My brother in law picked up a welder off Ebay and has asked me to take a look. Overall it's a half decent unit, with the consumable parts being the main things wrong with it.

However, there are two bigger things that aren't problems per se, but I'd still like to sort out. The first is that it's a live torch, which is awkward. If he gets a euro torch conversion kit, will that convert it to a non-live torch? Or is it being a live torch means that a euro torch wouldn't work at all?

The second is the argon gas regulator, the gauges are smashed. The regulator works as it should, so is it possible to just replace the gauges? It's a fairly standard 2 gauge unit the same as my new one by the looks of it.

[Edited on 24/11/13 by Slimy38]

unless you have the gauges spare already, by the time you have bought new, it will be cheaper to replace the whole reg

Fitting a Euro torch will not stop the tip being permanently live. This is determined by the control system within the welder, the cheap ones don't have a relay to switch the transformer on and off.

Ah, so it sounds like in both cases it'll have to stay how it is, thanks for the pointers.

R-Tech do them for less than £25 - http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Gas_Regulators_Flow_Meters

For what they cost I think I would replace the whole thing - the potential to be wasting expensive gas far out weighs their cost.