Farmyard welder

[flatliner]

Our welder is on it's last legs, after close to 30 years. I do all the welding around the yard, but know very little about welding sets, so I was wondering what you would recommend as a good general purpose welder? It needs to be portable but capable of being used for the likes of making feed gates.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Smiffy101]

Our welder is on it's last legs, after close to 30 years. I do all the welding around the yard, but know very little about welding sets, so I was wondering what you would recommend as a good general purpose welder? It needs to be portable but capable of being used for the likes of making feed gates.

Thanks in advance.

Read the current threads on inverter welders any inverter around 175 amps will do but you might want 200 to be safe on some hard facing rods
My rtech 175 has stuck everything together from 1mm to 10mm although it took a few runs but cost 200 quid and have run it on 3.2mm welding rods on 50ft extension leads on a 13amp socket
Only complaint is the leads arnt great
Also use a crossarc and the leads are way better

 

[michael N123]

Ive got some big heavy oil filled blue thing that breaks your back trying to move it... so im keen to hear the answers of this thread to

 

[joe soapy]

could hardly believe my eyes the first time i saw one, chap slung it over his shoulder and climbed a ladder to weld the rafters for a shed.
Will even be battery ones in a few years

 

[Smiffy101]

could hardly believe my eyes the first time i saw one, chap slung it over his shoulder and climbed a ladder to weld the rafters for a shed.
Will even be battery ones in a few years

There already are http://www.rapidwelding.com/dynamic/displayitem.aspx?c=4075200850

 

[Nearly]

@TripleSix

 

[TripleSix]

Can't go too far wrong with an inverter arc welder.

Loads to choose from.

Look for one with a 3 year warranty, they rarely go wrong but warranty is piece of mind and shows the manufacturer has confidence in the product!

I've a 145a which is generally enough for what I want, it was £200 about 4 years ago, they're a lot more bang for your buck now.

You can even get a MIG wire feed to plug into one makes it into a portable MIG.

@Nearly

 

[casemx 270]

Look at a inverter welder

 

[KB6930]

Got a Techarc inverter when my oil filled packed up 3 yrs ago and honestly never looked back so far.

 

[Digester Man]

We got a cheap enough SIP 200a inverter about 3 years ago and it has never missed a beat. Replaced a huge old oil cooled thing and is easier to weld with

 

[Davy]

Had several Oxford oil cooled welders and they were a curse to lug about. Got a 160amp Jefferson recently for £200 and its twice the welder. Welding brackets onto RSJs today and I could have burnt a hole in them if I'd wanted easily.

 

[flatliner]

Thanks everyone. These compact sets always looked very handy but I was never sure how powerful they were. I'll check a few out tomorrow.

 

[joe soapy]

Thanks everyone. These compact sets always looked very handy but I was never sure how powerful they were. I'll check a few out tomorrow.

When you get one put a bit of thought into using 16 amp plugs, just as well get sorted first as last.
will stand you in good stead for when a plasma arrives to join the welder

 

[Gerbert]

As I remember people where quite happy with @Welding Supplies Direct

 

[Welding Supplies Direct]

We've got a special on the Parweld XTS 162 for the farming forum members. It was already at a special price but we've knocked an extra bit off for the Xmas period.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/xmas-inverter-welder-promotion.200986/

Plenty in stock, 3 year warranty, welds lovely.

 

[Hilly]

Ive got some big heavy oil filled blue thing that breaks your back trying to move it... so im keen to hear the answers of this thread to

Good welder them, keep a hold of that.

 

[michael N123]

Good welder them, keep a hold of that.

Iii its good put a pain to move about and anything that normally needs welded is never in the workshop

 

[SilliamWhale]

Had a tecarc mma166 for a few years. Not put a foot wrong though im not a heavy user

 

[Hilly]

Iii its good put a pain to move about and anything that normally needs welded is never in the workshop

Put it on wheels or something ? make a frame to fit loader or handler ?I used to have one in a wheel barrow for moving it about the barrow had no skip and the welder just sat in the frame, wish i still had it they are the best stick welders.

 

[michael N123]

Put it on wheels or something ? make a frame to fit loader or handler ?

I throw it in skidsteer bucket most the time but wouldnt mind something lighter for easieness