buying my first mig

[p1rate]

I have done a bit of reading but I thought I would post my own thread. I need to do a bit of welding to my mx5 and so it's about time I bought myself a mig welder. In the not too distant future I would also like to build a table out of box tube. I'll probably only use it occasionally for light car repairs and diy projects so I'm not looking to spend a fortune. From what I have read gas would be better. I have an empty gas bottle in my garage and I saw that some welders can be converted? What should I look at? I might look at second hand equipment to keep the cost down a bit too.

 

[addjunkie]

Whats your budget?

 

[cumbriasteve]

A lot of the hobby machines can work in both gas and gasless modes, with the appropriate wire fitted, it usually involves changing over the cables inside the case where the wire spool is stored and changing the wire feed roller to the correct size for the wire.

These machines are usually called gas/gasless.

Gasless can be handy to have but in all fairness is not popular, it's nowhere near as nice to use as gas.

For car welding the top end power is not that important, the low end is, anything above 30 amps and it gets a bit difficult, especially when new to welding.

If however you may be doing projects then top end power becomes more of an issue and many first time welders end up wishing they had bought a better/more powerful set in the first place.

A machine around the 150 amp range tends to be suitable for most hobby welders and is more than enough for the box section but you do really need to try and establish what you will be welding in the future.

 

[Richard.]

Never to be seen again.
I hate this section of the forum.
" I wanna buy my first welder, I wanna spend f##k all on it. I'm gonna go gasless despite how many advise other wise but more importantly I'm gonna watch you plonkers write your hearts out to help me out and I'm gonna p#ss off without so much as a thanks".

 

[Neckieman]

Never to be seen again.
I hate this section of the forum.
" I wanna buy my first welder, I wanna spend f##k all on it. I'm gonna go gasless despite how many advise other wise but more importantly I'm gonna watch you plonkers write your hearts out to help me out and I'm gonna p#ss off without so much as a thanks".

I actually found the advice quite quite helpful and although I had read the various posts first and had a good idea on what I wanted the various responses confirmed I had made a good choice and was in the right ballpark, in fact I got a good deal on the machine I purchased via that first post from Welding Supplies Direct via this forum.
I have posted further queries in other sections and have bought much of the equipment recommended already, most of it is on the way.
Where they are folk that do ask and don't intend to pursue it once costs are known there are those that do and appreciate the advice from those who know what they are doing.

I would have like to have spent nothing on my first half decent welder but came to the conclusion that having had a sip years ago, you get what you pay for.............

 

[Country Joe]

Never to be seen again.
I hate this section of the forum.
" I wanna buy my first welder, I wanna spend f##k all on it. I'm gonna go gasless despite how many advise other wise but more importantly I'm gonna watch you plonkers write your hearts out to help me out and I'm gonna p#ss off without so much as a thanks".

Quite so, Richard - I know just what you mean - But we'll have red faces if he's back soon!

I would have like to have spent nothing on my first half decent welder but came to the conclusion that having had a sip years ago, you get what you pay for.............

I'd have liked the same (ie spending nothing!) but, like you, ended up with a SIP for ages.
It's main plus-point is that it makes most other welders a dream to use, by comparison!

All the Best,
CJ