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[Kevin Wood]

Well, it looks like the Westfield is off the road for a week that's forecast to be nice and sunny for want of some welding to the exhaust.  

I've often thought I'd like to learn to weld and it would have come in very useful this weekend so I'm thinking about getting a welder and having a go.

I'm just wondering what to get.

I've got some knowledge about the various types of welding but have never tried it. I assume a MIG welder is probably the best all-rounder?

Usage, assuming I get the hang of it, will be for small jobs in steel and the odd bit of stainless (i.e. when my exhaust breaks again).

I'm not looking to do a restoration or anything so it won't need to cope with long sessions of welding and it probably won't need to cope with particularly thick metal.

So, what should I look for in terms of min / max current, duty cycle, etc?

Is it an advantage to be able to work with gasless wire (I assume I want to be able to use gas?)

Are there any pitfalls to just buying a used one off ebay (other than the obvious) or would a new unit be better?

In addition to a welder, some gas, wire, a mask and gloves, oh, and a fire extinguisher, what other bits and pieces will I need to get started?

Any recommendations welcome.

TIA

Kevin

[hotel21]

I use an ancient old MIG (make unknown) with 4 simple power settings and a wire speed control.  Had it for YEARS and still it manages to produce the goods.  I use proper welding gas rather than 'pub' gas - the CO2 bottles that power the beer pumps - as the pub gas gave a really cold, brittle like weld on steel.  Managed a few restores on the likes of a Triumph 2.5 PI and a Carlton and other life giving work on various semi scrappers over the years as well as metal construction work.  Manages quite fine.

Have tried the gasless wire with mixed results, but the cost can perhaps outweigh the aquisition of a proper gas bottle.  Cannot give any particular recommendations as to make of welder, though. ....

HtH

B

[Ronald_McBurger]

Get a Clarkes 135TE. I had one, MarksDTM uses one and they are brilliant machines for no money.

[Ken T]

Yes, one of the 140Amp machines is quite good, it will not strain doing medium sized jobs. Gas-less is more for hobby work, and so not easy to get in decent quantities. I bought a reel of wire for a profesional welder, and keep using it to refill the small ones!. To weld stainless, you need to use Argon, not CO2, another reason not to use gasless. Of course if you really want to do it properly get a TIG welder. I have never used one, but they are supposed to be the business. For a quick repair, what's wrong with exhaust patch, a few bean cans and some self tappers?  

[Kevin Wood]

For a quick repair, what's wrong with exhaust patch, a few bean cans and some self tappers?

In normal circumstances I'd agree but this repair was structural (30"long by 6" diameter silencer cracked where it attaches to the pipe and thus the car) and visible. It may still come to that if the local welders have a busy week.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep an eye out for something suitable.

Kevin

[iggy21uk]

Did a welding course at local college, got the smallest cylinders from BOC - rental has got far to expensive to jusify keeping them. Both cost £350.00 rental for five years + gas.

Bought a MIG - OK,

Found a diy gas kit - £99.00 = Acy + Oxy + touch, cylinders last about 1hr. works  4 me.

Now I get --- can you weld this - reply -gas donation jar needs feeding - he he  

I'll find the link if interested

PS - worked a treat for heating exhaust bolts at front  no trouble

Ian

[theolodian]

MIG is always nice.  However, you'd be amazed what you can accomplish with an oxy-whatever torch and wire coathangers.  There are cheap little ones in the states.  The gas cans are expensive, but if you don't use it much it ends up being tons cheaper in the end.

If you want to be able to weld anything you need a TIG.  Then you can do Alu, Cast Iron, etc.  

[Andy B]

...........
If you want to be able to weld anything you need a TIG.  Then you can do Alu.......  

As long as your set has A/C current.

[Phil]

The issue with a gas welder is if the bottle is left connected it will leak over a period of time, and sods law will be empty when you need it.

Arc welder is good for odd jobs BUT it does need a 30amp supply otherwise it keeps blowing fuses, it can be used on a '13amp' socket, but it does go through a few fuses!!

If you need to weld stainless then its just a case of getting the correct rods, the down fall with arc welding is tis difficult to weld 'thin' metals

[Marks DTM Calib]

A nice Clarke 135 TE......by far the best hobby welder out there......dont buy a SIP, the wire feed is bloody awful....

The Clarke has by far the best wire feed (very important on a mig), reasonable current ranges, a good price, reasonable torch and spares etc are very easy to obtain.....plus if you buy one on VAT free day.....

130amp is about the max you can run off a 13amp socket.......anything higher and you will

a) Need a seperate feed from the fuse box
b) If you dont have the seperate feed then you wont be able to use the extra power so whats the point in paying for it...

For working on cars, I find 0.6mm wire by far the best with a CO2/Argon mix or a high flow of CO2. If your going for the latter then speak nicely to your local pub landlord to get a CO2 bottle and buy a regulator for it...

0.8mm wire is best kept for larger steel work...

As for flexability....I have successfuly welded aluminium and stainless using mig with the appropriate wire and gas.

If you start using it in anger then consider buying a euro torch kit as an upgrade....

[Kevin Wood]

OK. Looks like the Clarke 135TE then.

Meant to ask about the power supply situation. Wouldn't be a problem to put a 32 Amp socket on the wall but sounds like it's not necessary. The socket I have in mind for the welder is connected to the fuse box by about 1.5 m of 2.5mm T&E and the garage has its' own 32 amp breaker so hopefully it'll get a good supply and I won't take out SWMBO's computer!

What is this "VAT free day" of which you speak? Sounds interesting...

Kevin

[Marks DTM Calib]

If you have shopped at machine mart before, you get an invite every 3 months or so to a VAT free night/day....where all the Clarke products can be bought less the VAT!

This is when I shop in the place....

[Kevin Wood]

Ahh, OK. Thanks.

I'll make a smaller purchase and see if I can get on their list then!

Kevin

[Martin_1962]

dont buy a SIP, the wire feed is bloody awful....

My dad had one - I used to borrow it, it would need a tip replaced and spring replaced very regularly, also needed the plastic pipe the wire traveled in replaced. Wire used to jam regularly.

However I nicely seam welded a wheel arch on the Sunbeam, and got it through a few MOTs