WarthogARJ
New Member
- Messages
- 9
- Location
- Sheffield, UK
Hi,
Am sort-of a newbie to MIG, and want to buy a DIY/hobby type MIG. I've been busy going through this excellent website: resources and Forum and still need to read more.
I would LIKE to have a MIG with these specs:
240 V single phase
20/30 amps to 150/180 amps (duty cycle on the high end can be 10-20%)
Gas (maybe gasless too, dunno)
Voltage settings >= 4
Wire: 0.6-1.0
To weld "standard" type things: mild steel (thinnish to car chassis thickness maybe not Landy)
And stainless, aluminium.
Maybe titanium (nice to have).
Price: <= £250 (obviously an older 2nd model for that).
Is OK if I end up spending £50-£100 afterwards to upgrade a board or something: as long as I'm not throwing good money after bad, so to speak. But I'm OK with spending a bit to upgrade a 10-20 year old solidly built machine to have a few more modern advantages.
OK, so with that in mind, if I had a choice between these:
(1) Cebora MIG 180: manual etc under Art. 852 MIG 180 (single phase) on their web site
(2) Cebora MIG 180 Auto Star MIG 180 (sometimes has "Taskmaster 838" added to name): manuals/info under Art. 838 Compact MIG 170 on their site
Here's the Cebora web page link:
https://www.cebora.it/articoli_fuori_produzione_uk.html
I THINK that (1) MIG 180 is somewhat better than the Auto Star MIG 180, but is hard to say for sure.
Both are indeed very similar.
What makes it difficult for me to see, is the manuals posted are very basic, and not complete.
Current:
MIG 180 20-180amps
Auto Star: no specific info, I'd ASSUME is same?
Duty Cycle:
MIG 180 170amps@20% (be OK for me)
Auto Star: no info
Voltage: both seem to have 6 settings (1 to 6)
Wire speed: both can control it
Weight: MIG 180 is a nice heft 60kg, so means nice big power supply I'd think.
Aut Star....no info....sigh.
Other: MIG 180 has a "Spot Time" knob: "Min" to "Max" to Cont.
Auto Star....no knob
Gas: I'm assuming both can use gas same way?
I suspect either would do me, but as I said, if a choice, which is "better"?
I THINK that "Spot" means can do spot welding easier, right?
Which is the older model? Is that good or bad?
Is a bit surprising to struggle to find more info on the Auto Star, I thought it was really popular in the UK. So why not more in info on it?
Thanks for any help,
Alan
Sheffield
Am sort-of a newbie to MIG, and want to buy a DIY/hobby type MIG. I've been busy going through this excellent website: resources and Forum and still need to read more.
I would LIKE to have a MIG with these specs:
240 V single phase
20/30 amps to 150/180 amps (duty cycle on the high end can be 10-20%)
Gas (maybe gasless too, dunno)
Voltage settings >= 4
Wire: 0.6-1.0
To weld "standard" type things: mild steel (thinnish to car chassis thickness maybe not Landy)
And stainless, aluminium.
Maybe titanium (nice to have).
Price: <= £250 (obviously an older 2nd model for that).
Is OK if I end up spending £50-£100 afterwards to upgrade a board or something: as long as I'm not throwing good money after bad, so to speak. But I'm OK with spending a bit to upgrade a 10-20 year old solidly built machine to have a few more modern advantages.
OK, so with that in mind, if I had a choice between these:
(1) Cebora MIG 180: manual etc under Art. 852 MIG 180 (single phase) on their web site
(2) Cebora MIG 180 Auto Star MIG 180 (sometimes has "Taskmaster 838" added to name): manuals/info under Art. 838 Compact MIG 170 on their site
Here's the Cebora web page link:
https://www.cebora.it/articoli_fuori_produzione_uk.html
I THINK that (1) MIG 180 is somewhat better than the Auto Star MIG 180, but is hard to say for sure.
Both are indeed very similar.
What makes it difficult for me to see, is the manuals posted are very basic, and not complete.
Current:
MIG 180 20-180amps
Auto Star: no specific info, I'd ASSUME is same?
Duty Cycle:
MIG 180 170amps@20% (be OK for me)
Auto Star: no info
Voltage: both seem to have 6 settings (1 to 6)
Wire speed: both can control it
Weight: MIG 180 is a nice heft 60kg, so means nice big power supply I'd think.
Aut Star....no info....sigh.
Other: MIG 180 has a "Spot Time" knob: "Min" to "Max" to Cont.
Auto Star....no knob
Gas: I'm assuming both can use gas same way?
I suspect either would do me, but as I said, if a choice, which is "better"?
I THINK that "Spot" means can do spot welding easier, right?
Which is the older model? Is that good or bad?
Is a bit surprising to struggle to find more info on the Auto Star, I thought it was really popular in the UK. So why not more in info on it?
Thanks for any help,
Alan
Sheffield