Little help on Machine Choice

[seanjoyce1964]

Hello all,

I need some advice on machine selection, i'm finding myself doing more and more repairs and fabrication for Farm machinery, 5mm to 10mm steel. i'm currently using an arc welder I bought some 25 years ago, it has no paint left on it so I couldn't tell you what make or model it is; I was rubbish at welding 25 years ago and, as an infrequent welder, i'm not that much better. Someone suggested to me my welding would inprove if I invested in a new MIG. Could someone please recommend a make and model that would be suitable. 90% of what I weld is 10mm steel for farm machinery - doesn't have to be pretty, just strong !

Cheers

 

[Archie]

Hi, mate an welcome to the forum. The answer to your question is fairly simple and not, I'm afraid, probably what you want to hear.

For the kind of thickness you are looking at a suitable MIG welder would be a pricey investment (over a grand new). You're better off, IMHO, sticking with the arc welder. I don't know what rods you're using but if they're cheapies it may be worth getting your mitts on some decent ones as this can make life quite a bit easier. Then I'd suggest getting some scrap metal and practising! Post some pics up here of your attempts and someone will cast their eye over them and give you an idea of what you might be able to do better.

Just my opinion, mind!

 

[seanjoyce1964]

Archie, thanks for that - "over a grand" is not my ball park, could you recommend a new stick welder ? I'm not joking when I say there are simply no markings on my welder, it could be puting out 25 amps or 125 amps I just don't know. I probably could do with a new one. As for the rods I buy them cheap in a local DIY store - I guess you gong to say this is not good ? I agree on the practice advice but I think I need some adequate kit first.

Cheers
Sean

 

[Archie]

All fair enough! If you'd like to buy new then I'd recommend an inverter. Small and light so really handy. Just don't buy a Chinese one of ebay! Go with a good brand. You'll find quite a few discussions on them around here. I think some lads had a good deal a while back on a load of Eutectic inverters at £350 a pop.

If £400-500 is still a tad on the expensive side then I'd look on ebay for an old Oxford oil cooled. Good, old, solid engineering. Should last an age, an will likely have markings on them! Only problem is that you're in France and I don't know what the situation is on the French ebay site. There are certainly quite a few of them over here. You could talk to MrFluffy or Sparkey as they both live in France.

As for the rods, I'd say get some branded ones. Cheap ones can stick a bit which makes life more difficult than it needs to be. I'm no expert on this though so you could have a search. I think there's a thread called something along the lines of 'brands of good arc rods' but most of it is a list of numbers which goes straight over my head (not difficult)!

 

[shenion]

Good rods make a big difference.

I have Lincoln Electric Fleetweld 7018's and 7014's and they are real nice. The 7018's do need to be kept dry.

Here's a thread on good rods.

I take it your old box is AC. A AC/DC unit will work better. An inverter would be ideal as they are small and light but may be out of your budget.

Check ebay for a used AC/DC arc unit, they can be had cheap. The old oil-cooled ones never wear out. You would want 200 amps or more.

For now, try some decent rods.

I agree, MIG would be nice, but you would need probably 250 amps and in that range, they are not cheap.

 

[seanjoyce1964]

What should I be looking out for in an Inverter - is there a specific ampage that will see me good up to 10mm steel - or do they not work like that ?

As for cheap rods sticking !! I though that was just how it worked !! lol Do branded rods really make such a big difference ?

Cheers

 

[shenion]

I'd look at 200A or more. 10mm would probably want to be done in multiple passes

Better rods strike easier and the weld bead flows better and the slag does not get in the way. Also the slag comes off much easier.

What size/type rods are you using now? 6013's?

 

[seanjoyce1964]

Shenion,

What would be a good make for a 200amp inverter ? I had a look on e-bay and there is a fair selection at about 200 to 300 pounds. What should I be paying for a good make ?

The rods I'm currently using are from a local DIY store, I have no idea what they are .

 

[Archie]

You'll get a good inverter from any of the well known brands. Kemppi, Lincoln (a lot of Lincoln made in France so maybe a good bet), Fronius (the dogs whatsists) and Castolin Eutectic. I'd be really wary of the Chinese stuff on ebay; dodgy construction and not likely to stand up to farm use.

 

[Country Joe]

InverterFusion Ltd - They're very good.
CJ

 

[weldequip]

What would be a good make for a 200amp inverter ? I had a look on e-bay and there is a fair selection at about 200 to 300 pounds. What should I be paying for a good make ?

2 to 3 times that!
weldequip

 

[English Steve]

Another vote for InverterFusion. I use one for very similar work to what you are describing, and they are excellent. Not the cheapest on the market, but you get what you pay for ...

Regards

 

[Rusty]

If you don't need to carry the welder around the farm go for the old oil filled Oxford welder,last a lifetime,( come up on ebay often ) you might get lucky and find one in your part of the World

 

[seanjoyce1964]

Thanks for all the advice

I bought a 160 amp Inverter and put it to work today - I've been struggling on and off for twenty years with an old buzz box which only ever produced poor results and today I put down welds on 10mm plate which when down as easy as toothpaste. Even I could get interested in this !!!