Long time lurker but first post so be gentle! 
I learned to weld on an old Oxford oil cooled arc, great lump of a machine but welded beautifully. Then bought myself one of the then fancy mig welders (Sealy 160) With the Sealy I could do most things and restored a good few cars in my teens and twenties, got to know its settings and what it would do. Both have now gone bye the bye and 30 odd years on I want to get my hand back in and put another couple of cars back on the road.
I could do everything with two knobs and I don't really see the need to go any more complicated. I can put in a 16a supply but I am sure I can do whatever I need with 13a. It will need to do body panels well and stretch to chassis/bumper/box section thickness, say 4mm. Anything more and I would just arc. I have a cheap Sip inverter arc which I hate but does the job.
What can I spend will be the first question and to be honest anything necessary, but the more I spend the fewer other toys I can buy, obviously the most toys wins.
I don't like cheap Chinese stuff, prefer proper machines from reconised makes that I can get spares for (been bitten many times). I would Ideally like a simple, well made 2-knob control machine with standatd consumables.
I looked at the Oxford 180, a name I know and the size of the Sealy but can't get them now, they are a bit big for my place now and the fan noise used to anoy me on the Sealy, I think the Oxford is just as bad.
I will throw in I might try TIG but getting one of the all-in-one machines (like the techarc 200i) seems like a bad idea and unlikely to do anything well, probably wait a bit and get a dedicated machine as I don't go too mad on the mig
Looking on the 'sponsors' web site I am drawn to one of the smaller GYS machines like EasyMig 140 or 160.
Any good similar alternatives?
TIA
I learned to weld on an old Oxford oil cooled arc, great lump of a machine but welded beautifully. Then bought myself one of the then fancy mig welders (Sealy 160) With the Sealy I could do most things and restored a good few cars in my teens and twenties, got to know its settings and what it would do. Both have now gone bye the bye and 30 odd years on I want to get my hand back in and put another couple of cars back on the road.
I could do everything with two knobs and I don't really see the need to go any more complicated. I can put in a 16a supply but I am sure I can do whatever I need with 13a. It will need to do body panels well and stretch to chassis/bumper/box section thickness, say 4mm. Anything more and I would just arc. I have a cheap Sip inverter arc which I hate but does the job.
What can I spend will be the first question and to be honest anything necessary, but the more I spend the fewer other toys I can buy, obviously the most toys wins.
I don't like cheap Chinese stuff, prefer proper machines from reconised makes that I can get spares for (been bitten many times). I would Ideally like a simple, well made 2-knob control machine with standatd consumables.
I looked at the Oxford 180, a name I know and the size of the Sealy but can't get them now, they are a bit big for my place now and the fan noise used to anoy me on the Sealy, I think the Oxford is just as bad.
I will throw in I might try TIG but getting one of the all-in-one machines (like the techarc 200i) seems like a bad idea and unlikely to do anything well, probably wait a bit and get a dedicated machine as I don't go too mad on the mig
Looking on the 'sponsors' web site I am drawn to one of the smaller GYS machines like EasyMig 140 or 160.
Any good similar alternatives?
TIA
