Looking to purchase - beginner

[monty16]

I'm looking to buy a mig welder to weld a roll cage into a car. I believe this should be no more than 3-4mm.

I've previously posted about a siegan 150amp welder in another section but no sure if this machine is any use.

I would appreciate advice on what to buy. I'm only looking to pay no more than £250 for the machine. The machine will be used mainly on all jobs required on a race car.

 

[keith19]

A s/h pro mig might be best, but single-phase ones are not that easy to come by.
Failing that, look at the 150 - 160 amp end of the Clarke range. These should be adequate if you're not in a hurry. (Duty cycle on 4mm is much less than most pro machines).

Whatever you get, practice a great amount, and test your welds to destruction before starting on a roll cage.

 

[monty16]

A s/h pro mig might be best, but single-phase ones are not that easy to come by.
Failing that, look at the 150 - 160 amp end of the Clarke range. These should be adequate if you're not in a hurry. (Duty cycle on 4mm is much less than most pro machines).

Whatever you get, practice a great amount, and test your welds to destruction before starting on a roll cage.

Thanks for your reply.
Is it the TN machine i'd be looking for in the clarke range.
When you say if i'm not in a hurry. I take it i'd be waiting on the machine to cool down quite often.

 

[keith19]

If you'd be wanting to work outside much, on gates and fences and stuff, besides the car in a garage, one of the EN range would be best, as these can use both gas wire and no-gas flux-cored wire. The 151 is the biggest in this range, at 150 amps at the top. These cost around £230 - £240 inc. VAT. But they generally come set up for gasless wire, so you need to get a gas regulator, gas tips, etc. About another £40, see kits here:
http://www.weldequip.com/regulators-gas.htm

If it's only inside you'll be working, the 151TE gives a slightly better duty cycle at the top end, is gas only, and costs around £300 inc VAT.
The 160TM is pretty much the same spec as the 151TE, I think.

The lower end output of 30 amps for both of these makes them suitable for thin metal too, with a bit of practice. Probably manage down to 0.8 mm steel, depending on your skill.

I don't know the exact duty cycle of these machines at around 140-150 amps, which is what you'd be using for 4-5 mm steel, but there would be a fair bit of waiting around, as it would probably be two minutes in every ten.

This is not quite so bad as it sounds, as you can be doing the next bit of fitting-up between welds, and the welding on each joint is likely to be under half a minute at a time. If you try a longish continuous run at this amperage the machine will soon overheat and close down for ten minutes or so.

 

[s410man]

These should be adequate if you're not in a hurry. (Duty cycle on 4mm is much less than most pro machines).

QUOTE]

suprising how much time you are actually welding though especially on a rollcage where you are continually checking and rechecking and lining up etc

if rollcages is a serious hobby or living you definantly need a better welder but if its going to be one evry now and then then a clarke is adequate