Crikey - Where do I begin - What do I buy ?

[Malc_R]

Hi everyone

First post on the forum, although I did register a few years ago ! I did an 'Intro to Welding' course at a local college, where I spent several weeks welding small pieces of 2.5-ish mm with arc, mig and some gas on thinner steel. I got on with the Mig welding OK, and was looking at it ahead of starting some welding on my classic.

I have a 1976 Stag and some filler dropped off today, revealing holes and rot in a structural place around the windscreen frame. This is a common fault with the car, and the Stag owners forum has threads of how to repair, and this looks to be with 0.8mm and 1.00mm steel. I would expect this is the thickness of steel I will be most commonly welding, as I would like to make up repair panels, stepped into the existing bodywork or fit pre-shaped repair panels. I'm not planning on getting into chassis welding at this point.

Welder-wise, I am not sure what to go for so looking for some advice - my usual first website for automotive tools is MachineMart, and I have found the Clarke 151TE -this looks to be a best-seller so lots of people must have thought it looks half-decent also . I am open to suggestions, but this is for a hobby, not a profession.

I am looking for one that will work off a standard (UK) domestic supply , I expect to have a 'gas' one , rather than a 'no-gas' ( unless the overwhelming view of the expertise here is that 'no-gas' is the way to go.

What suggestions can you make for this newbie ?

Thanks in advance

Malcolm

 

[Wedg1e]

Gosh, do people really still say 'crikey'?
Lawks a mussy me

 

[Rocketman]

Clarke 90 pro (gas) goes down to 25amp while the 150 versions only go down to 30amp. So if you don't need to go above 2mm-2.5mm steel it would be a better bet for it's thinner steel capabilities.

 

[Malc_R]

Thanks for the help and advice .


On the welding course (not really a 'Course', more a chance to have a practice at different types) I found the stick welding really hard to do - the MIG seemed comparatively easy, provided you had the feed speed correct. I've had the sizzling bacon sound - thanks for the reminder. You say I need a calm environment - I reckon the only thing that wont be calm is me . I have the auto-darkening mask already and a long glove somewhere.

Any basic do's / don'ts for car welding ? eg DO disconnect the battery... places that I should NOT clamp the earth line...

Talking of which - Do I need to have a substantial point to clamp the earth line to, that I have to clean of paint? I am thinking that I will be around the front door hinges and I reckon those would do, unless I am in danger of fusing it together.

Cheers

Malc


(btw - I thought 'Crikey' sounded better than 'Kin'ell' , for an opening post - I don't know any of you yet )

 

[Malc_R]

Bit more from me - Looking at the spec's of the Pro 90 and the 151TE it looks like the Pro90 will run off a regular domestic 13A socket whereas the 151TE looks to need a 15A min supply.

Pro 90 looks to be the way to go.

 

[Wedg1e]

(btw - I thought 'Crikey' sounded better than 'Kin'ell' , for an opening post - I don't know any of you yet )

We're mostly fond of using the old Anglo-Saxon however the forum management are a bit 'modern' about such things

Welding on cars... I disconnect the battery, alternator, engine management and any other ECUs I can find. Doesn't take long on my car (two wires and one big plug) but then fibreglass doesn't take much welding