Hi all from a newbie, I have a BIG little problem, I was hopping members could help w

[ecape]

Hi all from a newbie, I have a BIG little problem, I was hopping members could help with.

Hi guys, well here is my quandary?
I am building a wood burning stove, and I need to weld 1.5mm stainless steel pipe to 2mm sheet, that is for the back boiler. And the reset is 5mm mild steel.

I have a stick welder and it is ok for the mild steel but I know MIG is really good in corners, as most of my welds are in corners I figured a MIG would be a good idea.

Then there is the tank (back boiler) I bought the Haynes book on diy welding, and am now even more confused? How difficult is TIG really? Realising I am on a tight budget, I will not be able to afford an all singing all dancing machine. Then there is the problem of stainless steel expanding, any suggestions on the best steel to use for that?

Then another question, can one buy a TIG/MIG all in one machine? This would solve all my problems.

As you can see, it’s not a big problem, just one with loads of options, that makes it all a little bigger!


Just a little of subject, I bought a screwfix £60.00 welder, and after battling for ages took it back, I knew I could not be that rubbish! Bought a £160.00 welder, man o man what a difference! SWP I would give it a thumbs up! PS maybe there is a wire feeder that will connect to my SWP rod welder as a cost-effective option?

Really hopping you guys can help, and hope to hear from you soon.

Kev

 

[Engineer]

You can do the whole job with a MIG welder, but unless you have a need for a MIG set probably a lot less hassle to get everything properly prepared and pay a pro to do the welding.

 

[ecape]

Thanks for that

Could you recommend a welder? I do not want to farm this out as it is for my own entertainment, and to learn a new skill, and welding really is quite fun. (Dose that make me weird? Hope not)

 

[Wozzaaah]

If your SWP is a 'rod' welder (aka arc/mma/stick) then no, you can't connect a wire feeder to it.
I'm with Engineer on this one, if it's purely a one-off job then cut everything to fit and try and find a friendly fabber to weld it up for you.
Plenty of forum members in Essex so you might find one who'll do it for a few beer tokens.

 

[ecape]

thanx for that Woz

here is what i am building,
ecape1820.tripod.com/
its a bit of a hobby. the first tank i built I did just that I had all the steel lazer cut, then welded, the welding cost £300.00 i figer if i was to make a few of these, i could just as well teach my self.

 

[Engineer]

If you are looking to go into small scale production, look at getting hold of a used pro standard MIG set (£200-300 ish Ebay), but you will need to factor in the cost of hire charges for a gas bottle, and the cost of the gas itself.

The stove looks very interesting, but build cost must be quite high due to the door arrangement? Looks like small budget solid fuel stoves would be easy to make using discarded LPG cylinders, which are not that difficult to find FOC.

 

[ecape]

LPG bottles, that could be a forum on its own!! i have seen capmping stoves , caravan stoves BBQ's spit roster and and and all from good old LPG bottles.

I am not realy looking for a welder to go in to production with, but i do like your idea of a second hand welder, the site is more to see how much interest there might be. it works out to be a very expensive stove, as it is basicaly two in one, so rite up there with the knowen brands, and people only seem to want to pay tope dolar for known brands.. any how it keeps me out of the pub so the missis is happy ; )

the maine reason for this unit is to try and get up to 90% eff. with a wood stove using logs and not pelets, and I am just about there!!

 

[the snooper]

a very interesting project once have have reached the 90% efficiency it would be good if you could share the palns with us all as quite a lot of us on here have diy wood burners and we all look for efficiency

 

[ecape]

not a problem. Thats a realy good idea..
I have 3 patents on it, so could supply the castings for the bits that realy make it work. for the guys.. the steel, I can get the guys to just get my supplier to send them the cut components directly as they will have all the drawings. then its just a mater of me putting some directions together as well as a list of suppliers for things like the glass, as it is a special uv reflective stuf fem Germany out. for home projects it would be a realy fab thing to build, as the satisfaction seeing it work is fantastic!!

should not be to mutch longer now!! its only been 3,1/2 years ...

i am puting drawings together for a smaller unit that would be a lot more practical, as the unit you see there would heat a church!! so just finishing the drawing now as i typ < for next week.. (for lazer cutting) on what must be the most frustrating cad program ever (google sketchup) but its cheep and i am just about there.. have been using solid works, and that is the business, but cant aford the license, as a hobiest.

 

[Shox Dr]

Welcome to the forum, plenty of people come here, with the desire of building a wood burning stove. Watching this tread with interest.


As for Patents, I was once told; A Patent is only as good as the money you can afford to spend defending it

 

[ecape]

yip you r quite corect with regard to patents, the only people that make money are the patent loyers! but if you dont at least get a provisional patent, you can get sued for your own ideas!!

 

[ecape]

hello again

found this unit
Mig 170i Multi Function Inverter

on this site
http://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/Welding/Mig_170i_Multi_Function_Inverter.html

tryed to find some info, but alas,, any one got one of these??