welding ?
06-04-2005, 10:38 PM
#1
welding ?
thinking bout getting my self a cheap welder to teach my self to weld 
should be coming in to bout £400 as my dads moving away friday to live in holland so getting some money 
wat sort of welder should i look at getting ? had a quick look at these looked ok ?
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...5&r=2031&g=105
or
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...5&r=2031&g=105
but i really dont no what i should be lookin for ? what sort of gas can be used ? the sort i use for my bbq ?
and were can i get the gas ? it will only be used when i feel to use it or if i get a car that needs SMALL bits of welding.
thanks sorry for all the questions
should be coming in to bout £400 as my dads moving away friday to live in holland so getting some money wat sort of welder should i look at getting ? had a quick look at these looked ok ? http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...5&r=2031&g=105
or
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...5&r=2031&g=105
but i really dont no what i should be lookin for ? what sort of gas can be used ? the sort i use for my bbq ?
and were can i get the gas ? it will only be used when i feel to use it or if i get a car that needs SMALL bits of welding. thanks sorry for all the questions
06-04-2005, 10:46 PM
#2
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i use a small mig welder, clarke turbo 180 i think, uses gas, good little welder for car work, not to powerfull to blow holes through everything
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06-04-2005, 11:09 PM
#8
Yea the little ones you can get from most places, halfords prob do and motor factors like Cliffords/Camberly AutoFactors etc etc.
The big canisters are harder to get hold of cos you have to be registered i think to get them. You get the canister then top it up at a specialist gas supplier.
For general welding the smaller ones are fine mate and you'd have nowhere to fit a big tank anyway
Welding is pretty easy to be honest its learning to get the right power settings so you dont burn thru but get a good constant weld. best way to learn is go to a scrappers and get some old panels and practice on em!!
The big canisters are harder to get hold of cos you have to be registered i think to get them. You get the canister then top it up at a specialist gas supplier.
For general welding the smaller ones are fine mate and you'd have nowhere to fit a big tank anyway
Welding is pretty easy to be honest its learning to get the right power settings so you dont burn thru but get a good constant weld. best way to learn is go to a scrappers and get some old panels and practice on em!!
06-04-2005, 11:12 PM
#9
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We use MIG welders at uni.
Very easy to use, can pick it up in a few days i rekon, even less that that!
If its a good finish your after though, you might be best getting good at rod welding.
Alot harder to pick up, but if you get it right, then the end results can be spot on
Personally i'd go for a MIG welder, easy, clean, and handy to work with.
Think the gas used is "argon", with a 25% C02 mix, most specialist toolshops will have some, the sizes vary. If you get serious though, different gases perform better on different metals.
Very easy to use, can pick it up in a few days i rekon, even less that that!
If its a good finish your after though, you might be best getting good at rod welding.
Alot harder to pick up, but if you get it right, then the end results can be spot on
Personally i'd go for a MIG welder, easy, clean, and handy to work with.
Think the gas used is "argon", with a 25% C02 mix, most specialist toolshops will have some, the sizes vary. If you get serious though, different gases perform better on different metals.
finding things to weld wont be a prob my mate drives a nova
06-04-2005, 11:18 PM
#11
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Doesnt seem to be much in it between the two welders you listed..
The 2nd one has a wider control on the power settings, (allows up to 170amps) but you'd neet to be doing some crazy stuff to need 170amps i rekon
If it was me buying.. id go for the 1st one, cheaper, and much the same spec, better for a beginner, unless you plan to do alot of welding? in that case, id go for summit a bit more industrial.
The 2nd one has a wider control on the power settings, (allows up to 170amps) but you'd neet to be doing some crazy stuff to need 170amps i rekon
If it was me buying.. id go for the 1st one, cheaper, and much the same spec, better for a beginner, unless you plan to do alot of welding? in that case, id go for summit a bit more industrial.
06-04-2005, 11:21 PM
#12
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top welder would be more than capable of any general welding you would need to do, also i went round a couple of local bodyshops and got some damaged panels they would otherwise have binned to practice on
06-04-2005, 11:24 PM
#13
thanks for the advise lets just hope me old man gives me the money then ill call up and order one and go to halfords and see if they have the gas AJ Escos, good idear bout the body shop and the other day i went for a interveiw and as well as having a garge (mecains) he owns a body shop so could be in luck
AJ Escos, good idear bout the body shop and the other day i went for a interveiw and as well as having a garge (mecains) he owns a body shop so could be in luck
06-04-2005, 11:27 PM
#14
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i got a mig mate 130 turbo, more than good enough for car stuff. halfords sell them any they aint to expensive.
but if u can get into some where like maccess or any trade shop you can get them really cheap, and the gas is only about 4 quid a bottle aswell. (about half halfords)
a decnet welding mask will help as well, the ones you get with the welder is pretty cheap and hand held, it helps to have both hands useable.
but if u can get into some where like maccess or any trade shop you can get them really cheap, and the gas is only about 4 quid a bottle aswell. (about half halfords)
a decnet welding mask will help as well, the ones you get with the welder is pretty cheap and hand held, it helps to have both hands useable.
06-04-2005, 11:35 PM
#15
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...8&r=2152&g=120
cheap mask ? will that do ?
Cowboi, thanks for that will ask around see if i can find a trade place
or would i be better with a gasless mig welder? http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...0&r=2030&g=105
cheap mask ? will that do ?
Cowboi, thanks for that will ask around see if i can find a trade place
or would i be better with a gasless mig welder? http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...0&r=2030&g=105
06-04-2005, 11:46 PM
#16
The ones u get are normally crappy ones mate. If you can afford it get one of the light sensitive ones, their see thru before u start welding so you can line up the welder before u start then go dark when you start welding, makes it so muc easier as you dont have to keep moving the mask back and forth when u stop inbetween welds
06-04-2005, 11:47 PM
#17
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yeah that looks good. the thing i got with mine was pathetic.
You will need a business to get in most trade places, but if you know some 1 who knows some 1 you can sort it out.
I think i only paid 90 quid for my welder in the end, but i got staff discount on an already wicked price.
good luck with it, but be carefull not to distort panals and stuff, try and practice on thicker scrap, then thin scrap and then if your brave your car.
I was ok, i had a nova to learn on.
You will need a business to get in most trade places, but if you know some 1 who knows some 1 you can sort it out.
I think i only paid 90 quid for my welder in the end, but i got staff discount on an already wicked price.
good luck with it, but be carefull not to distort panals and stuff, try and practice on thicker scrap, then thin scrap and then if your brave your car.
I was ok, i had a nova to learn on.
07-04-2005, 12:05 AM
#20
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you can still weld when you run out of gas, but your "fusing" the metal together.
Now dont ask what that means, i was told it by a welder were i work.
He said it is a bit harder to do it when u run out of gas though.
Now dont ask what that means, i was told it by a welder were i work.
He said it is a bit harder to do it when u run out of gas though.
07-04-2005, 12:26 AM
#23
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buy a big second hand one mate,, from somewhere like ebay! you will get a much better welder,,, to get wleding right its all about ahjuxtabilty
plus a big welder will use the larger wire rolls,,which will save loads in the long run
plus a big welder will use the larger wire rolls,,which will save loads in the long run
07-04-2005, 06:45 AM
#24
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Do not get a gasless one. THe gas in welding it to purge the welding area of oxygen. If oxygen gets around the welding area, you not only get ugly welds but the strength can be comprimised aswell. I've used 100% CO2 and a CO2/argon mix with good success.
And as Gareth said, it's worth spending a bit more to get a decent set.
I'm on the scrouge for a TIG set from work at the moment which is a bit different from MIG.
And as Gareth said, it's worth spending a bit more to get a decent set.
I'm on the scrouge for a TIG set from work at the moment which is a bit different from MIG.
my moneys not comin till monday dad just called so now im 
07-04-2005, 10:27 AM
#29
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Hi,
Dont buy the welder off ebay as per the link it's a 3 phase machine...I agreee with gareth though buy a quality welder.....
You can obtain (argosheild) the gas from any boc agent but you will have to pay rental on the bottle....this is the cheaper way...with a lot of welding you'll soon go through the small canisters...I have a large bottle which we only have filled every 6 months or so....15 kg rolls of wire do work out cheaper but we tend to just use 5 kg rolls from Partco....
Don't use the impregnated wire always use a sheilded weld you get less spatter and a cleaner weld...
Happy welding
Regards
Ian
Dont buy the welder off ebay as per the link it's a 3 phase machine...I agreee with gareth though buy a quality welder.....
You can obtain (argosheild) the gas from any boc agent but you will have to pay rental on the bottle....this is the cheaper way...with a lot of welding you'll soon go through the small canisters...I have a large bottle which we only have filled every 6 months or so....15 kg rolls of wire do work out cheaper but we tend to just use 5 kg rolls from Partco....
Don't use the impregnated wire always use a sheilded weld you get less spatter and a cleaner weld...
Happy welding
Regards
Ian
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