bang bang birdy Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I want to buy an arc welder for home use, can anyone recommend me one??? Been looking at a sealey 140xt. Anybody got any thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marki Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Personally I feel that there is very little difference between various arc welders for home use other than cycle times and how well they cool. The sealey looks fine, what are you planning to use it for? The one I use cost about £25 10 years ago and I use that to weld 3mm angle iron without any problems, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 There was a nice oil cooled Oxford on eBay last week. Better than the air cooled welders but not portable without a trolley. It all depends on how much welding you do, are you just tacking a few bits together or are you doing long runs on thick steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliver90owner Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Not really enough info. Type of use, largest rods required, portability, etc. Even price range. A good inverter welder may be an ideal candidate, but pricey. As you appear not to be particularly experienced, you may well accept an inferior welder as 'good value'. I've used several and it is far easier to weld with a stable arc from a capable machine than compromise on things such as penetration while using one with a too small capacity. I'm not an expert by any means, but my heavy single/dual phase oil-cooled welder (of rather more power than the typical 'hobby' welder) strikes easily and gives a good steady arc making it sooo much easier for me to make a good weld. It is like my compressor - it soaks up my single phase supply at start up, so would be better on a three phase supply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bang bang birdy Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm going to be welding mostly angle iron and some mild sheet steel 2-3mm thick. I'm not going to be doing loads and loads of welding so don't want to spend a foutune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) I bought one at Aldi for £29 last year and it has been fine, it came with rods plus fairly low quality wire brush, hammer and mask . I don't do much welding other than repairs and bits and pieces so for my needs its been great. Edit due to wordswords being repeated by my stupid tablettablet. Edited January 20, 2015 by FalconFN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I bought one at Aldi for £29 last year and it has been finefine, it came with rods plus fairly low quality wire brush, hammer and mask . I don't do much weldingwelding other than repairs and bits and pieces so for my needs its been great. I bought Aldi one five years ago after my old s.i.p. welder gave up after 30 years use , aldi one is good value and no problems so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 while on the subject -- ive been given a ferm concept 210 arc welder , I don't have a clue how to use it , safety ins and outs etc , what its capable of or not . stuff like whats the thinnest and thickest and types of metal it will weld. I,m hoping it will be ok for various welds on my old motors , plus I want to weld some metal disks together to make up some weights for an home gym etc etc how easy are they to learn DIY teach yourself etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Watch the draw on some of the cheap welders. Fitted with three pin plugs but some use 17 amps or more melting plugs and blowing fuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeceknight Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 For garage welding anyone will do. Friend has a snap on mig, has a few issues with welding on high amps running off the house though. For hobby welding...... A welder is a welder. Also listen to figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 fronius dc inverter, spendy but rather bloody good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren 67 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I used a fusion inverter welder for 3/4 years regularly. Burning 3.2mm rods welding 3-10mm steel with no problems. Cant remember for sure but think it was 150 amp 110 volt supply but needed a 32amp rather than 16amp to get it welding with a consistent steady arc. I run it of a generator or a transformer box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 fronius dc inverter, spendy but rather bloody good. spot on ..i have one too...............................but if your are not "in tune" wth MMA................i think the best thing is a cheap MIG unit....... PS Paddy......took my Fronius in for a service at Mig Anglia......£80.00 bloody quid !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 spot on ..i have one too...............................but if your are not "in tune" wth MMA................i think the best thing is a cheap MIG unit....... PS Paddy......took my Fronius in for a service at Mig Anglia......£80.00 bloody quid !! that's where we got ours, i'm glad it's still in my dad's possession, he can service it does yours run ok on a 13 amp plug? ours does but we have to be careful to uncoil the leads as they don't half get hot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 spot on ..i have one too...............................but if your are not "in tune" wth MMA................i think the best thing is a cheap MIG unit....... PS Paddy......took my Fronius in for a service at Mig Anglia......£80.00 bloody quid !! Thats cheap ditchman, last time i went to Mig Anglia, I came out 800 quid lighter. But i did come out with a nice Migotronic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Anyone selling a nice little mig by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 that's where we got ours, i'm glad it's still in my dad's possession, he can service it does yours run ok on a 13 amp plug? ours does but we have to be careful to uncoil the leads as they don't half get hot i can burn 4mm rods on the Fronius on 13amp.....smooth as butter as well.....................i used to run it off a generator with 35metres......i rekon it used to work and burn smoother like that ..than sitting in the shed off the mains .... Thats cheap ditchman, last time i went to Mig Anglia, I came out 800 quid lighter. But i did come out with a nice Migotronic i had my eye on a CMT machine ....welding aluminuim to steel.......it was only £7500.00 !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bang bang birdy Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 What about this one, Sealey Professional 230V 100A No-Gas Mig Welder. Seems to have good reviews in Amazon. Is it any good for welding angle iron and 3-4 mm sheet steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr1200 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Stay away from the gasless sets they are **** u can buy mini argoshield bottles from boc now and the rent is only £20 a year i can burn 4mm rods on the Fronius on 13amp.....smooth as butter as well.....................i used to run it off a generator with 35metres......i rekon it used to work and burn smoother like that ..than sitting in the shed off the mains .... i had my eye on a CMT machine ....welding aluminuim to steel.......it was only £7500.00 !!! If u could weld aluminium to steel u would be a millionaire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Stay away from the gasless sets they are **** u can buy mini argoshield bottles from boc now and the rent is only £20 a year If u could weld aluminium to steel u would be a millionaire CMT machines were developed for the new generation of Boron steel ...aluminuim carbodies.......CMT......cold metal transfere....as i said the starting price for them is £7500 quid.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr1200 Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Been welding aluminium and stainless for last 15 years and never heard of it I know you can bond it if the steel is coated with the correct coating but it wouldn't be wise as aluminium acts as a sacrificial anode when put in contact with mild steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Been welding aluminium and stainless for last 15 years and never heard of it I know you can bond it if the steel is coated with the correct coating but it wouldn't be wise as aluminium acts as a sacrificial anode when put in contact with mild steel when i was picking up some "dissimalar" rods from mig anglia a while ago he showed the set off to me....it is not so much the equipment, it is the computor managment programme that controls the mig unit.....it was ...believe it or not developed and invented by a woman.......the amazing thing is you can touch the metal within 10secs of it being done and it is just warm.....it leaves a finish like hand tig....and was developed for the car industry it is true smoke and mirrors and i refused to believe it when i first saw it ......they do use a special wire tho ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marki Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 when i was picking up some "dissimalar" rods from mig anglia a while ago he showed the set off to me....it is not so much the equipment, it is the computor managment programme that controls the mig unit.....it was ...believe it or not developed and invented by a woman.......the amazing thing is you can touch the metal within 10secs of it being done and it is just warm.....it leaves a finish like hand tig....and was developed for the car industry it is true smoke and mirrors and i refused to believe it when i first saw it ......they do use a special wire tho ..... It has been around for a few years in the car industry but I think Honda were the first to use in on major structures. Where a continuous run isn't necessary we just use self piercing rivets. I think the wire just has to have a high silica content but it's been a couple of years since I looked into it so it may have changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Best Ali welding I've seen is the friction welding used on aircraft wing spars, no filler wire needed a friction spindle melts it and welds it together perfectly, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeceknight Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 I weld for aerospace, have been doing it since I left school, coded in mig and arc first, finished all my college deploma and then went into aerospace, I do about 16 codes ever 6 months, welding for the MOD at the minute on the typhoon and hawk. Also do repairs on Westland sea kings and Lynx, all the welding is x rayed, PFD tested and pressure tested. I love it glad I took that career choice (all because I like fabricating programs on discovery) I would say any welder if it's just for hobby welding. there's so many on eBay and iv used a lot of cheap ones on friends farms etc over the years and there all good value for money I wouldn't spend an arm and a leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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