Entry level arc welder

[MikeBoilerman]

Hello everyone, my first post here...

I'm planning get myself a welder so I can do random small jobs like welding the broken tailgate on my trailer, or welding a bracket onto my steel narrowboat. Most of these small jobs will be outside so the advice I've had so far has been to go for an arc welder. MIG welders I understand are not really suitable, as even light wind messes up the gas shroud over the workpiece.

Now having been reading this forum tonight, and in particular this 'Buying a welder' board, I'm wondering where all the threads are about choosing an arc welder. There doesn't seem to be any!

Am I making a mistake looking for an arc welder? I wonder if I am because no-one seems to be buying them, or if they are, why are there no discussions of them. Any comments or advice please, anyone?

Many thanks,
Mike

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Arc is good for outside, what is your budget ?

 

[jonjoe]

a inverter based machine sounds suitable

 

[MikeBoilerman]

Thanks for your replies, very fast!

I too had concluded a DC inverter machine would suit me, but lack of discussion of them made me wonder.

I'm flexible on my budget. I don't really want to find I've bought something the just isn't good enough and buying another in six months. Currently I'm imagining I'll need to spend £200-£300 or so but I'd prefer a second hand one for less. I'm bemused by the choice...

Mike

 

[jonjoe]

dont buy one of those cheap ones of ebay as they are sure to give bother. on the other hand you could buy miller or murex for £1000. but i think that something like a rtech or thermal arc should do.

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

I have a thermal Arc 161s, not cheap but a cracking bit of kit

 

[jonjoe]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180AMP-ESAB-BUDDY-ARC-180-ARC-STICK-WELDER-TIG-WELDER-/261204569496?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cd1016d98

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XTI161DV-PARWELD-ARC-TIG-INVERTER-WELDER-240V-110V-/281096935285?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4172aed775

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WELDABILITY-ARC-140A-MMA-INVERTER-WELDER-WELDING-MACHINE-/251185001870?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a7bcaf58e

 

[cumbriasteve]

I think it depends how much use you have for a welder, for the work you mention then arc will be fine.

I would not ignore a simple cheap machine, the type commonly called a buzz box, they are not quite as nice to use as an invertor but they are robust, simple, last for years and after a bit of practice can produce excellent welds.

They can be picked up secondhand for around the £30 mark and a new one should not exceed £70 or so.

I used one that I bought new for over 30 years, it completed a massive amount of work over the years, everything from gates to trailers, it was battered, rusty and dented when I sold it but still worked perfectly.

I now have an inverter, replaced within a week of buying it because a capacitor blew on it's third weld, will it last 30 years? tend to doubt it.

 

[jonjoe]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/buying-arc-welder.htm

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/arc-welder-types.htm

 

[Perry Owens]

I started to learn to weld with a Clarke Easi-Arc buzz box. It worked fine but after I picked up the rudiments I bought a shop-soiled R-Tech inverter. Don't know why they said it was shop soiled - I couldn't find a mark on it. I find it much easier to get presentable welds and thoroughly recommend it. Like everyone on here will tell you, don't scrimp on the rods. I use Murex rods but it seems to be very much a matter of personal taste.

 

[keith19]

If you are looking for a pretty robust inverter machine capable of some heavier work, take a look at this one: http://www.weldequip.com/tecarc-166i-dc.htm
Ten years spares availability, capable of being repaired which many cheap inverters may not be, and built to withstand site handling.
(I'd get one myself, but I can't justify it for the small amount of heavier work I do. I'll soldier on with the buzz-box!)

 

[pedrobedro]

A friend of mine bought a thermal arc 175 amp from ebay and has been highly delighted with it.

 

[giannis]

Buy an Awelco ondulix or the Awelco bt 6000 .. nice machines,value for money

 

[Brownlie1985]

I have a clarke 210e turbo.

Used it for 10 years no problem.

 

[PTvor]

Thanks for your replies, very fast!

I too had concluded a DC inverter machine would suit me, but lack of discussion of them made me wonder.

I'm flexible on my budget. I don't really want to find I've bought something the just isn't good enough and buying another in six months. Currently I'm imagining I'll need to spend £200-£300 or so but I'd prefer a second hand one for less. I'm bemused by the choice...

Mike

It's mainly a MIG forum. MIG has become very popular in recent years. My local welding supplier told me that a large part of their business is MIG machines and MIG wire these days.

There is discussion on arc welders but it tends to be spread out in time.

£200 to £300 gets you one of these

http://www.weldequip.com/mma-welders.htm

or

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Arc_MMA_Welder

Both suppliers people on here have dealt with and found perfectly satisfactory.

ESAB and Thermal Arc sell similar machines for about the same price.

One of the problems of inverters is what happens if they go wrong. They can be expensive or impossible to repair.

Watch the length and conditions of the warranty and the likelihood of the seller being able to honour it. It can make buying a second hand inverter a very dubious proposition.

 

[giannis]

It's mainly a MIG forum. MIG has become very popular in recent years. My local welding supplier told me that a large part of their business is MIG machines and MIG wire these days.

There is discussion on arc welders but it tends to be spread out in time.

£200 to £300 gets you one of these

http://www.weldequip.com/mma-welders.htm

or

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Arc_MMA_Welder

Both suppliers people on here have dealt with and found perfectly satisfactory.

ESAB and Thermal Arc sell similar machines for about the same price.

One of the problems of inverters is what happens if they go wrong. They can be expensive or impossible to repair.

Watch the length and conditions of the warranty and the likelihood of the seller being able to honour it. It can make buying a second hand inverter a very dubious proposition.

i bought an awelco and they gave me 3 years warranty.. i have it 8 months now no problem.. is it possible to find a mig welder for about 350 euro,for entry level? what do you suggest?

 

[PTvor]

i bought an awelco and they gave me 3 years warranty.. i have it 8 months now no problem.. is it possible to find a mig welder for about 350 euro,for entry level? what do you suggest?

You can't directly compare the conditions and markets in two different countries.

For instance, in France pretty much any store with a tool section will have arc welders and aluminium, stainless and cast iron rods. A lot sell oxy-acetylene sets and have a refill service. They prefer to braze plumbing rather than solder it with soft solder.

http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/prod...u-soudeur/postes-a-souder-a-l-arc-l1308219296

http://www.bricodepot.fr/carpiquet/outillage/soudure/soudure-electrique/

Leroy Merlin and Brico Depot are both DIY chains a bit like B&Q in the UK.

MIG was regarded as more for professional use, but it's becoming more popular

http://www.bricodepot.fr/carpiquet/poste-a-souder-semi-automatique/prod32681/

At €279 looks entry level at less than €350.


In the UK very few general DIY places sell welding gear and oxy-acetylene is pretty much professional or for enthusiasts.

About the only inverters sold here with a 3 year waranty are EWM, Lorch etc, which are quite expensive.

Awelco aren't sold here much, at least under their own name.

 

[giannis]

You can't directly compare the conditions and markets in two different countries.

For instance, in France pretty much any store with a tool section will have arc welders and aluminium, stainless and cast iron rods. A lot sell oxy-acetylene sets and have a refill service. They prefer to braze plumbing rather than solder it with soft solder.

http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/prod...u-soudeur/postes-a-souder-a-l-arc-l1308219296

http://www.bricodepot.fr/carpiquet/outillage/soudure/soudure-electrique/

Leroy Merlin and Brico Depot are both DIY chains a bit like B&Q in the UK.

MIG was regarded as more for professional use, but it's becoming more popular

http://www.bricodepot.fr/carpiquet/poste-a-souder-semi-automatique/prod32681/

At €279 looks entry level at less than €350.


In the UK very few general DIY places sell welding gear and oxy-acetylene is pretty much professional or for enthusiasts.

About the only inverters sold here with a 3 year waranty are EWM, Lorch etc, which are quite expensive.

Awelco aren't sold here much, at least under their own name.

Thanks a lot,very good price... looks nice machine..
As a student i had not too much money to spend only 400 euros so i bought awelco and an 250 A buzz box for heavy metals.. I decided to buy it between telwin and gysmi,we saw their electronics and awelco had 3 capacitors the other 2 and a much larger fan.. For an entry level i am very happy,but now i want to go for mig Here they are also available those machines such as lorch,fronius etc but they are expensive.. In my university we use kemmpi,those are awesome machines! Here also tool shops have them,but there are few who have gas to refil your cylinders.. You are lucky ,in your country,you can find equipment easier and cheaper

 

[MikeBoilerman]

Ok some feedback. I eventually bought a Thermal Arc 175 from Allweld Ltd in Reading. It was £240 inc VAT and seems to work brilliantly! (All I need to do now is figure out how to avoid getting the big holes.... lol)

The same unit is on ebay for £215 but Allweld give a two year guarantee where all I need to do is take it back to them and they give me a new one (so the bloke said). Their face-to-face advice and this level of after sales service should I need it is well worth the difference to me.

I also bought an automatic visor and a box of Nexus E6013 2.5mm electrodes.

I spent a bit of time messing about with it on Friday and soon I'll have a gazillion questions about technique.

Anyway, many thanks to everyone who advised me in this thread. Very much appreciated.

Cheers, Mike