Recommend a welder?

[hank_marvinson]

Hi all, newb here. Not sure if anyone will be able to help but I thought it's worth a try...

I'm currently doing an evening course learning MIG but I don't have my own set and if i'm honest i'm not really confident enough yet to weld the thin material on my car!

I'm building a track car and need to get some plates welded in for the roll cage mounting points. Also some seat rails and weld up the door lock holes.

Anyway, does anyone know of a mobile welder who would be able to do this in the Newport/ Cardiff area?

Thanks

Simon

 

[zardoz]

Whats the tutor like on your welding course, does he let guys bring in stuff from home (as long as its not holding up any work for your course) I'd ask him if i were you. We had gates, sub frames goal posts and all sorts in our class. As for you having a go yerself. As long as your not welding thin panels id have a bash, with a Clarke 160T welder, or something similar (panels Can be done with a 160T if you use 0.6mm wire and have some experience, and possibly using a stitch technique, or a pulse technique), If you dont own a welder yet, one can be purchased either from Machine Mart, or from a guy here called Weldequip, who will post one to your door really quick style and beat Machine marts price.

But like i said ask your course leader, see what he says (or is he a "jobsworth")

PS: i know thats not what you meant when you said "anyone know a welder". but thats what id do. And anyway if you want a guy to weld it, maybe the course teacher is still the guy to ask

 

[hank_marvinson]

The tutor is really sound but the class is big (around 15-20 i'd guess) and some of the class are 'struggling' for want of a better word so most of his time gets focussed there... the rest of us just get on with it and learn from our own error.

I would take it in but the car is currently a bare shell and i don't have a trailer!!

Also, I don't have a welder, although i'm certainly looking to get one, I just can't decide which one I want. I have been told to stay away from clarke but you recommend one? Anyway, that's for another section!

What i'm worried about is burning through... the roll cage mounting plates are about 5mm thick, and the shell that it needs to be welded to is probably less than a mil thick (although i haven't measured)

Heres some pics... any suggestions? Do-able for a novice?

rear

front leg (a pillar)

middle leg (b pillar behind drivers seat)

 

[hank_marvinson]

ps i think this thread is now in the wrong section

 

[ozzman]

hello mate little tip dont weld the plate to the body bolt them to it with an offset plate underneath to spread the load better.

and i know what you mean about large class sizes im doin a welding course and college and there 22 of us and far to many slow people which should be on the level 1 course not 2!!! but never mind, can but learn

and i just got myself a portamig 181 of weldequipe of this forum, there around the £500 mark.

 

[peterd51]

hi Hank,

I've used Clarke sets for about 18 years. First one was a Pro 90 and a few years ago I bought a 150TE.

The 150TE will handle anything from car-body up to 5mm and probably a bit thicker if I play around with the plate (chamfered edges or welded from both sides).

Clarkes are OK for home DIY use but a professonal who wants to use a set for several hours at a time would buy something better...probably at twice the price!

I welded a 25mm pipe the other day, less than 1mm wall thickness. I had to set up on minimum power and pulse it for around half a second, just enough to put spot welds along each edge and then carefully stitch each of the two edges together.

The 150TE has quite a range to it!

Regards
Peter

 

[hank_marvinson]

ozzman - noted thanks but can you explain a bit more?

i have now pretty much decided that i'm doing the welding!!! i have a spare offside front wing in the garage that i may take to my welding class tomorrow evening to practice on.

spent the last couple of hours researching and i think i'm going to buy a portamig 181. i'll have to speak with 'weldequip' as i understand that is the way to go about it! will have to be after christmas now though...

expect other posts in the near future regarding technique etc!

cheers