Gassless mig and scratch start tig

[lopylui]

Whats peoples views on gassless mig and what would it take to set up a scratch start Tig setup using an ac buzz box...

[oldypigeonpopper]

what is a buzz box lopylui,

Edited November 29, 2017 by oldypigeonpopper

[Gordon R]

I used to have a large Decamig welder some years ago, but got fed up with refilling the bottle - even though it was about 3 feet tall. I probably had the CO2 turned up too much.

 

I purchased a gasless MIG about 2 years ago, from LTS in Blackburn. I got some wire rolls off Ebay - cheap - which was always the drawback. Gasless MIG wire rolls seem to have come down in price.

Been brilliant.

[lopylui]

5 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

what is a buzz box lopylui,

Ac smaw 

[oldypigeonpopper]

7 hours ago, Gordon R said:

I used to have a large Decamig welder some years ago, but got fed up with refilling the bottle - even though it was about 3 feet tall. I probably had the CO2 turned up too much.

 

I purchased a gasless MIG about 2 years ago, from LTS in Blackburn. I got some wire rolls off Ebay - cheap - which was always the drawback. Gasless MIG wire rolls seem to have come down in price.

Been brilliant.

that a good recommendation gordon

7 hours ago, lopylui said:

Ac smaw 

ok but what is the make of machine and amperage

 

[lopylui]

Impax from screwfix and it runs up to 140 amp

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 hour ago, lopylui said:

Impax from screwfix and it runs up to 140 amp

hello, i do not think that welder will carry a TIG set up, you need a DC type i maybe wrong but you could contact napbrands.co.uk, the ones that do MMA and TIG are AC/DC and they come out more expensive as the Impax at £500, or DC if a standard TIG,  a gas/gasless mig will weld thinner sheet with less heat up to 5/6mm steel also you can weld ally if you have argon gas. you could also check out a cheaper ARC/TIG unit from toolstation SIP 05704 140 amp, i think you will need to buy the TIG gear seperate which they do not sell, SIP are a leading brand and a good customer service, the Impax gas/gasless welder from screwfix looks a good buy, when these small portable MIG welders started to be sold back a few years i use to take classes at the local education centre supported by a local tool supplier, my own being a Cebora, a far cry from the old oll cooler welders i used when i started Engineering /welding

Edited November 30, 2017 by oldypigeonpopper

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, i do not think that welder will carry a TIG set up, you need a DC type i maybe wrong but you could contact napbrands.co.uk, the ones that do MMA and TIG are AC/DC and they come out more expensive as the Impax at £500, or DC if a standard TIG,  a gas/gasless mig will weld thinner sheet with less heat up to 5/6mm steel also you can weld ally if you have argon gas. you could also check out a cheaper ARC/TIG unit from toolstation SIP 05704 140 amp, i think you will need to buy the TIG gear seperate which they do not sell, SIP are a leading brand and a good customer service, the Impax gas/gasless welder from screwfix looks a good buy, when these small portable MIG welders started to be sold back a few years i use to take classes at the local education centre supported by a local tool supplier, my own being a Cebora, a far cry from the old oll cooler welders i used when i started Engineering /welding

hello, i just looked at a usa video on converting a welder like yours to do TIG, so i found a uk company selling a basic tig kit and sent mail to see if suitable,  if yours is a DC inverta which i think it is you should find that you can use it for TIG, you just connect to the negative plug and argon supply, something like the Parweld XTS 142 on ebay £40 ish

Edited November 30, 2017 by oldypigeonpopper
more info

[Wb123]

My limited experience of gassless mig has been that if offers nothing more than mma but at a significantly higher price.

 

You wont be able to convert a buzz box but you should be able to convert an inverter to scratch start tig. Cost wise once you look at consumables i suspect a used gassed mig running on pub co2 will be cheaper and easier than making and using a scratch start tig (on the assumption you are looking at gasless mig and buzz boxes due to a low budget and a single project). It will also sell on at about what you paid if need be once your project is complete.

 

What does your project entail and what is your previous experience?

[lopylui]

3 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, i just looked at a usa video on converting a welder like yours to do TIG, so i found a uk company selling a basic tig kit and sent mail to see if suitable,  if yours is a DC inverta which i think it is you should find that you can use it for TIG, you just connect to the negative plug and argon supply, something like the Parweld XTS 142 on ebay £40 ish

Thanks for taking the time to email someone on my behalf. Ill take a look at evilbay too.

 

I have only limited experience i have only really welded for something to do main bit of welding i do is when building bangers that a friend of mine races.

[Wb123]

25 minutes ago, lopylui said:

Thanks for taking the time to email someone on my behalf. Ill take a look at evilbay too.

 

I have only limited experience i have only really welded for something to do main bit of welding i do is when building bangers that a friend of mine races.

Fun stuff. Assuming this would be for more of the same a used mig set up with some pub gas should suffice. Gasless might be ok if you avoid thin body work or are handy with a copper heatsink.

If only welding up crash frames and anchoring to thick stuff the buzz box might be ok as it is. You could consider wether arc brazing with it would be appropriate for tasks you couldnt stick weld (remember brazing generally isnt very strong).

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 hour ago, lopylui said:

Thanks for taking the time to email someone on my behalf. Ill take a look at evilbay too.

 

I have only limited experience i have only really welded for something to do main bit of welding i do is when building bangers that a friend of mine races.

hello, that gas/gasless mig i mentioned might do you ok, if you go the route as Wb mentioned and some how get a pub bottle Co2 , ( what i used)  i would also advise to buy an inline Co2 heater, check out these as it makes a real difference to good welds, i can tell you a good deal on one if you PM me, hoping there are some left to buy. sold out on Amazon, i will see if same on Aliexpress later,

Edited November 30, 2017 by oldypigeonpopper

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, that gas/gasless mig i mentioned might do you ok, if you go the route as Wb mentioned and some how get a pub bottle Co2 , ( what i used)  i would also advise to buy an inline Co2 heater, check out these as it makes a real difference to good welds, i can tell you a good deal on one if you PM me, hoping there are some left to buy. sold out on Amazon, i will see if same on Aliexpress later,

hello, there is and a better one, $66 and first class air mail tracked, i have sent mail to see if UK compatable

[lopylui]

Awesome. I think its time for a new wishlist...

[oldypigeonpopper]

good luck with what ever you buy

[Big Mat]

I do a fair bit of mig work and I wouldn't touch a gasless with a barge pole. Defeats the point of having a mig in my opinion. 

[Paul223]

On 01/12/2017 at 19:02, Big Mat said:

I do a fair bit of mig work and I wouldn't touch a gasless with a barge pole. Defeats the point of having a mig in my opinion. 

This ^^^

 

theres plenty of decent diy gas migs about for not much money 

[SPARKIE]

I have a clark turbo 140 mig ive had for maybe 15years it runs of argon shield mig mix and lasts ages. its had loads of use over the years from welding target holders to cars and manufacturing the clay lorries at catton hall.

[Jay1234]

Iv used a Clark ng 120 (I believe) for years and has always done just fine but I wouldn’t use it for anything heavy as It won’t produce welds with great penetration, but for most stuff it’s perfect as as mentioned before in another post the wire has come down in price, but I brought a sip multi p185 hf from machine mart and pay £30 a month for it, and whilst that done need argon it’s the best welder iv owned, and that plasma cutter is a HUGE bonus too  

[bornfree]

I have a couple of gas migs a 250amp kempi single phase and a 400amp thermal arc 3 phase. I've never used a gasless mig. I suppose they are handy for use outside when it windy but I use stick in these conditions.