Club 80-90 Forums

There's plenty of 2nd hand welders on the freeadds on interweb ,loads of people buy them new and realise welding is not just welding but fabrication as well so welder ends up being sold,and a bargain can be had.

I'll keep looking for second hand, but most of the units I've come across are junk.

chewbacca wrote:I'll keep looking for second hand, but most of the units I've come across are junk.

Yes, and that's the problem. Cheap mig welders often use low quality chinese rectifiers / transformers which, if being pushed hard, will run very hot. These migs usually have a cooling fan so it's a very good idea to allow the fan to run for a few minutes after welding (shut the gas off it you aren't going to weld again)so that the hot parts cool right down which helps prolong the machines life.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.

Just another thought, what else will I need that I've forgotten about?
I know there's PPE and obvious stuff like angle grinder, but what about clamps or other specialist tools?

Hi guys, I use pub gas (pure co2) for my welder. You'll need to acquire a cylinder but once you've got that all you need to do is visit your friendly landlord to get the cylinder swapped for a full one and cross his palm with about £20. It's the best/cheapest way I've found to get welding gas. Be aware the regulator is different for pure co2 than an argon mix. I think I have a spare cylinder if anyone needs one?

Oh and I use an Xcalibur Eurostar welder. Really good bit of kit for about £600. Welds from 30 Amps to 200. It's been one of my best investments as its payed for itself many times over.

Cheers
Ben

You'll need a regulator and gas connection hose, and you'll probably also want a 'pea shooter' gas flow meter. Other than that and the PPE, it's mainly down to your metal cutting, forming and finishing tools, and things like clamps, a vice and a welding bench. Your first project will probably be to build a trolley to put your gas and mig-set on.

In terms of gas, pub CO2 gas is okay but a proper welding mix like Argoshield or Hobbyweld 5 will give a better weld. If you're going to be doing a big project or a lot of welding then you'll probably want to hire and in that case there's a special deal that BOC do, that was originally set up by somebody on Volkszone, that gives really good rates - search on the mig-welding forum for the latest details. If you're only doing smaller jobs, or don't want to hire, then Hobbyweld might be the way to go - you initially pay a cylinder deposit and a gas refill charge, and then only a gas refill charge when you exchange empty for full. It's a bit more pricey than the BOC deal, but the cylinders are smaller than the full size BOC ones so easier to store or move around and they're still proper gas cylinders, and you don't have to worry about ongoing rental charges if you're only going to be doing the odd job.

FWIW I am still using an ancient BlueWeld M22B which must be 40 years old if its a day. Guess its about 160amp as I can join 5mm with a decent filllet and 0.8mm wire. Basic but effective and really minimal circuitry on a veroboard!
Its portable in as much as it has wheels, can be pushed up a ramp into a van and carries a proper mid-sized gas bottle.

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If you're not in a hurry, keep looking on eBay and you'll pick up a Murex or Migatronic fir the right price and it'll probably outlive you.

I've hear Agars at shuttlewood do gas at a good price , just make sure you tell them it's for welding

Anyone had experience of a Draper MWD150 AT? My local autoparts shop has a good deal,£250, It's Gas/gasless, requires a 16A plug, and is 140Amp. Yes, I know draper is just a badge on another manufacturers item, but I'm always happy to support a local shop (also discovered today he owns a 72 van!) and build up a useful relationship with him. Any experience anyone?

I’ve been in the same boat with my T25 - once you start cutting and fabricating, a decent MIG becomes essential pretty quickly.
If you’re happy to spend a bit but want something that’ll last, look at a solid 200A inverter MIG with gas. The better mid-range units hold their settings properly and don’t overheat after twenty minutes of continuous work. Avoid the absolute cheapest no-name boxes; they’ll frustrate you long before the six-month mark.
One thing that always helps when you’re deep into a long project is knowing exactly where to find outcall reliable if you ever need a proper break and some skilled company to take the edge off after a day of grinding and welding. Keeps the motivation high.Gas, wire and consumables being local is a massive plus - means you can just focus on getting the machine right.