Hi all -
As with seemingly a fair few other members, I have a Land Rover with a rear crossmember issue. I was going to put the new one on with arc, but practice on vertical up when I don't have a comfy position is proving to be troublesome. So, it's been suggested I should switch to MIG.
As I have space limitations, I was looking at inverters rather than transformer-based machines; additionally, something I can lug around relatively easily & run off less-than-ideal power sources at times (e.g. 20m extension lead off a 13A socket!) has a lot of appeal; I don't see this doing anything over 6mm, as then it's probably back to using arc flat on the bench.
The idea of the 3-in-1 machine is interesting, although it'll be a long while before I decide I need TIG; my gut feel is this may be too much of a jack-of-all-trades issue. Aluminium & stainless welding is of interest, but not my core need at the moment.
As well as the chassis repairs, this will be used for some light fabrication in mild, probably including some toolmaking (tong reins for example) - as well as sticking a bucketload of horseshoes together in not terribly original ways.
So what are the pros & cons of the 2? And is there anything else in the same price bracket I ought to be looking at?
And no, there will be no chassis welding until I'm happy with the joints that I'm doing - tested to destruction, sectioned etc.
As with seemingly a fair few other members, I have a Land Rover with a rear crossmember issue. I was going to put the new one on with arc, but practice on vertical up when I don't have a comfy position is proving to be troublesome. So, it's been suggested I should switch to MIG.
As I have space limitations, I was looking at inverters rather than transformer-based machines; additionally, something I can lug around relatively easily & run off less-than-ideal power sources at times (e.g. 20m extension lead off a 13A socket!) has a lot of appeal; I don't see this doing anything over 6mm, as then it's probably back to using arc flat on the bench.
The idea of the 3-in-1 machine is interesting, although it'll be a long while before I decide I need TIG; my gut feel is this may be too much of a jack-of-all-trades issue. Aluminium & stainless welding is of interest, but not my core need at the moment.
As well as the chassis repairs, this will be used for some light fabrication in mild, probably including some toolmaking (tong reins for example) - as well as sticking a bucketload of horseshoes together in not terribly original ways.
So what are the pros & cons of the 2? And is there anything else in the same price bracket I ought to be looking at?
And no, there will be no chassis welding until I'm happy with the joints that I'm doing - tested to destruction, sectioned etc.