Welding?

[lazy rambler]

No worries, glad to be of service

[vitara_mad]

i would never buy another sip welder ive had 2 & they are crap

ive got a clarke 151te now & its a great little welder it will do everything i need it to do but im also on the look out for a big 3 phase mig (cheap)

i don't like gassless wire i always use argon/c02

0.6mm wire if doing bodywork 0.8mm if welding thick steel

[Newtomud]

I've wittled it down to one of four welders... I think
Clarke 130en.. Dual purpose.. Supposed to be brilliant welding thin metal? £269 inc gas upgrade kit.
Clarke 160tm.. Needs a full size gas bottle. £309+bottle.
Clarke 151en.. Dual purpose..£209 without the gas upgrade kit.. About £280 with.
Clarke 151te.. Same spec as the 160tm but slightly cheaper.

I guess the price of a full size gas bottle puts me off a bit although I know I'll need it at least in the short term.. Trying to find out about pub bottles?

Am I right in saying the best gas to weld with is..
Thin metal 95/5 argon/co2
Above 3mm 80/20 argon/co2?

[twiss]

I'm currently borrowing a Sealey/Siegen MIG welder off a mate to sort out my floor....

Considering its my first time welding and I've managed to weld in a new foot well alright it can't be that bad

I'm using the now discontinued 180A version, but you can get the 130A version for £160

[ScottieJ]

Dont be put off by full size gas bottles, they are a lot better value for money than disposables, remember you will need about £40 for a regulator though.

I use rent free gas like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Welding-gas-5 ... 857wt_1185" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; but i just get it from a local motor factors

http://www.southwestgassupplies.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.adamsgas.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Personally I would go for the highest Amperage you can afford, that way you can start fabricating bumpers etc. if you want my 180amp will weld thin stuff fine on its lowest setting, I do ideally need to swap to .6mm wire instead of the usual .8mm when doing sj bodywork though.

[vitara_mad]

you can use a little disposable bottle with any welder but i would not recomend them they don't last long & cost too much

i have a bottle same as in the ebay link above that i have used for about a year or so they are alot better than using disposable ones but now ive got a big bottle i think its the biggest you can get i got it empty off ebay for £5 ish & i get a mate to get it exchanged for a full one though his work for £32 bargain

[Newtomud]

I've found a supplier local to me that will sell a pub size bottle full of argon mix gas for £60 inc vat and refill it for £30.
So no rental fees...Any good?

[ScottieJ]

How many litres is pub sized is the £60 a refundable deposit for the bottle?

[Newtomud]

How many litres is pub sized is the £60 a refundable deposit for the bottle?

I've just phoned the bloke.. He couldn't tell me the size in litres..Just said there 2 foot tall the size of a fire extinguisher..

For the £60 you own the bottle, so I suppose it works out at £30 for the bottle and £30 for the gas, no rental fees, when it's empty you just exchange it for a full bottle.£30.

[ScottieJ]

I get ya! In that case that's cheap, a better price than I pay I think I guess if you decide you dont need the bottle any more they'll give you the £30 back for it then as well?