aldi arc welder gd enuff for small repairs?

[MINI_BUS]

aldi arc welder gd enuff for small repairs?
got a few repairs on the van to do but dont wana fork out loads on the welder seen this one on offer this week think it will be ok???
[img:320:320]http://www.aldi-stores.co.uk/images/dat ... d92bed.jpg[/img]
* Fully adjustable output amperage 40-160 amps
* Open circuit voltage: 48 volts
* Uses 1.6-4.0mm diameter electrodes
* Thermal overload protection
* Operates 230 volt single phase supply
* Comprehensive kit includes: electrodes holder, earth clamp, power leads, hand-held face shield, chipping hammer/wire brush, 10 assorted electrodes (2 × 1.6mm, 2 × 2.0mm, 2 × 2.5mm, 2 × 3.2mm, 2 × 4mm)
* Instruction manual and complete 'How to Weld' guide
* Weight 16.5kg
on thursdays special offers http://www.aldi-stores.co.uk/
will need to pratice with it a bit as i normally use a mig welder at work shame i cant bring that home boo lol

[camper]

Price is brilliant.Well as you can weld you may realise that you could get your rods sticking and slag entraptment due the plasma of the arc not under control due to your equipment .You no volts & current 1.6mm rods on thin steel .But with a bit of angle grinding and not letting it the metal burning through you might be able to make a job of it.Done it me self in the past when you only get arc welders and no hobbiest migs.

[meggles]

Hi MINI_BUS. To date I have renovated a Capri, Beetle, Cortina, Viva.. the list is endless. On all of these I have used an arc welder. I usually used 1.6 rods, although have used 2.0 mm when the need arose. Just make sure panels/patches are actually touching each other , good clean earth and don't linger too long on welds. I have upped the amps to MAX for chassis repairs and lowered to MIN for bodywork. mine has only MIN and MAX settings. I cannot get on with a mig so will continue using ARC. Always does the job for me, and always up to MOT standard.. Good idea to practice a little first. Good Luck, Couldn't find welder on link but your description makes it look a fair piece of kit. You'll obviously have to get hold of some more electrodes. I buy mine in bulk from local welders suppliers.

[umgum]

Thursday Special Buys 20th September 2007
2800W Dual Voltage Long Run Generator


click on that when on the aldi page

[meggles]

Cheers umgum, easy when you know how!!

["WEAZLECHIN"]

buy a mig, its easier. lots easier....

[SplendiferousII]

Unless you can weld in the first instance your going to struggle with a Arc Welder.

Allow me to tell you what I am actually doing when I weld so you get some idea of how difficult it is.

Lets start with good old gas welding. (ahh very therapeutic)

First of all you need to melt the metal equally on both edges to be welded.

These two small molten pools need to flow so that they join to form a single molten pool of liquid metal.

You then need to push the molten pool along the seam.

The edges infront might open up (pull back) so if this happens you need to add more metal ( the filler rod)

This typically happens on vertical seams and we call it chasing the oinion.

Tig welding is the same. But very versatile.

Arc welding is the same but the filler rod is uncontrollable and spazmodic and is much more violent.

So much so that the edges will pull back very quickly in thin metal.

You need to dab remove dab remove - this needs to be done very quickly before the tip cools otherwise its difficult to strike the arc again.

A nightmare for the beginner. Let alone getting it to strike up at low amps and learn all about angles and how to get the molten metal to pull.

Mig - The best bit about Mig is there is no need to strike an arc. You can just about point and go.

But its not actually that easy. Mig is more about noise than anything else.

You tend to listen to it to know if its all going well down there.

So to sum up.

Gas is the best to learn on as you learn to actually weld metal and how to control a molten pool - Not its not allowed for MOT's these days as its easy to make look nice but with no strength - and there are very few of us left who can do it.

Tig is the best. But not really for the DIY'er - yet ! but getting there.

Arc is old school.

Mig is the DIY tool.

[MINI_BUS]

use a gd mig welder at work and that is easy to control
but the hobby one i browed the other week was well useless
couldnt get a gd setting as no varialble voltage

[camper]

Gas is the best to learn on as you learn to actually weld metal and how to control a molten pool - Not its not allowed for MOT's these days as its easy to make look nice but with no strength - and there are very few of us left who can do it.
SplendiferousII Is this stated in the mot testers guidlines as a legal requirment if there is a welding repair.Only interested becouse i do welding repairs and use gas occasionly with a BOC porta pack

[BassKat & Missy]

Hi
I welded up old beetles etc with my dads arc welder but if you have the money get a mig, even a cheap one will give you much better results.

Seam welds are simple with a bit of practice on a mig, with and arc you have to stich and then go back otherwise the panel will really buckle or worse still melt. have a cebora mig but for car panels anything will do really as you dont need big amps.

Not sure of MOT regulations now you might be ok with stitches and not full seam, i just did full seams & ground back for a flat finish.

Clive

[meggles]

Sometimes (wrongly) it depends on mood of tester. However, I have been told that, as a rough guide, if its a complete replacement panel then it can be "weld a bit, miss a bit, weld a bit.......... ". If its a patch, however, then it needs to be welded all the way round. Think this is still the case.

[HarryMann]

Unless you can weld in the first instance your going to struggle with a Arc Welder.

Allow me to tell you what I am actually doing when I weld so you get some idea of how difficult it is.

Lets start with good old gas welding. (ahh very therapeutic)

First of all you need to melt the metal equally on both edges to be welded.

These two small molten pools need to flow so that they join to form a single molten pool of liquid metal.

You then need to push the molten pool along the seam.

The edges infront might open up (pull back) so if this happens you need to add more metal ( the filler rod)

This typically happens on vertical seams and we call it chasing the oinion.

Tig welding is the same. But very versatile.

Arc welding is the same but the filler rod is uncontrollable and spazmodic and is much more violent.

So much so that the edges will pull back very quickly in thin metal.

You need to dab remove dab remove - this needs to be done very quickly before the tip cools otherwise its difficult to strike the arc again.

A nightmare for the beginner. Let alone getting it to strike up at low amps and learn all about angles and how to get the molten metal to pull.

Mig - The best bit about Mig is there is no need to strike an arc. You can just about point and go.

But its not actually that easy. Mig is more about noise than anything else.

You tend to listen to it to know if its all going well down there.

So to sum up.

Gas is the best to learn on as you learn to actually weld metal and how to control a molten pool - Not its not allowed for MOT's these days as its easy to make look nice but with no strength - and there are very few of us left who can do it.

TIG is the best. But not really for the DIY'er - yet ! but getting there.

ARC (stick welding) is old school.

MIG is the DIY tool.

That's quite nice I think, in fact its Splendiferous! Certainly good enough for a Wiki intro with a few extracts from Oldiggy, Weazle and others thrown in..

Sometimes (wrongly) it depends on mood of tester. However, I have been told that, as a rough guide, if its a complete replacement panel then it can be "weld a bit, miss a bit, weld a bit.......... ". If its a patch, however, then it needs to be welded all the way round. Think this is still the case.

That sounds like it makes good sense, you wouldn't be expected to continuous seam weld a whole new wing on, but a sill patch for instanceis another matter.

[SplendiferousII]

Gas Welding and MOT.

I'm pretty sure your no longer allowed to gas weld a vehicle. Wouldnt like to swear my life on it mind you, but I believe it to be the case.

But whilst we are on the MOT topic.

You do need to fully weld these days, stitch welding is no longer acceptable.

[HarryMann]

I'm pretty sure your no longer allowed to gas weld a vehicle.

Mmm! Pretty sure I know a long serving mechanic who'd never expect a question from MOT on what type of welding he had used, gas or MIG. Didn't know they might be operating such a bald-faced catch-all as can/can't.

[andysimpson]

Its a big grey area, but who cares a good gas repair will be stronger than a bad mig repair. I never failed one because of gas welding, failed plenty becuase they were only spot welded.