So, like iffen I dont go to the APF, I got £500.00 to spend on an Inverter welder

[difflock]

Oops!

I should have said that it is only exceptionally I be welding thick section steel.

And have grown accustomed to using multiple application of finer rods, it just takes more time with the wee "buzz" box.

Still get there in the end.

So could possibly live with 140A/150A output.

Anyway I reasonably suspect that some of the lesser brands will be a trifle optimistic with their stated output Ampages.

Since 230V in at a rated 16A can only give a limited output Ampage(Voltage dependant)

Even if/when judiciously overloading the 16A supply.

cheers

m

[agg221]

If you are prepared to get to grips with it, TIG is tremendously useful, although you do need to get argon to use it. It will do thin, and it doesn't add filler unless you want to, which means it will do an outstanding job on thin stuff. You do have to learn to co-ordinate what you are doing with each hand separately though, and do get an adjustable mask otherwise you'll never see what you're doing.

 

Alec

[peatff]

Buy a mig if you will be doing thin sheet mostly. I have a Kemppi Minargmig 180, the newer ones are more than you are looking to spend but you could find equivalent machines and they will be easier to use.

[WeFixIt]

I've got a butler 311Amp single phase MIG on a 16Amp supply that will 1mm up to 10mm in one pass! Cost £500 off eBay!!

I also run a SIP150 MIG in the van which will do nearly all site brake down repairs

We also have a 250amp AC/DC TIG in the workshop for alloy and stainless repairs we could use it for ARC as well but mid to high rang arc welding burns up the inverters !! Something to bear in mind!

There's plenty of good secondhand kit out there but I would say stick to good brand names if buying secondhand ...

 

If your planing to weld a lot of thin stuff a TIG would be the best thing for the job ( like brazing but with a controllable arc instead of a flame)

And only one gas bottle needed!

[difflock]

Thanks again, all good stuff.

[agrimog]

itemise carefully what you want to weld, steel, or ally, thin or thick, each part of the quiz has a different answer, 3mm steel upwards, you are looking at MMA, a stick plant, to ensure a good through weld, under the 3mm, you are looking at MAG (MIG, as its more commenly called), with practice, from bean cans to 4-5mm plate, but need a bit of practice, If you feel the need to weld alluminium, or its alloys, your budget aint going to make, (some reasonable jobs can be done with the mig, but at the lower end of the scale with the budget proposed here), A true 16A supply will allow you to run up to around 230A on the mig, but your pushing it a bit, look for something around the 185-190A mark, Itll do most of your work, remember to budget for your gas(hobby gas have some good deals at the minute), and if you need to do thicker, look around for an old "buzz" box arc set, they keep turning up on gumtree, and ebay for buttons these days, a reasonable one will burn 1/8" rods all day. Speak to your cousin, and see what his advice is, just remember .....consumable prices soon start to add up as all the "little" jobs start appearing...lol

[eldon]

+1 on agrimogs comments plus.....

Tell us what is a typical task?

If 2.5mm rods will do everything you want then duty cycle is more important than outright power.

Do you need to weld other materials because if so adding AC will blow your budget?

[difflock]

Mostly fixing things I break:001_rolleyes:, but only because I insist on "pushing the performance envelope".

And "bog standard" mild steel fabrication, trusses, shed overhang extension brackets etc.

I dont need TIG, just liked the idea of being able to weld Aluminium, for wee brackets for joinery related projects etc.

I can buy a Jefferson 170A inverter from McIntyres in Kilrea for £250.00 + VAT, might even pop up this morning and invest:001_huh:.

Then I can fix/reconfigure the old forklift(which I broke the modified/makeshift linkage pins on lifting 2tonne slabs) and get it back on the tractor and get the place tidied:blushing: up a bit.

PS

Was seriously getting the "hots" for the Finnish built Kemppi, but I dont need that level of sophistication, at near twice the price.

cheers all

Marcus

Edited September 6, 2014 by difflock

[Justme]

mild steel fabrication, trusses, shed overhang extension brackets etc.

 

 

That sort of structural fab work now comes under some new legislation & you have to be a certified welder working to EN1090 if its not your own building or its offered for sale in any way. That would include fixing stuff you break on someone else site while doing other work.

 

If its fixing stuff you break on your own barn say, then that might be ok.

[difflock]

Sniff

Only for my/me/mesel

m