Considering starting out but not sure what I need?

[Jay Cartay]

Ideally I don't want to spend over £250 and I don't mind used, but it's depressing reading on here for someone on a tight budget! I'd be using the welder to do some vehicle repair work but beyond knowing that I want a gas mig welder, I've no clue. I've seen the term Euro torch mentioned a few times but I don't know what it means or if I should look for something with that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome:

A euro torch is a longer, usually heavier duty detachable torch, most hobby machines don't have, not essential in any way but a nice to have.

The link is to one of our own members selling a machine after upgrading, much safer than buying a used machine from ebay or similar.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/sealey-mightymig-150-gas-no-gas-for-sale.61389/

 

[Parm]

That looks like a good set up, if I didn't have one already I'd be bitting Tiggys arm off as its perfect for my needs

 

[gaz1]

i started same as you mate didnt want to pay much to start off

ended up getting a clarke 150 tm and then another sip 150 gas and gasless both come in handy at times

as goes for gas get onto the volkzone offer if outside your better using the gasless wire but you need to learn to weld first before attempting to weld anything on a car

sometimes your lucky and you wont blow through other times it blows through like a swine

oh and get yourself an autodarkening helmet there worth it as i got as soon as i decided to do and they are way much better

if you get the bug for welding then upgrade your machine as i will be doing soon

 

[Jay Cartay]

Cheers folks, good info so far. I'm more interested in the Supermig 150 than the Mightymig, although I admit I don't know how much difference there is between them.

I'm a long way from Tiggy though here in Leeds and could buy a brand new Mightymig 150 for £190 delivered, which wouldn't be that far off the price for that delivered I reckon.

 

[HMB]

Decent helmet, decent gloves. Probably done your budget already

 

[PTvor]

Ideally I don't want to spend over £250 and I don't mind used, but it's depressing reading on here for someone on a tight budget! I'd be using the welder to do some vehicle repair work but beyond knowing that I want a gas mig welder, I've no clue. I've seen the term Euro torch mentioned a few times but I don't know what it means or if I should look for something with that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

A lot of MIG sets have a permanently attached torch and are special to the make. That includes cheapies and some expensive ones. A Euro torch is a standard plug and socket into which torches and cables from various makers will fit. Also there are four kinds of Euro torch designed for light duty, medium duty, heavy duty and extra heavy duty (water cooled).

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/weld...ng-torch-binzel/binzel-mb15-mig-welder-torch/

A Euro torch has advantages in that you can always get spares or a new torch that just plugs in and you are not dependent on a maker continuing to support a machine. If you need you can have a torch dedicated to aluminium. If you need to pack the welder away and put it in your car, it's easier with a torch which unplugs. A Eurotorch has advantages and is kind of nice, but is not really decisive.

Ideally I don't want to spend over £250 and I don't mind used, but it's depressing reading on here for someone on a tight budget! I'd be using the welder to do some vehicle repair work but beyond knowing that I want a gas mig welder, I've no clue.

I suppose so, because if you want to set up properly with nice equipment which makes everything easy, you are knocking a hole in a grand.

Don't forget you need gas, which would probably be some rent-free deal, at least a ton but a large part of that would be the deposit on the bottle, a helmet - say £25, wire, a grinder, wheels, clamps, gloves, clothing. It partly depends on what you already have, but the additional bits and pieces extra to the welding machine can soon make a mess of £250.

However, I wouldn't be too disheartened. There are good buys around second hand and a lot of excellent work on cars has been done with second hand Clarkes and similar machines. You can scramble for the extras, making do with what you've got for now.

 

[gaz1]

havent even noticed that id been on the forums for this long

but heres my first post on the subject

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/which-welder.29770/

and heres my poor attempt at mig welding but come along way now and i do enjoy the mig welding

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/first-time-with-mig.34988/#post-384280

clarke sips and other migs are good enough even a second hand one as long as you are prepared to sort some stuff out on them

clarkes and other machines need new liners, tips roughly when changing a big 5kg roll last a bit longer with metal liners I think

sip well it needs a plate to help the rollers stay tight sometimes a new power supply is needed to feed the wire

then you get the mid rangers gys and others and yeah you get the expensive ones that most members do like

 

[Chris Stevens]

Ideally I don't want to spend over £250 and I don't mind used, but it's depressing reading on here for someone on a tight budget! I'd be using the welder to do some vehicle repair work but beyond knowing that I want a gas mig welder, I've no clue. I've seen the term Euro torch mentioned a few times but I don't know what it means or if I should look for something with that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

For some reason or another anyone who asks your question on here, is directed toward DIY home user machines. I have welded professionally as part of my job for 25 years now, and in that time have owned 3 used industrial type MIG machines, all of which have provided trouble free service, and have made me quite a lot of money.

For £250 I would say you could certainly find a tatty looking 240v industrial type machine on Ebay, and if the seller is genuine shouldnt have any problem taking it along to his LWS, where it can be tested at your expense, to avoid any nasty surprises, and obviously allow it to be shipped rather than possibly making a very long journey to collect.

 

[ukracer]

For some reason or another anyone who asks your question on here, is directed toward DIY home user machines. I have welded professionally as part of my job for 25 years now, and in that time have owned 3 used industrial type MIG machines, all of which have provided trouble free service, and have made me quite a lot of money.

For £250 I would say you could certainly find a tatty looking 240v industrial type machine on Ebay, and if the seller is genuine shouldnt have any problem taking it along to his LWS, where it can be tested at your expense, to avoid any nasty surprises, and obviously allow it to be shipped rather than possibly making a very long journey to collect.

What's an LWS ?

 

[cumbriasteve]

If LWS means Local welding supplier and I repeat if, I can't see many sellers willing to do that.

Although bargains can be had, purchasing something decent even if tatty, professional testing and courier will end up way above £250

 

[Richard.]

A euro torch is a universal fitting for most mig torches to fit to the machine. It offers much more flexibility with regards that you can change the length and type of torch very quickly. You can have a couple set up for different wire types and sizes.

 

[Chris Stevens]

If LWS means Local welding supplier and I repeat if, I can't see many sellers willing to do that.

Although bargains can be had, purchasing something decent even if tatty, professional testing and courier will end up way above £250

I bought an ESAB inverter last week which was tested before purchase at LWS, and last year a Hiace van which was checked at local garage before parting with any money. ESAB testing was free, as is return to me via customer delivering a bike, and van was £50.

Seems a good way to avoid the Clarke, SIP, Wolf type of thing, unless a warranty is all important of course?

 

[cumbriasteve]

I think he would struggle to weld with a Hic Ace van but fair do's if you can get a good working and tested by an independent workshop industrial mig for close to the Op's budget you are doing better than I can, although we live near nowhere so it may be easier in the more populated areas.

 

[PTvor]

^^^^

Yes.

Assuming you can find a serviceable 130A to 150A Clarke/Sealey etc for £100 to £150 which should be possible, a sensible solution to the gas problem is going to start around a ton, more if you need a regulator. You could use pub gas, but it's not ideal for thin steel. Part depends on how you view money tied up in a deposit against a rental. I'd be reluctant to recommend disposable bottles. PPE has to be £30 as you say. Then a lot depends on what was chucked in with the welder, tips wire, maybe even an autodarkening headshield and a regulator.

It could be done for £250, especially with a particularly good buy on the welder, but it's tight.

 

[SHogan]

I've just picked up my first welding set-up and tried to do it as inexpensively as possible. I looked around a lot to see what was available and it's amazing how the costs of the ancillaries soon add up.

Gloves - ESAB gauntlets on eBay - £6
Mask - sif LITE from eBay (as suggested by another member on another thread) - £22.50
Gas regulator - *removed for legal reasons* on eBay - £20
Wire - eBay - £12ish for a 5kg reel
Gas flow meter (the pea shooter type) - eBay £6
Gas and gas pipe - BOC Volkszone deal - Initial outlay for first year rental and Argoshield light (Y size) - £90

I bought some other odds and sods like extra tips and shrouds and a CO2 fire extinguisher but the OP may already have a fire extinguisher so I won't add that on to the list of costs.

Then there was the welder which was a Chinese job from TigMig on eBay that cost a total of around £195 (inc P&P) but I'll put up some pics on another thread.

Adding all that up so far I've spent the thick end of £350 but hopefully shouldn't have to spend much more in the next year or so but let's see! If you don't have any of the extra bits and they don't come as part of a second hand deal then you'd be doing well to get everything you need for £250; it's the extras that'll tip you over the edge! That having been said let us know how you get on and good luck!

 

[Chris Stevens]

I've just picked up my first welding set-up and tried to do it as inexpensively as possible. I looked around a lot to see what was available and it's amazing how the costs of the ancillaries soon add up.

Gloves - ESAB gauntlets on eBay - £6
Mask - sif LITE from eBay (as suggested by another member on another thread) - £22.50
Gas regulator - *removed for legal reasons* on eBay - £20
Wire - eBay - £12ish for a 5kg reel
Gas flow meter (the pea shooter type) - eBay £6
Gas and gas pipe - BOC Volkszone deal - Initial outlay for first year rental and Argoshield light (Y size) - £90

I bought some other odds and sods like extra tips and shrouds and a CO2 fire extinguisher but the OP may already have a fire extinguisher so I won't add that on to the list of costs.

Then there was the welder which was a Chinese job from TigMig on eBay that cost a total of around £195 (inc P&P) but I'll put up some pics on another thread.

Adding all that up so far I've spent the thick end of £350 but hopefully shouldn't have to spend much more in the next year or so but let's see! If you don't have any of the extra bits and they don't come as part of a second hand deal then you'd be doing well to get everything you need for £250; it's the extras that'll tip you over the edge! That having been said let us know how you get on and good luck!

You seen the Ebay ad for a used TigMig?

 

[SHogan]

You seen the Ebay ad for a used TigMig?

I have; if I remember rightly that was for a Tig set-up that he er... 'didn't get on with'. I had a look at some of his other videos on YouTube which were rather interesting to say the least. and led me to take his welder review with something of a pinch of salt. Additionally he was suggesting he was an experienced welder and other bits of the story just didn't really ring true. Frankly I thought he was a bit barmy! Given that they shift several sets a day and the feedback was generally pretty good I thought it was worth a bash.

 

[Chris Stevens]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tig-welde...779263?hash=item2a609191ff:g:ZzIAAOSwsFpWTIO3

Not sure I would "get on" with a machine which had stopped working, and the seller ignoring emails? Must be down to the buyer being barmy......................lol

 

[ukracer]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tig-welde...779263?hash=item2a609191ff:g:ZzIAAOSwsFpWTIO3

Not sure I would "get on" with a machine which had stopped working, and the seller ignoring emails? Must be down to the buyer being barmy......................lol[/QUOTE
Also the ebay feedback can be manipulated. I am NOT saying Tigmig do that. BUT I used to work with an Ebay comany who did just that...Its one reason I got kicked out as I questioned their dodgy operations. THis was NOT tig mig though............