Looking at this again, I can't help but think OffRodeo is renting this new place.

So I can't stress this enough..
GET PERMISSION FROM THE LANDLORD!
Or you can end up in legal trouble!
A rental unit MUST have such modifications done by a licensed/insured/permitted individual or the landlord will end up liable for loss of life and/or property, I am pretty sure he wouldn't take that chance. And his insurance company would remind him if something did happen.

This is horrible advice:

This behavior is why so many house fires are blamed on electrical.... uh, I don't know what happened sir, the wall just spontaneously combusted...... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />
I have personally witnessed the consequences of trying to run welders on a system not capable of the load and not properly grounded, they had a catastrophic meltdown. When individuals who think, hey no problem-I'll just hook this up here, without knowing the size of said circuit and without proper grounding, do so on their own, causing it to literally meltdown. Believe me, they got a proper @ss chewing and were back charged, not cheap.
But I digress.. if you are renting, talk to the landlord, he is the one that actually has to make the arrangements with a contractor. He might split costs with you, if he goes along with it.And I'm afraid that this will hold true:

The other options mentioned, like the onboard might be better for you. Or one of those bad boy trailer mounted suckers. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mrt.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mrt.gif" alt="" />

Let me know how many house fires you have personally seen caused by somebody welding in the garage please.

My understanding was its the 8 outlet ports in the kitchen made of cheap plastic that catch fire. When people are welding they are generally aware that things can catch fire and try to pay careful attention. Welders just need to be more responsible is what you are telling me. My experience is that this is pretty much ALWAYS the case as well, people who work on their own stuff tend to be more responsible about these types of things as well.

Again, I restate, if it were me, I would inform the owner I would be working on my vehicle in the garage and doing some welding. I wouldnt be asking permission. That is what home owner's insurance is all about, also why the owner takes a deposit, also why renter's insurance exists. If something goes wrong you make good on it one way or another.

You can approach the problem any way you like, but if done the right way both the owner and the renter can be happy. Its all about communicating the need and getting them on your side.

Or if you prefer you can look at everyone as the devil and merely exist to screw you. But I much prefer to look as everyone as honest and willing to help. There are quite a few crooks out there, but I prefer not to burn bridges if I don't have to even with crooks.

I am more sensitive to the issue of people doing things with good intentions but cause harm to others or their property, I personally lost 90% of my belongings, "worldly possesions", to some one elses negligence that caused a fire. And did not receive satisfaction from an insurance company. So the issue of telling someone it is OK to plug a welder in an outlet, when the person you are advising may not know better, that may be undersized is wreckless. And it raises the hair on my neck, to hear someone give advice that may cause someone else ALOT of grief.
Indeed most enthusiasts are careful about the work they do, but plugging a welder into a circuit that is too small will cause damage, and will eventually lead to some point in the circuit failing. The failure may just melt a part to where it won't conduct, or it may start a fire. Hence my advice to hire a professional, or in the case of a rental, secure permission from the landlord to get professional installation.

ok, so everything that needs to be upgraded is 1) new breaker in the breaker box 2) wire going to the outlet 3) the outlet itself.

I am also looking for a basic welding class (cheap). Im not worried too much about how to weld, just need to know all the do and donts. so if anyone in slc knows of one, please let me know

kevan

p.s. not that you guys arent giving good info, id like some hands on stuff

This is about right, and like mentioned if brought up witht the landlord, he very well may split the cost on the outlet/wire upgrade with you.

As for a welding class I took mine through Granite School District continuing ed. courses.

Go to www.granitepeaks.org You can browse their courses. I know for fact that the welding one filled up fast so they added another one, so check quickly and see what day and time they offer. I think it ran $75 and that included all consumables.

Looking through the catalog they have a class starting 1/18/05 at Taylorsville High on Tuesday night from 6-10. They start with Oxy-Acetelyne, then move to stick. With the instructor we had(same highschool) he let us play around on the mig towards the end. By the time you are done, the Mig was a piece of cake to pick up.

thank you sir

Dude, bottom line, no matter how you do it or what level you do it it will cost you far more than what you are thinking now. As for the potential fire hazard, just ask our own fire fighter Fernando what he thinks of overloading outlets and you're probably going to get one heck of an ear full. As for classes, nearly all of the continuing adult education programs in the valley have welding classes. nearly all run a first come first serve bases. most, not all, do not have the ability to "add" a class when one gets full. I went to Jordan tech center to register about two years ago and the line went through the complex and literally wrapped around the building twice. The number one course that everybody wanted to get in...........Welding. Needless to say I didn't get in. Jordan tech however has since changed their ways. You now register for the class and they draw through a lottery to see who gets in. If you are fortunate enough to get in the class the instructor will let you do and show you what ever that it is you want. I know the instructor and he's told me that I can do nothing but TIG in the class if I want. BTW, the classroom has a top of the line tube bender, a gazzion pound brake, sheer, etc, etc, etc Better hurry because if I'm not mistaken class registration has begun. Hey, if you don't get in you could always take private lessons through my boy who happens to be in that Tech Center now for a small contribution to his "I'm going to Wyotech fund". <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> I can't believe this post has gone this long. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

ok, tongue was bit for a long time, just make sure you have really good renters insurance <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

All of my landlords have been really nice about "modifications" to my places, some have actually witnessed...

I think the best is to talk to your landlord and sell them an upgrade to their garage, most of the time when I need something the landlord usually will pay for it if not at the very least split the expense with me. Just sell the upgrade <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Peter

for you who ever wondered, i thought id let you know. I got a house with a 4+ car garage in the back with 220 already installed <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Now, where to find a 220 welder (new or used) for cheap. SAS here i come

kevan

utah guys or travelers (isuzu only, lets not get carried away) need some room and/or some help, let me know i have lots of space left)

Hey, I thought of this last night when I was getting something out of my shed and I knocked my two welding helmets off their nails on the wall -- and I noticed the difference between them... My advice to the novice weldor would be, when you're buying your first "cheapie" helmet (non-self-darkening) go with one of those helmets with the BIG glass, not the little tiny 1x3 glass that most cheapie helmets have.

Basically, what I'm talking about is the difference between this:



and this:



The reason I'm saying this is that, as a beginning weldor, you'll find that half the time you think you're striking one place, and you're really somewhere completely different. Now, that being said, I really prefer the small shield helmet now, since it gives me a little more intimacy with my work (I crouch down a lot closer...) but when I started out, half the time I couldn't even see where I was striking because the shield was so small. At some point I was welding at someone else's house and forgot my helmet, so I picked up another at Home Depot, and it had the larger shield. It was much easier to see where I was striking with the larger shield.

Now that I can easily strike it within a mm or so of where I want to, I use the small shield just for personal preference, but the larger shield is nice to have around for on-lookers who might be standing back at a distance and would benefit from the extra visible area.

All of this is just personal preference, of course, but since we're talking about cheapie helmets here (the two above are on Harbor Freight for under $20 each) I figured I'd throw out my advice on the subject...

HTH,
Chris