It really is!
I’m not new, but I’m not active so hello everybody.
Here’s my problem:
I’m a member of a cooperative workshop which is exclusively dedicated to insane individuals who create their own HGV motorhome, either from a bus, ordinary lorry or lovely chunky 4x4 lorry (guess which is my choice).
Part of the collaboration is that each of us brings something to the workshop; skills, labour, equipment, etc. As the least present (career gets in the way) member I pay my rent by bringing tools for everybody’s use each time I get holiday time to go to the workshop (it’s a fair drive from my place). I generally try to make the tools coincide with general needs, if not mine in particular.
This time round I really can’t put it off any longer, I need a MIG welder to close up and panel the gaping holes in my work. This is what I’ve been up to: http://www.atelier-des-barbares.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=371
Sorry it’s in French, the workshop is in France and I also live in France; I hope the pics make enough sense.
So far I’ve made do with either a spool gun connected to a string of batteries, or a crappy DIY mig unit that was on its last legs last time I saw it, the torch was all crapped up and is not replaceable and the plastic wire feed unit is the same as in my spool gun. The wire feed motor in question seems to go from wire slipping to gear stripping in about a quarter turn of the tensioner. Wire jams are costly affairs with either, I’ve concluded I do not want plastic gears.
Anyway apparently that unit died a death in the hands of one of the other chaps in the workshop, and now they’re using a borrowed “toy” mig unit that doesn’t procure much satisfaction.
So here I am asking the same question as everyone else. The use is going to be slightly different, as I won’t be the only one using it. This leads me to look at second hand pro units, but each time I find one in my price range (500 to 600 Euros), the minimum current is 40A or above, and from what I’ve read here that’s too high for panelling.
What I know I need:
· Euro torch (for spares reasons)
· All metal wire feed drive!!!
· Low current capability for thin bodywork.
· Occasional 3 to 4 mm tubing joins (well prepared with a nice deep V)
· Workshop proof (what I’ve seen of home single user units the box wouldn’t stand up to the kind of physical abuse and dust/grindings that one finds in a group situation)
· I would also like to keep the option of welding gasless, although as I understand it the only real argument for that is portability.
I’m sure there are features I will need that I either don’t know about or that I haven’t thought of, and I’m open to suggestions on that front.
The thing is there are just so many out there; and so very, very few which even show the drive motor in their sales blurb.
As I mentioned I live in France, which has absolutely the worst reputation for overpricing and awful after sales service, so I’m looking mainly at Italy and Germany, the UK is a problem for postage.
Names that keep popping up are
Gude
LCDvision
Telwin
ISKRA
DECA
The Portaweld is just that tiny bit out of my reach, I could stretch but the postage is the killer and there's no way around that.
Gude have something in my price, but I haven’t seen the feed motor and that makes me nervous.
The cheapest euro torch Telwin is too much for me
The LCDvision Synmig 160 is right up my street; metal drive and inverter technology, but it looks suspiciously like some of the Chinese units you see on Ali Baba so I’m reluctant to commit, especially buying at a distance.
DECA only seems to be on sale in San Marino, quality stuff??
ISKRA is slightly over budget, does that mean it’s better? I've never heard of them.
I would be so grateful if those of you with experience of various welders to help me out of this maze, or suggest other brands in my price range.
Time is beginning to press too, I go to the workshop mid August.
Thanks in advance
Luke
I’m not new, but I’m not active so hello everybody.
Here’s my problem:
I’m a member of a cooperative workshop which is exclusively dedicated to insane individuals who create their own HGV motorhome, either from a bus, ordinary lorry or lovely chunky 4x4 lorry (guess which is my choice).
Part of the collaboration is that each of us brings something to the workshop; skills, labour, equipment, etc. As the least present (career gets in the way) member I pay my rent by bringing tools for everybody’s use each time I get holiday time to go to the workshop (it’s a fair drive from my place). I generally try to make the tools coincide with general needs, if not mine in particular.
This time round I really can’t put it off any longer, I need a MIG welder to close up and panel the gaping holes in my work. This is what I’ve been up to: http://www.atelier-des-barbares.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=371
Sorry it’s in French, the workshop is in France and I also live in France; I hope the pics make enough sense.
So far I’ve made do with either a spool gun connected to a string of batteries, or a crappy DIY mig unit that was on its last legs last time I saw it, the torch was all crapped up and is not replaceable and the plastic wire feed unit is the same as in my spool gun. The wire feed motor in question seems to go from wire slipping to gear stripping in about a quarter turn of the tensioner. Wire jams are costly affairs with either, I’ve concluded I do not want plastic gears.
Anyway apparently that unit died a death in the hands of one of the other chaps in the workshop, and now they’re using a borrowed “toy” mig unit that doesn’t procure much satisfaction.
So here I am asking the same question as everyone else. The use is going to be slightly different, as I won’t be the only one using it. This leads me to look at second hand pro units, but each time I find one in my price range (500 to 600 Euros), the minimum current is 40A or above, and from what I’ve read here that’s too high for panelling.
What I know I need:
· Euro torch (for spares reasons)
· All metal wire feed drive!!!
· Low current capability for thin bodywork.
· Occasional 3 to 4 mm tubing joins (well prepared with a nice deep V)
· Workshop proof (what I’ve seen of home single user units the box wouldn’t stand up to the kind of physical abuse and dust/grindings that one finds in a group situation)
· I would also like to keep the option of welding gasless, although as I understand it the only real argument for that is portability.
I’m sure there are features I will need that I either don’t know about or that I haven’t thought of, and I’m open to suggestions on that front.
The thing is there are just so many out there; and so very, very few which even show the drive motor in their sales blurb.
As I mentioned I live in France, which has absolutely the worst reputation for overpricing and awful after sales service, so I’m looking mainly at Italy and Germany, the UK is a problem for postage.
Names that keep popping up are
Gude
LCDvision
Telwin
ISKRA
DECA
The Portaweld is just that tiny bit out of my reach, I could stretch but the postage is the killer and there's no way around that.
Gude have something in my price, but I haven’t seen the feed motor and that makes me nervous.
The cheapest euro torch Telwin is too much for me
The LCDvision Synmig 160 is right up my street; metal drive and inverter technology, but it looks suspiciously like some of the Chinese units you see on Ali Baba so I’m reluctant to commit, especially buying at a distance.
DECA only seems to be on sale in San Marino, quality stuff??
ISKRA is slightly over budget, does that mean it’s better? I've never heard of them.
I would be so grateful if those of you with experience of various welders to help me out of this maze, or suggest other brands in my price range.
Time is beginning to press too, I go to the workshop mid August.
Thanks in advance
Luke