First welder purchase

[RustyBucket]

Hi guys,

Looking buy my first welder, been searching the internet and it’s all quite confusing lol. I’m looking to start on a project car. I don’t have an indoor place to weld so it will mainly be outdoor for now. I am quite confused on whether to get a gasless welder or a MIG welder?? From what I see gasless is not the way to go as it’s very messy (which I don’t mind) and tedious to learn. But at the same time since I am outdoors won’t MIG be useless (wind).

I had a look at machine mart today and they have two machines I was looking at. They have to be household plug. They are:

Clarke MMA/TIG120 120 Amp Inverter MMA/TIG Welder - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

Just gasless and quite a good price

Clarke MIG120 Multi 120A MIG / MMA / TIG Inverter Welder (230V) - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

Best of both worlds, can switch to gas and back to flux if I wanted to?

I am looking to in the long run develop my skills. So ideally an investment at the same time. What would you guys suggest? My plan is to strictly work on cars(panels,sills,chassis).

Quite hard to buy second hand as I don’t know what components could be potentially worn out unless someone on the forum has one for sale and could talk me through it?

In the Birmingham area but willing to travel to collect a good welder. Really appreciate the help guys. Thanks

 

[addjunkie]

Forget the first one, and spend more money to improve on the second one.

 

[RustyBucket]

Forget the first one, and spend more money to improve on the second one.

What things would you upgrade on the second one, I’ve heard you can upgrade the clamp? Unsure what is the difference between this torch and a euro torch

 

[addjunkie]

A eurotorch can be removed and replaced with new. Id suggest a slightly larger machine, with a eurotorch. The mma and tig are a waste of time for what your intending* to do. A better machine would come with a regulator for a proper gas bottle.

You get what you pay for. The included mask needs to directly into the bin. Before you start on a car, you heed tolearn to weld. With gas if far less frustrating and easier to get half decent results.

 

[eddie49]

Hello and welcome to the Forum!

The first welder you linked to is an Arc ( MMA ) welder, using stick ( rod ) electrodes. For car bodywork, you need a MIG.
The second one is a 120 Amp synergic gas/gasless MIG with an attached torch. It is typical of small imported MIGs, but overpriced by £50 to £90.
There are plenty of "Buying a Welder" threads on this Forum, e.g.:

Thread 'Need advice on new welder'

May 19, 2024

Good Morning Guys/Girls

NEWBY so forgive lack of experience

I have a Mighty mig 100 (complete nightmare) new to welding and have owned for a year, I am looking at a budget of £600 plus a tiny bit, want to step upto gas and was looking at R-tech 181 digital welder,
I only weld for a past time and made garden ornaments with mild steel, the problem I have with the one I got is no matter how I try a burn through 1mm steel everytime with this welder and can't seem to control this, is it me or the welder? and any other advice for a novice regards new welder would be invaluable, I apologise now...

• turkeytrish
• Replies: 26
• forum: Buying a Welder

Thread 'Thinking about a Draper / SIP Mig welder'

Jan 17, 2025

Hello,

I've just registered to this forum, it seems to be the go to place for advice after spending weeks savaging the internet for information... Thinking about buying a MIG welder to mainly work on car bodywork, would like the option for welding 5/6mm steel and also the possibility of aluminium as eventually in the future once I get on top of life again I would like to fabricate some aluminium parts for the project car..... maybe I'm just dreaming lol but think I've narrowed it down to these welders.....

Draper 160A, AC/DC - although it has that in the name it doesn't mention again...

• bhorth
• Replies: 24
• forum: Buying a Welder

T

Thread 'Hobby car welder'

Feb 17, 2025

Hello everyone,

I did go through some searches on the forum before posting, but I do apologise if this may have been posted before and is a duplicate. I am looking for some clear direction and advice please.

This is a father-son project:
We have a rusty car that requires some welding on its body and a bit on the chassis. My father used an arc welder in his youth, but nothing for many years, while I haven't touch a welder ever. I've read that for car body and chassis, a MIG welder is ideal. He's a bit overwhelmed by how to set-up the settings properly on a MIG welder, so I said...

• tony.
• Replies: 16
• forum: Buying a Welder

 

[Shedendman]

Time after time this question pops up,
@RustyBucket how much money are you willing to spend?
Whats it for,ie what welding are you intending to do mostly?
Have you thought about what other tools PPE(plus gas,if you do go down that avenue etc) in your budget?
The welder you buy is only a fraction of the kit you need

 

[MikeBs]

Hi @RustyBucket
I was in a similar position a few years ago. My hope was to do a bit of welding for garden ornaments and bits around the house. So anything from horseshoes and 10mm bar to 1mm sheet and bits of stainless steel and cutlery.
I got a Clarke 196 welder which although was 2nd hand had never had a plug fitted so essentially new. It got me started with gasless. Within a few days got better gloves and mask. Within a few weeks got a regulator and gas which was much easier to get neater results.
As others have said, you will then want lots of stuff that you may/may not have. Vice, snips, selection of angle grinders, wire wheels, bench grinder, better PPE etc. It all adds up.
Whatever welder you get, keep it clean. I made a cover out of the box mine came in so it didn’t get covered in mess in the shed. When I came to sell my welder and get a better one, it still looked new and ended up getting more than I paid for it.
Good luck and, if you find you enjoy the process, welcome to the club of tool collectors and bigger shed needers.

 

[RustyBucket]

Time after time this question pops up,
@RustyBucket how much money are you willing to spend?
Whats it for,ie what welding are you intending to do mostly?
Have you thought about what other tools PPE(plus gas,if you do go down that avenue etc) in your budget?
The welder you buy is only a fraction of the kit you need

I was looking to spend roughly around £150 on a welder, this is just to start with. Ppe gas will be seperate. Just want to dip my toes in and get a feel for it. I will 90% only be doing cars, from what I can think of I don’t need it for anything else. My plan initially was get a gas/gas less welder, start using the gas less to gain experience and understand how it works. Then convert the same welder to gas

 

[Shedendman]

I will 90% only be doing cars

Then you can forget FCAW(gasless)+ you better up your budget for a welder and gas,sorry but thats the bottem line,cars are a different ball game compared to say ornaments etc

 

[Yaka]

Was in the same position as op, but after much deliberation we ended up upping our budget and going for a Lincoln bester 210.

We are not experienced with welding but have pretty happy with it. Allied welding was the place with the cheapest price when we were looking for one