Welding for Numpties

[Conor]

A little welder would be really handy for me... Need to patch up my trailer and some other general light jobs.

 

I've no idea. Can't see myself doing anything too heavy. Standard arc with rods or MIG?! 

[Conor]

Just read up on it, and a basic flux wire MIG welder seems to be the perfect tool for me.

[MikeSharp01]

A decent MIG will do ARC as well while ARC makes thin material welding challenging.

[Conor]

That's what I thought. I've a couple parts on my shipping container that could do with patching before they eventually rust through... I know a rod welder would burn right through the thin cortan.

[dpmiller]

I'd not be so sure of that. Today's inverter sticks are a lot more forgiving than a transformer machine.

 

I've a 90A inverter you're welcome to have a play with if you want.

[joe90]

I use a stick welder and it’s very good and I use it a lot but as you say not fir thin stuff, I did buy a non gas mig but could not get on with it, a neighbour who was a welder told me they are no good for anything other than perfectly clean metal. He recommended a good quality gas mig, never had the use to warrant buying one (but would love to try using one).

[Vijay]

I bought a small Clarke hobby mig welder years ago and never got used to it. The problem I had was using small gas canisters that I couldn't regulate the gas pressure (they have no gauges or real control). I got an adaptor to run a CO2 bottle and what a difference it made, gives a nice flow of gas to the weld. Now I would happy try and weld anything - it's  a real nice go to tool to have

[dpmiller]

I've a MIG, the MMA inverter, and a DC TIG kit for it. Tig is great, love it, it's very like using a flame. Some day I'll treat myself to an AC-DC Tig...

[ToughButterCup]

Hmmm, bought a stick welder. And one member who shall remain nameless  ( because I cant remember which - either @Declan52 or @dpmiller ) said my welding

 

looked like Braille.

 

 

 Wounded I was, from that day to this......

[joe90]

7 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

looked like Braille.

It’s technical name is.  “Bird shit welding”.  and I weld that that (mostly) but having an angle grinder makes it better.

[Declan52]

52 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

Hmmm, bought a stick welder. And one member who shall remain nameless  ( because I cant remember which - either @Declan52 or @dpmiller ) said my welding

 

looked like Braille.

 

 

 Wounded I was, from that day to this......

Guilty I think!!!!

[gaz_moose]

a lot of places sell rent free argon/co2 cylinders. you put a deposit down on the cylinder and just buy the gas as and when you need it. it was about £100 last time I picked up a hip height cylinder.

 

something like an esab caddy 200i would be a good shout as it has a control panel that you dial your metal thickness into then the machine calculates your setting. R-tech sell some decent little machines too.

[ToughButterCup]

3 hours ago, Declan52 said:

Guilty I think!!!!

?

[Wil]

I bought myself one of the clarke gas/gasless jobs for christmas to try and re-learn what I knew when I was 16. Sadly, so far to call my welds birdshit would be a kindness. I've played with settings, but just can't get it right ?

[Temp]

I got one of these stick welders about a year ago.

 

https://www.toolstation.com/sip-05741-weldmate-t141p-arc-welder/p50765

 

Its a transformer model and with hindsight I think there are better options.  On thin sheet you need to turn the current down to prevent burning holes. Problem is that seems to make it harder to strike an arc. In addition I cant turn it down as far as I would like.

 

I believe some models that use an IGBT boost the current/voltage to make it easier to strike an arc and then reduce it to the set value to stop you burning holes. 

[Onoff]

For a can't go wrong deal look in Aldi when they have these 140A inverter arcs.

 

 

I call it my poachers welder. So small I can tuck it under my coat on site. Get a mate to keep watch etc. Saves all that silliness with hot works permits! ?

 

It's not the super, smoothest inverter compared to my bigger, 160A Parweld but it's still good & pretty much a hand tool it's that small. 

 

For MIG I've an old Clarke 130A that I keep in good nick like Trigger's Broom. Dug it out last weekend as refurbing a Workmate other wise destined for the scrap heap.

 

 

[Russell griffiths]

13 hours ago, Onoff said:

For a can't go wrong deal look in Aldi when they have these 140A inverter arcs.

 

 

I call it my poachers welder. So small I can tuck it under my coat on site. Get a mate to keep watch etc. Saves all that silliness with hot works permits! ?

 

It's not the super, smoothest inverter compared to my bigger, 160A Parweld but it's still good & pretty much a hand tool it's that small. 

 

For MIG I've an old Clarke 130A that I keep in good nick like Trigger's Broom. Dug it out last weekend as refurbing a Workmate other wise destined for the scrap heap.

 

 

All good until you burn down that 50million pound building ????

[Conor]

We don't have aldi in northern Ireland so always miss out on these tool bargains

[Declan52]

24 minutes ago, Conor said:

We don't have aldi in northern Ireland so always miss out on these tool bargains

I would go to the Dundalk one regularly. Only a few minutes from the motorway exit.

[dpmiller]

pretty much the same stuff appears in Lidl too tho

[Onoff]

6 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

All good until you burn down that 50million pound building ????

 

Again...

[Temp]

Was that him at Notre Dame ?

 

 

[dnb]

15 minutes ago, Temp said:

Was that him at Notre Dame ?

 

7 hours ago, Onoff said:

Again...

You mean he did York Minster first?

[Onoff]

6 hours ago, Temp said:

Was that him at Notre Dame ?

 

 

 

I have a hunch it might have been...

[PeterW]

Bringing this back - anyone had any decent results with gasless MiG.? I’ve got a TIG unit but may invest in a small MIG but wonder about lugging the gas around too.