welder

[Roadrunner]

Hi,

looks like my Disco needs some welding done. My neighbor is a bodyworker so he could do it and I would not have to pay that much but I was thinking of getting a welder myself and start burning holes in the floor :)
Way back my Dad had a little mig welder and that was a nice little thing. But now I think you have to lease the gas bottles or something and as I need the welder maybe 3 times a year it would not be worth it.
What about those gasless welders. The wire is more expensive but for the amount I need it ?? Is it as easy to weld with one of those as with a mig welder ?
Matt

[rangieman]

i have a gasless mig but it also takes gas
i use the gasless wire and i think its c r a p
you can buy disposable bottles of gas now thats the way to go for a handy man

[lokka]

G'day gas less mig welding (mag welding) isent as nice as with the gas its just like stick welding but the flux is inside the wire you still get the same sorta result as mig welding but your left with a dirtyer weld that requires a good clean up a wirre brush is your best friend when gas less welding.
the best way to find out what it's like go to a good welding place and get them to give you a demo and have a shot at it yourself before buying a unit with theese things a quality unit will be worth the extra money.
lincoln make a good litle portable unit that will run gas or gas less and cig make a similar unit there are also sip which are ok but not as good as the better brands
i use a migomag 260 with gas on steel and other metals and imo i think are about the best on the market but your need and budget will probably make the disicision for you good luck :D :D

cheers
chris

[Roadrunner]

I was just searching around and have read about the disposable bottles. How much are they and how big/long will they last. As I said I won't need it often and that might be a way to go. I just remember my Dad's little welder and as long as everything was clean you just pressed the button and it looked good.

I think there is a SIP at Repco at the moment. But there is a welding Shop in Hobart as well. I don't want to spend more the $1000 which leaves around 800 or so for the welder.

Matt

EDIT: just found it http://www.repcoshop.com.au/ASP/Catalogue/CatPage16.asp

the one for $599 but some say SIP are ok others they are crap. If I ask in the welding shop they will tell me they are crap ;-)

[rangieman]

ok i have a CIG 130 mig its a great little welder it cost me about $600 a couple of years ago and it came with a regulator

the disposable bottles are worth about $30 and you will get about 15 minutes of flat out welding which is a fair bit of welding:D

[ladas]

If you can't weld, don't even think about attacking your vehicle

Practice on old bits of steel - especially thin stuff.

.............but to be honest it's best left to people who can weld.

[rangieman]

If you can't weld, don't even think about attacking your vehicle

Practice on old bits of steel - especially thin stuff.

.............but to be honest it's best left to people who can weld.

to be honest you are right but mig welding is one of the easiest ways of welding to learn

but yes do try on bits of steel first

just rember when arc welding you pull away from the weld when MIG welding you push the blob of weld

[amtravic1]

If you can't weld, don't even think about attacking your vehicle

Practice on old bits of steel - especially thin stuff.

.............but to be honest it's best left to people who can weld.


I agree, its not as easy as it looks and your vehicle is not the place to start burning holes in. You might just end up with more holes than before.

Ian

[Roadrunner]

I've done it years ago and it didn't look that bad. Will practice first ;)
Rang the welding shop today and they said nit to go for the SIP 150 they have a weldmaster 150 and that is way better. They are also happy to demonstrate gasless welding.
http://www.weldmaster.com.au/products-detail.asp?cid=110&pid=3114

Will have a look at it next week.

Matt

[Bigbjorn]

Practice is everything with welding. I do so little these days that I run a couple of metres of wire on some scrap before I start the job. I have a 240v. CIG Transmig 195. A very good bit of kit. When new this was the biggest machine you could get in 240v. Uses a 15 amp outlet & takes standard 15kg. rolls of wire. Came with transport wheels for .6, .8, .9, & 1.2 wire. I do resent paying the bottle rental. Why can't we be allowed to own them? When I empty this one I am currently using, I will be looking at the disposable ones. Also have a CIG Transarc 240v 160 amp stick welder for outdoor use.

Rangieman, you can weld in either direction, if you are pointing into the bead you get a heavier weld. Quite normal practice.

[rangieman]

Practice is everything with welding. I do so little these days that I run a couple of metres of wire on some scrap before I start the job. I have a 240v. CIG Transmig 195. A very good bit of kit. When new this was the biggest machine you could get in 240v. Uses a 15 amp outlet & takes standard 15kg. rolls of wire. Came with transport wheels for .6, .8, .9, & 1.2 wire. I do resent paying the bottle rental. Why can't we be allowed to own them? When I empty this one I am currently using, I will be looking at the disposable ones. Also have a CIG Transarc 240v 160 amp stick welder for outdoor use.

Rangieman, you can weld in either direction, if you are pointing into the bead you get a heavier weld. Quite normal practice.

NO Argument the guy is a novice and i was giving advice to a novice :p

[p38arover]

I've got a WIA (Welding Industries Australia) Weldmatic 120G which takes 0.9 and 1.2mm self-shielding wire. It operates on a standard 10A power outlet.


OUTPUT RATING 100 Amps, 22 Volts, 25% Duty
MINIMUM WELDING CURRENT. 35 Amps
MAX. WELDING CURRENT 120 Amps, 17% Duty Cycle.
(Duty cycle is defined in Australian Standard AS1966.1 as the ratio of arcing time to 5 minutes in any 5 minute period, expressed as a percentage.)

I'd like to modify it to be able to use gas. With the right wire, I could possibly weld aluminium.

Ron

[lokka]

I've got a WIA (Welding Industries Australia) Weldmatic 120G which takes 0.9 and 1.2mm self-shielding wire. It operates on a standard 10A power outlet.


OUTPUT RATING 100 Amps, 22 Volts, 25% Duty
MINIMUM WELDING CURRENT. 35 Amps
MAX. WELDING CURRENT 120 Amps, 17% Duty Cycle.
(Duty cycle is defined in Australian Standard AS1966.1 as the ratio of arcing time to 5 minutes in any 5 minute period, expressed as a percentage.)

I'd like to modify it to be able to use gas. With the right wire, I could possibly weld aluminium.


Ron

G'day ron u can mod em easy enough to run gas all u need is the elec gas solinoid and switch it with a relay from the trigger wires that run from trigger.
I have an old cig auto linx 100 huge unit takes 15kg spools and runs on gas weighs about 100 od kg is perfect for light work as it only has a max continious output of 85 amps and will do 100 amp spots it's old and still works quite well only runs on .6 wire and was only made for light welding with a 85% duty cycle flat out will lay about 1 m of weld before thermal cut out on 1.6 steel great for little jobs and will run fine on 10 amps.
As i have updated to a migomag i dont need old one any more and need to find a new home for it any body interested can pm me for more details can supply it ready to run all u need is power and gas best offer :D:D:D

cheers

chris

[p38arover]

Thanks Chris. I suppose I'll need a new handpiece, etc. for the gas feed.

I should have bought the 150S model. :(

Ron