MIG Welders
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You are currently reading a thread in /o/ - Auto
You are currently reading a thread in /o/ - Auto
Hey /o/ I'm looking into buying a gasless MIG welder to start doing some basic welding with instruction from some family. Would it be worth buying and expensive one straight away or would I be okay/better off to buy a cheaper one, like a 65-100amp $199 (ausfag) welder?
Or should I just add on the extra hundred and step up to welders of the lower average price? I honestly don't want to go into the $399-$550 range if I don't have to because I don't think I will be using it enough to warrant the money.
>>14850949
Pic related is a cheapshit welder I can get, it goes on sale for $200 tomorrow.
What does /o/ think?
Gasless welders suck shit, what thickness are you welding 100amp isnt much. Welding gets fun at 200 amps
>>14850954
I guess I'd be practising by patching little bits of rust on the family shitboxes.
I have read that gasless welders welds aren't as good. But how aren't as good are we talking here?
>>14850951
looks like shit, get a name brand one and proper welding PPE or you're gonna have a bad time
>>14850965
they produce very dirty welds due to the flux. If your just doing body work then you wont need many amps just I would only use gasless when welding outsid. If your in a shed go for gas.
>>14850972
I'll be in a shed and I don't want super shitty welds outside of my control, so I guess gas is my best option.
>>14850967
I'm not exactly sure what name brand is so I'm just going to assume the most popular third-party brands the big hardware stores carry as decent enough. Will get proper protection too, I was probably going to buy more stuff on top of that shit welder any way, because I value my eyes.
Found this one, but it's $379.
>>14851032
Hey mate,
Honestly dont even bother buying a cheap piece of shit mig The bare minimum i'd accept is a dirty old unimig or bossweld. You should be able to get a 186 bossweld mig for around 500. If you want something light and portable but still shithouse buy a cigweld you want something decent buy a lincoln 180i or 180c.
If you budget doesn't allow that honestly buy a decent second hand machine, you might if your lucky pick something up cheap that would shit all over that ozito. If you buy something say a Lincoln sp-170t they were made in Australia and parts are still available and are pretty good. or buy a older cigweld that was made in australia or a older WIA also made in australia, they are all good. Get on gumtree and see whats around mate.
Most migs can be set up for gasless, only have to change electrode polarity and drive roller.
The old cigweld migs like the auto pack and the transmig 195 have fixed termination and do not allow user polarity change but you can still do it by swapping leads on the rectifier or modifying the machine to allow quick changeover.
>>14850949
>fluxcore welding
Don't. Just buy the damn gas. Also second hand decent welder >>>>>>>>>> some pos chink junk.
>>14851142
Thanks for all the advice, I'm making sure to screencap everything ITT. Will look into all the brands you mentioned.
>>14851147
I'm going to look at some second hand units now, here's hoping I can find something worth a shit.
Why a MIG. Pr/o/fessional welder here, and I only own a TIG/stick welder. Unless you know what you are doing MIG will be way weaker than a decent TIG or stick. TIG is also heaps easier for beginners.
>>14851173
I've spoken to a few people I know, 2 family members. Four said a MIG is preferable, one said he does his best with a MIG so he could show me some shit with that.
Do they all fulfil the same purpose as easily as one another? Easier for beginners is always a plus.
>>14851194
They fulfill the same purpose. People gravitate towards MIG because they are shit welders. They turn the Amps down, and the wire speed up resulting in a lump of smooth metal sitting on top of the desired joint. They then grind it flush for looks resulting in a weak as shit joint.
With TIG however you control the pool and can much better witness penetration and build the pool. Stick is simple, yet can be very strong. Can't bullshit with a stick and make it look neat if it is shit. You can with a MIG.
>>14851147
I'll admit that gasless isn't always practical for all welding however it is still VERY versatile if you buy QUALITY gasless wire.
Gasless has its limitations on panel work but is manageable, for bracket making, exhausts etc no worries mate works fine.
>>14851169
Let us know what you find or post gumtree ad and i'll have a squiz, like i say many older single phase migs were made in Australia and most parts are avaliable for lincolns, support is dropping off for WIA's and cigwelds though but generally the basics are still available.
Old mate who suggested not using MIG, MIG is easy to learn and versatile and is generally described as point and shoot welding (very easy).
MIG process is used for automation, or semi-automated manufacturing from high strength low alloy material to bridge beams. Specifically gasless FCAW welding process is used in on site steelwork construction, ship building, pipe welding etc etc
Obviously Wire welding processes are more complicated and have higher capital cost than say stick welding but the complication and extra expense is generally well and truly worth it.
>>14851223
If he insists on going gasless he may as well spend his limited budget on a decent stick welder and some 2.5/3.2mm rods. His money will go a lot further than some shitty MIG with expensive fluxcore.
>>14851223
As I said, I am a professional welder. Site work is all TIG or stick. MIG is reserved for workshops where good fitment, ease of access, and good environmental conditions are easily obtained.
>>14851233
I agree with you that a little inverter and some rb-26's will go a long way and do many jobs BUT he did mention he wants do rust repairs on cars, If you can truthfully tell me that you can weld a patch in with 2.6mm rods i'd be very impressed.
Yes i know you can get 1.6mm 6012's but if i was given the choice to pick up a mig with 0.8mm gasless or 1.6mm electrodes to weld a patch into a car panel i'd be going for the mig dont you agree??
yes we can open the can of worms that is known as TIG but then he needs gas and would you not agree a beginner like him will have distortion central working on panel compared to MIG. Don't get me wrong i don't dislike MMAW or GTAW welding i just believe for primarily automotive panel work you will find the MIG process is 9/10 times the preferred option.
>>14851208
Well getting good is what I desire to do, rather than just polishing turds. But I heard TIG is really expensive both to purchase and run, not to mention hard. Stick seems decent though, I think I'll look up a few videos and check with my family to see If I should consider stick as well, as if they don't into stick at all I'm kind of fucked.
>>14851223
I can't really find shit on Gummy at the moment, the closest I could find are Cigwelds that cost like $1-$2k. Everything else looks like cheap gasless stuff, or something straight from the 50s.
>>14851233
I don't insist on Gasless at all, I was just being a poorfag and that was what appeared as cheap, but after this whole thread I realise it's going to be much more of an investment to get any semblance of quality, so I'd probably be willing to go $4-5 hund at absolute max.
>>14851254
MIG will do what you need. A TIG is cheaper than MIG due to the fact you just need a decent stick welder, a TIG hand piece, and a gas regulator. The only other expense then is Argon.
>>14851173
Apprentice B/o/ilermaker here. How is MIG any weaker than any other method? Are you just talking about incorrect settings because I was taught that all methods have very similar strength properties
>spray arc is best arc
>>14851242
>Site work is all TIG or stick. MIG is reserved for workshops
I disagree with that. So your telling me line boring done on site is with a stick welder? So your telling me a ship built outside at a shipyard with LN-22 squirt feeders is no good? Mobile welding blokes with an engine drive and a LN-25pro running DW100 are dickheads because they are using gas shielded wire outside of a workshop?
Hell i even know of people using SAW welding process on site for buildup but next time i'll tell them to use some 3.2mm GP's...
>>14851274
MIG is weaker for beginners. Simply because they load on the metal and get no penetration.
>>14851279
I am not saying MIG is not used on site. I however work on pipelines, and MIG is never used in position. The guys doing structural steel never use it either.
>>14851251
No you are correct. As OP as said he is willing to get some bottles the mig is definitely the way to go.
>>14851274
STT arc is the best arc
but yeah your right, in fact a MIG weld is stronger than a comparable weld with a GP rod anyway, to obtain same strength as normal mig wire with sticks low hydrogen rods are required
