Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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Right its pissing me off not having the ability or equipment to weld
I know a retired fabricator that might be able to teach me the basics, apart from that is it quite a quick learning curve? can you teach yourself with practice?
what is needed in terms of equipment? in terms of creating welds like fabricated engine mounts etc etc? and price of said equipment, im no business so i dont need stupidly expensive stuff but it needs to be adequate
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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is this pointless and shit?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wolf-Mig-140-Gas-No-Gas-Mig-welder-kit-/250889049403?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a6a27153b
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Dont get a gassless MIG, they are shit.
Find something old (normally cheap) and solid. My mig is older than me but welds like a dream.
If someone shows you the basics then you'll be able put put down a decent bead after a bit of practice
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scottyp1989
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Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
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its easy enough to pick up and the only way you do really learn is by pleanty of practice. look on ebay at the hobby mig kits it will be all you need for doing bits at home. Then find somewhere to either buy or renct C02, then obviousley youll need helmet, gloves etc
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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that one i posted said it does gas and no gas, fuck knows
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scottyp1989
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Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
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that will be fine, just dont bother using the gassless as it is crap
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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As Scotty said, co2 ftw. Argon is a bit shit.
I have a spare co2 regulator in my box too 
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary
As Scotty said, co2 ftw. Argon is a bit shit.
I have a spare co2 regulator in my box too
argon mix gives a far better weld than pure co2,
i used co2 at home and heavy mix at work,
for home use get a pub gas co2 bottke will last you ages if you don't use it alot.
mig welding is piss easy once you know the basics.
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Same here. Bonus of running a pub. I've never paid for a bottle of co2.
I stand corrected on the co2/argon. Just going off what I've been told.
One thing I would suggest is buying some sort of windbreaker if your planning on welding outside, bit mor le than a slight breeze and your weld will go to pot.
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scottyp1989
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Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
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i have only ever used C02 but have herd good things about argon mix, will try it when bottle is empty.
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scottyp1989
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Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
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http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=13
have a read through there aswell, some very knowledgeable people on there and a lot of good advice
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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I picked up a Draper 180 amp welder off ebay about 8 months ago for around £200.
Its been a good buy considering it was £900ish when new. Just take into condiseration the cost of gas though. We have an account with air products for CO2/Argon mix. Thats £30 a month.
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
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30pound a month? That's a lot, do you have to pay for the refills as well?
My argon bottle from boc is 60quid a year,
But when hobby welding don't bother with an account get a co2 bottle and get it filled up at a fire extinguisher place,
Or I think your in the right part of the country for these people selling rent free full bottle of welding gas on ebay.
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scottyp1989
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Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
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i paid a one off payment of £52 for my bottle, then £12 for a refil
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Get an old skool machine. Mine was £50 then anoher £50 for a quick refurb and new wire.
Guy said to buy the equivilent machine now that would weld as good i'd be looking at £500+.
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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It was £30 for the first month, then we were given the chance to buy a years lease for £90. Our bottle is one of the huge 5 foot things though, a bit of an overkill!
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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hello m8
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AlexW
Member
Registered: 25th Oct 08
Location: Essex
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My welder is only a little really old Snap on mig 130, I think you can still buy them although not from snap on anymore.
I taught myself using a fair amount of old bits of metal, and I could lay a good weld on a nice clean bit of metal within quick time, Dirty metal or hard areas to weld are a pain but that comes with experience and skill imo.
Edit: Go for a auto mask, Dont use a manual one, Right arse. Gloves are essential, I have the burn marks to prove 
Worth getting one of those triangle magnets and or some of those welding mole grips depending on what your doing.
[Edited on 13-10-2011 by AW06]
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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I used to use a Miller water cooled mig. It was the shizzle.
Same as this:
Never welded car panels though 
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by AW06
My welder is only a little really old Snap on mig 130, I think you can still buy them although not from snap on anymore
[Edited on 13-10-2011 by AW06]
Cebora make them now
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
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Need to start of by deciding what you want to weld, or what you can see your self welding,
Then you can sort of gauge what size welder will be big enough to handle most of your needs with out wasting money.
My first home welder cost me 30 quid and was a 5 year of clarke 90 mig,
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nick_sri
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Registered: 5th May 09
Location: Crewe , Cheshire
User status: Offline
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ive been using pub gas recently its brilliant on my small welder , biggger welder not so much
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richc
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Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
User status: Offline
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When people say its easy - it isnt.
I might be easy to put down some random shit on your car to patch a hole, where someone from an MOT station who knows nothing about welding, will say its ok.
I would go to a steel supplier, buy some thin sheet (2mm), and have it cut into strips (150 x 80 ish), and arrange them so you can pratice T-fillets, Butts, corners etc (google). I might cost you £50-100 after its been chopped but it will be clean stuff to practise on, which is what you will need.
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
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Mig welding is easy. (I'm a coded mig welder btw and do it for a living)
Good advice on the material tbh, so much easier to learn on some decent material, I would start with a 6inch square of 6mm plate first and just run beads from one edge to the other covering the plate, then turn it 90 degree's and start again, also have a read up about the proper angles to hold your torch etc as it does make a lot of difference.
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3CorsaMeal
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Registered: 11th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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steve will only need the small bottles imo, thats what we/i get for the welder my mate has
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