Need a MIG

[Smiffy]

Hi folks
Trying to sort out which MIG to buy (I know, another newbie...). Plan to restore an A35 saloon, which is mainly 0.9mm sheet with some bits up to 2mm. Will probably also use it to build BBQ frames, car ramps etc. Budget about £500 for MIG, gas bottle/regulator and helmet (can't justify stretching to Portamig or Panther 180 for hobby use). Options from local suppliers seem to be Clarke 160/165/175TE, Sealey 150 or Butters AMT 170, but none of these go down to 20-25A. Anything else I should consider? Do I need to worry about 20-25A bottom end, or will 0.6 wire and a 30A machine be OK for thin steel? Any advice gratefully received

 

[irondarren]

smiffy for that money if you speak to weldequip nicely, he might get you a portamig 181 and an autohelmet for very close to your budget, just mean you would have to sort out gas. pm him for a price

 

[weldequip]

(can't justify stretching to Portamig or Panther 180 for hobby use).

Nowt special about that machine! Cebora do offer superb after-sales spares support (which costs a company good money) but MTA have got it all wrong on the pricing there... it should be the other way round!!
weldequip

 

[irondarren]

Actually i just checked that price with another company which sells the portamig under there own badge there version on the 181 is more expensive, so i assume MTA is sell the 181 at almost a loss. so i might have been a little hasty in my prior comments, but i understand weld equip does do miracles its just the impossible he has a little trouble with

 

[Smiffy]

Thanks Irondarren. There are so many machines available, its difficult to know where to start. For example, should I try and get a machine with a Eurotorch, or doesn't it matter? Do I need to worry about a 20-25A low end, as most machines seem to start at 30A? There seem to be few recommendations for SIP or Sealey, Clarke appear to be well regarded in the hobby category, and the forum seems nuts about the Portamig.

 

[irondarren]

SIP machines seem to suffer poor wire feed with age. Portamig units have excellent quality wire feed units, along with nice fat juicey transformers to deliver smooth power. 20amps bottom end is nice if you are trying to weld very thin material as you have less chance of burning holes. 30amps is ok for body work. Clarke stuff tends to be of reasonable build quality and spares are easy to get hold of. As far as a euro torch goes it just makes life easier, i change my torch about once per year (under full time use) and the liner every 30 kg of wire. changing liners on a euro torch is dead easy, changing torches is even easier (pm weldequip for a new torch, wait next day for it to arrive, remove old one replace new with new one 5 mins tops, including time pm'ing weldequip) Euro torchs tend to be more professional hence more robust.