Hello, Just joined here, first post but certainly won't be the last and sorry for starting with a question. I have bought some previously used stairs (see photo) with 10mm metal sides and 8mm step supports and stainless railings. I'm renovating my house in the north of Germany, the steep old wood stairs are being replaced with these. There are many modifications to the stairs required, both 10mm thick sides need lengthening because of higher ceilings here, the steps supports need to be cut off and rewelded at a slightly different spacing, the base plates under the screed floor will need adjusting, I am also changing them to L shape with a smaller platform. I paid 1900 euro's for them incase anyone's interested.
The first metal project I will do is a 2 sqm trap door to the cellar which goes under the new stairs, probably from 3mm steel so not much power required and will give me some welding practice (I work with tools every day but I haven't touched a welder in 20 years). In Germany, houses have 3 phase mains electricity as standard, that astonished me when I moved here, so far just the induction hob and oven use more than 1 phase, but it means I can buy a second hand 380V industrial quality welder!
There is a total of about 1 meter of 10mm plate to 10mm plate welds required; the support plate under the end of each wooden step is 8mm plate, welded to the 10mm side piece.
My plan is to weld everything myself but if I find I can't do it all because of inexperience then at least I need to be able to tack all the parts in place before getting a professional out to finish it.
Reading online, it seems that 250A is needed for 10mm plate steel. There are a lot of MIGs available second hand, big industrial 'made in Germany' ones, for 400-700 euros, far more available around 200-230A than 250-300A. My question is about power, how much do I need. Can I get away with 200A or will the whole project be a struggle. Would I do better to wait for a good 250A? I will of course make a V at the join.
Here''s a couple of links to second hand options I've book marked, sorry, it's all in German...
Schweisskraft PRO-MIG 230-4AM synergie (230A)
SBN KOMBIMIG 165W 200D (200A)
MM-253 (250A)
I'll keep the welder in the workshop for all future projects, I'm not just buying it for the short term. Thank you in advance for any advice and guidance on this new project!
Here are the stairs, this is the sellers photo:
The first metal project I will do is a 2 sqm trap door to the cellar which goes under the new stairs, probably from 3mm steel so not much power required and will give me some welding practice (I work with tools every day but I haven't touched a welder in 20 years). In Germany, houses have 3 phase mains electricity as standard, that astonished me when I moved here, so far just the induction hob and oven use more than 1 phase, but it means I can buy a second hand 380V industrial quality welder!
There is a total of about 1 meter of 10mm plate to 10mm plate welds required; the support plate under the end of each wooden step is 8mm plate, welded to the 10mm side piece.
My plan is to weld everything myself but if I find I can't do it all because of inexperience then at least I need to be able to tack all the parts in place before getting a professional out to finish it.
Reading online, it seems that 250A is needed for 10mm plate steel. There are a lot of MIGs available second hand, big industrial 'made in Germany' ones, for 400-700 euros, far more available around 200-230A than 250-300A. My question is about power, how much do I need. Can I get away with 200A or will the whole project be a struggle. Would I do better to wait for a good 250A? I will of course make a V at the join.
Here''s a couple of links to second hand options I've book marked, sorry, it's all in German...
Schweisskraft PRO-MIG 230-4AM synergie (230A)
Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen | eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen
Kleinanzeigen: Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen - Jetzt in Nienburg (Weser) finden oder inserieren! eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen.
www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de
SBN KOMBIMIG 165W 200D (200A)
Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen | eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen
Kleinanzeigen: Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen - Jetzt in Esens finden oder inserieren! eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen.
www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de
MM-253 (250A)
Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen | eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen
Kleinanzeigen: Heimwerken. Heimwerkerbedarf gebraucht kaufen - Jetzt in Neue Vahr Nord finden oder inserieren! eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen.
www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de
I'll keep the welder in the workshop for all future projects, I'm not just buying it for the short term. Thank you in advance for any advice and guidance on this new project!
Here are the stairs, this is the sellers photo: