Here we go again, What welder for me? Sorry

[scott_shot]

I hate starting threads like this, feels like im making clutter haha, so please forgive
Some of you guys have some beautiful welding so cant resist asking your advice

So i got my first welder a Sealey Mightymig100 NoGas, I found he whole concept VERY easy but but before 5min on it i and a lot of reading, decided i needed more so sold on.(need to post the beads i actually did do tho lol)

I think Arc (as i have far too much free time) Looks not important to me in most places, would rather get/afford a pro/semi arc than a cheap mig, and to follow Granddads footsteps before he had a stroke

My welding needs
Some 2.5mm box(upper+lower Chassis) 3mm tube(Roll Bars)
Loads of 6mm flatbar(components,mounts etc)
No more no less

I understand its an art to make look good but is it fairly simple to get Strong welds with practice, Ideally if i started practice today, (at least 1hour a day 7pw) i would like to start on the chasiss say start of next month.
Realistic??
Power Recommendations?
Ac/Dc?
7018 Rods in appropriate dia good start?
I own the book the art of welding by W.A. Vause But any reference you handy fellows cant live without

to start i was looking at any of these really http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/search/filter/professional-arc-welders/type/any/module/shopcategory/page/1
Cheers guys you are Saints if you have even read upto here

 

[landuse]

I use 6013 rods with my welder and they weld nicely. I have never used 7018 but I hear they are also good

 

[DS13]

7018 are a good starting point but I was taught start with 7014

 

[scott_shot]

sounds good to me.
Now though i have doubts about welding 2.5mm rhs, will this take an age to get right as its the first job i need to do. i will be practicing though do-not want to be practicing for months till im fairly good.
Note i am confident and i think i will have the natural 'nack for it'

Any experience on box at this thickness anyone?

 

[mckutzy]

The key with any type of welding is to keep the base(s) metal clean. With flux core and stick, they are dirty welding. To make a good weld with these welders you HAVE to chip and brush clean before the next weld bead. This step people forget. This is why people also give them a bad name. over all they do have their moments.


The clarke welders you have linked to, they are pretty good welders.
I have a clarke 90e FC no gas, it is pretty nice, within its capabilities. 110v's need a good source of power, like a full 15-20 amps to run optimally. Also dont run it hard and into thick plate.
Stick isnt all that good for tube(not pipe.. tube), it requires a good amount of practice and it questionable as to the worth in time/money/effort to do so.

Mig w/wo gas is probably your better way to go. I is easier to learn a bit cheaper and most of the theory is the same as stick.

Practice makes perfect. No way around it.

 

[scott_shot]

The clarke welders you have linked to, they are pretty good welders.
I have a clarke 90e FC no gas, it is pretty nice, within its capabilities. 110v's need a good source of power, like a full 15-20 amps to run optimally. Also dont run it hard and into thick plate.
Stick isnt all that good for tube(not pipe.. tube), it requires a good amount of practice and it questionable as to the worth in time/money/effort to do so.

Mig w/wo gas is probably your better way to go. I is easier to learn a bit cheaper and most of the theory is the same as stick.

Practice makes perfect. No way around it.

Cheers mckutzy, i keep choping and changing my mind what to do. either going to be saving for 3/4 weeks to get half decent mig and even then at 6mm steeli will be pushing it, whereas i could get a good arc tomorrow and spend thevtimepracticing hmmmm....

Pipe soz i ment tube i keep ding that lol. the majority is square tubing and 6mm plate only got mayby 6 welds form tubing too and that tubing is is 3.2 thick.

Other option is to is to both but the arc first scince it cheap and have alot of plates to do. givin me more to fink about anyway bud

 

[smgs92]

I'd go with a Hobart mig set up my 187 Handler will weld anything I could ever possibly need to. It was reasonably priced for a professional grade welder and they have some lower end models that are good prices i'm not sure how their 120v compares to my 220v though. Mine was $600 I'd say save the extra money and you'll be much happier this welder can weld any size steel i've seen guys use this and similar welders on heavy equipment, and it can weld aluminum, gas or flux. In case you didn't know Hobart is Miller just the miller is fancier.

 

[OzFab]

Interesting point which raises a question for you Scotty: What voltage/amperage do you have at a standard wall socket? It matters coz the higher the supply voltage is, the lower the welder amperage needs to be: A 220/240v 150A welder will be stronger than a 110v 150A welder due to the increased voltage

 

[fowler]

U really what a mig welder
Half the welds u are doing are going to be really tight spots or upside down
Much easier with a mig

I have a WIA 360A
Cost me about a grand
It's a higher end one with a range of stuff I may never use like timed spot welds

But i never had to turn the power past the first 1/8th to make mine
U really don't need much power at all
The thickest part is 3mm and u can weld from both sides of it

 

[scott_shot]

Interesting point which raises a question for you Scotty: What voltage/amperage do you have at a standard wall socket? It matters coz the higher the supply voltage is, the lower the welder amperage needs to be: A 220/240v 150A welder will be stronger than a 110v 150A welder due to the increased voltage

240v 13 amp sockets here and 15a at the hob/shower sources. I have read about this and presumed such a thing but i really was not sure of how much difference it would make?

U really what a mig welder
Half the welds u are doing are going to be really tight spots or upside down
Much easier with a mig

I have a WIA 360A
Cost me about a grand
It's a higher end one with a range of stuff I may never use like timed spot welds

But i never had to turn the power past the first 1/8th to make mine
U really don't need much power at all
The thickest part is 3mm and u can weld from both sides of it

Ah 360A at home your living my dream mate! lol So 6mm can be done like that(3mm either side) again this was my thinking but as usual i kept reading stuff and end up questioning what ive already learned lol need to so that haha.

I have decided to get a MIG. defo. and maybe in future i Will go get my grandads old arc and see.if i can get it up and running c just for.fun really

 

[fowler]

That 360a is for the farm

Mig is a bigger cost to start but quite useful

 

[scott_shot]

That 360a is for the farm

Mig is a bigger cost to start but quite useful

Ah i see,

Yeh defo, my buget has gone 150-250 overnight now im thinking 350 for used!

Theres loads of sip welders but i read alot about there feeds needing replaced and also torch liners on bottom end models. seems theres not the biggest choice of 'Quality' over here i seems

 

[OzFab]

Ok, back to basics: For Mig, look at something like this & for stick, something like this.

with fowler; MIG is quicker as well as being very easy to master & operate; a quick tack is exactly that, position steel, grab the gun, point, shoot, done. Stick is a bit more tedious than that...

 

[Nodroz]

You might want to have a look at my topic about welders. MIG and TIG in special then...

I definitely do not recommend arc welding for things like gokart frames and such. Arc welding is used for a lot of repair stuff as it's more dirty, it can be moved around easily (no gas bottle) en they've told me it need less cleaning work than a MIG. I was able to weld some metal while the paint was burning away. I know that isn't good, but it's possible. This is way harder with a MIG.

Anyhow, as Fabroman mentioned, MIG is quicker and very easy to master.

After a lot of thinking and asking opinions, I decided to go for a multifunctional machine. It costed quite a bit of money, but now I can weld TIG, MIG and arc. Just incredible. If you're short on money, get a MIG, either used or new. Not sure if there are a lot of MIG machine being sold in the UK?

Btw, the thing I like so much about my MIG welder is that you can hold the steel you need to weld on with one hand, while you push the button and position the torch with the other. This would be much harder to do with arc.

Goodluck!

 

[scott_shot]

All good advice guys
Found a pic one of the beds i tried to lay when trying the gassless 100a sealey

This particular on was the last i did of like 5 lol

You may be pleased to know im going with a mig BUT..........

Tig is the overall goal all you hear about is how hard it is but a steady hand,good eye,good machine, good understanding of process and ability to practice at your leasure i think i can master it no prob (well maybe some prob haha to start anyway) so watch this space lol.

 

[scott_shot]

Wayyyyyy New toy today



Happy days, bought off an old school engineer, hes moving to England so ideally needs rid o everything, so im going back in next couple of days for a vice and with shopping trolley

What you think for £140 just need to find a good reasonably priced Gas source

 

[OzFab]

Great score! I'll assume it won't run gasless...

That should do what you need; you may need to move a bit slower on the 6mm but, it'll do it

 

[DS13]

You say ya wanna get to tig? Well it will take a lot of practice and time to perfect tig and even then the budget for a machine that will do the tig process will be the highest.

 

[scott_shot]

Great score! I'll assume it won't run gasless...

That should do what you need; you may need to move a bit slower on the 6mm but, it'll do it

Yeh thought that myself guessing i will have to do inch by inch with the duty cycle only of 10% at 150A

You say ya wanna get to tig? Well it will take a lot of practice and time to perfect tig and even then the budget for a machine that will do the tig process will be the highest.

Yeh i see there not cheap at all, ah boy can dream though
I lke to set goals high though that way i have to work harder for longer