Bodywork AMP settings

[Sidey]

Hi guys,

firstly great forum.

I need some help, im looking at getting a MIG welder that i can use on bodywork panels and every now and again some steel work around the house.

What is the lowest setting a MIG should have to be able to work on body sheet metal?

It wont be major work on the panels, just some patch panels etc......

TIA

 

[Stereophoney]

you need a min of about 25 - 30 amps mate

 

[Sidey]

Thanks for the promt reply.

So a mig welder with min setting of 40amps will burn right through?

This is the specs of the one im interested in.
http://www.tooltime.co.za/DynamicData/ProductPDFS/EWELML-150.jpg

I can get another welder with min setting of 25amps, but it only goes up to 75 amps and this will be useless for thicker steel work

 

[Mr J Morton]

It is possible to weld panels at 40amps but far from ideal. You will be making very hard work for yourself, especially if you are using gasless wire as it only comes in 0.9mm not 0.6mm. You would be far better off looking at 25-30 amps as Stereo says.

Jonnym

 

[Sidey]

Ok lets say i go with the welder as above and change to 0.6mm wire and use gas? will it be ok then?

 

[keith19]

Not really, Sidey. With 40 amps going into the thin metal it heats up instantly, and is very likely to blow through. And 0.6 mm wire will burn back quickly, too, so you might be better off with 0.8 mm wire, if you must use a 40 amp minimum machine.

Using 40 amp minimum is hard work, as Jonny says, and there will be lots of blown holes to fill on car panels. New metal at that thickness - 0.8 to 1.2 mm - will be bad enough, old and pitted metal will be a nightmare.

Years back I was at a place that used a 35 amp minimum mig welder for car bodywork, and that took a lot of getting used to, and we still blew holes.
Better to save up awhile and get something in the 30 - 150 amp range, that will cope with car panels at one end and 4 mm steel at the other.

 

[Sidey]

Thank you so much keith.

These are the other two machines i can get.

MIG131 A-Technical Data Mig Welders:

Main Voltage: 230V
Main Frequency: 50Hz
Absorbed Power: 2KW
Mains Fuse: 11A
Power Factor: 0.8
No Load Voltage: 28V
Adjustment Positions: 4 Steps
Current Adjusting Range: 25A / 35A / 50A / 75A
Dia. Usable Wire: Φ0.6mm / Φ0.8mm/Φ0.9mm
Duty Cycle: 20%@75A; 45%@50A; 90%@35A;
100%@25A

And

MIG151 A-Technical Data Mig Welders:

Main Voltage: 230V
Main Frequency: 50Hz
Absorbed Power: 3.75KW
Mains Fuse: 21A
Power Factor: 0.78
No Load Voltage: 36V
Adjustment Positions: 4 Steps
Current Adjusting Range: 30A / 50A / 75A /105A
Dia. Usable Wire: Φ0.6mm / Φ0.8mm/
Φ0.9mm
Duty Cycle: 15%@105A; 30%@75A;
65%@50A; 100%@30A

Whats the thickest metal ill be able to weld with 75A ?

 

[keith19]

With a mig welder, not very thick. About 2 - 2.5 mm if it's vee'd up on a butt joint. There's an interesting experiment here about trying 3 and 4 mm with a Clarke 90 amp.

 

[Sidey]

Hi guys, me again.

SO i got myself a mig last week. Together with argon/C02 mix gas.

What id like to know, im gonna be building some steel structure outside in two weeks time for a little shed, how difficult is it going to be with the gas and wind blowing?

 

[WazOz]

Wind

Hi Sidey, am new to site and welding, have done a bit of thick stuff but not panels, what I do know is, if it's windy change your mig over to Flux Core, as it has it's own shielding, welding in any windy condition will fail with Gas. Hope this helps

 

[Sidey]

Thats what i was afraid of, flux wire is 4 times more expensive this side than normal CO2 wire.

 

[PhillipM]

If you build yourself a little windbreak to work in out of some sheeting/card and up the gas flow a little you should be fine so long as it's still a fairly calm day.

 

[Sidey]

If you build yourself a little windbreak to work in out of some sheeting/card and up the gas flow a little you should be fine so long as it's still a fairly calm day.

Im sure i can do that, have lots if MDF wood laying around.
Thanks

 

[WazOz]

On a side note, make sure you have a fire extinguisher always handy, with welding you just never know, with the makeshift shelter, you will have good lighting, which will make it easier, pick your days.

 

[Sidey]

On another note, being a first tim MIG welder, wont it be easier learning to mig weld with flux wire?

 

[shenion]

On another note, being a first tim MIG welder, wont it be easier learning to mig weld with flux wire?

Gas is easier to see and hear.