Thread: MIG Welders

do a search on welders there was a good thread on this only a few weeks ago

I'd look at some of the Chinese DC inverter welders as you can get them cheap these days and you can get them that do ARC, TIG and Plasma cutting so it would pretty much cover you for anything you need to do from Ally to steel and cast iron and then cutting steel with the presision of a plasma cutter.

Migs are great and easy to use but cheap ones can give you more trouble than what they are worth.

Sometimes you can pick them up second hand in decent brands such as ESAB cheap at auctions and the like but you dont know what your getting until you get it home and it could last you for years or it could be stuffed or in need of alot of work to get it right.

I wouldnt go gassless as your basically just a wire fed ARC and as it isnt in a gasious shield there is no real advantage and you cant do a lot with them though some of them are good if you want a second machine for doing ally or light panel work.

It all depends on what you want to do, if you just want the best all rounder, get an inverter as you will do 90% of what you would do with a mig with stick and the other 10% using it as a TIG.

I have had a mig for about 15 years but have had it packed away for most of that time due to the cost of gas and the unreal cost of bottle rental - particularly given the smallest size at the time was e-size and I didn't use it much - I have found using a normal welder with little rods and using a "stiching" motion was nearly as good.

Is there a cheaper way of getting gas that can be used on a "normal" small mig.

Garry

Do a tafe short course - they are money well spent.

All materials supplied, plus you can probably make something you need anyway.

I am planning to buy a mig, something around the 200amp mark so I can weld 6 - 8mm plate, but the inverter welders could be a great alternative. A major positive being that you can do fiddly work with the tig and also do do stainless/alloy with the right electrodes and tips.

Cheers

Originally Posted by garrycol

I have had a mig for about 15 years but have had it packed away for most of that time due to the cost of gas and the unreal cost of bottle rental - particularly given the smallest size at the time was e-size and I didn't use it much - I have found using a normal welder with little rods and using a "stiching" motion was nearly as good.

Is there a cheaper way of getting gas that can be used on a "normal" small mig.

Garry

From Lindy and BOC you can buy disposable gas bottles for pure argon, corgon (CO2 + Argon) of different grades and Oxygen and acetylene these days but they are only small, about 1/4 the size of an 'e' size but there is no rent on them and they are still expensive but as there are no continual cost it may be worth it.