Welder Advice - New to welding - Automotive

[Scott0713]

Hi Folks,

Looking for advice, as everyone else is, on a first time welder. I've seen so many posts, a lot with the same comments so I will try and be as specific as I can.
I am DIY, looking to repair car panels. For hobby restoring and "oh crap, MOT!".
I have a standard ring circuit in my garage, so 3 pin plug. That said, I could easily add a dedicated 16mm SWA to a 16A or 32A commando socket as I have it left over from another job.
My understanding is I am after something that's min amp rating is between 20 - 30A for MIG, and is gas shielded, something like 95 Argon, or 93 / 5 / 2 Argon, CO2, O2.
Can weld 0.6mm wire for metal less than 2mm.

Budget is obviously the big one. I am looking to get a machine for ideally under £400, but with as much bang for buck as possible.

Machines that meet the spec:
Top - I think the top of the line for my needs would likely be the Rtech 181 at £750, 5 year warranty, but well above budget - https://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/r-tech-181-digital-mig-welder

or - GYS Smartmig 162, £540, 2 year warranty - https://tbws.co.uk/shop/gys-smartmig-162-mig-welder/

Mid - Paton EuroMig 150 at £340, 3 year warranty - https://paton.uk/product/mig-welders/standard-series/welder-inverter-paton-euromig/

or - Static Arc 200 £320, 1 year warranty - https://staticarcwelding.co.uk/coll...-plasma-cutter-5in1-mig-mma-tig-cut-spot-weld

Lower - Clarke 120, £200, 1 year warranty - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-120a-mig--mma--tig-inverter-welder-230v/

or- Static Arc 140D £165 and out of stock just now - https://staticarcwelding.co.uk/prod...ESGG7T37M01CXptbWShxyPWlAZSZnlkvWv8xFV2m1u2QN
The more I look, the more options I rule in, and rule out, and my head becomes mush.

The Euromig does not appear to have synergic, but the Static Arc does. How useful is it for welding car panels?

As I am new, I want something simple, easy and as idiot proof as I can make it.

I also want something new, not something second hand.

 

[jo1010]

You'll be fine with a 20 amp min for panels with 0.6 wire (give the 30 amp machines a miss)
The decider is then is what you want to weld from the max settings...4mm, 6mm etc? You'll need to look for a machine that fits that criteria..and yes, at higher amps you'll need to qualify your 32 amps with a suitable supply and a C type MCB....

 

[Nick DV]

Hi & welcome
What he says ^^ If you get bitten by the welding bug, you'd definitely wish you had more power.
I posted this recently to another newbie, remember to practice on scraps of same thickness steel, take your time and try to do much in one go. This bloke's videos will definitely help https://www.youtube.com/@fitzeesfabrications
Good luck

 

[Scott0713]

Hi & welcome
What he says ^^ If you get bitten by the welding bug, you'd definitely wish you had more power.
I posted this recently to another newbie, remember to practice on scraps of same thickness steel, take your time and try to do much in one go. This bloke's videos will definitely help https://www.youtube.com/@fitzeesfabrications
Good luck

Thank you, and yeah I have gone through a fair few tips and tricks, i.e. tack welds to hold then opposing short stitches.

I really can't see me welding beyond 4mm...but then i guess I also wouldn't be the first to think so...

 

[badabec]

There is a MIG welder for sale in the For Sale section of this forum. Not mine, just pointing it out.

 

[Nick DV]

I really can't see me welding beyond 4mm...but then i guess I also wouldn't be the first to think so...

Absolutely, and I made that mistake! As @badabec suggested, have a look at the mig in the 'Used Equipment For Sale' section.

 

[jo1010]

....
I really can't see me welding beyond 4mm...but then i guess I also wouldn't be the first to think so...

Much the same here I don't do much thicker steel but don't forget that if you need power for thicker steel using arc is often a cheaper and easier solution....an old buzz box can be had for next to nothing - or a modern inverter arc for a little more....or maybe even a multifunction machine.....

 

[eddie49]

Almost all inverter MIG welders also offer an Arc ( MMA ) option, so a low-end 140A MIG welder, for example, will also work as a very capable 140A arc welder.
At the moment the most competitive offering is the Bimson Power 200A, which is in fact the same machine as the no-longer-available Rohr MIG200-MI, and similar but better than the BlackLine MIG-200:

IGBT DC MMA MIG MAG Inverter Welder 200A

The Bimson Power BP-MIG200AMI is a powerful and portable 3-in-1 welder, built for both professional and home users who demand flexibility and reliability.

www.bimsonpower.com

There is also a lower-power 160A version in the same box, for £30 less.

The Euromig does not appear to have synergic, but the Static Arc does. How useful is it for welding car panels?

Synergic welders have only a single dial which controls both the output voltage and the wire speed, in accordance with a pre-programmed ratio, map, or algorithm. Sometimes the dial is calibrated in millimetres of material thickness.
A good synergic machine will also have a centre-zero manual "trimming" adjustment for voltage, up or down by 5% or 2 volts, or even 5 volts. Having a trim option is a desirable feature, especially since the preset ratio may not apply to all welding situations. That StaticArc 140D does not have trim, so you would need to be sure that the programming is correct.
It is debatable whether synergic control is good or bad, especially for beginners. If the preset ratio is accurate, it allows you to "get started" immediately, just set the dial to the metal thickness. A traditional two-dial machine, with separate controls for output voltage and wire speed, allows you to learn the fundamentals of MIG welding, and "tune in" for every type of job.