what type of welder should i use?

Personally, if it were me, and I was installing this "roll bar/roll cage" with the idea that it's being installed because I might, in fact, NEED it's protection, I would TIG it. If you don't know how to TIG, perhaps your shop teacher does. If not, you're probably going to have to pay somebody or find somebody who's willing to trade out for some TIG work.

When properly welded, nothing is stronger than a TIG weld and is the method used by 95%+ of chassis builders. It is expensive and difficult to master (in terms of learning how to TIG weld), but is a very clean weld and, as I stated, extremely strong. A benefit to it, also, when welding on the interior of a vehicle (such as a welding a roll bar or cage in a street-strip car) is that TIG welding, again when properly done, produces no slag (sparks) to worry about catching interior pieces on fire or melting them. *CLARIFICATION: I'm not advocating anybody TIG weld in the interior of a car without having the surrounding interior parts properly protected from the welding being done*

On 2006-01-06 11:51, Douche Bigalow wrote:
Personally, if it were me, and I was installing this "roll bar/roll cage" with the idea that it's being installed because I might, in fact, NEED it's protection, I would TIG it. If you don't know how to TIG, perhaps your shop teacher does. If not, you're probably going to have to pay somebody or find somebody who's willing to trade out for some TIG work.

When properly welded, nothing is stronger than a TIG weld and is the method used by 95%+ of chassis builders. It is expensive and difficult to master (in terms of learning how to TIG weld), but is a very clean weld and, as I stated, extremely strong. A benefit to it, also, when welding on the interior of a vehicle (such as a welding a roll bar or cage in a street-strip car) is that TIG welding, again when properly done, produces no slag (sparks) to worry about catching interior pieces on fire or melting them. *CLARIFICATION: I'm not advocating anybody TIG weld in the interior of a car without having the surrounding interior parts properly protected from the welding being done*

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tig is not the strongest. it is the most precise. a weld is a weld. each process can produce the same strength on standard materials when each is performed properly. tig just gives you more control over the heat applied and the speed of the filler metal being fed in. i would definately tig a cage if i were doing it, but thats because i own a nice tig. expect that to take probably a month or more of solid work because tig is not fast and its not easy.

tig is also the easiest to mess up on. all surfaces have to be immaculant, or you will get inclusions. inclusions will create weak points in your welds and lead to failure. mig is a little more forgiving in that aspect, but you should prepare the surface as best as you can get it either way. the cleaner the surface, the better your end result will be.

btw zaz, slag is not sparks. sparks are just that - sparks of the filler material that are jumping off. you are correct that tig creates no sparks (with a clean surface) and that it create no slag, but they are not the same. slag is that ugly stuff that encapsulates the weld bead on flux core and stick welding.