Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Shaggy on December 31, 2012, 12:56:14 PM

Title: which welder do you use?
Post by: Shaggy on December 31, 2012, 12:56:14 PM: Right guys I'm in the market to buy a new welder after mine was lent to a "mate" & it miraculously got stolen whilst he had it, he doesn't have the means to pay me back & I am at an age now to know where getting angry isn't going to get me my welder back! So any advice greatly appreciated, I aren't looking to spend a fortune anymore as it isn't something I use everyday anymore, but I need something that goes low enough amperage wise to weld thin plate but will also have enough poke to weld thick plate if I decide to make some bumpers etc. my old welder was a Kemppi & cost me a bloody fortune but was bloody good quality. So over to you guys, what do you use?
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: wildwood on December 31, 2012, 01:25:35 PM: Did my City and Guilds Mig and TIG on Kempii stuff brilliant but way over my paygrade

I have a Portamig 235 Needs 30 amp supply but otherwise fine for use at home...... In my case.

will do 6 mm stuff easy for winch plates bumpers etc.probably thicker but slower is possible
Had it down to welding 1mm stuff yesterday......still with . 8 wire in it......... Got a roll of .6 but too lazy to change it out.

Got it from Weldequipe.but delivered from manufacturer Pendleton Equipment 01282 871517
Www.weldingworld.co.uk (http://Www.weldingworld.co.uk)

Cost me £698.83 three years ago. It has Swedish and UK stuff in it and is serviceable in UK no Chinese shit anywhere near it....Tis why I chose it.
hope this helps.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: JamesH on December 31, 2012, 06:31:15 PM: I looked into this recently and it would seem Portamig are the recommended welder for the £500-700 180-250 amp range. I'll get one as part of my new garage build but for now I use a SIP 150 that will do most things I need but for 6mm plate it has to be spotless and cranked right up and even pre-warmed I if very cold when starting.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: isle of man on December 31, 2012, 06:59:12 PM: Got one-of-those Snap-on jobbies..
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Dutch on December 31, 2012, 07:05:12 PM: Steve, up the road ....
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Bubba on January 01, 2013, 10:56:29 AM: sip mig and clarke inverter stick welder both work well
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Mike Pavelin on January 01, 2013, 11:18:38 AM: I have a Sealey 185 amp mig with Euro torch. Works really well.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: bigjeepzj on January 01, 2013, 11:49:43 AM: :iagree: I've got one of those
reliability and spare parts readily available is what you need
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: donk498 on January 01, 2013, 10:47:05 PM: Ive got a cheap 135A gas-less mig from aldi and a old 170A oxford mig of someone on here. Oh and access to various stick welders and a 400A mig at work.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Jeepjedi on January 02, 2013, 12:34:26 AM: If its for the 6 rich, dont worry, we can glue it, its what the last guy did :hysterical:
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Shaggy on January 02, 2013, 08:46:57 AM: I don't even think the last guy used glue!! :tool: plus I'm shit on a horse so I won't be riding off into the sunset wearing a 10 gallon hat! :icon_winkle:
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: thorna on January 02, 2013, 07:17:05 PM: Sip topmig 150 turbo has allowed me to blow holes in lots of steel over the years.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Jeepjedi on January 03, 2013, 12:04:18 AM: musta been the one they used on the 6 when they wern't gluing :banghead:
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: chaosmarshall on January 03, 2013, 11:46:15 PM: I have a "Butters UK Weld wizard"
a great welder and if you don't crank it all the way up it will run off a standard plug. crank it all the way with a 30A plug and 10mm is just ok without pre heat.
There is a lot of controversy over the butters name though but they claim to be made in the UK. I paid £300 a few years ago but I think they are up to £700 now.
Title: Re: which welder do you use?
Post by: Tragic on January 04, 2013, 02:26:13 PM: Currently using some Stanners 400A job, will weld 6mm on 0.8 easily and sheetmetal on 0.6. Have to use it as it's BMW approved, although we're not allowed to weld new BMWs. All glue and rivets :jpshakehead:
Also use Spanesi Mig Braze (for Vauxhalls) which is adapted to Aluminium (for Audis and Jaguars) and a fookin expensive (£11.5k) inverter spot welder. BMW made us buy it because it was approved by them to weld BMWs. Which BMW won't allow us to do.....

For general home ~~abuse~~ use, Sealey 180A on 0.8. Cost me £50 :icon_super: