Help!!! What MIG welder to buy?!

[Bev]

Hi Folks!
I'm in the market for a small MIG welder for using to make exhaust systems, headers and possibly some forced induction tubing later on at some time...:twisted: Maybe out of stainless. Will this welder do?:eh:

I've got my eyes set on this one...
http://www.weldingsupplies.co.nz/sho...ig+Welder.html

Will it do the trick? Or will I need something like this, which is almost twice as expencive?
http://www.weldingsupplies.co.nz/sho...ig+Welder.html

I've never really tried my hand at welding before. So, this'll be a first. I'm good at soldering though. I'm training as an Avionics engineer. Got trained to solder well, even though Aircraft are 99.99% crimps now anyway. I assume welding is extremely different though.

I've been reading everything I can on welding lately. I'll get some scrap stainless to try welding together before I try making my exhaust system.

Bevan

[supersi]

I'm with FourVeeSix on this one, get yourself a decent used branded welder any day of the week. Check out ebay, there's usually plenty floating around on UK ebay, not looked on the NZ one.

Aswell as the cheap ones not lasting as long, the weld quality isn't consistent. The welds don't flow anywhere near as consistent.

Avoid using just CO2 as your shielding gas, try an argoshield light gas (BOC) which is approximately 93% Argon, 5% CO2 and 2% oxygen. This is my preference for mild steel from sheet upto 10mm thick plate.

Next, if you're doing lots of welding, avoid the disposable gas bottles. They'll cost you a small fortune in the long run.

I'll add ESAB to the list, I've had quite a few of them and they are very solid/stable machines.

[Bev]

Hmmm... had heard good things about Unimig. Keep on hearing lincoln more. They're pricey though. That little SP170 unit looks good though. Might have to hit the overtime hard. :D That mount you made me is great! Thought you'd need a huge welder to make something like that.

Bevan

[Marksman]

A while ago I had no welding experience at all and tried the cheapy mig with disposable bottle route. Infuriating was the word. Next effort was cheapy mig but with big BOC bottle of argoshield light. This was much better, with far smoother more stable predictable welds. Buying an auto darkening helmet made a huge amount of difference too, as did getting inside in the light and away from any draughts. With a bit of practice I was happy with the performance of the welds produced, even on "only" a 130 amp unit. My only complaint was that to weld 5mm plate I had to put a deep chamfer into the pieces to have enough power to penetrate properly.

We've just bought a three phase 180 amp job and I was stunned by how easy it was to weld with. Practically no spatter and laying concave fillets was way easier than with the "hobby" welder. It has the benefit of a spot weld timer too so just hold down the trigger and a measured length of wire is dispensed. Another advantage of the proper welders is that the tips are far more robust and seem to be available in bulk for less money than the little hobby ones. Also the gas is dispensed by a solenoid in the welder activated buy a microswitch in the trigger. (On the hobby one it's a sprung mechanical valve in the trigger.) The microswitch version is much easier to use when short finely controlled welds are needed.

So to echo what's been said already go for a decent second hand rather than a cheap new one. The £ for renting a large argoshield bottle is steep but worth it, and an auto-darkening helmet is a sanity saver.

Have fun,

Owen.

[supersi]

Aye definately use an auto-darkening helmet. Speedglas 9002 W is my favourite, actually just got the adflo system for it today. Bring on welding galvanised.

The cheap auto-darkening ones off ebay are okay, but the reaction times aren't good and after a while your eyes do start to hurt.

[BSM]

If you are only or mostly going to be welding pipe, be it exhausts, header pipes and inlet tracts I would def recommed a TIG welder, for stainless andl, if you pay a little more and get an AC one, alloy too.
I have one and it is a dream to use, very little heat distortion and you an even weld without a filler rod (it's like gas welding with an arc).

But if you have your heart set on a MIG then what they said ^

rotflmao

[Marksman]

Both is good :thumbsup:

Just to hijack the thread a mo. if I may... What's the next step up (in cost and performance) from a cheap auto-darkening helmet? The Speedglas 9002 W seems to be around £200 or so which is out of my budget at the moment. Is there any point in a £80-£100 one or should I really be waiting until I can afford better?

Cheers,

Owen.

[supersi]

Owen, I can show you a Speedglas helmet if you want, I'm down there this friday.

9002 D is the standard one, standard size lens, 2 shades (9 or 11). Then there's the 9002 V, standard size lens, variable shade 9-13 and more sensitivity options. The 9002 W is the V but with the bigger lens.

I think you can get the 9002 D for around the 70-80 range and these are very good masks. I think I paid about £130 for my 9002 W brand new with the limited edition gold surround.

Just bought a used 9002 V with a brand new adflo (air ventilator system) for £100. Can take the 9002 W lens out and put it in this if I want. Also, this mask has the flip over welding lens so you can use it as a clear protective screen aswell.

[supersi]

I'm looking at some pulse mig welders next week. Tig quality with mig speed. Prices start at about £2500 tho

[Bev]

Well, I'm now in the market for a tig... thanks to my workmates for persuading me and putting me even more out of pocket. I think I'll get a cheep one though. I've heard pretty good things about the chinese made inverter type ones (believe it or not!). A few of the guys at work have them and say they do the trick nicely. I know they're fussy too. The good thing is they cost about a 1/10th of the price of a miller/lincoln equivalent.

Bevan