Newbie : This Mig Ok for a car?

[Rich_new]

Hi

Apparently for MIG welder hire York is the back end of nowhere :/ so may have to buy one ....I have no experience of welding so just need something cheap and simple to learn and repair the pan of an old Spitfire with. Came across this on Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....2403853&category=113743&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

and wondered if it's ok for what i need to do?

Thanks for any info

Rich

 

[clueless77]

don't know about that one but portamigs are made in york. got a portamig 215, good solid welder. see weldequip shop above.

 

[Wozzaaah]

just need something cheap and simple

Errr, portamigs start at nearly 4 times the price of that wolf so I doubt the OP would consider them an option.

Wolf welders are a bit of a funny thing really, they work but reliability and useability are questionable.
If you only want to stick bits of spitfire together then it should be ok but if your budget could be stretched by another £100 or so then you might consider a Clarke 135te which are highly recommended by many members.

 

[Rich_new]

Hey

Thanks, no budget can't stretch in this instance as i have to get the thing through the MOT as well :/ There is no "structural" work on the car that needs doing ..it's all floorpan stuff and arches. Seems a good bundle though.

 

[Wozzaaah]

We don't recommend buying welders on price, many machines are cheap for very good reasons.

 

[mike os]

you really want to be looking at the clarke range, ... people here rate them as a "cheap" welder.... thats cheap as in it is not an expensve welder, and actually works, rather than cheap as in POS

someone used to struggling with a crap welder.... till i learned better

 

[sean2476]

Errr, portamigs start at nearly 4 times the price of that wolf so I doubt the OP would consider them an option.

Wolf welders are a bit of a funny thing really, they work but reliability and useability are questionable.
If you only want to stick bits of spitfire together then it should be ok but if your budget could be stretched by another £100 or so then you might consider a Clarke 135te which are highly recommended by many members.

I'm new to welding and decided on the Clarke 135TE and I can honestly say as a "noob" its a fantastic piece of kit. I have welded the floor pan in on my classic car and it was so easy to use. I can recommend the Clark 135TE!

 

[Robotstar5]

..and wondered if it's ok for what i need to do?

They don't have the best reputation on here probably better looking at a Clarke 135 for what you want to do

 

[MINGER]

I had a a 150 amp Clark some years ago, it was a pig in a poke, i cursed the day i bought it, i got it from Machine Mart in Sheffield. I took it back to them, but they would not take it back, they said it was my lack of welding ability (cheeky sods) i had been welding for years, so i had to stick with it, it gave me merry hell i can tell you. It eventually rusted away, starting with the removable cover and then the rest of the casing, i was glad to see the back of it, but maybe they have improved over the years.

I then bought a mig i had never heard of from Turner tool hire, it was a model that they actually hired out, they assured me it was a good welder, otherwise they would not be using them for hire. The make of the welder was Telwin Telmig 150, its a cracker, i don't exactly use it every day, just as and when the need arises,but its still working now, i have had it so long i cant remember how long, but it really has been cracker.

An idea might be to try find out what mig machine, your local tool hire shop uses to hire out, they have great experience regarding which tools are reliable, if they hire out, you can bet its a reliable machine.

Best of luck, hope you get a good un.

I use the same ploy when buying most things, Washer machines and telly's for instance, those that are used to hire out are usually very reliable items.