Buying a welder - advice please?

[Mouse]

This isn't really a GS question, but I know a few people on here are dab hands with various types of welding ... so, if I may:

I'm thinking of buying a cheapish welder for occasional use - fixing steel bike frames, making bash plates, that sort of thing. I was originally thinking of an arc welder but I see MIG units are pretty cheap and can weld aluminium.

One model I've seen on offer is the SIP "HandyMig". It claims to be able to do up to 4mm steel, can take 0.7 or 5kg spools of wire, and uses 390g disposable gas cylinders. Price £160.

I assume if I buy something like this I'll pay more for consumables than with a more "serious" machine, but I won't be using it every day.

Any advice? Does this sound like a good buy, or to be avoided? Are there any "gotchas" I should know about before buying a MIG welder?

Thanks very much in advance

 

[Vern]

How long is a piece of string?

I'm sure that like most things,the more you spend,the better you get.I think that most of the welders you see in that price range,are all the same underneath,just different covers on them.If you just want one in the corner of the garage for doing little bits and bobs,then that one sounds fine.You can quite easily get hold of bigger bottles of gas if you make friends with your local stockholder,same goes for all the other consumables.

 

[ebbo]

I’ve had a SIP mig welder for years now. It gets occasional use, often welding up GPS mounts these days. Main thing is to remember to completely disconnect the gas bottle from the welder after use or you will loose the gas over time. Other than that, no problem.

 

[Mouse]

I suspect you're right about them all being the same inside the box Vern, after all, what's an electric welder but a big transformer, and something to feed the wire out?

It will just be an "odd job" welder, I just wanted to check I wasn't making some gross ignorant mistake before purchase

Thanks (ebbo also)

 

[Spout]

Buying a welder - advice please?

Better to get one that doesn't eat much.

...and has good personal hygiene.

 

[welder8uk]

Like Vern said.

As far as welding aluminium with one of the cheaper ones, forget it. For welding mild steel they are spot on.

Get one that will take the gasless wire as well as the gas bottle. At least you have the choice. The small gas bottled last for about 10-15 mins of welding. I use a pub CO2 cylinder and it lasts for ages and is only £10 per refill. I must get about 4hrs of welding out of it.

Look for about 150 Amp or larger, it will weld virtually anything that you are likely to come across - up to about 5mm. I had a SIP and didnt like it, I also had a few problems with it (which were fixed under warantee). I sold it and got a Cebora which has been fault free and great since I got it. But others say that SIP is a good make, so i think i was just unlucky.

I think you'll be disappointed with a 130Amp or less, but they do work.

MIG welders are about the cheapest to run as far as consumables go. Make sure it will run the 5kg reel s of wire, they work out much cheaper than the smaller ones.

Consumables are cheap, a 5kg reel of wire lasts for a long time, tips (once you can weld and dont shag the tips all the time) tend last about 3-4 reels or so before the hole up the middle gets worn out and they need changing. I havent changed the liner yet and i dont know how many reels have been put through it (but its a lot). And im still using the original shroud on the gun.

Any other questions fire away

steve

 

[Pukmeister]

Instead of buying from a tool place like 'm@chine m@rt', try your local yellow pages for welding suppliers/stockists, they will probably be cheaper both for the machines and the consumables. My local dealer (MigTigArc) are a small business and are excellent.

I have a rebadged Cebora 150 Amp fan cooled MIG and love it, it is much better than the SiP Hobby Mig (Migmate) I owned before.

For welding Aluminium alloys, TIG is the only method I would recommend, and the equipment costs a lot. Better to get TIG work done by an expert anyway.

 

[Red Devil]

Hi there,

Having been employed as a classic car restorer for many years, I've always opted for the SIP MIG welders. They are good quality and easy to operate/control.

Obviously, the higher the amperage - the higher the cost of the machine. I would aim to buy one within the 80-130 amp power range (this is man-enough to cope with anything you're likely to weld) The rolls of wire last ages if the welder is only used occasionally, but be aware that if you leave the roll of wire in the machine for a long period of time in a damp workshop, they are prone to rusting. At this point you'll need to launch it in the nearest bin and buy another roll.

Another point worth noting is; a MIG welder is ideal for welding mild steel. You'll need a TIG welder and alot more skill for welding aluminium or stainless steel.

Oh, and make sure you've got a suitable welding mask, as ark-eye is bloody uncomfortable!! ;-)

Good luck!!!

 

[Mouse]

Thanks for all the advice

 

[Dickieboy]

This isn't really a GS question, but I know a few people on here are dab hands with various types of welding ... so, if I may:

I'm thinking of buying a cheapish welder for occasional use - fixing steel bike frames, making bash plates, that sort of thing. I was originally thinking of an arc welder but I see MIG units are pretty cheap and can weld aluminium.

One model I've seen on offer is the SIP "HandyMig". It claims to be able to do up to 4mm steel, can take 0.7 or 5kg spools of wire, and uses 390g disposable gas cylinders. Price £160.

I assume if I buy something like this I'll pay more for consumables than with a more "serious" machine, but I won't be using it every day.

Any advice? Does this sound like a good buy, or to be avoided? Are there any "gotchas" I should know about before buying a MIG welder?

Thanks very much in advance

I can weld but I'm not cheap, sorry