welders

[dave123]

would this welder be ok for welding body work on a t2 http://www.screwfix.com/p/impax-im-arc140-10-115-140a-arc-welder-240v/17497?cm_mmc=Email-_-E14W10AU1-_-Hero1-_-IMPAXarcwelder#product_additional_details_containe r . ie back door and around the rear light cluster on the body. or would this be better http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/010110125

[makeitfit]

of the two the 2nd one but don't bother going gasless, you'll be frustrated :o

[Fez_uk]

arc is a nightmare on thin stuff so don't even bother. Go for the mig but with gas. Initial outlay is more but worth it!

The mini disposable bottles are useless too, they only do a 1m weld or so.

[dave123]

thanks for all your advice . now I just got to convince the one with the money :nenau

[makeitfit]

Tell her you'll save money as that'll only get you 3 hours of welders wages :sly

[spiderpig37]

Ive just had a 110en replaced by insurance after having my tools robbed nice machine you will find that most clarke migs are piped for gas just need regulator and bottle dont bother with small bottles they only do 10 to 12inch of weld

[larson]

my welder is gasless and i think its ok. defenatly harder on the thin stuff but loves a chassi or something a little thicker..

[elty001]

i have clarke en 151 turbo.
does gas and gas less.
i got a gas bottle from local pub and change it through work for next to nothing:thumbs

[makeitfit]

Pub gas is fine and about 13-15 quid a bottle :D

[exosteve]

so what is a good welder link please machine mart and screwfix are local to me

[solarman216]

Pub gas is fine and about 13-15 quid a bottle :D

but it don't weld as nice as argon, Rick

[makeitfit]

but it don't weld as nice as argon, Rick

Absolutely agree mate, but argon is 4 times the price plus a bloody bottle hire agreement :o
That said we use argon :D

[brettgilbert77]

I used to own a fire safety company. We would often have 2 & 5kg CO2 extinguishers that were due discharge and hydro testing. I used one to pressurise my home brew barrels.
These could probably be rigged up to a regulator too. The rebate for a 2kg CO2 is £2.50 and the 5kg is about £5. If you find a friendly local fire company you could probably get them free so long as they get the cylinders back to send off for their rebate.

[dave123]

more help need . I was looking at this but can it run on normal household sockets ? I don't know what 1 ph supply min 30amps mean ? http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-345832/clarke-mig151en-240v-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder.html and will it be ok to use on on the floor and panels of a t2 . I know it say gasless but I can convert to gas

[solarman216]

more help need . I was looking at this but can it run on normal household sockets ? I don't know what 1 ph supply min 30amps mean ? http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-345832/clarke-mig151en-240v-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder.html and will it be ok to use on on the floor and panels of a t2 . I know it say gasless but I can convert to gas

this is only a 150 amp mig and should run from a 13 amp socket my 170 has no probs off a 13 amp, but for your info your house supply is 1ph and you can rig a 30 amp socket, it is the same as a cooker supply, Rick

[dave123]

this is only a 150 amp mig and should run from a 13 amp socket my 170 has no probs off a 13 amp, but for your info your house supply is 1ph and you can rig a 30 amp socket, it is the same as a cooker supply, Rick

how can I rig a 30 amp socket . I have tried to find socket with 30 amps and can't even the cooker switch is only 13amp on the plug side

[RCMike]

I've got one of the machine mart Clarke MIG 145 welders (same one as in the second link of the first post).

I'm very much a beginner when it comes to welding but it seems to be OK in the 2 months i've had it (used it a reasonable amount with co2/argon mix gas). No problems using it on a 13Amp socket.

[dave123]

I've got one of the machine mart Clarke MIG 145 welders (same one as in the second link of the first post).

I'm very much a beginner when it comes to welding but it seems to be OK in the 2 months i've had it (used it a reasonable amount with co2/argon mix gas). No problems using it on a 13Amp socket.

so it's not blowing threw the metal ? . what gauge metal have you been welding ? because I got some welding to do on the floor and wing of my t2 and I don't want to waste money get something with to high of a power that can't do the job or too low that it can't weld chassis when need . I went out and checked my wing thickness and it's only 0.9- 1 mm . that why I was looking at this one as well . http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/mig151en-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder but with that I am worried it's going to trip the junction box all the time or melt the house electrics

[Fez_uk]

It won't, Also when low power it draws less.

Don't bother with gasless, Just buy one that's set up ready for gas.

[dave123]

It won't, Also when low power it draws less.

Don't bother with gasless, Just buy one that's set up ready for gas.

I was going to get one that does both as 80% of the time I will be welding in the open and the wind will blow the gas away as I don't have anywhere under cover to work on my car

[RCMike]

Thinnest I've used it on is 1mm so far with .6mm wire. Needs to be on the lowest setting for this, there are only 4 power settings rather than an adjustable knob. I actually found this better (as a novice) as it gave me less things to fiddle with and just focus on technique. You can still fiddle with the wire speed however.

I've actually used the slightly bigger co2/argon bottles from machine mart with one of their valves.

Like i said, i'm a novice and not qualified to give anything other than my personal experience (and this is my first welder) but it seems OK to me.

[solarman216]

how can I rig a 30 amp socket . I have tried to find socket with 30 amps and can't even the cooker switch is only 13amp on the plug side

30 amp sockets are readily available from electrical wholesalers and you just run a 6mm cable from your consumer unit, but honestly you do not need it, my 250 amp welder demands a 30 amp socket but 150 definitely not, especially as most of the time you will be running on the lower settings for bodywork material, Rick

[solarman216]

problem with bigger welders is they often do not go down low enough for thin metal, my 170 has that problem and it has taken a while for me to get used to the short weld at a time technique, to avoid blowing holes, my previous 170 was infinitely variable and was a dream to use, but cost a lot more, Rick

[cncfabs]

Power input required depends on how efficient the set is.My mig at home is only 130 amp and will trip out 16 amp supply.We have welders at work that draw 100amps at 380 volts and only produce 350 amp welding current.We had 500 amp machine on demo that would run flat out from 16 amp 3 phase supply difference is the new machine was invertor based older machines are thyristor or plain transformer based.

[solarman216]

Power input required depends on how efficient the set is.My mig at home is only 130 amp and will trip out 16 amp supply.We have welders at work that draw 100amps at 380 volts and only produce 350 amp welding current.We had 500 amp machine on demo that would run flat out from 16 amp 3 phase supply difference is the new machine was invertor based older machines are thyristor or plain transformer based.

You are of course correct, but these are simple cheap machines and at the low welding amps they will be used on 13 amp supply is more than enough, Rick

[solarman216]

Best welder I ever used was a portable engine run set, I was welding 15 mm plate with stick, it was a dream but it did not run at 50 Hz cannot remember what it was but it made a world of difference, that was in the 70s, Rick

[Sweety]

All great info guy's:thumb2 would love to get a mig so I can start learning how to weld just never seem to have the funds for one so far:rolleyes:

[cncfabs]

Best welder I ever used was a portable engine run set, I was welding 15 mm plate with stick, it was a dream but it did not run at 50 Hz cannot remember what it was but it made a world of difference, that was in the 70s, Rick

Would have been dc thats why they weld better