Lidl, Parkside mig.

[Bryan Williams]

I know,migs twice this price are rubbish for proper work but...
I have a Sealey buzz box in my shed and in work I get on the Oxford welders .
I did a week arc welding course few years back and can join 2mm sheet passable for work, I've made a few things for myself from sheet,box, plate.
I don't get to go on the migs though.
Now for 50 quid wouldn't a Parkside gasless mig be good enough to practice laying down basic welds on scrap , doing pads ect?
I don't even need a mig, just would like to be able to do it to the standard I'm up to with stick?

 

[gaz1]

i have all 4 welders and played with them all

arc welder - oxford arc welder
gas mig to gasless mig

gas is better than gasless also alot flatter of a weld and not as hot looking either

on a learners statement you would be better going for a gas mig

 

[cumbriasteve]

A £50 gasless mig will stick stuff together, there is no denying that and if £50 is not a lot of money to you then some fun can be had.

It is nothing like a decent set up gas mig though, worlds apart that you only realise when you have used both.

 

[pedrobedro]

Next door but one was a builder and he used a supermarket gasless mig for everything including building gates for his yard. He liked my mig but couldn't be bothered with the weight and cost of a gas cylinder.

 

[Bryan Williams]

All valid comments cheers.
What I'm getting at is though, for just practicing laying straight lines , getting used to using the gun , just getting a feel for mig as apposed to stick,is it worth it?
Its more of a frustration of not being able to do it really than needing to.
So it's an extravagant spend for a tool I don't really need.
But If it gives me a start so I could jump on a decent MIG and not be a total newbie it's worth it, but if they are unusable rubbish then I'll leave it alone.
I could try it and take it back but I don't like that attitude, think it ruins the refund offers .

 

[wookie]

Next door but one was a builder and he used a supermarket gasless mig for everything including building gates for his yard. He liked my mig but couldn't be bothered with the weight and cost of a gas cylinder.

And that is why he is a builder not a welder !

Gasless is okay for sticking stuff together but I wouldn't use it...

a) from choice.
and
b) for anything important.

Does any industry use gasless in their production processes ? I've never seen it done.

@Bryan Williams the bottom line is you get what you pay for, a cheap MIG set from Lidl will not weld as nice as an expensive set from a decent manufacturer, and when your learning it's a lot easier if you're not fighting the machine to produce good results.

I learnt TIG first, which is one of the hardest to master, learning MIG was a breeze after that.

 

[gaz1]

you would be far better off getting a clarke 151 with a vat free offer using it on a gasless set up and then swapping to gas when funds allow it

the one thing going that way if you dont like it

it kinda keeps a good amount of its value when you sell it on

 

[MattF]

...and when your learning it's a lot easier if you're not fighting the machine to produce good results.

I learnt TIG first, which is one of the hardest to master, learning MIG was a breeze after that.

Conversely though, learning on something hard to work with can have it's merits, if the patience and determination is there. Adversity promotes persistence and makes one think, plus it makes working with something better down the line far more appreciable.

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

I personally wouldn't bother. If you have a need for a mig further down the line then buy a better set up and learn off that machine.

 

[winchman]

For £50 you could buy it practice and sell it again for £30-40

 

[bigegg]

Or you could spend a bit more on a half decent 2nd hand machine, get some tips off the seller when you collect, and the resale value will be as much as you paid in the first place?

Which is what I'm doing.

 

[winchman]

Or you could spend a bit more on a half decent 2nd hand machine, get some tips off the seller when you collect, and the resale value will be as much as you paid in the first place?

Which is what I'm doing.

Good idea.
Its down to the old budget but don't forget to allow for any other bits you need to use it, but as you already weld I assume its just the set you need?
My MOT man just has a couple of Gasless mig's and he is happy.
What would a used Gas machine be? £100? if you do try to get one including a bottle to save expense

 

[bigegg]

Good idea.
Its down to the old budget but don't forget to allow for any other bits you need to use it, but as you already weld I assume its just the set you need?
My MOT man just has a couple of Gasless mig's and he is happy.
What would a used Gas machine be? £100? if you do try to get one including a bottle to save expense

Just been offered a cebora for £150 including wire + a full "pub" bottle of co2

"It's not been used for a couple of years" but that makes the price negotiable, and parts appear to be available.
It's transformer, so heavy but not as delicate as an inverter.

 

[marlinspike]

We have a Cebora mig. I forget the number but it's pretty much the same as the old Autostar model. It's a great mig. If it works ok, it's a bargain at £150. Disadvantage is that it's a big and heavy piece of kit - it used to trip the electric before we started using an extension cord. Never used C02 pub gas but it's a good mig and deserves Argoshield lite or similar to do it justice imo.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Bought my Clarke 150EN for £50 off eBay & that's a gas welder.

Its been faultless & worth the money!

 

[bigegg]

We have a Cebora mig. I forget the number but it's pretty much the same as the old Autostar model. It's a great mig. If it works ok, it's a bargain at £150. Disadvantage is that it's a big and heavy piece of kit - it used to trip the electric before we started using an extension cord. Never used C02 pub gas but it's a good mig and deserves Argoshield lite or similar to do it justice imo.

sorry, I meant pub sized - as far as I know (not going to look until tuesday), it's from a weld gas supplier, not literally a pub!

 

[wookie]

I've still got the Cebora MIG I bought second hand 20 or so years ago, it doesn't get used much these days as I have a bigger better machine but it did me well for many years and it still has many years life left in it.

At home I use CO2 rather than "proper" welding gas, sure it's not as nice as the right stuff but it's perfectly okay for the part timer.

Regarding buying a cheap new welder from Lidl or a decent brand second hand I'd always go for the second hand one, it'll be a far superior machine that will produce better welds. It's similar story with helmets, I learnt with the old "nod your head" visor but I wouldn't entertain one today when you see how cheap the auto-darkening one are, just buy a good one as you only have 1 pair of eyes.

 

[zx9]

Regarding buying a cheap new welder from Lidl or a decent brand second hand I'd always go for the second hand one, it'll be a far superior machine that will produce better welds.

And should you want to upgrade you would get your investment back re selling the old mig, I doubt you would get as much back selling a used Parkside.