Recommendations for car repair

[Jack_]

Hi all,
I am looking to learn MIG welding and perform some repairs to the bodywork (mostly rear sill) of my MK1 MX5 (Eunos Roadster, Miata etc).
I have decided to learn after a rather large quote from a MX5 specialist, and as my day job is a Mechanical Engineer, it feels like it could be a quite useful transferrable skill.
I am planning to purchase a machine and practice basic welding initially, followed by completing a classic car welding course from CBWA in Coventry, before I attempt any large repairs on the car.

My research (and reading the buyers guide) so far has indicated to me that I probably need:
A gas and gasless MIG welder (so that I can try both methods) with a standard UK power supply 230V @ 13A.
One that has a pretty low minimum current, as I will be doing bodywork, so there will be very thin sheet metal in areas.

I was looking to purchase this welder and associated equipment for <£600, but am able to stretch the budget slightly for a significant improvement, as I want something that will serve me well for a long time to come.

Hopefully that is enough information to provide some suggestions, but let me know if any additional information is needed.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Jack

 

[Wildefalcon]

Pop down to rtech and see what they say.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I personally wouldn't get too hung up on gasless. For what you are intending to do with it, I suspect you will be best of keeping the bottle on.
Perhaps more useful would be the ability to do both 0.6 and 0.8mm wire. I use 0.8 for pretty much everything but I can see 0.6 might be handy if you are just doing bodywork.

Another thing you should consider is what size of reel the machine will take, and what works best for you.
The 5kg reels mean the machines tend to be more compact and portable but often they work out the same price as a 15kg reel.
Bigger reels are more cost effective, but you need a (physically) bigger machine to accommodate them.

 

[minimutly]

You need to do a lot of welding to make the price diff in reels of any consequence. Don't bother with gasless, messy stuff. 150 A will be more than enough.

 

[Smallfry]

Gasless a waste of time IMO. Modern inverter machines are easy to use, small, and relatively light, but as they are electronic, I am not so sure about them lasting for a long time to come. Jasic or Rtech seem to be the better ones, unless you spend silly money.
I do OK with my old Telwin machine that I bought new in 1984, but that is a fairly heavy transformer machine, and I have got used to it.

You will find welding on the car disappointing and frustrating at first, as it is vastly different from practicing on a bench, with the pieces laying usefully flat.

 

[RonMig]

MX5 sill and chassis welding / repair featured on bangers & cash restoring classics last night...
They hid the welding costs in the overall labour charge of £8,800 !
but it did also includ a respray.

I would definitely attempt the sill and wheelarches (did that on my old Rover) but the chassis one looked a bit tricky, especially without a lift... (they completely skipped that, unless I nodded off and missed it)...

Not sure what "underseal" they used...

 

[doubleboost]

Hi all,
I am looking to learn MIG welding and perform some repairs to the bodywork (mostly rear sill) of my MK1 MX5 (Eunos Roadster, Miata etc).
I have decided to learn after a rather large quote from a MX5 specialist, and as my day job is a Mechanical Engineer, it feels like it could be a quite useful transferrable skill.
I am planning to purchase a machine and practice basic welding initially, followed by completing a classic car welding course from CBWA in Coventry, before I attempt any large repairs on the car.

My research (and reading the buyers guide) so far has indicated to me that I probably need:
A gas and gasless MIG welder (so that I can try both methods) with a standard UK power supply 230V @ 13A.
One that has a pretty low minimum current, as I will be doing bodywork, so there will be very thin sheet metal in areas.

I was looking to purchase this welder and associated equipment for <£600, but am able to stretch the budget slightly for a significant improvement, as I want something that will serve me well for a long time to come.

Hopefully that is enough information to provide some suggestions, but let me know if any additional information is needed.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Jack

R Tech 181 will do what you want and much more

 

[Smallfry]

MX5 sill and chassis welding / repair featured on bangers & cash restoring classics last night...
They hid the welding costs in the overall labour charge of £8,800 !
but it did also includ a respray.

I would definitely attempt the sill and wheelarches (did that on my old Rover) but the chassis one looked a bit tricky, especially without a lift... (they completely skipped that, unless I nodded off and missed it)...

Not sure what "underseal" they used...

Being an apprenticed body and paint man, albeit a long time ago, I really do not know how they arrive at these prices, even less how people are willing to pay it.

 

[bricol]

While gas shield is cleaner and neater looking, I wouldn't discount gasless. That's all I used for 25 yrs in car repairs, chassis construction, gates etc - when you have to work outside, there's no worries of the gas blowing away.

When you get the gasless welds working well, looking neat and strong, swapping to gas shielded is a doddle.
After 25 yrs of SIG Migmate Turbo, I bought a GYS synergic MIG that will run both, and I found it very easy to use and get excellent welds.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I do mainly Japanese cars from the 1990s...Toyota and Nissan.

The steel is very thin...0.7mm perhaps.

If you can stretch to a machine that has a synergetic (auto setup) mode it would make learning a whole lot easier.

 

[Bobupndown]

Never found gassless any good, maybe the setup was wrong or it wasn't quality wire but for me mig is the go to.
MX5s do like to rust don't they

 

[Popcorn]

Under your price limit and a great welder for what you need, ok not synergic but has a great set up guide in the manual.

R-Tech 180 Amp Portable Inverter Mig Welder (240v)

Mig Welder R-Tech MIG180

www.r-techwelding.co.uk

 

[500e]

"Being an apprenticed body and paint man, albeit a long time ago, I really do not know how they arrive at these prices, even less how people are willing to pay it."

To do a Good job, takes time, time = money.
Sat down last week with a body man and he went through the costings it was scary.
Labor, paint, primer, thinners, electric, heat, light, rates, rent, accountant, tools, sundries (masking paper tak rag abrasives) VAT, do you employ anyone it just goes on.
Looking back we used to charge about the same give or take as it costs now.
I was always being pulled up by accounts, as to real cost + profit and money to reinvest in new / better equipment, bless her she kept us solvent
And as for paying you can stay in bed for nothing, we did stage payments and customers paid for all big items before we proceeded to next fixed goal, say engine rebuilt, body primed ready to paint, if we thought it was going over our price we sat down and went through the figures with customer, sometimes we lost out but customer new we were being strait
To survive you have to have a margin

 

[marlinspike]

Another vote for gas only. Gasless is messy and on car metal isn't worth the hassle. We have a big workshop size Cebora, bought used from the classifieds on here. It's been great but next time I would go for a Gys machine. Great reviews and more portable. You'll appreciate a smaller machine when you're dragging it in and out of the garage and round the car. Remember to budget for the other stuff like regulators and gas rental as it soon adds up.

Practise, practise, practise is they key. Try to start in an area where the welds won't be seen because those will be your worst welds. Start with the easy bits and work up to the tougher ones. Do one side of the car at a time - that way you've always got the other side as a reference.

Don't be afraid to admit defeat and buy new parts. If you can get cheap new panels or good used parts it makes no sense to struggle through things like shaping wheel arches to weld in rusty areas if cheap wings are available. It's not worth the time or effort even though there's more satisfaction in doing it yourself.

 

[GRW]

I use both gas & gasless. I need to, as i don't have a garage/workshop big enough to take a small car, let alone my camper.
Welding on my driveway under my last old van - gas had no chance.
So in the shed, I weld with gas. If I have to weld on the driveway, I swap the polarity on my Oxford, then bung a reel of E71-TGS Flux Core on, & a knurled wire feed pulley, and away I go.
(I freely admit I'm a pretty rubbish occasional hobby welder though,not a proper one).

 

[doubleboost]

Under your price limit and a great welder for what you need, ok not synergic but has a great set up guide in the manual.

R-Tech 180 Amp Portable Inverter Mig Welder (240v)

Mig Welder R-Tech MIG180

www.r-techwelding.co.uk

The 181 is not much more but well worth the money .
Especially for a beginner .
It gets you welding straight out of the box .

 

[Popcorn]

So it is John, don't know why but I thought it was over the OP's budget.
Mind you with extra's mask, gloves etc it would take him over.

 

[doubleboost]

So it is John, don't know why but I thought it was over the OP's budget.
Mind you with extra's mask, gloves etc it would take him over.

So it is John, don't know why but I thought it was over the OP's budget.
Mind you with extra's mask, gloves etc it would take him over.

Mention this forum and use my name .
Will get him a good deal .

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

That 181 above looks very nice....I think they do a synergetic one too (251).

 

[arther dailey]

I use both gas & gasless. I need to, as i don't have a garage/workshop big enough to take a small car, let alone my camper.
Welding on my driveway under my last old van - gas had no chance.
So in the shed, I weld with gas. If I have to weld on the driveway, I swap the polarity on my Oxford, then bung a reel of E71-TGS Flux Core on, & a knurled wire feed pulley, and away I go.
(I freely admit I'm a pretty rubbish occasional hobby welder though,not a proper one).

I weld on the driveway, just put up a few cardboard boxes to deflect drafts