welding equipment?

johnnyroper

not sure where to post this but thought motoring will do as it is related to my car,feel free to move if better suited elsewhere.

looking to buy a welding machine so i can do some repairs on my old project cars rather than paying someone else to do it.
I need something that can run fine off standard household 3 pin electric and ideally be easy to move around.
will be mainly for panels and the odd exhaust repair i do not invisage using it for any structural type work.
i know a mig welder will be fine for my needs but i have seen inverter welders advertised and was wondering if these are also suitable for what i need a welder for?

been a long time since i was at college and last welded so i am on a bit of a learning curve here.

Rossy.

I have no clue about welders but i had a google for you and came accross this

It's mains powered so check it out

http://www.northerntooluk.com/welding/inverter-welders/230v-1-ph-20-160a-handy-stick-160-welder.html

EDIT: The site seems to have a fair amount of welding equiptment too, Although as i said i have no experience at all with welding equiptment or the actual company

goldspanners

im no welding expert,but for car panels and exhaust then i would use a mig. the little invertors are great machine but they tend to blow holes in exhausts and thin panels.

ive never used a gasless mig,but this might be something worth looking for,saves messing around with gas.

we have a small kempi invertor at work and its great for thicker material.

cutandshut

Have look here http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php

You'll find all the info you need.

johnnyroper

Thanks for replies

Looks like gasless mig is way to go then as I cannot be doing with something that has tendency to blow holes in panels.

pwllbwdr

General consensus is that gasless mig is nowhere near as good as proper mig. However, even with a quality mig set up, welding thin panelwork without blowing holes takes a LOT of practice.

cyclonebri1

johnnyroper wrote: »

Thanks for replies

Looks like gasless mig is way to go then as I cannot be doing with something that has tendency to blow holes in panels.

Only go for a gasless mig if you will be doing all your welding inside the garage, outside they are useless and gas migs aren't much better.

When I was really keen I had Oxy/Act and Mig and borrowed a stick welder from work when needed. Now I'm no longer there and have got rid oof the gas and mig kits, I bought a cheap 120amp stick welder brand new for £5 plus £15 carriage off Ebay, did all the odd weldingon my last kit car and plugged a few holes in mates cills.

The key is the bloke behind the welding set, :rotfl:(I'm basically saying don't dismiss an electric set, everyone says mig is easier, but I was a trained engineer which encompassed welding and I allways found stick welding easier.;)

johnnyroper

Cyclone when you say stick welder is that another term for arc welding or is it another type all together?

ash_c

A gas mig welder is the way to go at the end of the day you pay for what you get like anything. Paying abit more will buy you a good welder which you will find easier to use, as it will be better for adjusting your amps. And like somebody said previously welding isnt somthing you pick up over night, especially welding thin bodywork panels. Gasless migs are just messy and the wire is expensive as the fliux used instead of the gas is inside the wire. arc welders (mma or stick welders) will blow holes for fun in thin body work and just frustrate you. Mig welder really want to be used inside as a slight breeze will blow the gas away and cause porosity (holes in you weld) . i have a little mig welder for at home that cost about 200 quid a couple of years ago does the job lovley!

hope this helps ash

PsiDOC

The art to any welding is practise, practise, practise. For your sitution I'd be looking at a 90 or 100 amp Mig Welder. Wether you go gas or gasless is up to you. My personal preference after running both is gas however the tiny bottles of gas you buy for a hobby welder can be expensive so you may want to look at gasless in that respect. Some can do either gas or no gas on the same machine, so you can decide which suits you best.
Have a shop about and get something branded eg: Clarke, Wolf, Sealey etc. Leave the no name chinese ones alone.

Psi

optimus_primera

The problem i find with stick welding is that just as i am getting a good run going, i have to change the electrode as its run out ..... my problem being i can join 2 peices of metal together,but would not call myself a welder.
I have a 100amp mig welder, was gasless, thought it was ok till i changed it to run on gas, massive difference,will not use gasless unless i have to.
Got a proper cylinder of Argoshield from work, so only have to pay for refill when it runs out, previous to that i paid £17 a quarter in cylinder rental from EngWeld.

I find it copes with all i need to do, and it has welded up a landy chassis ok.
Anything big i need to do , i have access to a 370amp arc welder .....