Need to upgrade but what to?

[kevanf1]

Hi all. It's been a few years since I last posted on here, sorry....

I currently have a bloody awful NuTool mig welding machine. The main annoyance is that the wire feed is rubbish! It doesn't matter what I do it will not feed smoothly when being used. I thought at first it was me but after starting a welding course at a local college last night I have found differently. From the third run on scrap metal last night I was putting down beautiful beads of weld with full penetration. I was rather proud of myself to say the least. Anyway, this NuTool welder only cost me £50 about 6 or 7 years ago which is about its only saving grace. I did try converting to a Euro torch (it now has a proper Binzel torch) but it made not one jot of difference.

So, I would like to get a decent MiG machine that is suitable for home/hobby/diy use. It must have a Euro torch connector and must be capable of using flux core wire (I know, it's horrible but when I'm working outside in the wind...). I generally weld anything from 1mm up to 3mm mild steel plate. Usually I am working on my Land Rover hence the 3mm stuff (chassis). It must also be single phase as I don't 3 phase in my little workshop but I do have a 20 amp dedicated supply line.

What do I look for? What do I avoid? Are there specific brands to outright avoid and any to look at more favourably?

Secondly. The course I am taking will also include TiG welding. I am experienced with gas (oxy acetylene) welding so I'm hoping I will be able to pick up TiG fairly easily. I did used to absolutely love gas welding. With this in mind I ask the same as above but for a TiG machine. My requirements would be for an AC/DC machine as I'll be working on aluminium alloy bodywork (the Land Rover being of Birmabright an aluminium alloy used by Rover) and I think I would like HF start from what I have read (no fragile electronics in a 47 yr old Land Rover ).

Budget wise I am not sure. I fully accept that I will need to spend a decent bit of cash to get good kit. However, I don't really know what that 'decent bit of cash' is. Is there an amount that I should not go below for either machine? I don't really want a compromise 3 in 1 machine either. I'd rather get a good MiG first and then a good TiG a few months down the line.

One other option is to get a spool gun for a MiG machine and use that for aluminium work? Or not?

So, suggestions please

 

[Kent]

Welding thin old ali with a spool gun or mig? Don't fancy that one bit!
Why though? You can make new panels or buy them they only rivet together. We're are you planning on welding sections?

 

[kevanf1]

There are a number of panels with bits 'snipped' out of them. Why? I don't know. They were done prior to my ownership. Due to the nature of the construction I cannot remove the panels easily. It's not a standard Land Rover but a Marshall field ambulance. The vehicle is outside 24/7/365. I do not have a garage (with power anyway) so all the work is done outside and because of where we live (at the bottom of a hill) we tend to get a lot of wind... even more if I happen to have had a beer or two which is why up to now I have been using fluxed wire. I could rig up a canopy but I have to be careful about not blocking the pavement too. I have just enough room in front of my house to park up the Land Rover. One inch further and it's pavement and I have been told not to block the path more than once by over enthusiastic police officers... It usually entails me having to show them the house plans/deeds.

Anyway, MiG welding ally either with a normal torch or spool gun? This is why I thought perhaps TiG would be a better option? I understand a spool gun does away (mostly?) with the wire bunching effect when using softer aluminium MiG wire? I have not tried MiG welding aluminium at all mainly because of the already atrocious wire feed on this machine I have at present. I just thought it would be a complete waste of time..

 

[kevanf1]

I should add that I also have plans to fabricate a different roof. This would entail a fair bit of ally welding..

 

[Kent]

I should really avoid welding the thin ali bodywork full stop
Is it not feasible to fab up the body away from site and basically lift it on?
This could be way quicker and easier with a series landy than fixing the body on a poky drive with public watching on
Sounds an interesting project but just think before you leap long and hard about the practicalities of the doing it

 

[kevanf1]

Sadly it is absolutely not possible to work on the body anywhere else. I do not have the room either at home or elsewhere I would much prefer to lift the body and work on it like that. not possible because of the above plus it's an ambulance body and totally different to anything Land Rover did. Marshall received a rolling chassis with a partial front cab and they then added their own bodywork. It is very heavy and like a Chinese puzzle to dismantle. Plenty of others have welded the bodywork in situ so I wouldn't be the first and it is usually successful.

Anyway, ignore the Land Rover for now... any suggestions on an upgrade to my awful MiG machine that I have at present?

 

[oddbob]

I've just got hold of one of these ...CWS i160. I'm pretty impressed with it so far, good solid wire feed (40 watt motor), nice and easy to set up with infinite voltage adjustment (being an inverter) and comes with a flow gauge regulator, so no wasting gas.

 

[kevanf1]

I like the look of that CWS 160. It is well within my budget, in fact it's far lower than I expected. I'm even taken with the next model up but I wonder if I'd need that sort of power? Another job that I have in mind is making a decent engine trolley. All part of my 'room' problem as I have to remove my Landy engine and then get it moved along a narrow strip of land at the side of my house. No driveway, no garage just a workshop at the bottom of my garden.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

CWS 160 I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Just looks cheap & nasty, just a "branded" version of the stuff you'll find box shifters on ebay selling

 

[oddbob]

CWS 160 I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Just looks cheap & nasty, just a "branded" version of the stuff you'll find box shifters on ebay selling

I'd say CWS are a 'box shifter' in much the same way that R-Tech or even IFL or Parweld are. I'm not saying they're not relatively new to the game, but everybody's got to start somewhere!

 

[Tom Orrow L]

I'd say CWS are a 'box shifter' in much the same way that R-Tech or even IFL or Parweld are. I'm not saying they're not relatively new to the game, but everybody's got to start somewhere!

I get where you're coming from & I'd agree with the statement concerning R-tech but not IFL or Parweld. IFL make their machines in the UK as far as I'm aware & even though Parweld have their machines built in China they put a fair whack of research into them as well as very, very good technical support.
As you say though, everyones got to start somewhere

 

[kevanf1]

Having read up on this very forum about the CWS machines it seems that the guy selling them is a member on here. Apparently the machines are the same as those on eBay except they are built to a higher spec' and each machine thoroughly tested when it arrives in this country. Comments are very much appreciated please

 

[daleyd]

I think the CWS machines are imported by Cheltenham welding supplies (hence the name), they may be a generic Chinese box underneath but it seems they are backed by a decent welding supplier so I would rather take my chance with one of those than something off a faceless eBay seller.

 

[kevanf1]

I agree with those sentiments. Ok, there do appear to be some 'bargains' on eBay. But are they really bargains? There is a lot of cheap rubbish as well as expensive rubbish being flogged on eBay. Often you do not find out that it is rubbish until months later when it's too late to do anything about it. Which is why I have asked on here for machines to avoid and those to look favourably at; actual real life working experience of machines.

 

[oddbob]

I agree with those sentiments. Ok, there do appear to be some 'bargains' on eBay. But are they really bargains? There is a lot of cheap rubbish as well as expensive rubbish being flogged on eBay. Often you do not find out that it is rubbish until months later when it's too late to do anything about it. Which is why I have asked on here for machines to avoid and those to look favourably at; actual real life working experience of machines.

Thing is, inverters do have more to go wrong with them than transformer migs, but they are much nicer to use (in my opinion). Having used/tried a few different cheaper inverter migs over recent months I personally wouldn't entertain a low end transformer unit of a similar price again. As long as you buy from a decent UK supplier, who gives a couple of years warranty, I reckon it's no longer that much of a gamble.

I went for the CWS purely on price. The spec is generally comparable to similar machines from the likes of R-Tech, IFL, Parweld, but the price is £100 or so less. Admittedly mine wont get used a great deal, I only bought it for those rare occasions when I can't manage with tig or stick.

 

[weldequip]

You should of had your monies worth after two years, but after that consider the cheapest stuff throwaway; they are complex kit with no 'self-fix' option - straight back to the main dealer (assuming they are still around) and repair costs can quite easily be 50%+ of the original purchase price

 

[kevanf1]

My use will be strictly home/diy and it will be light usage at that. As I've said, I think, I don't mind spending a bit more money for something that is going to last but much more important to me is that it performs decently. If these are good then I'm happy to get one. If I were a bit closer I'd pop into the store and ask for a demonstration/test run. Sadly I'm a bit too far being in South Staffordshire (about 10 miles North of Wolverhampton).

 

[PTvor]

I'd argue that (well, not argue, maybe politely duscuss?) that they can't be self-repaired... Yes, they are complex but they're not magic. Although, if someone is asking the question chances are it's beyond what they can do

They can be repaired usually, but you pretty much have to be geared up to do it. Very often the makers are not forthcoming with circuit diagrams and service data.

It's a bit like TVs in a bygone age when they were repaired rather than thrown away. Some people would fix their own TVs, but not many. A lot of faults were down to valve heaters going open circuit, so find the bad valve and buy a new one. Most folks couldn't even do that.

 

[kevanf1]

Aren't most MiG machines fairly modular? In that you have the feed section, the motherboard (more properly the main board I suppose, I was an IT technician so I think in terms of Motherboards), a cooling section and then stuff like a plug in torch and earth lead. So I'm looking for a machine that has good backup in the way of spares. Again, I ask I am looking for suggestions

 

[Chris Stevens]

Forget flux core wire, and simply up the gas flow rate a bit and make up a windbreak of some sort. In terms of MIG set you might look at pro standard type of machine used from Ebay, which is maybe going to be £250-350 mark. In terms of TIG, for occasional DIY use one of the branded Chinese sets would suffice, but figure in the cost of the gas, footpedal etc, which isnt included within the price generally.