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[feeutfo]

...it's something I want to learn anyway, but never had a reason to.

Irony is I was offered a proper welder by a kind member here, but declined as it was possibly too big, and I had no immediate use for it. Damn damn damn. 


Re siting lambdas initially. Then maybe something involving steel tubing. Possibly stainless...Maybe....

[markrnorton]

Stainless is great, until you have to cut or drill it !  Then its a "£$%ard
Welding its fine. Just use the right gas
Mig or Tig ??

[Marks DTM Calib]

Best resource for welding is here:

www.mig-welding.co.uk

You need to decide if your going for MIG (pretty versatile and cost effective, harder to do aluminium) or TIG (much more expensive for a good setup and gas is a lot more to, can do aluminium if its AC capable).

ARC is not a great choice in relaity as its harder to do thin items, great if doing structual stuff outside etc.

Then your onto cost and how much you are willing to spend on a welder (the above site os good for welder advice).

I have to say that you will need a fair bit of practice before doing the exhaust bosses because althoguh its thickish steel (easier), you want it strong and gas tight.

[Kevin Wood]

I would get yourself along here if you can fit it in around shift work:

http://www.hotcourses.com/uk-courses/Welding-Introduction-courses/page_pls_user_course_details/16180339/0/w/52661600/page.htm

10 Weeks, 2 hours a week, and after the initial H&S BS, it was basically "here's the metal, here's the equipment (MMA, MIG, TIG, Gas), choose your weapon and fill your boots".

It was worth double the course fee in the consumables I got through, I reckon.

[TheBoy]

Re siting lambdas initially.

Pay someone, until you're good at it.

[Kevin Wood]

Re siting lambdas initially.

Pay someone, until you're good at it.

Or book a course and take it along as a "project" for the instructor to use as a demonstration.

[tunnie]

I would get yourself along here if you can fit it in around shift work:

http://www.hotcourses.com/uk-courses/Welding-Introduction-courses/page_pls_user_course_details/16180339/0/w/52661600/page.htm

10 Weeks, 2 hours a week, and after the initial H&S BS, it was basically "here's the metal, here's the equipment (MMA, MIG, TIG, Gas), choose your weapon and fill your boots".

It was worth double the course fee in the consumables I got through, I reckon.

Ooo that's looks fun, guessing its a set day each week? With my 3 days on 3 days off, it's impossible to commit for same day for 10 weeks 

[feeutfo]

Hmmm, I do know if a guy locally. Absolutely first class welder, and as you'd expect has a machine bigger than a standard size fridge. Can weld anything, once you get him passed the negativity can't do this, can't do that. Then he just does it.

He would be ok for lambda bosses. But manifolds might need me to tack weld as a minimum. Then i can deliver it to him to finish. That project may need the job to dictate the material, for ease of working. So not stainless....?

[feeutfo]

So probably a basic mig machine will do I guess?

[Strangechap]

I got a nice little MIG from screwfix. Gas or gassless, was on special offer a couple of years ago. Always worth checking out the offers.

I've used it several dozen times to weld up holes on the Trans Am. I've got quite good at it now.

I tend to use gassless wire as I don't have to muck about with gas bottles, but I'm told gas is much better. I did try it once, but I couldn't get it right so I lost my temper with it and went back to my gassless wire! 

I couldn't weld before, so I bought the welder and taught myself. It's not difficult to get good enough to get by.

[aaronjb]

I'd really like to get a TIG set to be able to do really nice stainless welds; but given the use it would get (pretty much just stainless & ally) at my hands I can't justify the >£1000 for one - I might as well just get exhaust etc fabricated by someone who really knows what they're doing..

A MIG set seems like it would have much more use about the house, so to speak - easier to use if you want to do bodywork/chassis repairs, fine for tacking things together, mocking things up, adding bits to kit car chassis.. and you can pick up a pretty reasonable set for £3-400, last I looked.

[feeutfo]

Something basic
http://www.powertoolwarehouse.co.uk/draper-11972-90a-230v-gas-gasless-turbo-mig-welder-mwd100at.html

[Kevin Wood]

You're welcome to borrow my 135TE if you want to have a play?

Performance of the wire feed is what makes or breaks a MIG, and not easy to assess. Worth finding a forum and getting some personal experiences, IMHO.

EDIT: and you might find a gas/gasless MIG doesn't come with all the accessories to connect it up to a bottle, so can only do gasless out of the box.

[Strangechap]

Yeah, I had to buy a valve and tube for mine.

That's the sort of thing I got. You'll want to get a better visor than that too, one that goes on your head rather than a hand held one. Get one of the electronic ones, you can adjust the sensitivity of when it goes dark, and how dark it goes. You can get a decent cheap one for £30 ish.

[feeutfo]

Interesting, thanks guys, and Kevin for your offer.

Better get researching before I use someone else's kit. Can I do it any harm by using it incorrectly..?

Theres no rush btw.