Low freq shielded room, 6mm aluminium

[knighty]

would/could it be easier to add an extra strip of 6mm ali behind the join, and then leave a gap between the sheets?

I'm guessing it doesn't really need to be strong/need a lot of penetration, just needs to hold itself in place and seal all the gaps?


also... how are you going to do the roof?

 

[500e]

Could it be welded on from outside, still think angle corners to hold it all together then weld & clad with the wood, don't understand that part at all

 

[henry Kadzielski]

EWM non existent in Australia as far as I know.

Fronius is growing.

Lorch have a distributor over there I think I remember seeing something on linkedin.

EWM was introduced into Au by BOC a few years ago, I remember the big display at one of the national manufacturing weeks shows, BOC still have them listed but much smaller range then before when I was looking (about 2years ago).
Lorch has a distributer (never heard of them and their head office is in Melbourne) they have two more locations, what they have in stock and their backup, I have no idea.
Fronius however has been here for over 18 years and are brought into the country by a mod, generally they think their **** don't stink. I got mine through a distributor of theirs, however I traveled 1000km to get mine and not from the local boys. Boy did the local boys get their nose out of joint.

All these three (the big three) will do what is required, no question, but what the difference is in the support.
In short I initially got a EWM Phonix 355 pulse due to the price from BOC. It arrived with bits missing, the sales / demo guy drove past me to do demos and in 6 months no one showed up. Asked questions and never got a reply, good after sales support I don't think so. So I informed BOC that they can shove their machine up their back passage and asked for a refund. Now please don'y get me wrong I manly just did sample welds to get a feel of the EWM and it did produce some great welds (steel only) I was not going to splash out on push pull guns for alli if they didn't support what I had.

Now I have the standard Fronius push pull gun (smart) 8m and also a water cooled version (if you think the standard is pricy just have a peek at the water cooled version.
Comparison between the two EWM Phonix 355 progress pulse and TPSi 320c. The standard mig gun in the Fronius is better (feel, flexible, lighter, and more compact, fact) and not to forget just a bit longer, which is a bonus. Can't comment on the EWM push pull gun as didn't get one. I have the 'dumb' standard push gun for Francis as you are close to the machine so don't need a smart gun. The push pull guns (air and water cooled) are very much more compact compared to the EWM versions. So there my two cents worth. In comparison at the time the EWM was on a 'very special sale price' so Francic in total cost me 5 times what the EWM was but I got two push pull guns, one air and one water cooled. So far the water cooled version is still in it's box now over 12months from when I got it. It will come out when needed at some stage, no need to rush

Oh I forgot Kempi. Again another great machine, well I think so. Got invited to a Kempi information display day. I sat through about 4hrs of people (Kempi staff)telling the assembled how good Kempi is, however when we were taken down for a demo, I asked the demo guy to do a vertical up outside corner on 6mm alli. After three attempts he told me that he can get a better result. I thought don't tell me show me, at least the Fronius guys did. The Fronius demo guy, when he came, brought samples, but I said I have samples do it with these ans he did. He let me have a go, fiddled some settings to improve my result and I would give myself a job. This is the result you want. Rest is now history

 

[Brad93]

Wouldn’t touch Kempii with a barge pole. Seen too many go wrong and I think they are far too plasticky.

You can’t go wrong with fronius but you do pay the price.

I like lorch stuff. It simple, well supported in the UK, and does neigh on every real world application the fronius does.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

Wouldn’t touch Kempii with a barge pole. Seen too many go wrong and I think they are far too plasticky.

You can’t go wrong with fronius but you do pay the price.

I like lorch stuff. It simple, well supported in the UK, and does neigh on every real world application the fronius does.

Good morning @Brad93. Officially Lorch have only arrived recently, however they have been here rebranded under Cigweld. I know one person who bought one and found support very poor, finally got his money back as the problem could not be resolved over a 12 month period. He said when it worked it was great, but there was a time related operational fault. It would go well for a set time of welding and once that time was reached it would play up. When it was tested the testing center said it was ok. Anyway it was frustrating for him and I can understand that. With Lorch now represented in Au I would expect that, that would change.
I nearly bought a Kempi about 6years ago. The demo guy brought one (now can't remember which, but was about 400amps) to do S/S with tig like appearance (also can't remember what the program was called and it was extra) and it did that. Though he stated that I had to use their wire which was 1.0mm 316 to get that result. At that stage I expected that a welder would produce these results with 1.2mm wire and anyones wire at that. We live and learn I am now just a bit wiser, they make wires of different diameters for a reason. So I thought, no, not at this stage, we will see if there is a call for this work and I will revisit this. Well it never happened so never got the machine.
EWM support in short don't know, however can't expect it to be worse than when I was looking, maybe mine was a one off case, but it was obvious no one gave a **** at BOC. There was many people along the chain which I had dealt with, you would think someone would say and several did, this is not acceptable but still nothing happened. AS a result I have shifted my gas accounts with others and the cost is also much less. BOC have the tactic, they offer reasonable price to start and when the account goes on for years so goes the price. When you complain they say 'you are paying too much we will see what we can do about this' and they do. They must operate under the term 'a squeeky wheel gets the grease' it seems that we must squeak every year other wise you get shafted.

When I was travelling to Brisbane for work, I approached a couple of alli fabricators to go in with me for a better price on Fronius stuff 'this is when the new model was about to be introduced'. One of these fabricators said they have moved on to Miller. I asked why 'sick of the cost of spares and consumables' what about the result, he showed me, good, fine, no problems about what you would expect from any top welder in the range. I still bought Francis, was OK, I knew the price, but felt positively sick when sighning the cheque for payment. So I know about the cost of these machines and then I went on the get another water cooled push pull gun 'just in case'. But the question is, am I happy with my purchase, YES would I have changed anything, probably not. Ultimately the only way you findout if you have made the right purchase is over time, anyone and everyone will tell you they have the best machine and give the best service, but you only find that out when you need it. And we hope to hell we never do