Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Webby the Bear on 08 August 2014, 15:30:37
-
Arternoon :)
Symes kindly gave me a master class of MIG welding (really appreciate that mate) a few weeks back and I'm now in a position where I'd like to take this further on my own.
Now of course, only having one day lesson I'm not ready to start doing wheel arches ::) but I figure if I get myself a Fisher-Price ''My First Welder'' and a mask I can buy some metal and practise welding in the back garden. Then move on to bending metal and making shapes. Then finally get to the point where I'm confident and ready to do some welding on a car (the Omega will be done by then 8))
So, I have some questions :)
1.) Can anyone recommend a MIG welder that utilises the small gas bottles widely available. Symes had an awesome one that would be great for first use but I cant remember brand/model etc.
2.) The welder we used had wire coming out of it (I presume its this wire that melts and makes the ''filler'' between the two metals). What's this wire called? Is it readily available? Are there different grades of thickness, material etc? Is it easy to replace when needed?
3.) Other than having the metal clean (de-rusted) and prepped and then putting the ground connection on the metal that's it really isn't it? i.e. its then just down to how well I can get beads (which will come with practise). pretty much thinking its plug n play? :-\
4.) The dials: on Symes welder there was a two dials. What dials are they and what do I set these at when welding? When do I alter the dials?
If you could help that would be awesomes :)
Thanks
-
Get yourself a welder that takes the small bottles then get a converter to take the bigger bottles. Small bottles are £14 each i can get a garage sized bottle for £27. The wire i use i get from helfrauds. About £25 a roll.
The dials on the welder one controls wire speed and other will control power of welder(welding thicker plate needs higher power setting)
the gas i use i co2 argon mix i find it doesn't splatter as much but you need to find what you like best
-
Thanks Davie, just the info I was looking for! :y
So, re the bottles.... is it not all the same stuff then?
Re the wire is it all same diameter? If not any ideas whats the best or does that again depend upon application?
So what wire speed should I set it at? And is there a generic power setting?
:y
-
Tons of information here: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/mig.htm
-
Tons of information here: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/mig.htm
Thanks Aaron. I did read that previously but thought it'd be nice to have a discussion here cos its real world :y
-
You get different gas for different metal. Argon is for mild steel. Co2 argon mix is for stainless steel but i find its good on mild steel. In helfrauds its all the same thickness wire. If all your going to do is arches then a roll of wire think its 8 gauge wire remember get nozzles the same thickness as the wire. Get a few bottles of argon. If its just arches and panel work. Personally i have wire speed on medium a low power setting. If your power is to high or your not moving fast enough you will blow holes. And remember dont weld arches in a continuous line. If you where welding a foot long panel tack one side then the other then middle then middle left then middle right and so on if you weld in a continuous line you will warp the panel. Am i making sense?
-
Yeah that makes perfect sense thanks mate.
So if im trying to do a bead weld (not on arches, say chassis rail etc) then I can have the power on low so I don't warp it and I can go a bit slower?
-
For chassis rails i would still have wire speed on medium but power on medium to for better penetration chassis rails are 1.2 mm steel i think so more power. And yea a continuous bead is ok for chassis
if you pick it up and enjoy then invest in a mig welder gas bottle conversion kit. Well worth it. They small bottles dont last long
i was £40 for the kit
£60 for empty bottle (refundable)
£27 for a refill of argon
before that i had already bought 12 bottles of gas so speaks for itself.
i got one of those auto dimming helmets from ebay £20 well worth it to. You only get one set of eyes mate
-
All good advice.
Wire diameter depends on the material you want to weld. I'd say 0.6mm wire will do you if you're gravitating towards bodywork and lighter welding jobs. You need a correspondingly sized tip for the welder.
MarksDTM recommended the Clarke 135TE to me when I started out and I can't fault that recommendation. Cheaper machines are available but the last thing you want when you're learning the ropes is a dodgy welder where you're not sure if your technique or the welder is failing you.
I would also say see if you can find an introductory welding evening course at a local college. I attended one of these and it was a godsend for getting practice and the course cost was more than compensated by the amount of consumables I got through. It's also an opportunity to sample all types of welding and on top class machines. :y
-
I got a sip migmate pretty bullet proof. But its whatever you fancy or cam get hold of. If you find a welder do your homework on it before you buy it. Plenty help on here though
-
I personally would not touch the SIP machines as the wire feed is inferior to other units available (bitter experience and backed up by online info to where a number of people have posted some mods but it never really fixes it, if you have one then do fit a wire liner to the torch, net curtain cord is perfect!). :y
If going new than Clarke 135TE is about the best of the budget ones.
Alternatively you could chance your hand on a semi pro second hand one.
-
Thanks guys. Some great advice I think :y
Definitely would like a good welder so as you say, im not wondering if its me or the welder lol
just got to make bit of room in the garage lol
-
I personally would not touch the SIP machines as the wire feed is inferior to other units available (bitter experience and backed up by online info to where a number of people have posted some mods but it never really fixes it, if you have one then do fit a wire liner to the torch, net curtain cord is perfect!). :y
If going new than Clarke 135TE is about the best of the budget ones.
Alternatively you could chance your hand on a semi pro second hand one.
Thanks mark, will defo look at that Clarke one :y
I read somewhere that you can do away with gas by having flux wire?
-
Maybe sip are inferior now but i have never had a problem with them. But mine is about 6 year old maybe more maybe the wire feeds have changed since i got it
-
Maybe sip are inferior now but i have never had a problem with them. But mine is about 6 year old maybe more maybe the wire feeds have changed since i got it
I've spent a year completely restoring the bodywork on an E24 BMW using my SIP 150T migmate that I bought new 21 years ago. I've used four 9 litre bottles of Argon/C0 mix so you can understand the amount of welding done and it never gave me any problems . Modify the tensioner wheels and fit a steel liner and it is transformed.
-
Yea. My sip has never missed a beat yet. I think its a great welder
-
Anyone know anything about this flux wire which means you don't hae to use gas? :-\
-
Never used it mate. Only flux i ever used was brazing copper pipes
-
Anyone know anything about this flux wire which means you don't have to use gas? :-\
Don't bother, you end up with a poor mix of MIG and Arc, with few of the benefits of either. If you use a lot of it, then the extra cost works out about the same as proper wire(which is cheap if you buy full size reels) and gas.
Small cheap welders are best avoided; although they're capable of good work, they are very frustrating to learn on.
Having owned 3 SIP welders since 1989, I must agree with Mark in that they're not brilliant. The wire feed is poor, and inconsistent. I was reasonably pleased with mine until I tried a better machine which showed up why I was struggling occasionally.
The disposable cylinders are a terrible waste of money. They are expensive, unreliable, inconsistent and don't last long. If you can scrounge a CO2 cylinder and regulator, that will work, but if you have to pay for either go straight to a mix of 5% Argon/CO2 as it is much better. Pure Argon is only used for aluminium, and you won't be doing that with a small MIG. BOC are expensive, Hobbyweld are probably a better deal for limited use.
-
Thanks Nick fir the info :y
-
Ps guys, regarding the metal.... wheres the best place to get it? thinking b n q?
-
Try
www.metalstore.co.uk
i got a 4ft x 4ft 1mm thick sheet delivered for about 16 quid
-
Try
www.metalstore.co.uk
i got a 4ft x 4ft 1mm thick sheet delivered for about 16 quid
AWESOME! Thanks Davie :y :y :y
-
Sorry its called www.themetalstore.co.uk
-
You'd be better off with a large gas cylinder type bottle. Most welding supplies places do an exchange service on the bottle. So while the initial cylinder us expensive. £50 odd. The next bottle should be much cheaper. I'll let you know how much when I've used mine up. It's lasting well so far.
-
Remember to always turn off both the cylinder and the regulator. If you don't your cost savings go out the window, out the cracks in the roof and seep under the door.
-
The large hobbycraft bottle im using was £60 refundable on return of empty bottle plus £27 for gas. But once empty it costs £27 a time for a refill. Once i am finished with the bottle i get mu £60 back. Much better than £14 quid a time and bottle goes in the bin