I'm on a tiny budget so am I to expect little?

[jagxjs1992]

Hello everyone. My name is Seb Wilkes. I'm 15, and I'm brand new (as you can see) in pretty much every sense of the word.

I've decided to go down the "MIG" route because my teacher is going to teach me to use a MIG welder.

So I've bought a Jaguar XJS that needs a fair bit of welding work on it. I don't want to bodge anything, per se, so I've been trying to find a gas welder (I've heard the horror stories to do with the flux-core wires). Trouble is, my budget is miniscule. (£130 is a maximum I really don't wish to exceed for just the welding machine - I've factored in gas cost on top of that) . The other issue is I'll be outside all the time, so how much wind is too much for gas welding? (In which case, I might as well just go for a flux-core machine)

I suppose something like this looks okay, but truth is I don't really know enough to make any informed decision. Hence, here I am! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371604421400?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Hello everyone. My name is Seb Wilkes. I'm 15, and I'm brand new (as you can see) in pretty much every sense of the word.

I've decided to go down the "MIG" route because my teacher is going to teach me to use a MIG welder.

So I've bought a Jaguar XJS that needs a fair bit of welding work on it. I don't want to bodge anything, per se, so I've been trying to find a gas welder (I've heard the horror stories to do with the flux-core wires). Trouble is, my budget is miniscule. (£200 is a maximum I really don't wish to exceed) . The other issue is I'll be outside all the time, so how much wind is too much for gas welding? (In which case, I might as well just go for a flux-core machine)

I suppose something like this looks okay, but truth is I don't really know enough to make any informed decision. Hence, here I am! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371604421400?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

First off, welcome Seb! Stick around for any advice on the Jag project that you might need.

With that budget I'd probably be looking at secondhand. eBay is your friend here mate, if you do find something to your liking then make sure you see it working before you part with your cash.
You'all get something a lot better for your money if you go secondhand but obviously you risk having no warranty with it.

I think I saw a GYS SmartMIG 142 on eBay for around the £200 mark the other day, could be worth a look?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Welcome Seb, Wolf machines don't have the greatest reputation but it's cheap and it'll stick metal together.

 

[MattH]

Hello everyone. My name is Seb Wilkes. I'm 15, and I'm brand new

Ok, don't rub it in! I'm 38 and half way to worn out.

£200 is going to get cut in half just for the gas unless you know someone in the pub trade that can get you some cheap CO2.

 

[jagxjs1992]

Thanks for the replies guys! I have £50 for 'other stuff' like gloves, visor etc. (I'm not sure what else I'll need though, truth be told, so I'm sure I'll be dipping into that for extra tools).

I must admit, I do seem inclined for wolf welding kit. Someone messaged me with this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Seale...501918?hash=item235278c55e:g:ZPUAAOSw1DtXGOJK

If I can't get hold a second hand workhorse, might that do? Also I don't understand why the gas is so expensive? The disposible bottles are cheap, and I won't be welding the whole XJS so I don't think I'd need a lot? Just the floorpans, at least, to begin with.

 

[Pete.]

The disposable bottles last MINUTES. It works out miles more money.

 

[mfletch]

The disposable bottles will end up costing you a small fortune small pub bottle will last a long time dose your dad know any landlords

 

[MattH]

The gas isn't all that expensive but you will need to put down a bottle deposit the first time for the rent free suppliers which is a chunk of money.

 

[jagxjs1992]

Oh right I didn't realise that's how little they lasted. So just to clarify: a deposit is put down on the gas, and then what happens? Dad doesn't know any landlords as far as I know. What do you mean by pub bottle? Do pubs sell gas? :P

 

[MattH]

With rent free you put an initial deposit down on the first bottle and pay for the gas, next time you swap the bottle for a full one and just pay for the gas.
This will be a CO2/Argon mix.

Pubs use lots of small bottles of CO2 for their pumps and a freindly landlord will "loan" you one for cheap that will be ok for 90% if the welding you will do.

 

[jagxjs1992]

I'll ask around within my Family to see if they can reach out to anyone. I'll work off the premise that won't occur, though.

So £100 for gas, £130 for a cheap gas welder (or whatever less I can find a second hand one) and £20 for gloves, visors etc.

Does that sound about right?

 

[WorkshopChris]

Hi and welcome,

Wolf machines don't have the greatest reputation but it's cheap and it'll stick metal together

A colleagues son purchased a wolf gas/gasless mig and was trying to do some arty bits with it, all thin sheet and profiles tacked to 6mm round.
He couldn't get anywhere with it, but once i changed it over and went with a hobbyweld argon mix it was a good little mig, ignored all the settings and just played till if felt and sounded right.
I was very sceptical at first but i did spend a morning tacking and welding with it and would happily use it again. For what he was doing wouldn't of got any better results with a top of the range machine. But might just be model specific and and dose of good luck?

You definitely need to allow in your budget for gas and a good mask. Although when i 1st started with mig i was using a hand held mask as was already used to that from MMA.

 

[Gareth J]

Cheapest source of gas I found is old co2 fire extinguishers. Can be had for around £10 ea if you're lucky, out of date ones that is. Their contents can be checked with bathroom scales. Not so nice as proper mix but will do, I used to use them and they last ages compared to disposables.

Don't despair, it's not a crazy low budget if you're willing to hold out for a bargain machine.

 

[barracuda816]

Welcome. Its great to see a young lad with such good taste in cars .

I would go and speak to a local land lord, tell him what your doing and ask if he will get a bottle of co2. I would hope he is impressed with what you are doing (as apposed to what most of us where doing at 15 ) and trys to help.

 

[jagxjs1992]

Thank you. Just as an off point, I really dislike modern cars, and I love British Leyland. The answer: the most stunning designed car to have ever graced our small world. And I never thought I'd ever have one! Well, the price is that it needs a tonne of welding.

Luckily, Cheshire has quite a few pubs, so you never know, there may be someone around there that will be willing to help.

Cheapest source of gas I found is old co2 fire extinguishers.

I'm assuming the way the tank connects to the MIG machine is some universal valve?

 

[WorkshopChris]

If you go down the Co2 rouet you need to make sure you get pure Co2 and not a Co2 & N2 mix the ratios can vary and might be called something like CellerMix the nitrogen content will be no god as a mig shielding gas.

 

[Gareth J]

[QUOTE="DrSebWilkes, post: 831319, member:
I'm assuming the way the tank connects to the MIG machine is some universal valve?[/QUOTE]

You'd need a CO2 regulator for either pub gas or fire extinguisher. They are the same fitment.

 

[arther dailey]

Hi, why not put a wanted ad on this forum, if the mods allow that, at your age I would think best value like PDG said would be good second hand kit, dont rush into anything, if some one offers a second hand unit, try it before you buy, trust your own feeling. if it doesnt seem to work properly ask why, if it works great dont smile keep straight faced and say hmm dont know really, then bid em down. You need to get good kit at a fair price.Good luck, there are plenty of guys on here to give support and advice about everything, even welding some times!ENJOY. Arther

 

[jagxjs1992]

Thank you very much Arther. I'll see what I can do tomorrow. I think it's time for some shuteye.

 

[norlander]

One reason gas is sort of expensive as it come in heavy bottles and its at high pressure. Those bottles have serial numbers and are (in theory) maintained by the bottle company. Gas is taken for granted. Argon mixes are "inert" ie non flammable, and do not promote burning (like oxygen). Argon mix is safe with the exceptions that enough of it in an enclosed space will suffocate you, unlikely as welding should be done in a reasonably ventilated area due to the fumes-not too bad with gas MIG, but still need watching.Other exception is mishandling the bottle and hurting yourself, damaging the reg set gas hose and or the job. Busting the bottle valve off less likely nowadays, but not good.

Gas is no probs, just like grinders and other aspects of welding, just needs a bit of respect in handling, but your teacher should cover all that with you.

So, you, get the gas and welder and have to weld outside, now what? you have to get the gas and welder outside and secure the bottle, and set up windbreaks.
I'll be outside with my gasless set up, have the job welded, and be cleaning it up whilst you are still faffing about. Run out of gas? need your dad to take you to get a bottle assuming they are open, run out of fluxcore? jump on your bike and go to Halfords.

First job, build a welding cart to take your welder, gas bottle and fire extinguishers, that way, you can be out and set up quicker and safer, and back under cover if it starts to rain. Your teacher might help with that as a learning project.

Do you have metalwork classes at school? maybe talk to the teacher and see if your project can be supported as a class project. Also, see about night classes in your area, they sometimes have welding classes, and again, some are up for using someones project to learn stuff. Might have an age limit though so you'll have to sign your dad up

You don't have to surrender the whole project, but say if you need to make a bracket and don't have all the tools, you can do it at night school.

Hidden bonus of night school is that you can "network" and make contacts, and sometimes blag stuff for freebies.

Glad you got a good old brit car for your project, good man, tell folks you love British Leyland, that way, they will take pity on you;. and don't let your mum hear you swearing-coz you will.

Its about time some of you lot on here had a workshop sort out..............................................................

Drop a line to these blokes for "advice" (covert posible freebie blagging) http://www.badobsessionmotorsport.co.uk/category/projects/project-binky/ but also their vids are good for fabrication stuff.

The Jag is a great English car, get that big cat purring again, by the time you have sorted it, you'll be at the age where you will be more interested in girls, and the jag will be a bird puller (but long term, you'll wish you had stuck to fixing cars).