new welder wanted....

[rob g]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a new mig welder. I've been out of the game for a long while, and lots of things have moved on, like inverters for a start.
I'm out of practice too...
I have a specific requirement of what I would like this to fulfill, any help or guidance on products would be most appreciated, as there are hundreds or sets, and various functions, abbreviations etc etc etc...
Any way...
Multi voltage, would be a bonus. 240 single, and 440 3ph
MIG primarily, I have no real need for stick, but you never know.
Steel, from 3mm to 8, occasional 15 plus mm, but would be to a thinner sheet anyway... Like 8
Stainless around 4 to 6mm box etc.
Synergics would be nice, if it works...
Either portable for use, or a long separate wire /gas feed.
Need to be able to (reasonably) easy load it on the back of my pickup.


Will go back to school for a week and get some practice in with a qualified instructor, as been a long while since I last picked a mig set up. (Still do gas at home)


Building steel boats, workboats, small fishing boats, etc.. Or at least, that's the plan...
Not looking at spending £10k, maybe around 2 or 3.
All the best
Rob

 

[HughF]

Used Miller xmt350 with auto-line and a suitcase feeder if you can find one. Good on aluminium too for when you need to do superstructure work. That would be what I would buy.

 

[Kent]

Pm sent.

I don't think I would want to be without a stick function or set on boat work. I am thinking your not building the things in dry dock etc? Just repairing? Otherwise why the portability?

Sounds like a tow behind job to me with a wire feeder box or that and something smaller aswell

 

[addjunkie]

If going portable, might you be needing something generator friendly, you find boats in the strangest of places. In my opinion you may be better having more than one machine.

An in the shop do all mig, and something to take out and about......

 

[Tom Orrow L]

You'll want around 350A/400A for 15mm plus, synergic sets are always nice (for the most part), separate wire feed or compact probably the way to go if you want portability / movability, lightweight means you'll need an inverter machine. It'll be quite hard to find 1 machine with all of the above so the thing you'll most likely need to compromise on is weight.

A few things to check out -

Oerlikon Citopuls 320C (compact, internal wire fed synergic pulse MIG, inverter based, 3 phase, lightweight)

Compromising on weight opens up a few more options

GYS ProMIG 350 G.DV (separate wire feed synergic MIG, no pulse, 3 phase, weighs 102KG so heavy) very nice machines, also available with the option of having 1 internal wire feed as well as the separate which means you could load two reels of different & then if you were to switch from mild to stainless then all you'd need to do is pick up the other torch and go.

If you skipped on the synergic side of thing you've got infinite options from pretty much every brand under the sun.

@Jim Davey @matt1978 what have EWM / Lorch got that'd suit?

 

[rob g]

Yes, it escaped my list, run off generator...
And it needs to be portable(ish) so I can take it home for use, or take up on a boat easily.
And mma is irrelevant, these are new builds, not repairs. (Plus I have a small stick set)
I would pretty much expect they would do mma anyway,just it's not on my priority list...

Cheers
Rob

 

[HughF]

buy a ranger 305d and stick an ln25 on the end of it...

 

[rob g]

I shall have a look at all of them
I was looking at some German stuff
Lorch, Kemppi, the usual Miller, boc/esab,
I will probably end up with 2 sets. As I think I'm asking a lot from one
.the thick plate stuff is generally all welded to around 6to 10mm, so not looking for massive current, but having said that, duty cycle also goes up with it.

I'm guessing I can't post images direct here, was going to post a photo...
Bad internet, as I'm currently offshore...

 

[rob g]

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Yeah I agree two sets will probably be the best way to go and with a decent budget you'll get something to fit your needs.

Matt knows whats best from Lorch's range so he'll probably be here to let you know soon. Miller you'll struggle to find something around your budget that'll suit your needs.
ESAB have some good stuff in the range but I'm no expert on them as we don't currently deal with ESAB where I work.

Definitely take a look at those two sets I mentioned, I think they might suit you.. especially the Oerlikon.

 

[rob g]

Many thanks

 

[rob g]

Ok, maybe I narrow this down more.
2 machines it's probably going to be...
Will worry about the larger stuff later. Budget to remain, unless of course something is a little more, but fits most of the criteria, or that much better.
Mobility....
Up to 8mm steel... 10mm a bonus
240 and 440 an absolute bonus,
Need to be able to manhandle, no 100kg machines. 2 man portable...
Access, either separate wire/gas feed, or whole unit can be moved inside boats with relative ease. Predominantly steel.
A/c would be a bonus, but no way a necessity.... Mainly for steel work. I can rent an ac set if I need to initially.
Same as for welding heavier gauge, if I need, I'll rent....
Synergics, pulse, very much a bonus...
2.5k£

The boat in the picture, for example, is predominately 3/4/5mm, with some 6mm slam panels underneath and in the hull tunnels...

 

[rob g]

it will make a nice change from welding pipelines, and working for myself...

 

[Tom Orrow L]

By AC do you mean you want to weld aluminium? as MIG's can already do aluminium without any need for special output etc..

It's not going to be easy find something exactly to your specifications but i'll try and have a look around at most manufacturers and see what they do, might be able to find something that'd be suitable.

 

[rob g]

By AC do you mean you want to weld aluminium? as MIG's can already do aluminium without any need for special output etc..

It's not going to be easy find something exactly to your specifications but i'll try and have a look around at most manufacturers and see what they do, might be able to find something that'd be suitable.

Thank you....
Shows how much I'm out the game... Thought all Ali welding was ac...
Certainly was when I used to do tig... Or has technology moved on in those years...
Every day a school day...
It's just a nice to have, not a necessity...

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Thank you....
Shows how much I'm out the game... Thought all Ali welding was ac...
Certainly was when I used to do tig... Or has technology moved on in those years...
Every day a school day...
It's just a nice to have, not a necessity...

All ali TIG is AC unless you're using a helium argon gas mix.
Ali mig is pretty much standard except you'll need different rollers, tips and a short torch or preferably a spool on gun system which makes it infinitely easier.

Technology has come a long way in recent years, some of the sets on the market you wouldn't even believe.

 

[steve t]

Do you buy these boats in kit form? Only worked on one at a place I worked, allot of work in them though I always fancied doing one for myself.

 

[rob g]

Do you buy these boats in kit form? Only worked on one at a place I worked, allot of work in them though I always fancied doing one for myself.

We have them cut in Holland, rolled, folded and shipped over. The quality is superb. Not some of the junk diy kits and designs out their. The last one was a 50ft trawler.
Not all designs are done in house, this one wasn't. Bought in...

 

[Richard.]

helium argon gas mix.

Even with helium I wouldn't bother attempting to weld Alu on DCEN GTAW unless I was totally choice less. You'll never get it to any proffesional standard.

Back onto topic now. New welders yey!!

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Even with helium I wouldn't bother attempting to weld Alu on DCEN GTAW unless I was totally choice less. You'll never get it to any proffesional standard.

Back onto topic now. New welders yey!!

Agreed, but it is possible to accomplish a half decent run on DC with helium.
Never used professionally, of course :]