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So I'm sure this has been done to death, but products change all the time, so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend me a not too expensive mig welder for learning to weld & then ultimately repairing foot well holes ( and whatever else I find ) on the RX7.
I'm not expecting to use it for anything more than occasional jobs after the car so it seems pointless spending a fortune on something that will just sit in my garage unused. My garage is also very small so ideally I don't want some huge setup with a gas bottle that's bigger than me!
I assume gas less won't cut it for this?
Any help much appreciated, thanks!
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Gas for thin stuff, inverter for small and light and much easier to learn on. I'd look for used but then i am a tightwad as you get more for your money. New if you intend to use it a lot and need the warranty. Well worth having a look here: www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/
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Last Edit: Jul 17, 2019 8:52:20 GMT by sausage
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It really depends on your budget. If you want "the best" you will have to pay accordingly, if you want something that will do everything you have mentioned absolutely fine but on a budget then there are cheaper options.
R-tech inverter migs are very well regarded and will probably be the way I go when I finally upgrade. That said, even tho they are very well priced it might be a little more than a hobbist would want to pay. Definitely worth a look on their site to see if they are in your budget.
If you are on a tight budget or just don't wanna spend too much on something you ain't gonna use much I'd suggest looking for a Clarke 160tm. I bought a used one about 6 years ago and for the last 5 years it's been used pretty much daily in a work environment mostly welding cars but also doing heavier work on occasion, best £200 I ever spent.
But yeah, it mostly comes down to what you are willing to spend on one more than anything.
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Cheers, don't want the best. Just something that will do a proper job that I can clean up, if I find I really enjoy it then I can always get a better one down the line.
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merryck
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 477
Club RR Member Number: 9
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Jul 17, 2019 10:33:37 GMT
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I bought a Clarke 130 welder which I've used extensively over the years. I think they do a Turbo version which has a cooling fan. If I was starting out again I'd probably go for that. I've I'm welding for longer periods I use a fan propped up against it to help keep it cool. It's on it's last legs at the moment (or needs a rebuild) but I've picked up a bigger machine so doubt I'll spend the time/money sorting it out. I also had it converted from the small rip-off bottles to fit a larger Albee gas cylinder. They're a rent-free cylinder that a place near me in Canterbury supplies ( PG Merlin). Weldequip is a good place for consumables and parts, always found them to be friendly. I replaced the torch on mine and didn't know what to buy at all, sent the guy an email and he worked it out for me. I did a bit of research when starting out and taught myself to weld. I'm sure others will be along who will be able to correct me/provide better information but that's how I did it and it worked for me!
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Jul 17, 2019 10:50:45 GMT
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I would either go for a used single phase machine around 180amp with euro torch or spend a bit more and get a r-tec inverter machine new..
don't buy any kind of hobby mig! You need gas, euro torch (you may need to budget for a new one) and at least a machine rated at about 160amp. Even if you never weld with that much current the duty cycle will just be too low on smaller machines if you ever have to do some heavier work.
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Jul 17, 2019 10:55:30 GMT
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Previous posts on this subject always brings out a variation of different opinions and you will get everything from someone who swears by the scrap transformer based MIG that they pulled out of a skip to someone that is still using something from the dark ages through to the very latest technology - The fact remains that you get what you pay for - purchase something branded that has a good warranty & back up means that you are not faffing around wasting time attempting to get something to work plus questioning your own abilities whilst learning to weld in the first place. I appreciate you don't want to spend a fortune but you would be wise to purchase something that you are assured is going to work once you switch it on and press the trigger. If you have loads of time on your hands & nothing better to do then you can afford to purchase a cheap / unbranded / used - transformer MIG to play around with. However if your time is limited and you want to get the work done without having to mess & faff around then purchase a good branded invertor based MIG - I would highly recommend the R-Tech range - they retail good quality machines that are set up / plug & play with excellent back up & warranties - link below www.r-techwelding.co.uk/They also currently have a discount offer of 10% & free shipping by quoting: PC0619
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Last Edit: Jul 17, 2019 13:38:52 GMT by Deleted
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Jul 17, 2019 15:33:04 GMT
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Previous posts on this subject always brings out a variation of different opinions and you will get everything from someone who swears by the scrap transformer based MIG that they pulled out of a skip to someone that is still using something from the dark ages through to the very latest technology - The fact remains that you get what you pay for - purchase something branded that has a good warranty & back up means that you are not faffing around wasting time attempting to get something to work plus questioning your own abilities whilst learning to weld in the first place. I appreciate you don't want to spend a fortune but you would be wise to purchase something that you are assured is going to work once you switch it on and press the trigger. If you have loads of time on your hands & nothing better to do then you can afford to purchase a cheap / unbranded / used - transformer MIG to play around with. However if your time is limited and you want to get the work done without having to mess & faff around then purchase a good branded invertor based MIG - I would highly recommend the R-Tech range - they retail good quality machines that are set up / plug & play with excellent back up & warranties - link below www.r-techwelding.co.uk/They also currently have a discount offer of 10% & free shipping by quoting: PC0619 So £478 including VAT is a little more than I had planned to spend. I'm sure the welder is 110% worth that, but at this point in time I can't afford to spend that on tools. Is there anything a bit cheaper you would recommend, or is that pretty much bottom line if I'm after something to do the job properly? I could always hold off till later in the year, but I wouldn't mind getting stuck in while the weather is good, unfortunately until I get another contract lined up I can't go to mad with the wallet. The reason I'm gung ho about doing it myself is that I've been very disapointed with the work that 'experienced' people have done for me, at least if I do it myself I have no one else to blame.
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Jul 17, 2019 16:30:09 GMT
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I know you said you didnt want to go that high. But i went for the R-Tech as well.
Like with most tools, buy cheap buy twice.
Jake
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1973 MK1 2600 Capri - Located in Texas 1976 3.0S Capri - X-Pack long term Project 1978 2.0S Capri 1984 Transit County MK2 4x4 LWB 2.5DI 1985 2.8i Special Capri (v8 5.0L) 1986 2.8i Special Capri 1987 280 Turbo Technics Capri 1993 1.8TD P100 - Beater, parts collector 2008 BMW 320i Touring - Daily
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Jul 17, 2019 16:33:01 GMT
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I bought from the lower end of the market (SIP Migmate 150) and I have just suffered with it! Endlessly fighting it, repairing it, throwing good money after bad and STILL NOT ABLE TO RESTORE THE DAMN CARS.... Utterly sick of it. I'm currently saving to buy the aforementioned R-tech 180a inverter mig. Maybe this year I will get some work done.
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Jul 17, 2019 16:36:05 GMT
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worth bearing in mind that beyond about 160 amp (iirc) you'll need a 16amp supply (the round blue plug) not a 13 amp household type.
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Jul 17, 2019 17:05:14 GMT
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Previous posts on this subject always brings out a variation of different opinions and you will get everything from someone who swears by the scrap transformer based MIG that they pulled out of a skip to someone that is still using something from the dark ages through to the very latest technology - The fact remains that you get what you pay for - purchase something branded that has a good warranty & back up means that you are not faffing around wasting time attempting to get something to work plus questioning your own abilities whilst learning to weld in the first place. I appreciate you don't want to spend a fortune but you would be wise to purchase something that you are assured is going to work once you switch it on and press the trigger. If you have loads of time on your hands & nothing better to do then you can afford to purchase a cheap / unbranded / used - transformer MIG to play around with. However if your time is limited and you want to get the work done without having to mess & faff around then purchase a good branded invertor based MIG - I would highly recommend the R-Tech range - they retail good quality machines that are set up / plug & play with excellent back up & warranties - link below www.r-techwelding.co.uk/They also currently have a discount offer of 10% & free shipping by quoting: PC0619 How did you find a discount code & can anyone use it?
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Jul 17, 2019 17:34:04 GMT
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Previous posts on this subject always brings out a variation of different opinions and you will get everything from someone who swears by the scrap transformer based MIG that they pulled out of a skip to someone that is still using something from the dark ages through to the very latest technology - The fact remains that you get what you pay for - purchase something branded that has a good warranty & back up means that you are not faffing around wasting time attempting to get something to work plus questioning your own abilities whilst learning to weld in the first place. I appreciate you don't want to spend a fortune but you would be wise to purchase something that you are assured is going to work once you switch it on and press the trigger. If you have loads of time on your hands & nothing better to do then you can afford to purchase a cheap / unbranded / used - transformer MIG to play around with. However if your time is limited and you want to get the work done without having to mess & faff around then purchase a good branded invertor based MIG - I would highly recommend the R-Tech range - they retail good quality machines that are set up / plug & play with excellent back up & warranties - link below www.r-techwelding.co.uk/They also currently have a discount offer of 10% & free shipping by quoting: PC0619 How did you find a discount code & can anyone use it? Its published for all to see / read & use in the August edition of 'Practical Classics' - the code is valid until 31st August 2019
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Jul 17, 2019 17:38:38 GMT
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worth bearing in mind that beyond about 160 amp (iirc) you'll need a 16amp supply (the round blue plug) not a 13 amp household type. On a transformer based MIG yes but not necessarily on a invertor based MIG- my 180 Amp Parweld Invertor MIG runs quite happily at 13 amp
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Jul 17, 2019 17:51:59 GMT
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Previous posts on this subject always brings out a variation of different opinions and you will get everything from someone who swears by the scrap transformer based MIG that they pulled out of a skip to someone that is still using something from the dark ages through to the very latest technology - The fact remains that you get what you pay for - purchase something branded that has a good warranty & back up means that you are not faffing around wasting time attempting to get something to work plus questioning your own abilities whilst learning to weld in the first place. I appreciate you don't want to spend a fortune but you would be wise to purchase something that you are assured is going to work once you switch it on and press the trigger. If you have loads of time on your hands & nothing better to do then you can afford to purchase a cheap / unbranded / used - transformer MIG to play around with. However if your time is limited and you want to get the work done without having to mess & faff around then purchase a good branded invertor based MIG - I would highly recommend the R-Tech range - they retail good quality machines that are set up / plug & play with excellent back up & warranties - link below www.r-techwelding.co.uk/They also currently have a discount offer of 10% & free shipping by quoting: PC0619 So £478 including VAT is a little more than I had planned to spend. I'm sure the welder is 110% worth that, but at this point in time I can't afford to spend that on tools. Is there anything a bit cheaper you would recommend, or is that pretty much bottom line if I'm after something to do the job properly? I could always hold off till later in the year, but I wouldn't mind getting stuck in while the weather is good, unfortunately until I get another contract lined up I can't go to mad with the wallet. The reason I'm gung ho about doing it myself is that I've been very disapointed with the work that 'experienced' people have done for me, at least if I do it myself I have no one else to blame. If you apply the discount code its £431 but I appreciate that you have to go and then source a gas bottle - look at in a different way - how much would you have to spend with other experienced people to get the work done and going on previous experiences how disappointed would you be ? - How disappointed would you be if you spend say £250 - £300 on a poor quality welder that may but then again may not give you the results that you are expecting - but then I appreciate that you don't want to spend money that you don't have either - my first port of call when I find myself in this position is to have a clear out - what do I have that I no longer need / have no use for - get it sold and somehow I always find the difference in cost between the bottom of the market piece of kit and what I really want to purchase
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Last Edit: Jul 17, 2019 17:55:53 GMT by Deleted
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Jul 17, 2019 18:26:25 GMT
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Was suffering with a F’n useless and inconsistent SIP Top mig for 10 + years. Blooming thing.
Bit the bullet and bought a RTec 180, was slightly over my budget however they really are that good.
Night/day difference, I love the thing, built well and perfect wire speed.
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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Jul 17, 2019 19:16:47 GMT
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Jul 17, 2019 20:31:28 GMT
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For car work look for something down to 30A. Definitely get an inverter based machine - it will cut your learning curve from weeks to hours and massively increase your weld quality. Allow £100 for bottle deposit + fill - use the Hobbyweld/SGS etc weld mixes. £30 for a basic helmet £20 for 5kg of wire and a tenner for spare shrouds and tips. New Rtech (NTDWM) www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/rtech-mig-180-new-unused-in-box.92828/ depends on where you are of course.
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Last Edit: Jul 17, 2019 20:36:37 GMT by wightfug
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Jul 17, 2019 21:14:59 GMT
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Cheers for all the advice. I hadn't realised a quality welder would make such a difference in terms of learning speed.
That's probably good advice @grumpynortherner, I've got all sorts of curse word filling up my garage / loft / lock up / 2nd lock up that I've been threatening to sell for ages.
The last thing I want to do is mess up my car through useless equipment, if I mess it up at least its all on me.
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Having an inverter mig doesnt make it much easier. You simply need a welder that works properly and to be using the right techniques and setup. MIG welding is a piece of curse word anyway tbh. A monkey could do it. Its just point and squirt in the right place. Gets a bit harder on thin rusty panels granted but you soon learn how to deal with that.
Also it's a myth that you need a 16amp supply for a 'big' welder. You can run any single phase welder off 13 amps. You simply have to avoid turning up the current too high. If all you have is a 13 amp supply your still much better off with the duty cycle provided by a 200 amp machine running at 1/2 capacity over a 130amp machine running at full blast tripping out every couple of mins as it's getting too hot. Have regularly use 180 and 230 amp machines on a 13amp supply over the years.
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