can i convert to gas?

[jontop]

hello everyone im a newbie,
i have come across a little welder `SIP minimate or migmate` gasless
it doesnt have any numbers in its name to indicate ampage and doesnt even have a wire speed control!
reading the info label it seems to be 25amp - 90amp (this doesnt sound right to me) will this be too weedy for car body and maybe a bit of chassis rails?
but most important is can it be converted to use gas?
taking the shroud off reveals holes behind the tip, is this where gas can come out?
what will i need?
thank you for your time
great forum!

 

[GeorgeB]

i have come across a little welder `SIP minimate or migmate` gasless

Welcome to the forum. Are you sure it doesn't have any control over wire speed? The power range (if really 25A - 90A) sounds almost ideal for car bodywork - well for sheet steel, at least. For any chassis work, a cheap arc welder would be a useful addition. Modification over to using gas is not very difficult but I'd check out gasless wire first. Gasless is not so bad and it should give you a good idea of how well the welder can perform, like does the wire feed motor turn? And do you end up with a weld bead of sorts?

 

[jontop]

thank you George for your reply
yes i will try it gasless (cant hurt to give it a go)
25-90amp didnt know they made them that small? the smallest i have seen is 30-130amp
no wire speed control puts me right off, next time i dig it out i will write down some numbers and maybe someone can identify it.
if i remember it has just one switch `power hi or low` ?? hmmm
do you have any tips for using gasless?
i recently did a mig welding course but their machines are really big and in a perfect inviroment (not real world)
the wire in this machine will be very old will this matter?

 

[GeorgeB]

thank you George for your reply
yes i will try it gasless (cant hurt to give it a go)
25-90amp didnt know they made them that small? the smallest i have seen is 30-130amp
no wire speed control puts me right off, next time i dig it out i will write down some numbers and maybe someone can identify it.
if i remember it has just one switch `power hi or low` ?? hmmm
do you have any tips for using gasless?
i recently did a mig welding course but their machines are really big and in a perfect inviroment (not real world)
the wire in this machine will be very old will this matter?

25-90A is a good range for car bodywork, if those figures can be replied upon. Anything below 30A is reckoned to be desirable at the all-important lowest setting BUT as it just says hi/low I think you'll just have two settings - perhaps 25A and 90A and it will adjust the wire speed automatically. I'm sorry to say this type of arrangement is so basic, that it offers very little flexibility. Do give it a try with gasless but I fear you probably need a slightly more advanced MIG welder if you really want to start welding, i.e. a machine with half a dozen power settings between, say, 30A and 100A+ as well as a separate wire speed control.

You may be able to unwind the wire to find better, rust-free wire underneath. Yes, wire condition is important.