- Thread starter Lidds6841
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Then let me make it perfectly clear. I'm of the view that those using MIG sets costing less than a grand new and not INDUSTRIAL should be forcibly sterilised to stop them degrading the gene pool, actually just bumping them off, along with any progeny they've spawned, would be cheaper and more efficient, but we live in such a namby-pamby age I'm afraid to say that.
This is a forum entitled "migwelding the DIY guide", not "migwelding for those with fab shops turning over a couple of million a year and to whom the cost of a MIG machine is lost in the noise compared with wages, insurance and other costs" or "migwelding for billionaires" or "Eugenics through migwelding".
So people of modest means ask serious questions about a craft they would like to learn, but £250 is a lot of money to them. So the discussion about new machines is about best bangs for buck and what's usable and not usable at prices starting around £150. As far as I can see the Clarkes and Sealeys are OK and usable and a lot of good work has been done with them. They haven't sold so many and stayed in business by selling units that simply can't be used. Of course you get better machines as you spend more, more ease of use and longer lasting, and I more or less go along with this.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/buying.htm
As far as I can see when you are spending £450-ish on a new machine you get something pretty damned nice and long lasting for amateur use. Arguably you can pay less and get something pretty damned nice and long lasting for amateur use. You have to pay more to get decent duty cycle at the top end with a transformer machine. I think inverter MIGs appearing in the amateur market have changed things a bit, the real question about them is reliability.
Richard.
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@Lidds6841 my apologises.
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cumbriasteve
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It is and your post has become cluttered which is nothing new on the forum, the guys do have some valid points though, I now consider those valid points have been made
SO: Please keep at least a mile within the topic of the original opening post and save me a massive clean up..Thanks.
Richard.
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Sorry Ste. My nonsense has been removed from the thread
Again op my apologises.
C
Chris Stevens
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The OP asked about a MIG machine suitable for vehicle body repair work. How many of those replying have had the misfortune of doing that sort of work as a job rather than a hobby I wonder?
Richard.
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I can put myself in that category!!! I wasn't working for a car garage, I'm no mechanic but the days of the Vauxhall cavs, astra, and the older fords were the days that saw me on my knees With lots of side lines. That's not a hobby as I didn't have a desire to do it. I was skint and earned half decent money for it. The early to mid ninetys were great for car welding sidelines. Did some chassis section Patching and replacement on a couple old defenders too.
I'm in a better position now and honestly no interest in doing it any more. Why do you ask.
Wallace
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Welcome to the Forum. Can I suggest the Portamig 165? More expensive but would cover your fabrication needs and the low 15A would give you an easier time learning on car bodywork.
cumbriasteve
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Seeing as the op probably has all the info required and the thread will be petering out I will answer that:
The family owned a garage and although not actually employed there, I spent over 25 years helping out with the bodywork/chassis repairs (crash and rot), oxy acetylene welding and brazing, MMA on some of the heavier chassis members and of course MIG, the only welding I have no experience of is TIG, hence why I will never answer a question about the same.
I also used my time served skill as a sheet metal worker to fabricate the chassis parts and also some body parts.
Apart from once leaving a customers pride and joy Ford Anglia in a heap of molten steel and smouldering rubber I loved the work.
@Lidds6841 Hopefully you now have a decent idea of what machine is suitable, if you can stretch to the GYs you will find it a really nice machine to use, it get's good reviews from members here that own one.
If you can't manage the GYS then a Clarke/Sealey/Butters etc will also do you well, new or used ( tested and working well)
Occasionally you will see some of the big old Miller/Murex machines around 100 or 130 amp going for as little as £100, don't be put off by their size and battered looks, they can be belting machines and very nice to weld with, the sort of machine that will probably still be going when you pop your clogs.
C
Chris Stevens
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Thats about the time I was doing car welding............a lot of rotten old rubbish around at that time! Was curious if anyone else had actually done that sort of work as a main job at all? I did a lot of Beetles and T2's, which were rotten to the core back then.................dread to think what they are like today.............lol
C
Chris Stevens
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Full time car welding a bit like a wet night in an open grave. Beetle and T2s very rotten indeed back in the 90s, and I would guess today people are spending many thousands for welding work on them, and most will need to keep spending year on year, as very rarely is the work ever done properly.
C
Chris Stevens
Guest
Try repairing one, and you will see why.............T2s probably worse though, as they are bigger and often had lots more welding to do.
cumbriasteve
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I am sure you will enjoy using it... a decent choice of machine
Richard.
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Nice choice. Some bench progress pics would be good to see. Good luck.
