Budget Decisions

[AaronP]

Hi guys. New to this forum and after some advice please.

I used to work in the motor trade and have lots of experience of working with expensive industrial mig welders and gas welding.

Now, I've bought myself an ex military trailer chassis and I am going to build myself a body to go on the back to use as an expedition trailer towed by my defender. My budget is tiny (try £100-£150).

My decisions are whether to go Mig or Arc? I know I can get a decent Arc welder for the money but would prefer the finesse of a Mig. Having said that, the metal I'll be welding will be decent thickness so a Mig to cope may be out of budget.

I would really appreciate your advice and experiences.

Thank you,

Aaron

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum:

I am afraid with that budget I would not consider a MIG, to find even a secondhand one capable of the power you will probably require would be very difficult.

For your £££'s my choice would be an oil cooled Oxford or Pic Arc, you can get them on ebay from £50 up but usually a decent one comes in at about your budget.

An even cheaper buzz box arc set would do you but try to find one of the old one's with fan cooling, actually the older the better, no matter how rough it looks if it still works it will beat the new Aldi and Machine Mart offerings, you should be able to find one for around £50ish or very often a lot less.

 

[AaronP]

Thank you Steve,

I think you've answered the question I already kind of knew the answer to!

Buzz box? Could you give me some search terms please?

Thanks

 

[BChild]

Buzz box? Could you give me some search terms please?

Thanks

Slang for "Arc Welder" AFAIK

 

[cumbriasteve]

Just do an Ebay search for arc welder and look for the old battered one's, don't be tempted by the new cheap Chinese one's.

Something like these, 140amp is about the best size to get for what I think you will be welding.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIP-Indus...ultDomain_3&hash=item3aa4c8041d#ht_5769wt_848

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOPWELD-1...aultDomain_3&hash=item2a52829949#ht_165wt_958

 

[daleyd]

Buzz box - More specifically an air cooled transformer type, ie the cheaper machine mart type or ones sold by aldi/lids occasionally.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Or one of these, great sets that would probably outlive you and never drop in value.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxford-Oi...aultDomain_3&hash=item28007b2f6c#ht_521wt_958

 

[AaronP]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/arc-welde...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d33826e34

Any good?

 

[daleyd]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/arc-welde...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d33826e34

Any good?

If it's proven working it could be a good buy, those little inverters are very user friendly - but be aware there is more to go wrong than a transformer based machine. That's not to say they are unreliable, but it may be a consideration especially as you have such a tight budget.

 

[cumbriasteve]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/arc-welde...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d33826e34

Any good?

The present GYS MIG's are well liked but I know nothing about that set.

It's all about being able to see it working and laying a weld., do a nearest first filter search and see if there is anything close to you.

 

[AaronP]

Thank you guys, you've been very helpful.

 

[Bill Edwards]

A used transformer set is very unlikely to break, but they aren't the easiest machines to weld with and they easily overheat and you have to wait for them to cool, though I doubt if this will be a problem for your job as you'll probably spend most of the time setting the metal together where you want them, rather than non stop welding. You should be able to pick one up for no more than £30.

A used inverter welder would be a very nice choice, much nicer to use, but you do need to be aware that if it breaks you're unlikely to be able to repair it economically.

 

[brightspark]

Or one of these, great sets that would probably outlive you and never drop in value.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxford-Oi...aultDomain_3&hash=item28007b2f6c#ht_521wt_958

its only up the road from me that one

 

[cumbriasteve]

its only up the road from me that one

Well he has not had a bid yet... chance of a daft offer after the listing closes perhaps???

 

[brightspark]

Well he has not had a bid yet... chance of a daft offer after the listing closes perhaps???

possibly i allready have a decent one

 

[Rig Pig]

The 180a Oxford is a brilliant machine but it won't run off a 13a plug.

 

[brightspark]

The 180a Oxford is a brilliant machine but it won't run off a 13a plug.

wont it. mine has for the last 40 years

 

[Wendelspanswick]

The 180a Oxford is a brilliant machine but it won't run off a 13a plug.

My TecArc 231 will run off a 13amp plug on the lower 7 settings (6 low, 6 high, 12 in all), after that it needs to be on a 32amp commando plug.

 

[cumbriasteve]

The 180a Oxford is a brilliant machine but it won't run off a 13a plug.

Mine did at home, at my mates it blew at anything over 140amps...I know little about electrics but don't think it's set in stone what will and what won't blow the fuse.

My Portamig 235 never once blew a fuse at regular 180 amps use and occasionally at full whack on short runs, yet an old sip 150 was a sod for blowing them.

 

[Rig Pig]

wont it. mine has for the last 40 years

Bolt fuse?