Welder?

fitting new seats? welding up arches? Painting your SJ? post your queries here
User avatar
zook123
SCUK Addict
SCUK Addict
Posts: 948
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Shepton Mallet

Welder?

Post by zook123 » Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:56 am

Morning All,

Spoken to Dan already but wanted to get some suggestions on getting myself a welder.

There's a few spots that need to be welded up before the MOT, nothing structural, but I need to do a few small panels behind the rear bumper - where it meets the wheelarch, so nothing too thick!

My father has an ARC welder, but I don't think it would be much good to weld with!

So, I need suggestions on a cheap welder, i'm looking at a MIG, the cheaper ones are gasless, as below:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-MIGHTY ... Sw6dNWSgn9

Any more suggestions?

Cheers
Image
2002 Jimny O2 Ragtop
Safari Snorkel, Freewheeling Hub Conversion
Diff Breathers, G/Box and T/Box Breathers, 2in Suspension Lift
HD Recovery Points and Winch Plate
Kuhmo KL71 MT / Goodyear Wrangler AT


Wessex 4X4 Reponse - WE411
wessex4x4response.org.uk

Anton
I spend far too much time on here
I spend far too much time on here
Posts: 3859
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:12 pm
Location: London

Re: Welder?

Post by Anton » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:13 am

I know people who can weld bodywork with an ARC welder, but no-one recommends it (including the people who do it). MIG is the accepted standard for bodywork, although I'm sure you could TIG it just lovely if you had skill with a TIG welder.

Don't get a gasless MIG, it's basically an ARC welder with no need to change rods. For bodywork, you need the gas flow to cool the metal so you don't blow holes through it, although you can get away with a line of very fast tack welds one after the other in a pinch.

For bodywork, you want a gas MIG really. My suggestion would be to see if you can borrow a good one. I have a cheap gasless MIG and it's barely acceptable - I can lay down gorgeous welds with my mate's £700 MIG, I can lay down pidgeon poop welds with mine.

Well, I say that, but I made some decent welds when I made my new front bumper/bullbar combo. But that's relatively thick metal I was working with. Gasless likes thicker metal.
1985 SJ413VX (SJ50V) with SPOA, rear disc brakes, 31x10.5R15 Kaiman Malatesta tyres, an MOT and a lot left to do!

My: Build thread To-do list Pay and Play map

User avatar
twiss
SCUK Computer Wizard
SCUK Computer Wizard
Posts: 6110
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 2:28 pm
Location: Birkirkara, Malta
Contact:

Re: Welder?

Post by twiss » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:27 am

I would avoid gasless like the plague.
I've been welding gasless for almost a year since I got to malta and it makes it much more difficult!

Spend a bit of extra money and get a gas one, 100% worth it!!!
Twiss

'93 Suzuki Samurai Sport 1.6 16v SU. Virtual lift, spring under, 31s
'93 Maruti Gypsy MG410

"If brute force doesn't fix your problem, you aren't using enough of it."

User avatar
zook123
SCUK Addict
SCUK Addict
Posts: 948
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Shepton Mallet

Re: Welder?

Post by zook123 » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:28 am

Can you suggest any cheaper ones? I can only find £300+!
Image
2002 Jimny O2 Ragtop
Safari Snorkel, Freewheeling Hub Conversion
Diff Breathers, G/Box and T/Box Breathers, 2in Suspension Lift
HD Recovery Points and Winch Plate
Kuhmo KL71 MT / Goodyear Wrangler AT


Wessex 4X4 Reponse - WE411
wessex4x4response.org.uk

User avatar
Tramp
Suzuki, will you marry me?
Suzuki, will you marry me?
Posts: 2828
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:09 pm
Location: Rotherham - South Yorkshire

Re: Welder?

Post by Tramp » Tue Dec 29, 2015 12:05 pm

I can't speak as a welding expert, but I can speak as a home welder, I have a Siegen mini mig 130, I think they do a sealy version which is exactly the same just rebadged. when I was looking for my first mig I was looking for something cheap that I could do thin stuff with (bodywork) I didn't want to spend a lot as I didn't even know if I would be cut out for welding! So in the end I opted for the sealy /siegen mini mig 130 and I paid around £200

Image

As new migs go they are pretty cheap, and I have been more than happy with the results I have been getting, I've been using 0.6 wire with 1mm sheet steel (as advised here by Scottie) As I said, I'm a novice and certainly do not know my way around all singing all dancing migs, but For what I'm using it for, it's great! I imagine if you want to weld bigger things you may have to get a more expensive one or one rated higher than 130amps. I started out with the little gas bottles but now have a pub gas bottle with a regulator, it is much better than the disposable bottles, when I'm welding body work my settings are usually minimum/1 with wire feed of around 2 or 3 and I'm pretty satisfied with my results,

Image

A quick Google and this looks to be the sealy version of mine,

https://www.bodyshop-tools-supplies.co. ... wwodkOIEZQ

User avatar
ROBBIE
I spend far too much time on here
I spend far too much time on here
Posts: 4551
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:32 pm
Location: Dorset or stuck

Re: Welder?

Post by ROBBIE » Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:00 pm

I got this https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/151te-t ... AhJm8P8HAQ but was only £200 when I bought it :shock:
Sid James gone but never forgotten
Jimny 1.6 not as good as an SJ but still good

User avatar
r-nottz
Engaged 4wd low
Engaged 4wd low
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 1:05 am

Re: Welder?

Post by r-nottz » Tue Dec 29, 2015 3:16 pm

Buy a used one off ebay and ask the owner to show you it working. If you take to it buy a new one

User avatar
twiss
SCUK Computer Wizard
SCUK Computer Wizard
Posts: 6110
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 2:28 pm
Location: Birkirkara, Malta
Contact:

Re: Welder?

Post by twiss » Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:55 am

Mine was £300 but I got it on special offer at £200
Siegen 150a
Attachments
$_86.JPG
$_86.JPG (77.25 KiB) Viewed 7827 times
Twiss

'93 Suzuki Samurai Sport 1.6 16v SU. Virtual lift, spring under, 31s
'93 Maruti Gypsy MG410

"If brute force doesn't fix your problem, you aren't using enough of it."

User avatar
zook123
SCUK Addict
SCUK Addict
Posts: 948
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Shepton Mallet

Re: Welder?

Post by zook123 » Thu Dec 31, 2015 11:08 am

Would something like this do the job?

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/010110125/

It's gas/gasless, so I take it you can get some adaptors and it would work with gas.

Tbh, I'm thinking of just finding someone with a hobby welder, going to theirs, and just weld the panels on!
Image
2002 Jimny O2 Ragtop
Safari Snorkel, Freewheeling Hub Conversion
Diff Breathers, G/Box and T/Box Breathers, 2in Suspension Lift
HD Recovery Points and Winch Plate
Kuhmo KL71 MT / Goodyear Wrangler AT


Wessex 4X4 Reponse - WE411
wessex4x4response.org.uk

User avatar
twiss
SCUK Computer Wizard
SCUK Computer Wizard
Posts: 6110
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 2:28 pm
Location: Birkirkara, Malta
Contact:

Re: Welder?

Post by twiss » Thu Dec 31, 2015 11:18 am

This looks like a pretty good deal on the MightyMig 150

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-MIGHTYMI ... 311&sr=1-3

I would honestly go for gas... 100%
and it IS a good idea to get your own welder... you may pay £250 inc the gas and bottle deposit, but you do a few bits of welding and its paid for itself already!

I would usually suggest Adams Gas for the Mig gas as they do deposit on a bottle with no yearly rent, but their nearest outlets are Chard or Bristol.. which is a bit of a trek.
Twiss

'93 Suzuki Samurai Sport 1.6 16v SU. Virtual lift, spring under, 31s
'93 Maruti Gypsy MG410

"If brute force doesn't fix your problem, you aren't using enough of it."

Post Reply