Gasless MIG

[julian.jay]

As a novice to welding and having completed a 30 week course at evening classes I am thinking of buying a welder. I would not be using it much and probably may not use it for long periods at at time. Most of the use would be automotive.

I have seen gasless welders that use a flux instead of gas and that has the advantage for me of not having to keep a gas bottle on site. Any comments please as to efficiency and use.
Julian

 

[shenion]

Gasless is not good for body work as it runs too hot.

You can get a gas MIG and use disposable bottles. They don't last long but don't cost anything if you don't use them.

What type of work would you be using it on (type and thickness of metals)? That would determine the size MIG you would need. Also set by your budjet.

 

[cobminor]

Gasless is not only hot, it's also expensive and so smokey that you only get glimpses of your work. It's also bad for spatter.

 

[irondarren]

I have seen some seriously good welding with gasless wire, all done from a welder generator, with a mig wire feed unit fitted. on some seriously thick plate. Its not the diy type welding wire, there is an industrial version of it, in 15kg size rolls. but as it goes gasless wire doesn't seem to be that good for carbody thickness.
just looked at the price on it cobminor £47 for a 4.5kg roll of gas less, compared to £13 for a 5kg roll of normal (bearing in mind of the 4.5kg gasless some of that weight is flux, its not 100% filler material like solid wire), thats £34 difference in price almost enough to pay for the gas

 

[paul.sunter3@ntlworld.com]

I bought a clarke gasless mig welder and tried to weld my mini back together with it,as the other replies have said they are to hot and you get splatter and i struggled with it.
I converted it to gas with the help of people off the forum and now welding alot better but still a novice, i would not go back to gasless at all ,a gas mig with a good mask to see what you are doing i think is the best set up and way to go,
weldequipe is the place to get all you need to convert to gas if you need.

 

[julian.jay]

Many thanks for the advice. I think I will stay away from this type.

Practical Classics magazine rated the SIP welder and that looks like a good choice to me. I think it was the 130 model.
Julian

 

[Rich.C]

Julian,

Would be worth reading through the SIP section (welders and welding machines) on here before you commit to anything. They unfortunately seem to suffer from wire feed problems.

 

[irondarren]

you have to wonder how they sometimes rate these machine, i guess they get a brand new machine and use for an hour or two, which wouldnt show problems that are likely to turn up as the machine gets older

 

[shenion]

As said in other threads, SIP's are junk. They are cheap and cost a fortune in hassles.

Go for a Clarke, that is as low as you can go and still get a good machine.

 

[steve202]

Yep, don't go SIP. I thought I was 'the man' with my new SIP until reading up here! Im trying to wear mine out now so her in doors will let me get a real welder

 

[julian.jay]

Once again many thanks for the info here. I will save up for a decent Clarke. I did wonder about the relative costs of gas and non gas wire!
Julian

 

[webba]

.

I can agree, gasless is too hot for bodywork. I bought a 90amp clarke gas/gasless dual purpose (Thought Id get dual just incase) On my mini, even on the lowest setting i was still blowing holes in bodywork. Switched to gas and its fine now