gouge without needing electricity (arc gouging is brutal on medium and small power sources and requires an air compressor too), heat including for torch bending, cut heavier stock than plasma, braze, solder and (try it!) flame straighten bent structural members. Plasmas cut and gouge, that's all and they pay off for many jobs so let the job and the money make up your mind.
Hola amigo can a Mexican become a welder?
Pedro Ramos U sure can but u need to take classes . Check out Vocational Schools or Welding Suppliers in ur area. Good luck .
You got a Mica?
Simon just get the equipment practice get good then get city permits, insurance then start welding
I've got a lot that stuff already because welding with my everlast tools has been my hobby for a while now. I'm not quite ready to get an engine-drive welder.
You can rent engine drives for big jobs and hand them back instead of having to maintain them. Check your local welding supply to see what they offer.
great
No bridge clamp
Been welding for 5 years never used one or needed one. Come to think of it no one i know around here uses one.
20:20 would be a speed square
Do you have any problems running the mp210 of the Hobart on a job site?
No issues what so ever it runs great
@@derbadortheweldor8940 I've been battling between a mp210 or a dedicated suitcase mig welder for field work.
Brandon D unless you are needed to run 300amps via wire the 210mp is the better choice. Because it’s a stand alone unit you can use it anywhere you have 110v or 220v. With a suitcase feeder you have to run your generator all the time. I’ve been on a lot of jobs with the 210mp where I just borrowed the 110v on sight and used a 100’ drop cord.
@@derbadortheweldor8940 nice. I bought one with the spool gun with it. Also, if you dont mind me asking, what insurance do you use for your business? Thanks man and keep up the good work
AHP and Everlast are owned by the same guy.
That doesn’t surprise me
That doesn’t surprise me
No mag drill
Thiese are the tools you need to start. You can run without a mag drill for a long time.
triggered and mad 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂