Mini stick welder

[Dave-G]

Has anyone tried any variants of these for minor occasional chassis welding? I've seen lots of youtube reviews where people try it out on thicker stuff - more to challenge the 120 amps claim I think. I've not seen any attempts at thinner chassis type metal. I'm thinking I might get a Black Friday deal on one if I see any good comments.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335011871457

[ditchman]

ive always found that going down to a 1.6mm rod for stick welding is very difficult to get a clean weld

think you would get a much better result using a 2nd hand MIG welder with a small refillable bottle of gas....

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, welding very thin steel sheet with an Arc welder and using the thinnest of rods takes a lot of practice that is why most go for a small mig welder but these need to go down to 30/40 amps, gassless migs are no go to, i have never seen one of those welders before so i cannot comment, how thin sheet metal are you looking at Dave, ?? i have welded many motor chassis with arc and mig welders, even using a step type oil filled welder, the modern welders are far better to get the amps spot on, you could look for a second hand mig, or get a arc welder that puts out very low amps, my small arc welder goes down to 40 amp but only good for chassis work, 25/30 amps is what you need, that ebay link welder is still only step less amps 

Edited November 12, 2023 by oldypigeonpopper

[Gordon R]

A mate used to weld motocross exhausts with a stick welder and they are thinner than car bodywork / chassis. As he said to me  "if you are good enough". To be honest, I was never good enough and use a MIG for thin stuff. I find it harder to be neat with a MIG.

[scarecrow243]

i think that would be very awkward to use in tight spaces etc an low amp arc welder would be better and practise on a few bits of metal before welding on the car etc

[wyn]

That looks absolute garbage and would be £100 straight down the drain.

The thing weighs 2.5Kg   how does anyone hang onto that with the length of the rod added it would be a nightmare to try to use.

Imagine trying to wrestle that about under a car.

[Dave-G]

Thanks for the input chaps. I have an old arc welder that's supposed to go down to 30 amps but the adjuster carriage won't let it get that far so it blows holes in chassis.

Brother has a mig with bottle I can borrow but its a bit too heavy for my old bones now.

[oldypigeonpopper]

7 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Thanks for the input chaps. I have an old arc welder that's supposed to go down to 30 amps but the adjuster carriage won't let it get that far so it blows holes in chassis.

Brother has a mig with bottle I can borrow but its a bit too heavy for my old bones now.

hello, time for a new one dave 🤔👍, 25/30 amp to 90/100 amp would do well for chassis work and some sheet metal body work, i have not seen an arc welder with lower amps but the tend to be more expensive, the new electronic type are brilliant as you can adjust amps very precise. This one looks very good with full UK back up and it has a good earth clamp, ROHR MMA 160 F1 20 amp to 160 amp, from MARAZ.CO.UK  £100 free delivery

Edited November 12, 2023 by oldypigeonpopper

[Dave-G]

Thanks, that's sold out but here's a cheaper one.  :-)

MMA 140A Inverter DC Welder ARC Stick Portable Welding Machine KIT + ELECTRODES

 

 

 

£64.99

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Thanks, that's sold out but here's a cheaper one.  🙂

MMA 140A Inverter DC Welder ARC Stick Portable Welding Machine KIT + ELECTRODES

 

 

 

£64.99

ok, what is the lowest amps ? and what is the earth clamp like, 

[Dave-G]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

ok, what is the lowest amps ? and what is the earth clamp like, 

• Ideal for welding outdoors in windy conditions; Hot start and anti-stick enabled; Auto protection from over-heat and over-current
• Turbo fan cooling system; Efficient IGBT inverter technology; Fitted with UK 13A mains plug
• Output range: 20-140A; Duty cycle: 100% @110A, 60% @140A; Typical weld thickness: Up to 4mm
• 1 YEAR WARRANTY; FREE 20x ELECTRODES

Clamp looks steel and decent. I really like that the cabling is plug in/detachable, so not trailing and wrapped around the handle etc too.

I'm guessing there are loads being reduced because MIG is the new black.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Dave-G

[oldypigeonpopper]

7 hours ago, Dave-G said:

• Ideal for welding outdoors in windy conditions; Hot start and anti-stick enabled; Auto protection from over-heat and over-current
• Turbo fan cooling system; Efficient IGBT inverter technology; Fitted with UK 13A mains plug
• Output range: 20-140A; Duty cycle: 100% @110A, 60% @140A; Typical weld thickness: Up to 4mm
• 1 YEAR WARRANTY; FREE 20x ELECTRODES

Clamp looks steel and decent. I really like that the cabling is plug in/detachable, so not trailing and wrapped around the handle etc too.

I'm guessing there are loads being reduced because MIG is the new black.

hello, that looks ideal Dave, 👍

1 minute ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, that looks ideal Dave, 👍

Let us know how goes if you buy it as there might be other PW members interested

Edited November 13, 2023 by oldypigeonpopper

[Dave-G]

My brother is a PRIME member - hes waiting to see if it gets even cheaper before buying it with Black Friday reductions.

[ditchman]

On 12/11/2023 at 17:11, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, time for a new one dave 🤔👍, 25/30 amp to 90/100 amp would do well for chassis work and some sheet metal body work, i have not seen an arc welder with lower amps but the tend to be more expensive, the new electronic type are brilliant as you can adjust amps very precise. This one looks very good with full UK back up and it has a good earth clamp, ROHR MMA 160 F1 20 amp to 160 amp, from MARAZ.CO.UK  £100 free delivery

if you are determined to weld thin stuff with a MMA machine it NEEDS TO BE A DC SET.......and you will need to weld on negertive electrode NOT POSERTIVE......

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 hour ago, ditchman said:

if you are determined to weld thin stuff with a MMA machine it NEEDS TO BE A DC SET.......and you will need to weld on negertive electrode NOT POSERTIVE......

i remember doing something like that years ago but not sure you can on these new digital arc welders

[Dave-G]

6 hours ago, ditchman said:

if you are determined to weld thin stuff with a MMA machine it NEEDS TO BE A DC SET.......and you will need to weld on negertive electrode NOT POSERTIVE......

So... don't get that mains one then?

EDIT: I've just took another look at the last one I linked to - it looks real easy to swap polarity with the plug in cabling. 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Dave-G

[ditchman]

47 minutes ago, Dave-G said:

So... don't get that mains one then?

EDIT: I've just took another look at the last one I linked to - it looks real easy to swap polarity with the plug in cabling. 

needs to be a DC set with plus and neg.cables not a AC set...................

when you weld with neg electrode there is 66% less heat going into the electrode ....thats why when you are doing a root run you weld electrode neg and you can watch the end of the electrode crater and flow and build up to make your weld

also witha DC set / caperbility you can use speialist electrodes.........

 

Get a cheap 2nd hand MIG and buy a decent bottle of CO2 /2% Argon mix (argon is there as a wetting agent).....and a cheap flow meter...keep it clean and use good fresh tips and dont forget to swap round the ridged feed roller whe you change diameter of wire....and it will do everything you ask of it...

[Dave-G]

Thanks ditch, A mig is out of my price and carrying range to be honest. 

But do you have a link to a very occasional small job DC candidate that can be electrode neg?

 

This looks like it can go neg or *** electrode. 

https://www.diy.com/departments/autojack-140amp-inverter-welder-dc-mma-lift-tig-portable/5060504001700_BQ.prd

Edited November 14, 2023 by Dave-G

[ditchman]

8 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Thanks ditch, A mig is out of my price and carrying range to be honest. 

But do you have a link to a very occasional small job DC candidate that can be electrode neg?

 

This looks like it can go neg or *** electrode. 

https://www.diy.com/departments/autojack-140amp-inverter-welder-dc-mma-lift-tig-portable/5060504001700_BQ.prd

that looks fine ...its DC and TIG ...so you could weld ali on DC negertive (using TIG)....does it come with the TIG pack of torch/gas hose ...eletrodes (zerconiated and thoriated ) ?

Edited November 14, 2023 by ditchman

[Dave-G]

2 hours ago, ditchman said:

   ....does it come with the TIG pack of torch/gas hose ...eletrodes (zerconiated and thoriated ) ?

I don't see any reference to those parts.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll get it ordered today being its a Black Friday £40 off. 

[ditchman]

1 hour ago, Dave-G said:

I don't see any reference to those parts.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll get it ordered today being its a Black Friday £40 off. 

when you get your rods....try and order them from a welding shop and as for the best 1.6mm rods you can get ...the smoothest burning etc ...dont know if Satinex make 1.6mm rods............they burn very smooth.....they are for mild steel...............steer welll clear of Low-Hydrogen rods...

when you use thin rods you will get the shakes ...so when you start to burn....hold the rod and the holder at the same time until you are half way burnt

if you are joing sheet together ..you could try "Buttoning"

[oldypigeonpopper]

Let us know how goes with the new welder dave 👍

[Dave-G]

5 hours ago, ditchman said:

when you get your rods....try and order them from a welding shop and as for the best 1.6mm rods you can get ...the smoothest burning etc ...dont know if Satinex make 1.6mm rods............they burn very smooth.....they are for mild steel...............steer welll clear of Low-Hydrogen rods...

when you use thin rods you will get the shakes ...so when you start to burn....hold the rod and the holder at the same time until you are half way burnt

if you are joing sheet together ..you could try "Buttoning"

Thanks very kindly for your advice, I have some of my brothers 1.6 rods here with his old buzz welder that won't go low enough amps. They're packed loose but I'll try to find out more about them. While the wife has the oven for tea on I'm drying them out on the bottom shelf, she dint even moan about it lol.

DE-RAIL:

I can practice using it with thicker and thin steel on a second Pinin project car I'm working on - bought to swap out the immaculate blue and silver leather seats - a match to both cars blue over silver bodywork. I'll be swapping out a few other bits of it too. Its tow bar backs up my thoughts that it's rear had been under salt water with all the rot at the rear that's already had a lot of welding - it comes from the south coast so likely used to launch a boat. 

More about that here if anyone wants to read it, its about the fourth post down.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/MSP4x4UK

I found the flaky radiator carrier was half gone when I removed it to replace the timing belt:  previous owner was scrapping it because his alleged "timing chain" clatter. I happened to know they have belts and suspected a tensioner issue. I was correct, someone had put the tensioner pulley on backwards so it barely touched a loose belt. I'm waiting for parts on that. The repurposed black bar I'm replacing it with is 5mm thick.

A possibly daft question, if using DC, does the ECU need unplugging?

Edited November 14, 2023 by Dave-G

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, do not know on the ECU but i took both leads off battery,

[Dave-G]

I'll go with the cautious approach too.