mig welders

[danny_p]

for body work you don't need power you need control wire feed is everything,  small welders + co2   dosent work   they really need arc sheild.   

gassless ones are ok  for minor bits but the wire is expensive and the welders will get warm and cut out if ask them to do much more than light bodywork.i would say if you want to do welding get a decent 200+ amp thing on a trolly as the mid market mini migs seem to be a waste of time

arc welding is not for cars,  the good thing with it is it's inpossibel to do a sh!t weld that looks good but  anything sub 2mm it just becomes a pain.   

[Thom89]

If your going to do this, then do it right, you need a mig that is able to cope well with thin steel, yet handle penetration that is required for 1/4 plate, that will cover you for welding things like brackets, exhaust mountings, bolts, lawnmower parts, wrought iron.. you get the picture, I would consider nothing less that a 180amp mig running ideally on Argoshield gas, however, for Argoshield, you would need a BOC account, and for many reason, that is easier said than done!  though your mig would work perfectly on the cylinders of Co2 that pubs use to pump beer! do you know a friendly landlord!  although the correct guage is needed. I'm still on the same bottle that I liberated over 15 years ago!! disposable bottles are a pain, expensive, and guaranteed to run out at a critical point, Its sods law!
Get yourself on a good night school course, and lots of practise makes perfect
Tom

[Diamond Hell]

There is a HUGE difference between trying to MIG weld shielded by CO2 vs Argoshield (AS).

AS = nice, clean welds without weakening contamination

CO2 = sh1tty welds with lots of contamination - much weaker and harder to produce in the first place.

CO2 isn't as easy to get hold of these days, either - bottles are supplied on an exchange basis, so you have to find a way of getting either a full one, or an empty one out of the system.

I started out on arc welding and MIG is a world of easy in comparison, provided you pay proper money for a good set (and that doesn't necessarily mean the biggest set you can get).  Unfortunately bodywork is one of the tougher things to do welding-wise - remember you're trying to fill in a hole basically with liquid metal by nearly liquidising the metal on either side of the hole.  Thinner metal goes to liquid a lot easier and faster than thicker metal - you're likely to wind up with holes.

That said, it's not too tough and exceptionally satisfying when you get it right.  Just get set to get it wrong quite a bit before you get it right.

[danny_p]

the other thing to rember with migs is diffrent compnies think amps mean diffrent things,  i used to have a mini mig and would have it turned all the way to 150 A to weld small box section properly,   a decent mig  set to 100 A had much more grunt.    TBH  afetr doing enough with it i'll pick up an ark welder even for thin steel over a minimig  but will choose mig over ark if there is a decent one around,   

oh if in dought chooseing between two welders  allways buy the heavyest ( unless one of them is inverter based one )

[monzablue16v]

I have one of the SIP ones from Halfords, bought it from a friend for not much and replaced the nylon torch liner with a metal one and it's fine for bodywork and exhausts and such

[Thom89]

There is a HUGE difference between trying to MIG weld shielded by CO2 vs Argoshield (AS).

AS = nice, clean welds without weakening contamination

CO2 = sh1tty welds with lots of contamination - much weaker and harder to produce in the first place.

CO2 isn't as easy to get hold of these days, either - bottles are supplied on an exchange basis, so you have to find a way of getting either a full one, or an empty one out of the system.

I started out on arc welding and MIG is a world of easy in comparison, provided you pay proper money for a good set (and that doesn't necessarily mean the biggest set you can get).  Unfortunately bodywork is one of the tougher things to do welding-wise - remember you're trying to fill in a hole basically with liquid metal by nearly liquidising the metal on either side of the hole.  Thinner metal goes to liquid a lot easier and faster than thicker metal - you're likely to wind up with holes.

That said, it's not too tough and exceptionally satisfying when you get it right.  Just get set to get it wrong quite a bit before you get it right.

I agree with what your saying... but trying to set up a BOC account to obtain argoshield, without a business premises, or a VAT number, forget it!
Co2 through a decent 180amp mig is more than adequate for occasional home use, and is nowhere near as bad as you describe, and in some cases its better than Argoshield, and im sure that "pub" gas is as high quality as the gas that you get ripped off for in those small "aerosol" type bottles that the likes of Halfords or B&Q supply
Tom

[Diamond Hell]

I agree with what your saying... but trying to set up a BOC account to obtain argoshield, without a business premises, or a VAT number, forget it!

Funny, I just walked in to my local welding supplies place, told them my residential and personal bank details and walked away with a standing rental charge on my account and a medium-sized bottle of Argo-shield.

Maybe they have something against you? 

[Thom89]

Certainly some years ago, BOC made it very difficult for the home use user to obtain there products, so as of late, I have to admit I'm not clear on what they will, or will not do, I'll stand by what I say though, Co2 is perfectly adequate for occasional home use..
Tom

[DOA]

Have to agree with what Diamond Hell said there, use a welding suppliers instead of BOC direct, a friend had no such problems last time he needed a bottle for home use.

[monzablue16v]

Definitley, BOC are a pain I used to get helium and dry ice from them and it was a roll up and pay job, fetch the empty back and we'll give you your £20 deposit back. Now however I went to get some Argoshield and they looked at me like I just stepped off the boat. Went to the local welding supplier and he handed over a bottle and reg no worries and for the price of a little halfords bottle and refills are cheap as He said it was because he had a trade account with them so he could then pass it on but BOC themselves no longer supply the man off the street, he can get me dry ice and nitrous as well