Arc Welder at Lidl

[MikeNash]

This looks good. Not for car body material but still useful. Regards, MikeN.

Click on
http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl ... date=20109

[chrisd87]

Looks like a good deal, although it has quite a low maximum current. Welders do seem to have gone up in price quite a bit in the past couple of years. I bought a 'Silverline' arc welder a few years ago for £20 delivered, and MIGs could be had for less than £150. Now it seems they're all well over £200 .

I love the simplicity of arc welding. Just a shame it's not really suited to thinner metal.

[MikeNash]

My own is an ex-Halfords of about 1970 (on special offer, it was £36 - as much Aldi's!) and its only Morris related use has been on angle-iron to make towing brackets and v strong brackets to hold up shelves, you know, the sort using scaffold boards which can then take the weight of cylinder heads, starters, dynamos, etc. I've found the limit of its 90amps more than enough for this, and I'd expect Aldi's 80 amps to be good enough for most home use. I probably only use mine once every couple of years, usually on something agricultural around the home or garden or for friends. (Its amazing, isn't it, how welding gear makes you friends!) If you've got the room to keep it, at this price I don't think you'd be disappointed.
MikeN.

[chrisd87]

I welded the engine steady bracket back on to the bulkhead with the one I have here (a SIP weldmate 100, bought for £5 secondhand). Struggled to get as much penetration as I'd have liked on the full 100A, but it's still holding after a good few months!

I'm tempted to acquire an old oil-cooled arc welder - many seem to be able to go down to 20-25A, but with a higher voltage to make striking/maintaining the arc easier. I wonder if this would make it suitable for use on car bodywork?