scottonthefen
New Member
- Messages
- 22
- Location
- England
I'm looking for a MIG in the £600-800 price range with a decent duty cycle, good quality wire feed, an amp range of min. 25 or so up to 180 or so, and ideally, a wire speed control. I want to work on my Land Rover, but later might want to do car body work so (I think) the lower min ampage is important.
I like the Portamig 186s, although it doesn't have Wire Speed control:
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm
And the Oxford, which has a slightly lower min ampage, but still no Wire Speed:
https://migtigarc.co.uk/oxford-migmaker-200-1-mig-welder-184-p.asp
The HD Portamig 285 does have Wire Speed control, but it's pricier, considerably more bulky, and twice as powerful as I need for hobby automotive work:
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-hd-mig-welders.htm
I think I want a Wire Speed control because when I did my C&G Level 1 last year I found it useful to adjust the Wire Speed depending on the the position and type of weld I was doing. BUT, I see lots of welders don't have this control, so it can't be too important?
My questions are:
1) Can anybody recommend a welder in my price range that matches what I'm looking for and that _does_ have a Wire Speed control? I feel like the HD Portamig would be going a bit OTT just to get a Wire Speed dial.
2) Is Wire Speed really essential at all? Do you use Wire Speed in your welding? If so, in what situations?
Cheers!
I like the Portamig 186s, although it doesn't have Wire Speed control:
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm
And the Oxford, which has a slightly lower min ampage, but still no Wire Speed:
https://migtigarc.co.uk/oxford-migmaker-200-1-mig-welder-184-p.asp
The HD Portamig 285 does have Wire Speed control, but it's pricier, considerably more bulky, and twice as powerful as I need for hobby automotive work:
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-hd-mig-welders.htm
I think I want a Wire Speed control because when I did my C&G Level 1 last year I found it useful to adjust the Wire Speed depending on the the position and type of weld I was doing. BUT, I see lots of welders don't have this control, so it can't be too important?
My questions are:
1) Can anybody recommend a welder in my price range that matches what I'm looking for and that _does_ have a Wire Speed control? I feel like the HD Portamig would be going a bit OTT just to get a Wire Speed dial.
2) Is Wire Speed really essential at all? Do you use Wire Speed in your welding? If so, in what situations?
Cheers!