welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 I’m not able to do all thing I’d normally do right now so that’s got me think what else do I need for the shed. I’m coming to the conclusion that a small stick welder could be quite useful. Can anyone recommend a small budget arc welder for doing the odd small job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Hello, get one with a known brand like Sealy , 120 amp minimum, then can weld steel to 5 mm, if you get a 90 amp you might find to low for some jobs, they are very useful for many projects, some start on very low amp ideal steel sheet, mine is a 160 amp and like a small suite case and so light, , and change the earth clamp if have a tinny type, some chrome leather gloves and apron, most of all get a decent mask as those that come with these small cheap welders are naff, keep rods in a warm place, those with a low starting amp are more expensive but worth buying, some eye wash just in case you get a eye flash, let us know how you get on 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 I was think this type of thing but it sounds like a higher amp level may help https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/010110942/ ive a good mask (not getting arc eye again) and gloves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 I've got a sip 150 amp in the shed not doing anything if you want to pick it up you can have it for free, it's about 30 years old and hasn't been used for years but should work ok PM me if you're interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 I've a parweld XTS stick inverter, this gives me the option of doing lift arc tig welding with it also, was less than 200quid when I bought it with 3 years warranty. It is capable of running cellulose rods as well for real deep penetration welding. On the other hand if you want something incredibly heavy duty you can pass on to the great great grandkids then buy an oil filled Oxford stick welder, lifting them things is the quickest way to a hernia I know of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 If you must get an old transformer-type machine, go to Lidl, they've got a 100a machine for £40. But obviously, don't spend ages deliberating, their middle row stuff doesn't hang around. Machinemart is overpriced chinese rubbish in my experience. Pick the Lidl jobbie up on your way to Corsham to collect vmaxphil's SIP. If it works, take the Lidl one back. Really, if you're going to get a welder, you should join the 21st century and get an inverter machine. They can do TIG, but more useful to me is that if you get a MIG inverter, they can do stick too. So, for the majority of your welding in the workshop you do MIG (lets you do thin sheet, and spot welding), but if you have to take it somewhere, you can leave the gas bottle behind and do stick 'in the field'. Obviously that's closer to a £500 investment but is a buy once, cry once type deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Hello, having used oil cooled and those heavy types I would look at the electronic type like a Sealy sip , you can adjust the amps better when welding steel sheet to 5 mm angle iron, it will do a multitude of welding work, as mentioned a machine that start on the lower amp range cost more but worth the extra cost, £100/150 should get a decent welder, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 For general messing around in the shed get a mig. As said can do thin sheet like car body easily and also thicker steel. Get the 150 amp Sealy for free for any stick welding you want to do, just make sure it's the only thing drawing power from your socket, they tend to warm the plug a bit. The multi use machines are gaining popularity being MIG TIG and stick inverters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Thank you as many of you can probably tell I know very little about welding (I can silver solder) I was taught as a kid to use what I term a stick and a wire welder but that was 25 years ago I not sure I want to mess with gas bottles as I can’t remember how to set them up. A stick welder just seems simple and easy if not pretty (but my welding isn’t pretty). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Spend a bit extra on your mask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 8 hours ago, vmaxphil said: I've got a sip 150 amp in the shed not doing anything if you want to pick it up you can have it for free, it's about 30 years old and hasn't been used for years but should work ok PM me if you're interested Thank you but I’m off the road right now hence time to be bored and muse things that are missing in the shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 20 minutes ago, Walker570 said: Spend a bit extra on your mask. Thank my wife’s late uncle gave me a mask that he gives his professional welders so it should be more than good enough, he enjoyed laughing at my arc eye from a cheap handle held thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Yes, the new up to date masks are brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Yes like daylight then auto flicks over but you can still clearly see what your doing removes some of the guess work. However it also removes a good excuse for bad welds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted February 23, 2021 Report Share Posted February 23, 2021 Being an agricultural engineer I do quite a bit of welding. And I purchased one of those zx7 Chinese stick welders off eBay just to see what a £40 welder would do. I was amazed. it certainly wasn't putting out the 200amps it claimed but it never cut out even welding with 4mm rods. I think they are about £50 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 24, 2021 Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 10 hours ago, bornfree said: Being an agricultural engineer I do quite a bit of welding. And I purchased one of those zx7 Chinese stick welders off eBay just to see what a £40 welder would do. I was amazed. it certainly wasn't putting out the 200amps it claimed but it never cut out even welding with 4mm rods. I think they are about £50 now. Hello, they look very good for £50 , did I read the lowest setting was 10 amp ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 From what I understand tig with a stick welder is hard to get right. I’m really just looking for a way to stick 2 pieces of metal together (mild steel) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 From what I’m hearing SIP are a good brand so would this be ok for stick a few pieces of steel together nothing fancy. https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=welder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted February 24, 2021 Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 7 minutes ago, welshwarrior said: From what I’m hearing SIP are a good brand so would this be ok for stick a few pieces of steel together nothing fancy. https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=welder Yes nothing wrong with sip. If funds allow get one of the inverter models. They are DC and you will find them easier to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted February 24, 2021 Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 2 hours ago, welshwarrior said: I’m really just looking for a way to stick 2 pieces of metal together (mild steel) The question is how thick are they? Doing thick stuff is no problem. In the unlikely event your welder runs out of headroom, you can do multiple passes. It's the thin stuff that's the challenge. But if you're happy to experiment, get a cheap transformer stick welder. As previously said, not Machine Mart, you'll over pay for chinesium. Better off getting a Lidl jobbie or Ebay special. SIP is a good brand, but if you're spending that kind of money, get an inverter machine. If you ever think you'll do stuff on cars, MIG all the way. TIG is the connoisseur's welding process, has a hell of a learning curve to it, and can be hard going persuading a stick machine to reliably scratch start. If you want to get into TIG, you'd be better off doing a course at a tech college, assuming they ever reopen. Oh, and arc eye is a bit like accidental/negligent discharge in shooting. Invariably operator error, the equipment is almost never at fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 So most pieces will be 1.5-2 mm thickness each plate nothing fancy. Oh yes the arc eye was operator error (not bothering with a mask for a couple of quick welds). Won’t be doing that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, welshwarrior said: So most pieces will be 1.5-2 mm thickness each plate nothing fancy. Oh yes the arc eye was operator error (not bothering with a mask for a couple of quick welds). Won’t be doing that again. 1.5-2mm with a stick welder will be quite challenging, if I had to use a stick welder on that thickness I would be using 2mm rods and the lowest amps wit my short stitch welds, really that thickness is Mig territory, if you want something similar to stick but without gas bottles then check out the "gassless mig" machines that Lidl or Aldi do every now and then, put in the flux cored wire and have at it, the welds might not be as pretty as normal Mig but sure a grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't! Edited February 25, 2021 by Rob85 Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 34 minutes ago, Rob85 said: 1.5-2mm with a stick welder will be quite challenging, if I had to use a stick welder on that thickness I would be using 2mm rods and the lowest amps wit my short stitch welds, really that thickness is Mig territory, if you want something similar to stick but without gas bottles then check out the "gassless mig" machines that Lidl or Aldi do every now and then, put in the flux cored wire and have at it, the welds might not be as pretty as normal Mig but sure a grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't! quite right............... the only alternative would be to get a DC+ - set...and weld that thickness plate with a negertive electrode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 12 minutes ago, Rob85 said: , the welds might not be as pretty as normal mug but sure a grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't! The welds certainly won't look skookum, but the problem with gasless MIG is, you'll constantly be fighting a lack of penetration too. As said, 1.5 -2.0 is in MIG territory. This one gets good reviews, but it's £500 landed...it'll do stick too, and ally with a spool gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted February 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 Thanks guys I’m not looking to spend too much certainly not £500 as it’ll get used 2-3 a year at most. I did try mig as a kid but really can’t remember how hard or easy it was, I’ve defaulted to stick as that’s what was always around the farm and have just borrowed the FILs in the last 10 years but lockdown has made that unavailable. Some of the gasless mig units seem quite reasonably price (still double a stick welder). 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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