First welder...?

Been meaning to learn the art of welding now for over 15 years so looking for some advice.

Had a couple of attempts in the past using a very cheap Mig welder and gave up, I have someone do all my welding now and would like to save on the cost and learn a new skill.

Looking for some pointers to get me started, budget would be about £150-£200 (although less would be good!)for a new or second hand machine, gas or gasless? I have mains power from a normal 13amp socket but thats it.

ive got an Esab 160 which runs on a 13 amp plug not the cheapest but welds just about anyhting i need too. i would go for a mig with gas

£150 to £200 is going to get you something that is frustrating and difficult to set up and use. Keep paying your welder or at least double your budget for something useful. Do you want to arc weld or mig. Arc is cheapest and a small inverter based set for about £300 will be cheap to run with only rods as consumables.

Mig with gas, cheapest you can find with a euro-torch, which rules out small sets

I've stick, mig and gas.

Even though I mostly use the mig if I were to have only one it would be the stick.

Cheapest to buy, cheapest to run, easiest to use across varying materials and thicknesses (just buy whatever number of whatever type rods you require) and once you're on to the way of it you'll never be beat no matter what you're at or where you're at it.

If you want a MIG then ignore the "gasless" models, they are a pain in the a*s! Better off with a gas model and sort yourself out with a contract at BOC as the small disposable gas cylinders dont last very long and work out expensive in the long run! Try and find a model with a "Euro" type torch as these are much easier to use than the cheaper ones, less effort is required to press the trigger which leaves your hand easier to move and complete a good weld. I have a Cebora "Pocket Mig" which dosent have a euro torch but its the best non euro one I have come across, nice and smooth trigger. The same model was sold under the "Snap on" brand for ALOT more money! Another brand worth looking at are Miller, you will prob have to go second hand to get one but from memory the decent sets new started at around £400.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIG-MMA-Inverter-Welder-180Amp-240V-R-Tech-I-Mig180-0-finance-available-/171234399691?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27de5d95cb

Over budget, but for what it is its a good welder with good customer service back up, buy cheap and be frustrated.

If you want to Stick weld (ARC) then any of the cheaper welding sets will be fine, the Clarke range at Machine Mart are ok. They are basically a big transformer in a box so they are all very much the same underneath. They will weld a variety of thicknesses of metal with the correct thickness of rod, but anything 1mm or below (such as car body panels) are best off welded with MIG.

Thanks for all the input guys

If you want to Stick weld (ARC) then any of the cheaper welding sets will be fine, the Clarke range at Machine Mart are ok. They are basically a big transformer in a box so they are all very much the same underneath. They will weld a variety of thicknesses of metal with the correct thickness of rod, but anything 1mm or below (such as car body panels) are best off welded with MIG.

Am i not right in thinking that ARC is harder than MIG? In terms of learning etc. I have used a couple of welders in the past, one used sticks (guessing ARC) and the other had a wire feed but no gas, guessing MIG?

With regards to the point above about spending a little more i can see the sense, both the above machines i used were very cheap and difficult to setup as a result.

Main uses would be for general repairs, making brackets etc the end results would need to be pretty but functional.

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works here and look at this from another perspective.

Yes, you can spend anything you like on any type of welder and 'do' welding. BUT... you'll never be any good at it because unless someone explains the principals of joining metals together you'll always have that niggling doubt.

Vocational qualifications Welding and Fabrication Skills - Level 1 Lowestoft Lowestoft College | Emagister

This will stand you in good stead as a starter. You can progress further if you like and good welders are still in the 'hens teeth/rocking horse sh*t bracket work-wise.

Whatever you make will at least be up to a reasonable standard, not look like the pigeons have been roosting and not fail at the weld....

Just my pennies worth!

Oh and by the way, these are ok for small works;http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMAL-ARC-175-SE-STICK-LIFT-TIG-WELDER-240V-INVERTER-/180800055263

codlasher