Hi All
I've been lurking for a while. I'm a computer programmer by trade, and occasional petrolhead. I like the idea of doing a bit of welding occasionally. At the moment we've 5 vehicles, 2 of which I'm selling. One of the ones being sold, a small campervan, has a small rust hole in a non-structural panel, which, by the time I've finished hacking at it will be a 3" * 4" hole.
I'll be retaining 3 vehicles, 1996, 1997 and 1999. The 1999 one is aluminium based. None of these 3 vehicles need welding at the moment, the steel ones may do in the next year or 3.
I'm thinking of one of these:
http://www.weldequip.com/clarke-130en.htm
In fact, realistically, maybe I'd be better off borrowing my mother's creme brullee gas torch and brazing the campervan.
I did a 10 week welding course but unfortunately the tutor was keen on oxy-acetylene and I've only tried MIG briefly. He didn't think mig was used on car bodies (!). So I badly need a lot of practice before having a go at the campervan. I've a scrap wing to practice on.
The 130 would seem suitable, apart from the slight question mark over one vehicle being aluminium, should I look at TIG too? Thinking of the cost of disposables, can I do the bulk of my practice in gasless mode and then do a limited amount of with-gas practice before I incinerate my camper?
Thank a lot.
Marc
I've been lurking for a while. I'm a computer programmer by trade, and occasional petrolhead. I like the idea of doing a bit of welding occasionally. At the moment we've 5 vehicles, 2 of which I'm selling. One of the ones being sold, a small campervan, has a small rust hole in a non-structural panel, which, by the time I've finished hacking at it will be a 3" * 4" hole.
I'll be retaining 3 vehicles, 1996, 1997 and 1999. The 1999 one is aluminium based. None of these 3 vehicles need welding at the moment, the steel ones may do in the next year or 3.
I'm thinking of one of these:
http://www.weldequip.com/clarke-130en.htm
In fact, realistically, maybe I'd be better off borrowing my mother's creme brullee gas torch and brazing the campervan.
I did a 10 week welding course but unfortunately the tutor was keen on oxy-acetylene and I've only tried MIG briefly. He didn't think mig was used on car bodies (!). So I badly need a lot of practice before having a go at the campervan. I've a scrap wing to practice on.
The 130 would seem suitable, apart from the slight question mark over one vehicle being aluminium, should I look at TIG too? Thinking of the cost of disposables, can I do the bulk of my practice in gasless mode and then do a limited amount of with-gas practice before I incinerate my camper?
Thank a lot.
Marc