welding

[AshR1]

Hi, i'm looking at learning to weld, so i dont have to spend a fortune on other people doing it for me and just so i can add a string to the bow and help other people out in future if needed, i'm going to try and enroll on a course if i can find one and learn in every which way i can. I'm the sort of 'learn as you do' person so looking to buy a MIG Welder and once i have one just practice all the different type of welds ect until at some point in the future i can go at my sj.

looking online i've seen this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-MIGHTY ... 20cdb2e2f4

just wondering if anybody knows anything about it and when confident enough it will be good enough to use on a vehicle, or if anybody knows of any good welders that dont break the budget and are proven on vehicles they could recommend at all?

Thanks

Ash

[Darrell]

I wouldn't go for gasless personally. Not used one,but not heard anything good about them.
I would also think gas type is easier, as what you see is what you get (The weld that is).
Good information here http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

[AshR1]

or looking about a bit more would this be a bit better http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-MIGHTY ... 8950&rt=nc
??

i see what you're saying about gasless migs now i've looked into it a bit more, would 150amp be better for a vehicle also?? pieces i'm considering is boot floor, wheel arches ect metalwork like that..

i wouldnt mind paying a bit more because in the long run it could help me and others out quite a bit

[Boyes]

Mig is quite easy to learn with a few bits of steel, I got myself a Clarke pro90 (only a small welder) but ideal for stuff upto 3mm.

A small welder upto 120amp (Only need bigger for thicker stuff 4mm+) I've had few problems with my Clarke, and it welds quite nice and is forgiving, I would advise to get a small bottle of Co2 or argon mix over the small bottles some small welders come with!

Few bits of steel, a few guides off the internet practice a little and you'll get an acceptable mig weld.

Edit: I noticed after the first welder is gasless, I would advise against this and get a MIG with gas welder and use 0.6 wire.

[dan_2k_uk]

30/40 - 140/150A or similar.

0.6mm wire and a decent size bottle of argon mix will be good for SJ body work on the lowest setting.

Don't bother with the little hobby gas bottles or gassless.

The quality of the machine makes a MASSIVE difference to how easy it is to self teach.

[Fwb2700]

i hadnt done any welding before and was given a nice 200a mig to borrow. I was using a nice argon co2 mix but am now 2 weeks later using straight co2 as the price is a lot better. I am using .8 wire also.

I started welding on the off cuts i have had to remove and am now quite confident with the welder only after a couple of weeks. Just made a 2.5mx1.8m steel gate for a work mate out of 25x25 vox sections and 10mil rod.

Have done a lot of body work so far and got lots to go. Prob should have started welding bigger steel but i have learnt a lot starting at 1mm.

I find the co2 splaters a lot compaired to the argon mix. Highly recomend argon mix for a start and i prob should still be using it but co2 works and in nz its a quater of the price.

A good auto darkening helmet also helped me a lot made things a hell of a lot easier and a good set of gloves.

[Anton]

Make sure you have a thick pair of jeans, leather gauntlets that come part way up your arm and old leather boots. Spatter will burn through your clothes and shoes, and it's magnificently painful when it burns you.

I'm going to get a leather apron from somewhere.

[ScottieJ]

You get used to the burns after a while

[Anton]

You do, but the back of the wrist, the top of the foot and the inner thigh are all particularly painful places to visit with white Hot molten metal. I know from experience that you really really don't want to wear cotton jogging pants while welding. You really really don't.

[Ladaman]

I'm going to get a leather apron from somewhere.

I got something like this a while ago, as I got sick of setting myself on fire with the grinder.


Click Here for Ebay Listing


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chrome-Leathe ... 35b5f42927