Need help picking my first welder for car body and chassis work

[Welding-Charlie]

Hi All

New to this forum and too welding, but needs must and the cost to get someone to weld for me is getting costly.

I'm looking for a mig welding for around £200 to do work on a couple of Land rovers chassis etc. and an old campervan body work. I've been looking at the Wolf MIG 140 Welder Gas / No Gas DC welder and the Sealey Mightymig150 230v 150a. Could anyone please help me pick the right welder for the jobs a hand.
Many thanks

 

[Ashley Burton]

You want a welder with low amps is my recommendation for body panels

 

[Welding-Charlie]

Thanks

The both welders an looking at, go down to 30/35amps would that be okay for the job or would you have an other type of welder that would be better for the job.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Thanks

The both welders an looking at, go down to 30/35amps would that be okay for the job or would you have an other type of welder that would be better for the job.

You might get away with it, The problem with cheaper welders is that's generally the minimum you get. Less amps = less chance of warping thin body panels & blowing through.

 

[Cobbler]

You might get away with it, The problem with cheaper welders is that's generally the minimum you get. Less amps = less chance of warping thin body panels & blowing through.

 

[Burdekin]

I use to have the older Clarke 151te and it welded thin stuff no problem and it did a load of work. It had a low of 30amps but I weld car body panels well above that anyhow. No experience with either of those welders but I would think both will weld car stuff no problem.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Another suggestion is get use to your welder before getting on with the job in hand. You will be kicking yourself later otherwise.

 

[Cobbler]

Personally I would avoid the Wolf one, never used one but there have been a few problems & adverse comments about how they weld in the past. I haven't seen any comments on here recently though, the could be great but ......

 

[Ashley Burton]

Personally I would avoid the Wolf one, never used one but there have been a few problems & adverse comments about how they weld in the past. I haven't seen any comments on here recently though, the could be great but ......

Probably more the fact people have stopped asking about them due to previous past comments! Didn't they have a live torch?

 

[KemppiFrog]

My first mig welder was Italian, back in '85. It had a live torch, but I didn't know any better and used it to good effect. Must say, when I got the Kemppi, I really understood what mig was about. After converting it to a euro torch it got better by several degrees.

 

[Welding-Charlie]

Thanks for all the great reply’s.
Would you be able to give me a couple of example mig welders you would go for that would help.
Thanks

 

[Ashley Burton]

Thanks for all the great reply’s.
Would you be able to give me a couple of example mig welders you would go for that would help.
Thanks

It all depends on Budget, I went for a Clarke as they get reasonable reviews & Its been a good first welder. But I'm now at the stage that I'm looking to upgrade!

 

[Burdekin]

This looks like a very nice wee welder for the price http://www.weldequip.com/parweld-xte171c.htm

I have a Portamig 215 and it's a good welder.

But I did loads of welding with my old Clarke 150te, it will weld car stuff nicely and probably as good as my Portamig in reality. But for a bit more money you can get the Parweld.

A eurotorch is a nice feature as makes it easier to swap/upgrade if needed in future.

 

[sako243]

I've got a Clarke 130EN and find it (with gas) fine for thin stuff. Don't have a problem with .8mm thick stuff and handles much bigger with a bit of thought. Friend has the same one and between us built new dumb irons for the Defender. The following weekend pulled a car out of a ditch in Oxfordshire with the winch so got to test the repairs pretty quickly.

 

[Welding-Charlie]

I was looking at the Sealey Mightymig150 230v 150a and the Wolf mig 140 but after someone said not to buy a Wolf it leaves me with the Sealey. What do you think?
Also started to look at the Clarke as you have said too.

 

[Shedendman]

£200 just for the welder?
Take it you've sorted out gas.wire,mask,and other PPE?

 

[Welding-Charlie]

Have all the PPE, wire, mask and got the gas free from a friend. Just need the welder, but starting with none gas before moving on.

 

[Welding-Charlie]

Just after looking at the Clarke MIG151EN 240V 150A Turbo Mig Welder. Not bad for £280. If I go for this one would it do all the jobs I need? That is welding camper van body and Landrover chassis welding, plus it’s none gas too?

 

[cumbriasteve]

Yes it will easily do what you mention, there are some machine mart VAT free vouchers about as well, seen some of the guys on here offering them, could save you a nice sum.

 

[Welding-Charlie]

Hi Cumbriasteve
That would be great if I could get a hold of a voucher