Colin
Member
- Location
- Perthshire
Need advice on a mig welder. Just something for general repairs odd bit of fabrication work. Workshop only has single phase ATM do I need a 3 phase machine? Any sources of recon machines?
TIA
TIA
mmm,can you use a stick welder? If you can I would go for one of those, or even learn how to use one. Mig is easy to make a good looking weld, which has no strength at all! It will not function well outside, so if the job wont go in the workshop, which also needs to be draught free, you will be in trouble (bit of draught=no gas shield!) also, a mig plant does not like rusty, painted or dirty metal! Is your workshop damp free, mig wire will rust on the reel in a damp atmosphere, and next time you come to use the plant, the rust destroys the torch liner/contact tip! On a cost basis, a good used Oxford oil cooled stick welder can be found for less than £150.
I gained my welding codes on pipe many years ago, and have seen the hidden horrors that can be in a mig weld. Many good looking welds, pulled away from the side of the joint when tested, being "cold shoulders" which had no penetration, these welds had been submitted for test by trainees close to gaining their codes!
Need advice on a mig welder. Just something for general repairs odd bit of fabrication work. Workshop only has single phase ATM do I need a 3 phase machine? Any sources of recon machines?
TIA
can't recommend my sip ideal 303 welder highly enough for a farm workshop.
single phase, inverter tech, lovely and smooth welding
dual MIG and MMA- it has one earth lead and one MMA and one MIG lead, flick switch to swap between the two, separate controls for the two different processes.
will handle upto 1.2mm mig wire and (i think) a 5mm mma rod (defo at least a 4mm)
two sets of rollers inside for the mig wire
will take a 15kg roll of wire
off the top of my head, something like £800-900
does need a 32amp supply for full capacity
i did look at buying a separate big mig and little inverter ark welders but would have cost alot more.
done loads of welding with the sip and never over heated it yet unlike my old sealey that was sh!te
can't recommend my sip ideal 303 welder highly enough for a farm workshop.
single phase, inverter tech, lovely and smooth welding
dual MIG and MMA- it has one earth lead and one MMA and one MIG lead, flick switch to swap between the two, separate controls for the two different processes.
will handle upto 1.2mm mig wire and (i think) a 5mm mma rod (defo at least a 4mm)
two sets of rollers inside for the mig wire
will take a 15kg roll of wire
off the top of my head, something like £800-900
does need a 32amp supply for full capacity
i did look at buying a separate big mig and little inverter ark welders but would have cost alot more.
done loads of welding with the sip and never over heated it yet unlike my old sealey that was sh!te
I didn't know you could get a dual MIG/ ARC welder - handy to know. What do you use most; MIG or ARC welding?
If you have 3ph then look out for a s/h industrial spec m/c of about 400 amps, makes like migatronic, Miller, kempii are all good. and not complicated if they do go wrong.
Depending on your budget, the same spec new models are around the £12-1600 mark and given that these could easily last you 15+ years, it's not really a very big outlay in the scheme of things.
Be wary of the smaller automotive MIG sets, generally they are not capable of delivering the current and voltage required to make a good joint.
As with everything though, time spent in joint prep is never wasted, if you spend time with the grinder hitting off grease, oil, rust, millscale and shite, prep out your butt welds then you will find everything weld much easier. This applies equally to stick as well as mig, contrary to popular belief, it does not "burn through and away" rust and other contaminants- it all becomes part of the weld bead you lay down.
Need advice on a mig welder. Just something for general repairs odd bit of fabrication work. Workshop only has single phase ATM do I need a 3 phase machine? Any sources of recon machines?
TIA
how reliable is it?can't recommend my sip ideal 303 welder highly enough for a farm workshop.
single phase, inverter tech, lovely and smooth welding
dual MIG and MMA- it has one earth lead and one MMA and one MIG lead, flick switch to swap between the two, separate controls for the two different processes.
will handle upto 1.2mm mig wire and (i think) a 5mm mma rod (defo at least a 4mm)
two sets of rollers inside for the mig wire
will take a 15kg roll of wire
off the top of my head, something like £800-900
does need a 32amp supply for full capacity
i did look at buying a separate big mig and little inverter ark welders but would have cost alot more.
done loads of welding with the sip and never over heated it yet unlike my old sealey that was sh!te
how reliable is it?
looking at getting one vs a Oxford.
what would you recommend?