I've never used one personally, but they seem to have an ok name. You'd definitely want to have the gas option, much nicer to deal with. I haven't had experience with the cheaper models, so can't really comment on much else. I don't think anyone regrets spending a bit more on something like a...
It is single phase, and they pop up on trademe occasionally. I think I paid around the $1600 mark to set myself up with 180P, 6.8KG CO2 cylinder, mask, gloves, wire. $1000 of that was the welder though, to give you an idea.
Check out the latest BOC mailer...
Pretty sure the BOC 180P welders are no longer sold (sadly). I have one too, and rate it highly. When I was looking, anything in the $400-$500 range new would be very hit and miss. So unless you're looking at 2nd hand units for that price, you may want to up your budget a bit if you want a...
Just weld some lines along the metal. Don't try and join metal until you get the hang of just running straight lines. Until you can do that, and get the penetration looking ok, joining metal is not worth bothering with.
Check out the great tutorial pages on this site...
You're probably right on the max pressure they run. I was just going off the 150psi posted. Pretty sure mine does 145-150psi but cost me a packet, I was forgetting the elcheapo ones run much less pressure to start with actually. I'd still run the right pressure either way, just part of the setup...
Main reason I would have thought would be that the tools are designed to work at less than 150psi? Going by the answers in this thread though they aren't needed... you won't catch me running tools without one though. Kind of surprised by the responses TBH.
Just sounds dodgy to me, if you...
How are they fastened to the floor? If just bolted, what about lifting them and putting some 150mm Beam underneath. Bolt that to the floor, then the old beam to that.
Not an engineer of any sort, just seemed easiest to me if possible.
Great thread, have been carefully reading this from New Zealand as I am currently restoring an Escort myself (nana spec mind you). So it's great to see such detail in this thread, cheers :D
Are they galvanised like they are here in New Zealand? If yes, don't bother in my opinion. You can't weld on galv due to the poisonous fumes, and you won't be able to grind it off the inside of the pipes.
Mild steel exhaust tube over here is relatively cheap and will not have the above...
Just an FYI.... Tank size isn't everything, so don't think a 100L one will be better for extended usage. It will just take longer to run out. If the compressor is producing less air than you're using, then eventually any tank will run out.
I have a 50L (I think) unit with a 3HP motor and 3...
I have a metal bench, but still prefer to earth directly to what i'm welding for consistent welds. Depends what you're welding I guess, but that's what I found anyways :)
I have this and would recommend it for sure.
15kg spools are better value, but 5kg still lasts a long long time in my limited experience. I certainly wouldn't pick a welder based purely on the fact it takes 15kg spools rather than 5kg only. You'll want 0.6mm wire (or whatever the equivilent...
You need to cut back the outer metal until you can't find any rust between the layers. If you don't do so you may as well just bog over the whole thing as anything less than a proper job is just delaying the rust coming back. I should know, i'm into old Toyotas that sometimes have THREE layers...
Welcome.
If I was you, i'd find a member on here local to you and offer them $$$$ (my keyboard lacks a pound sign :P ) or beer. A whole lot cheaper and easier than buying gear and learning how to weld to do a couple of jobs.
Careful though if you do buy gear, you might get hooked haha.
Something else to try is to adjust settings with each run you do. So slightly raise the power with each new bead you run and label the welds accordingly. That way you can fine tune things and have a record of what settings help improve the weld, and which make it worse. Then perhaps stick with a...
Did you do any prep at all? If not I think you need to do some reading up on welding as that is the first thing you should be doing. Welding to dirty metal / oiled etc metal without grinding it back is kind of pointless. Sure it will kind of work, but prepped metal will give 1000x better results...