Mig welder:Any ideas?

[ianboydsnr]

Hi

Not sure if it's to late to help but I bought an MTA 181 from MIG, TIG, Arc and it's a great piece of kit which will go as low as 20amps for thin stuff and up to 185amps for the heavy stuff

They build these in house to the same spec as the Portamig 181 and it's an excellent quality finish with great components (sadly way too much better than my skills at the moment but I'm getting there!)

http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/MIG_Welder/M ... elder.html

I initially used CO2 pub gas but switched to Argoshield Light from BoC as they are still doing a special no rental deal for "Y" size bottles (bigger than I was expecting at around 40KG but excellent fill pressure) through Vzi at £61.31

Good luck with the search and hope this is of some use

I considered the MTA, but in the end plumped for the portamig 215, it goes to an even lower minimum, to 15amps, comes with a quality 2 stage regulator, and I was able to specify a 4m torch for the same price, I chose the 215 not because I need more power, but the increased duty cycle and apparently it has a better quality gas solenoid, meaning that its worth the £50 extra, mostly it will be used on bodywork, where the 12 power settings and low amperage are essential.

[brickinit]

Thanks for that. I've just been reading the spec.of it on their website and it looks a very nice machine and in my price range too. Tell me, did that include a 2 stage argon regulator? And, did you buy the special offer helmet that is offered too?

Hi

Yes it included the regulator but the helmet offer wasn't on when I bought mine or I would have gone for it anyway and sold it on as I already had one!

Took a couple of weeks to arrive as they build them to order and I did manage to blag some free gauntlets and welding tips so it's always worth an ask!

Hope this helps

[PEET]

In our workshop we have a small Sealey 165 amp (mine) and a large Lincoln which is fantastic but very expensive to buy. Happy with both but for thick land rover chassis stuff I'd use the lincoln. Both give excellent results tho and run on Argon but ditching the ridiculous BOC account - they charge ypu £15 to pick it up, £2 extra per month for no direct debit (which is their "cock" up!) man they are sooooo expensive!!

[HarryMann]

So Peet, BOC - sounds like there's a company serving its shareholders first and year by year ignoring the main tenets of building a solid customer base with good service and value for money...

Last post (Ownerless Companies) http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... 4&start=15

PS I happen to love hobby bottles... if only they were a fiver each instead of a tenner!

Or 2Kg instead off just shy of one!

[PEET]

Yep BOC = the conniest* of suppliers for welding gas possible in my eyes!
*conniest - theft from ones bank account!

[budice83]

hi there

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ig-welders

i hav this type at work and have had it for about 3 year's now and still going stong

[New Kentish Campers]

Thanks to everyone for their help; I've decided upon an Oxford Migmaker 170 Mig Welder. Not cheap, but as I've now 2 T25's to restore [mine and a friends], I wanted a machine that will cope with some hard work. And its a British machine, so thats all to the good

I'll get working on one van soon and get some images up for all to see; my friends van is particularly rusty

Still got to decide upon a good single phase compressor though!