I've plenty of time on my hands and want to learn a new skill... I've always wanted to 'make things' and enjoy playing with metal.
So welding it is!
I want to be able to weld up to 5mm in steel and also do some ali fabricating.
My investigations so far suggest I need a Single-phase AC / DC Tig! Does this sound about right?
I'm looking for some help please from the enlightened to let me know what output machine I should go for and what ancillary equipment I need to
get going!
Finally, any good brands to look out for? I refuse to buy Chinese, so that rules out 90% of the eBay offerings! I'm happy to buy second-hand or
refurbished.
Cheers all!
Everything you need to know over here:
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php
A single phase AC/DC TIG would be perfect...
I would strongly recomend the R-Tech welders...
Pretty good quality, a good waranty and the guy who imports them/services them is a top notch chap... has all the spares etc, so should it go pop, you
have full support....
I almost bought one, but my house move killed that one...
http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/
Buy the most powerful one you can afford! (and get a water cooled torch setup.... even if you DIY a water cooler for the torch itself to save some
cash)
[Edited on 26/7/10 by tegwin]
Thanks guys!
weldeqip on that forum is a legend - buy from him and you wont go wrong.
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
weldeqip on that forum is a legend - buy from him and you wont go wrong.
Ta.
What benefits does the water-cooled torch bring?
If you're welding at high amps, the torch gets very hot. Only an issue with thicker material.
i bought a rehmann. its the nuts, but not for ali.
I've got an R-Tech 201 AC/DC unit and am very pleased with it!
Don't forget to buy the foot pedal as well.....
[Edited on 26/7/10 by minitici]
quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
i bought a rehmann. its the nuts, but not for ali.
Water cooled torch = low weight and easy to move around, its easy to make a cooler using an old central heating pump.
Best makes are Lincoln, Millers, very expensive new.
Foot pedal
auto helmet
sturdy work table that you can sit at
Full size bottle regulator
gauntlets
Then enjoy, TIG is an art but once its starts working for you a joy.
Regards Mark
[Edited on 26/7/10 by mark chandler]
Ta muchly!
better get learing - I've got some jobs you could do 
My (projected) rates are very reasonable!
If the Chinese thing bothers you a lot, then best research where your chosen product really originates. A fair few of the slightly more budget brands
have their stuff built out there but do have a bit more control over quality & spec than the ebay rubbish, mabye a chinese built machine re-worked
over here to bring it up to standard.
If you have no need of great portability, space to store it & a good power supply a second hand transformer based machine would be a better bet
than a new inverter type.
Not fussed about size... plenty of space!
I've looked into getting a AC/DC TIG & had thought a used 1ph transformer type machine from someone like this:
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/ballon81/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340
Though they dont have any listed at the mo, they had about 5 on last time I looked.
I decided it would be a bit of a luxury & a quality new inverter stick would be more use with a basic TIG kit to play with, if I get on well &
want to do aluminium I may still do it. I already have a big MIG.
Thanks for the link... keep an eye on there stock!
Im no welding expert Scott but in my limited experience of reparing cars with my mig, I have....
restored a 65 land Rover, including new dumb irons, door pillars and bulkhead/footwell repairs. New outriggers and various chassis bits & bobs.
Then replaced sills on my Lada Niva & floor sections, with lots of new metal,
My Landy was all done with a 120a Clarke mig, without problems.
And most of my Niva was done with a 150a SIP mig which I wouldnt recomend.
I put in an awful lot of time with the Niva floor & sills all without any water cooled guns or Pro quality kit.
My current mig is a Clarke 195t, it has a stitch weld timer which is handy for thin metal welding.
It is more than enough for any welding I will need and set me back £275.
Buy at least a 150a, something that will run a 5kg spool (cheaper) and pub gas.
That mig weld website is good, just dont spend a fortune on Pro quality kit.
If you go phase 1 mig, then you will need a fairly meaty supply to your garage. Mine is 10mm cable...
Auto dim mask is worth its weight, decent welding gauntlets, wear old kit as flying spatter smarts a bit, and burns.
[Edited on 31/7/10 by T66]
Cheers Ivan!