Well, basically you need a air compressor that will keep up, preferably a two stage motor. An assortment of air tools:cutoff wheel, grinder, sawzall, drill, rolac grinder, mini da, wire wheel. A floor jack and some jack stands. To do a job like this where you need to install frame rails. you need at least a top of the line 110v mig welder w/argon co2 shielding gas. Not flux core wire and christmas tree chords running to the house. lol And most of all you need desire and confidence.

So let's go down Brandon's list. First we need a good Air Compressor, Brandon recommend's a Compressor with a two stage motor. What does two stage mean? A two stage air compressor, compresses air in two steps or stages, and are generally good for pressures up to 200psi. A single stage compressor is good for up to 150psi. The main thing you what to know is the CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) rating of the compressor. First add up the CFM's of the Tools that will be operated at the same time over an extended period of time, such as a cut-off tool uses 2-10 CFM @ 90 psi. Once you have determined the CFM usage, then decide on the compressor that can handle the job by at least 30% of the Tool's CFM's. If your compressor is to small, you will be waiting for it to catchup all the time. If you get to big of a compressor, you will be wasting money. You should also consider whether it will be a 110 volt or 240 volt, you will need an Electrical Panel Equipped with the proper breakers.

Talking about the Electrical Service, you will also need to connect the Mig Welder to an appropriate size breaker also. Brandon recommended a 110 volt welder and for light gage steel that is more then adequate. Brandon also recommended using a gas shield verses flux cored wire welding, one thing to remember when you use the gas shielding, you do not want any outside air blowing on the welding surface as you are welding, this will mix with the shielding gas and lead to porosity in your welds, (weak welds). A good Fire Extinguisher and a closed can for any rags that were used with flammable cleaners. Be careful with cleaning solvents, a friend was cleaning metal with solvent at Trane once and then went to Mig Weld, the whole inside of his coverall's ignited, "BE VERY CAREFULL" remove all the flammable stuff and it doesn't hurt to have a pail of water with some rags in it, in case your cloth's start on fire and they will, guaranteed. I was a Welder for many years at Trane Company, doing repair welding on their big Commercial Air Conditioning Units. I also have a Certificate for Welding from the Western Wisconsin Technical College in La Crosse Wi and was a Labor grade 1 Repair Welder at Trane Co. with over 14 certifications, labor grade 0 was the top.

As far as the Tools go, the bigger ones that you would need as Brandon recommended, were a good floor Jack, jack stands ( get the heavy duty ones ) and something Brandon did not mention, but he does use in his shop, is a Break. I'm talking about a Sheet Metal Break, not the bad boy the Siding Companies use, a smaller model, actually you can go here and get plans to build your own Vintage Projects or you can find one to buy online. Brandon uses it to make parts for his 1939 Ford Project Car, he found his at a garage sale.

Now let's talk about the hand Tool's Brandon suggested. One thing to remember when using Air Tools, is after you buy them, most need to be filled with oil, my first air tool was a 1/2" impact and I did not read the instructions and so did not know that I was suppose to fill it with oil. Let's see, bare metal banging against bare metal, hmmm, that impact did not last to long, lol. Next, remember that you need special sockets and extensions for air wrenches, those regular chrome plated ones you normally use, will last about 30 seconds on an air wrench. Small air tools, cutoff wheel grinder, rolac grinder, mini da, and a wire wheel. Now some of these maybe small in size but can be big in $$$. But I learned right away, if you are going to go with air tools, buy the best you can afford, your old socket set will get lonely after you get air tools, I miss my 3/8 air ratchet, lol

Author: Mike Hanson