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Got next to no experience with it. I have a couple of minor jobs I need doing ie bit of bodywork on the tranny and some welding on a mini crane (just bracing it to the tranny).

I am going to buy one of these for the job unless I'm advised otherwise.
Clarke 160N Easi-arc Welder - Machine Mart
Anyone got any tips on welding?

shut your eyes and go for it.. erm i mean get some scrap bits of metal and weld them together till it looks right, i used body panels and tin snipped them into strips then welded them back together for practice, thicker stuff is easier to do so practice on thin stuff..

I only use mig welders but I know that with mig you want the metal nice and clean with no rusty bits and definitely no paint, grease etc, as they burn they affect the weld.

I think the arc is a bit more forgiving than the mig but I always found mig to be a lot easier to use.

Make sure you get the right rods to do the job ie thickness of metal etc.

If the bodywork is very thin metal you might struggle to not blow holes in it.

OH BIG TIP, DO NOT GET ARC EYE!!!! Keep the mask on!

if you are looking to carry out work to panels on the tranny i would not be too keen on using an arc welder as its harder to weld very thin metal and especialy if there is and rot in the area your welding . personally i would look to get a mig welder , if you get a mig welder arround the 190 amp area then im pretty sure you will be able to weld pretty much anything you will ever need to weld , migis certainly much easyer and much more forgiving im my oppinion

You will be going some to do the body panels with a stick welder mick they are a bit fierce and better for heavier stuff, i would go for a mig i use a 160 mig and find it fine for what i use it for, i run it no gas for welding outside if i am doing railings and put the gas through it if i want a nicer cleaner weld in the workshop. If i am welding heavier 2mm + steel i use the arc.
Do you not know anyone with a couple of welders to give you a shot?

just remember a neat weld isnt always a strong weld, alot of people make more effort in makeing it look neat and dont pay enough attention to if its penetrated both metals properly.

Don’t buy that one. It’s a stick welder or Manual Metal Arc (MMA). It uses fluxed steel rods for the filler and you haven’t a prayer of welding anything less than 1.5mm thickness.

Have a look for a small MIG set. (Borrow one if you can) Metal Inert Gas (MIG) uses a thinner wire for the filler and an inert gas rather than flux for the shield. (you can get internal fluxed wire but we aren’t going there).

Mig will allow you to weld the tranny tinwork. Nice and steady for the thin stuff. If you are replacing panels drill the spot welds out clamp in place and re weld the spots. If it’s a patch make small spots and keep filling in the gaps, don’t do too much at once or the panel can go strange shapes with the heat.

Andy

Great, thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll have to up my budget and get this then. What d'ya reckon? Complete package for under £300.

Clarke MIG Welder (Turbo) - 151TE - Machine Mart

I am making my own storage units from 1mm steel (scrounged old tables from my local school), and i am welding it together with 1.6mm sticks and my arc welder on its lowest setting. Even so i am still managing to blow the occasional hole in the metal. Transit panels are even thinner, so i recon that you will have no chance at welding with an arc welder.

how many amps are you using ? . i tried to use an inverter arc welder to weld some 1.5mm steel and still found that either the set was turned down to low or was burning holes lol.

if i was to go for a mig welder for doing any work to bodu work on vehicles and yet still be powerfull to weld upto 2mm steel i would look for something like a Cebora 190 autostar - very very good welders