Finally picked up the welder and gave it a check.

[Sphinx]

Hi all, I've just joined and as I mentioned in my first post; I'm going to learn how to weld using some 2nd hand equipment my uncle no longer uses. 99% of the things I see myself doing are car bodywork, rust repairs etc and maybe a bit of fabrication with some box section.

Well today I picked up the SIP topmig turbo 195 and miscellaneous spares, got it back home and started giving it a bit of a clean as it was COVERED in a thick layer of dust etc. Gave me a chance to familiarise myself with it and noticed a few things: oh by the way, I know sod all about welding...

- I now know what people mean when they talk about the plastic wire feed mechanism! Although I've not even switched it on yet I can see it flexes a bit but it seemed sturdy enough, so i'll see when i start.
- I took that all apart and gave the wheels a good clean and put a bit of grease in the bearing.
- Also took apart the head etc and blasted through the wire liner which I noticed was steel instead of plastic which I took as a good sign. Also replaced the gas shroud.

Now for the questions lol:
The dial for the power is only numbered 1 – 6, how can I tell what power these settings are? As I understand it, you need a low lowest setting for thin steel like car panels?
I noticed the tip is a 0.8 one and a bit knackered at that, the bag of 0.6 tips I had seemed to have too small a thread, are these easy to buy from the likes of machine mart etc?
Also, at the machine end of the liner, the fitting that holds it in place as you tighten it is cracked slightly, can these be bought from the likes of machine mart too?
Other than these things I think it's ready for work...I however am not, which leads me too the next few questions:

I want an auto-darkening helmet and have seen a couple of posts with various opinions but I've seen this link more than once:
http://www.diywelding.co.uk/product_details.asp?d=9&p={2F535B15-3140-4F87-8F23-2F6763A650AC}
Is this still regarded as a good value helmet or are there some better deals around for the same money?
I’ve got some gloves and an apron and I’ll get a little fire extinguisher from halfords unless someone can suggest a better/cheaper place?

Gas...as I mentioned, I know sod all about welding and all I knew was that you needed gas to shield the weld. This is the bit that scares me as I know the least about it, can someone talk me through which gasses are needed and any safety info? Do I need to buy 2 bottles and mix them or what? After seeing words like 'flash back arrestor' etc it's got me a bit concerned, and like I say; I know sod all and don't want to blow myself up on the first attempts.


Apologies for the long winded post, hope you've had the patience to read it all. Any help much appreciated!

Regards

Tom

 

[shenion]

You will need argoshield lite or if using disposables CO2 or 80/20 ar/CO2 cans. The disposable Ar/CO2 only last a few minutes. The straight CO2 ones last longer.

You don't mix gases, you buy them premixed.

It probably came with a regulator, post a pict and we can tell what tanks it is for.

Arrestors are only for flammable or oxidizing gases, MIG gases are inert and don't need them.

weldequip will have the tips and torch parts.

 

[fingers99]

You don't need flash back arrestors -- they're generally only used on oxy and acetylene (or hydrogen bottles) where a flashback is potentially capable of destroying a fair sized village. You need argon/CO2 mix. Somewhere there is a long thread with all the major players. Or look in YP for Energas, Linde Gas, Air Liquide, Air Products, BOC, etc. The guys who deliver the little propane bottles or your local factors/fabricators/etc may have other good local contacts.

eldequip should have much/all of hat you need off the shelf as far as consumables are concerned. Well worth PMing him with your shopping list.

 

[Sphinx]

Thanks for the reply, I found the tutorial on the different gasses seconds after posting
'Weldequip' is a name I've seen a few times on this forum! Is he given to be the god of welding supplies or something? lol

 

[fingers99]

Good guy -- I've yet to buy anything off him though -- and patron saint of this forum!

 

[pedrobedro]

The dial for the power is only numbered 1 – 6, how can I tell what power these settings are?

1 is low, 6 is 195 amps, that's enough to know. You will get to know what setting works for you on what you are welding by using it.

 

[frankf]

me too

Hi Tom I have a sip 195 as well and have used it for some decent sized farm machinery repairs and it is more than adequate.Dont be tempterd to weld thin stuff with 0.8 wire,wire speed does not go low enough use 0.6mm. have fun Andi.

 

[Sphinx]

Thanks for the replys guys, sorry 'Shenion' didn't see yours last night, must be the time difference. I'll get some pics of all the bits I've got today.
Can someone explain when to use what wire thicknesses and how that affect what speed to use? In my head; the thicker the wire the slower the speed would have to be.
Obviously things wil become clearer once I start practicing, but I need a helmet and gas first. Does the user Weldequip have a phone number or is he PM only?

 

[Sphinx]

Update
Ordered that Parweld helmet and a few spare lenses, got tired if researching and just bought the bloody thing.

Got some pics of the welder and regulator too:

You can see the tip of the wire liner (i'll move it closer to the wheels, only learned that last night) but the bronze fitting that holds the liner in place has a small crack so I'd like to replace this out of completeness.

Fitted new gas shroud and cleaned up the tip etc, but would still like a couple of spares for different wire thicknesses. How long are tips and shrouds supposed to last?

This is what I noticed about the wire feed mechanism, it is still sturdy though but one thing I'm thinking of is; you can see a gap between the base and the top part that secured the motor spindle. Well even when it's 'tight', there is still a gap at the base so I was thinking of putting some washers in there to avoid accidentally over-tightening it.

....clueless.

 

[fingers99]

Plain old 2 guage regulator -- the one at the right is cylinder contents, the other delivery pressure. It'll be fine for argon/CO2 mix. If you do the bad thing and go for CO2 you'll need an adaptor.

 

[pedrobedro]

That looks like a cheapo regulator with an adaptor already in it. Take a spanner to the male and female and separate them.

 

[fingers99]

I see now -- could well be right.

 

[Sphinx]

My helmet arrived today so I've been staring at lights and flicking them on and off and marvelling at the way it doesn't blind me...it's the little things.

Whats the difference in the regulators then? do different gas bottles need different fittings?

Next on the to-do list is contact weldequip about some of those parts I've mentioned and keep searching for an affordable gas supplier. How people can justify some of these rental costs for such a part time hobby is beyond me

 

[shenion]

Looks like that reg will work with either CO2 or Ar/Co2 mix bottles.

 

[chunkytfg]

I rekon the justification is in the fact that once you get the hang of it you will look at things differently.

I always worked with wood to build anything at home as it was just so damm easy. Now although i'm still new to it i look at jobs and think if it was made out of metal it would be far better/sturdier.

And after all the cost of a bottle rentla isnt that huge. from BOC near me it is 68 quid a year. Thats nothing if you take it a s a monthly rate really.

 

[fingers99]

Whats the difference in the regulators then? do different gas bottles need different fittings?

Pretty much just that -- generally fuel gasses have a different male thread to oxygen and non-fuel gasses -- including Argon, but CO2 has a different (female) thread altogether.

All this is a mix of tradition/safety/standards and so on.

 

[Sphinx]

Ah OK, thanks. I'll just take it with me when I get a bottle and make sure it all fits together.

Another thing that's just cropped up: The welder normally uses large reels of wire which sit over a plastic guide that in-turn sits over the metal shaft. The reels lay on their side and sit on the top of the welder. I've tried fitting a small reel as it's the only size I have in 0.6mm wire but of course it only fits over the shaft and the original nut/washer system to tension is doesn't work. Is there an adaptor to run small reels on welders designed for large reels?
I've searched this forum and found people who'd made them for the size mounted systems but non for the top mounted. Does the distance between the reel and wire feed motor make a difference?

 

[fingers99]

Not really -- often you can just cobble something together. Point is that there must be just enough tension (or sticktion) in the spool to stop it unwinding by itself, but not enough to interfere with the wire feed.

 

[Sphinx]

I've managed to cobble something together using the odd washer a piece of garden hose lol The small reel now spins accurately (without wobbling on the spindle) and i can adjust the tension.

Another question though, you're gonna love this:
Do all swan necks have/need liners?
I noticed this topic in a couple of old posts and noticed that mine doesn't have a liner. The steel liner goes up to the swan neck but not into it, the swan neck internal diameter is much smaller.

 

[fingers99]

You know, it's so long since I stripped one that I can't remember! (Years of not welding, then using TIG exclusively -- I've only just picked up a MIG again!).

I think they do usually stop at the neck. Anyone?