DIY Si
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:18 PM |
|
|
Which welder? Quick answer needed!
Afternoon all.
I've been looking for a new MIG for a while, and have just had a look around the net to see what I could find. But since I don't know much
(anything really) about the different brands, I need some quick help and opinions. I currently have a SIP 130t and require something better as despite
having done the fix for the rollers and fitted a metal liner, it's still lacking.
There are three welders I'm looking at so far are about the same price, roughly £200, one is a Cebora Autostar 180, and the other an Automig
180MXE, which I believe to be a Migatronic welder, and a Snap On Pro MIG 2000, which the internet says is a re-badged Cebora machine.
So basically, assuming the machines cost roughly the same, which is the better bet? I weld anything from car body work, so 20 SWG/0.9mm up to 4-5mm
steel plate.
Quick replies would be good, as the auctions end soon! 
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
|
|
|
|
|
Minicooper
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:27 PM |
|
|
SIP mig welders are slagged off all the time but I've found them to be very good, better than cebora and the like(snap on) and better than my
current murex tradesman by a long way. The best mig welder I have ever had is a 130amp sip autoplus followed very closely by a eland 130
Cheers
David
|
|
|
Mike Wood
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:37 PM |
|
|
Worth checking out if you can buy spares easily - e.g. weld torch tips and feed roller parts - for whatever brand you chose, either from your local
engineering suppliers, specialist welding supplier, Machine Mart or online. BOC sells mig welders as well as gases. If you are likely to need spares
on a Sunday, then you are restricted to what Halfords sells (so carry spares for weekend wleding, and go to engineering suppliers at lunchtimes during
the week!)
There have been forum posts on what type of gas to use and cheap places to get it.
Cheers
Mike
|
|
|
DIY Si
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:38 PM |
|
|
Really? I've seen a few of the Murex Tradesmig 160's for sale and they've had generally good reviews online, whilst SIPs are, as you
say, generally rubbished. Mines not that bad, but even so I find it skips, jumps and overloads when welding thicker metal, which I'm
needing to do more of as time goes by.
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
|
|
|
hillbillyracer
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:41 PM |
|
|
I've got a Migatronic, a 301 which is a fair bit bigger than what you're looking at but if the quality is anything like the same
it'll be good. Cebora have a good reputation but I've never used one much.
As said SIP machines do have a poor name but they're all re-badged & not from the same factory, some SIP stuff is poor but other models are
up to pro standards.
|
|
|
Dangle_kt
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:50 PM |
|
|
My aldi one has been great to be honest. it was only "cheap" - but has never let me down, never had any issues normally associated with
cheaper brands - so no "fixes" needed.
|
|
|
clairetoo
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 05:56 PM |
|
|
My first welder was an SIP , and it allmost cured me of the desire to weld........... Then I got a Clarke 160T (went to Machine Mart on a VAT free day
, and they didnt have what I wanted , so I just had to buy something....)
I've found it to be great - welds anything from rusty cars to 6mm plate , spares are easy to get , and it was cheap !
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 06:16 PM |
|
|
Sip welders are slagged for good reason, only good reason for buying a SIP is to learn fix MIG welders.
Clarke are good.
Cebora are good.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
DIY Si
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 06:16 PM |
|
|
Thanks for all the replies, but of the three welders I'm looking at, which would you go for? And ideally, why?
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
|
|
|
Minicooper
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 06:49 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Sip welders are slagged for good reason, only good reason for buying a SIP is to learn fix MIG welders.
Clarke are good.
Cebora are good.
You always speak in absolutes, what exactly do you know about sip mig welders other than what you read?
David
|
|
|
jimgiblett
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 07:14 PM |
|
|
After a little playing aroung I have found my Clarke 135 that I bought second hand from Donut has been fine for the jobs I wont to do.
- Jim
|
|
|
rusty nuts
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 07:25 PM |
|
|
My first welder was an SIP Ideal 130 which was used almost constantly for about 12 years before giving up the ghost, it was replaced by a Murex which
was absolute crap! I've used a Cebora which apart from a very light trigger which meant you had to make sure your mask was up with before even
touching the trigger it was fine
|
|
|
Peteff
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 07:42 PM |
|
|
I had a SIP 130 Autoplus for years and only had one problem which was fixed under warranty, a transistor went on the feed PCB. I then bought an Erfi
170 German built welder for thicker stuff and used it for everything from cars up to about 8mm even though it was outside it's range. I now have
a tiny Kemppi 180 mig which is brilliant and portable. Your limiting factor is your budget, for £200 you are going to get either a crap new welder or
a well used old welder. I've used a Migatronic Fabricator 200 and that is a good welder well made. The Snap On is a badged one made by someone
else probably Cebora which is also a decent brand made by Italians which is not a bad thing. I have a Stel Italian built welder and it just works
fine.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
|
|
|
NigeEss
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 07:55 PM |
|
|
There all pretty close, if it were me I'd choose the Cebora.
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.................Douglas Adams.
|
|
|
SeaBass
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 08:24 PM |
|
|
I get along with my Cebora Pocket Turbo very well. Seems to be well built and the wire feed is smooth. We have a brand new SIP 170P at work and it
always seems to wee me about when I use it with students but I can't put my finger on why - the current settings never seem to be appropriate
and they also sometimes adjust the base feed speed for the dial which I find odd.
JC
|
|
|
big_wasa
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 08:28 PM |
|
|
I had a Sip and got it set up really well. Just buy the set you can. Migatronic should be a safe bet.
|
|
|
Mark Allanson
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 08:39 PM |
|
|
I was a pro welder for years, I would lover to say that SIP was a good reliable make (being patriotic etc) but every one I have used has been a lemon.
I even bought a SIP inverter MMA unit (what can go wrong with an inverter?) but it fizzes and splutters, grabs and farts - a real disappointment.
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
|
|
|
RAYLEE29
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 08:50 PM |
|
|
I went to machine mart and bought the largest clarke i could afford about 5 yrs ago and its the best tool ive bought ever sure ive used better but
they were industrial and probably 5 times the price
Ray
build diary1
http://picasaweb.google.com/raylee290/RoadsterPics#
build diary2
http://picasaweb.google.com/raylee290/KITCARPICS?authkey=Gv1sRgCI2AouyYgpuQmAE#
|
|
|
Mark Allanson
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 08:59 PM |
|
|
I bought a Clarke 140E in 1988, still going strong.
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
|
|
|
ashg
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 09:30 PM |
|
|
i have got a migatronic the only thing i would swap it for is an esab. cebora are good wouldn't go near the sip.
|
|
|
Mark Allanson
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 09:44 PM |
|
|
Esab's are on a whole different level - they will work 40 hours a week for 10 years without anything more than new tips and liners.
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
|
|
|
loggyboy
|
| posted on 20/8/11 at 10:34 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
I bought a Clarke 140E in 1988, still going strong.
Ive had my 90E close to 6 years, and it was by no means new when I got it. Still going strong and keeping my cars on the road!
|
|
|
coyoteboy
|
| posted on 21/8/11 at 12:56 AM |
|
|
SIP 130 here, works fine on 0.9mm steel or 4mm steel IME. Not quite as nice to use as the massive industrial MIG at work, but slightly smaller
pricetag. IIRC the "fix" is to seperate the feed power from the weld power to maintain the feed rate?
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 21/8/11 at 07:54 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Minicooper
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Sip welders are slagged for good reason, only good reason for buying a SIP is to learn fix MIG welders.
Clarke are good.
Cebora are good.
You always speak in absolutes, what exactly do you know about sip mig welders other than what you read?
David
Do you want be to start listing the constant stream of niggles with the one I haad, ignoring the well the documented feed roller mechanism problems
that make setting up a constant fiddle , I had to repair the circuit board and the had very crudely made fan part company with the shaft. It
now sits at the back of the shed ( i could not with a clear conscious sell it to anyone) and have an old Clarke 150te on semi-permanent loan from a
mate who isworking abroad. Unlike the SIP with the Clarke you just put the settings to what you think will be right and it works.
[Edited on 21/8/11 by britishtrident]
|
|
|
Fred W B
|
| posted on 21/8/11 at 08:34 AM |
|
|
As posters above had said, the problem is the budget. You can't have cheap and good at the same time, espically if you want to weld 5 mm.
Also as said above, consider local support. I woul suggest you find a local to you welding equipment supplier to talk to/buy from, ask what they
reccomend. Best is to try get a small industrial machine, rather than a "hobby" machine.
My local Miller (rolls royce of welders) agent had a Hobart brand 175 Amp machine that had been in stock for ages that he sold to me at a very good
price. It's fantastic, in 10 years I have never had a single fault with it.
Cheers
Fred
You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.
|
|
|
.jpg)
