MIG WELDERS

[samuria]

cant anyone recomend a good welder, i have never had or used one before. whats the best ampage need for car body work etc, gas or gasless? also good value for money.

[LouiseM]

Plenty of suggestions here: http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=28470

and here: http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... mig+welder

[chickenjohn]

Look at the excellent mig welding website for advice:- http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/.

In my experience, the Clark range of Mig welders is well liked by amateur restorers. My Clark 150TE has been great for the past 7 years use or so. As for power, a 90amp welder would do with car bodywork, but a more powerful 130 or 150 amp gives a more stable arc because it is not working flat out, and gives you the power in reserve if you ever need to weld thicker materials.

[davidpidge]

Look at the excellent mig welding website for advice:- http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/.

Thank you so much! I've been looking for a site like this for ages! Never seen so much advice on welding before. who needs college!

[rayofleamington]

who needs college!

Well, if you can get a free (or at least discounted) course including welding you're laughing.
Learning by trial and error is fine but not as good as being taught by someone who really knows just how to teach it!

I've now got a Clarke 150 and I have learnt so many bad habits with my previous orrible welding kit that it feels like I'm starting again. Also my previous ### 130 had 6 settings but the Clarke has 4 so changing between 2 and 3 and 4 is a massive difference compared to the levels on the old kit.

[chickenjohn]

Look at the excellent mig welding website for advice:- http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/.

Thank you so much! I've been looking for a site like this for ages! Never seen so much advice on welding before. who needs college!

Glad to be of assistance! By the way,if you look under the projects section in migwelding.co.uk you will see some of the work I did on the project convertible.

And, yes I agree with Ray- college is still a great idea. Go on a vehicle restoration course, they are brilliant if the course I go to at Maidstone is anything to go by. Learn welding, panel fabrication techniques and spray painting, plus have access to brilliant tutors and all the gear they have.

Ray, they must have changed the clark as my 150TE has six settings, 1,2,3 and max/min for each.

[rossrox]

my friend has a sealey mighty mig 150 i think it is, and that seems to be good, if its too expensive there is a 100 version i think

[iandromiskin]

my friend has a sealey mighty mig 150 i think it is, and that seems to be good, if its too expensive there is a 100 version i think

Really ? I was thinking for buying a Sealey soon. I was originally going to buy the 170amp but its a bit expensive so I was thinking of just going for the 150. So, its up for the job. I was a bit worried about the settings as it only had 'min - max' and ' 1-2'. But good to hear.

[deano69]

'Go on a vehicle restoration course, they are brilliant if the course I go to at Maidstone is anything to go by. Learn welding, panel fabrication techniques and spray painting, plus have access to brilliant tutors and all the gear they have.'

Can i ask what the cost of a course is in Maidstone?The ones ive seen this way are all just over a grand and with 3 to do to get to advanced level thats a lot of dosh i dont have.

Cheers

[rossrox]

'Go on a vehicle restoration course, they are brilliant if the course I go to at Maidstone is anything to go by. Learn welding, panel fabrication techniques and spray painting, plus have access to brilliant tutors and all the gear they have.'

Can i ask what the cost of a course is in Maidstone?The ones ive seen this way are all just over a grand and with 3 to do to get to advanced level thats a lot of dosh i dont have.

Cheers

you could just do a engineering course or mechanics course at college, im currently doing the engineering course and im an apprentice, not sure what prices would be for the course though.

[chickenjohn]

'Go on a vehicle restoration course, they are brilliant if the course I go to at Maidstone is anything to go by. Learn welding, panel fabrication techniques and spray painting, plus have access to brilliant tutors and all the gear they have.'

Can i ask what the cost of a course is in Maidstone?The ones ive seen this way are all just over a grand and with 3 to do to get to advanced level thats a lot of dosh i dont have.

Cheers

In that case the Maidstone night course is a bargain. It is just over £400 for 30 nights. The first year is the beginners year where you learn all the techniques, mig and gas welding, panel beating and panel making and how to use the tools, folders, shrinker- stretcher, english wheel etc, etc then paint work and paint prep. After the induction year you can then bring in bits to work on, the Minor is great for this as all the major panels unbolt and you can take them in to work on. Some students even bring in whole cars.

I have repaired and painted doors, front and rear wings, bootlid, bonnet, front panel, and even front and rear bumper valances and some panels from my Porsche 944.

I also fabricated new rear floor pans (including the stampings). The best part is the knowledge of the instructors, these guys teach the right way of doing things.

[iandromiskin]

I finally bought the sealey 150amp mig welder. But does anyone know anything about using flux cored mig wire ? Does it work or is standard gas/wire mig welding better.

[rossrox]

i havnt used flux cored before but apparently normal gas/wire is better

[iandromiskin]

Thanks. I learnt normal gas welding, but just thought i'd ask.

[Ratbag]

I finally bought the sealey 150amp mig welder. But does anyone know anything about using flux cored mig wire ? Does it work or is standard gas/wire mig welding better.

I too bought the Sealey 150.
I use straight CO2 and 0.6mm wire.
MIN/2 setting for just about everything except butt welding floor/thinner sections.
MAX/1 setting for thicker chassis sections.
MAX/2 setting for welding the jacking points back on!

Cheers,

Phil.
(Should add that it welds beautifully, and that straight CO2 will run a bit hotter than owt else)

[iandromiskin]

Thanks for that. Good to know its a good welder and all the setings. I have yet to get the gas conversion kit to hook up a cylinder. Is CO2 better to use that the Argon and 0.6mm is the wire I need too I take it, not the 0.9 stuff ? No doubt I'll be emaling you when I get goint with more questions.

[Ratbag]

Thanks for that. Good to know its a good welder and all the setings. I have yet to get the gas conversion kit to hook up a cylinder. Is CO2 better to use that the Argon and 0.6mm is the wire I need too I take it, not the 0.9 stuff ? No doubt I'll be emaling you when I get goint with more questions.

Use CO2 or CO2/argon mix - not argon on its own for mild steel. If you are renting a full size cylinder there are some more exotic mixtures available to help with welding rusty/dirty mild steel. Shouldn't need it - clean everything nicely first with a 60 grit flap wheel in an angle grinder and it will weld OK.

0.6mm wire is the stuff to use on mostly thin panels/chassis. The alternative is 0.8 for heavier gauge welding - shouldn't need it. I believe the 0.9 and greater wires are the flux cored variety - useful for welding outdoors (when the shield gas can get blown away) or in dirty conditions that you cannot clean.

On the subject of gas, this stuff lasts an age & is cheap:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... inder-600g


Phil.

[jothina]

i use a pub co2 bottle, cost me £15 from a friendly publicon and has lasted for ages

[JCMews]

Mig good TIG better.

I assist at the local technical College and would be happy to offer any help where needed.

I know there are lots of highly capable folk here so dont want to tell granny about egg sucking

[Ratbag]

Mig good TIG better.

I assist at the local technical College and would be happy to offer any help where needed.

I know there are lots of highly capable folk here so dont want to tell granny about egg sucking

IMHO MIG (actually MAG in most cases) better than TIG for most car work. TIG requires 2 hands for one thing!

Phil.