Santa brought me a mig! Draper 160A

[Pajerosteve]

Hi everyone, after spending the last month or so cleaning up and prepping my offroader it's now full of holes and ready for bits to be welded up, and Santa was a good ol boy and fetched me a mig welder which I'd asked for..........must have made my way onto the nice list!

I've got a draper 160a gas/gasless, so now the next thing is, need to order a regulator to run bigger bottles, get me self off to Adams gas for a bottle, and pick up some wire.

What's the best type of wire to get? Preferred brand or the best type for the mig I've got?

Anything else i need? Or that's worth getting? Luckily I can get a regular supply of off cuts in various thicknesses so will be practicing plenty and showing them to see if I can get any pointers!

 

[chevy2]

Get yourself some 0.6mm wire and mig tips,
that'll do most stuff with a welder of that amperage,
dont buy cheap wire especially in the thinner 0.6 size as it often snags causing drive problems.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Chevy2 took the words out of my mouth ,

on a gas note, use a argon/co2 mixture rather than co2. Sometimes using CO2 on thin steel is rather tricky, as there is an increased penetration which could prove too much for the thin body panel repairs you're likely to be working with.

Makes sure you cut away all the rotted areas of the surrounding repair to ensure a good solid repair. I'd also consider the use of zinc primer over all the new panels welding in too.

Nothing worse than watching a repairs section gather surface rust

 

[Pajerosteve]

So 0.6mm Lincoln stuff from weldequip up to the job?

Luckily all of the welding to be done wont be visible once it's all done anyway, inner rear arches, inner sills and rear footwells. But zinc primer is on the list......what's the difference between that and red oxide? Then it's getting hammerited then Dinitrol! (Sets hard unlike waxoil)

 

[chevy2]

So 0.6mm Lincoln stuff from weldequip up to the job?

Luckily all of the welding to be done wont be visible once it's all done anyway, inner rear arches, inner sills and rear footwells. But zinc primer is on the list......what's the difference between that and red oxide? Then it's getting hammerited then Dinitrol! (Sets hard unlike waxoil)

Lincoln is a good brand so should be fine,
Zinc primer will work well as its similar to galvafroid which protects bare steel,
Red oxide would also work but remember to key the surface before any painting to avoid it lifting.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

SIPMerlin150 does CO2 really increase penetration? Im currently using CO2/Argon 5% (i think) mix on my 250A mig.

Dan

 

[shenion]

CO2 has a wider penetration. Argon mixes tend to have a deeper, narrower penetration.

CO2 is hard on thin stuff as when you get full penetration, it is wide enough to fall through.

 

[Wozzaaah]

As the lowest setting on that machine is 40A you'll already find it difficult to avoid blowing holes so I'd go with a light Argon mix, 93/5/2% or whatever they supply.
The other main mix available is 80/20% so not that as it's for thicker stuff.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

SIPMerlin150 does CO2 really increase penetration? Im currently using CO2/Argon 5% (i think) mix on my 250A mig.

Dan

I was told it does, otherwise, why would BOC advertise argoshield in 3 types 'light, universal and heavy' The difference between them is their Co"2/argon ratio. Argoshield light has more argon than Co2, for thinner materials, etc.

Another thread on this forum suggests that Co2 doesnt like to hold a steady arc at lower currents, as its not very electrically conductive, so the arc will sputter = bad welds. Argon conducts electric rather well (They put it inside fluorescent tubes along with mercury vapor)

 

[Pajerosteve]

Hmmmm, so a 95/5 or whatever, co2,argon would be the safest bet? If later on i need a different gas I could always swap out I suppose.

It's mainly going to be bodywork I'm welding up with it, maybe the odd chassis patch, after the restoration it will mainly be fabrication, for removing the canvas roof and converting it into a pickup. Using more than likely 1.5mm to 2.0mm sheet and odds and sods of angle and box section

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hmmmm, so a 80/20 co2,argon would be the safest bet? If later on i need a different gas I could always swap out I suppose.

No, you need a light mix, 80/20 is heavy.
Light is good for anything that little welder can cope with.

Edit: You did a crafty edit while I was posting.

 

[Pajerosteve]

Haha! I realised what I'd put after clicking submit!

Going to try Adams gas again, they've had the website hacked, so I can't get the contact info I need of it!

 

[ajlelectronics]

Then it's getting hammerited then Dinitrol! (Sets hard unlike waxoil)

NO NO NO!! Hammerite is NOT suitable for car use.

Waxoil is, specifically because it does not set hard. Other products are suitable too, I like POR-15 but that is fairly expensive. Does the job though.

 

[armalites]

Haha! I realised what I'd put after clicking submit!

Going to try Adams gas again, they've had the website hacked, so I can't get the contact info I need of it!

Admas Gas, Margate

01843 220168

 

[armalites]

NO NO NO!! Hammerite is NOT suitable for car use.

Waxoil is, specifically because it does not set hard. Other products are suitable too, I like POR-15 but that is fairly expensive. Does the job though.

Hammerite is fine for car use as coating for metal and as he says he is coating in Dinitrol which generally beats Waxoyl in most test I've read.

 

[Robotstar5]

Hammerite is fine for car use as coating for metal and as he says he is coating in Dinitrol which generally beats Waxoyl in most test I've read.

Hammerite is fine if you want something to look nice to sell the car, if it's a "keeper", chassis black is better.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Hammerite is fine if you want something to look nice to sell the car, if it's a "keeper", chassis black is better.

Quite. Hammerite is too hard. First stone will chip it and allow rust to eat away unseen untill it all falls into the road as a pile of dust.

 

[Pajerosteve]

Admas Gas, Margate

01843 220168

Adams gas in Ellon I'm after, cheers though!

I'm only using hammerite because its getting coated afterwards, it's not too much prep compared to some stuff, and it's not going anywhere near the chassis, as has already been said, about rusting underneath, seen it happen with a mates landrover that he bought.

It's only been used to give the dinitrol a decent surface more than anything

 

[Pajerosteve]

But on the other hand, where can I get chassis black? For my chassis obviously, I hadn't thought about a base coat for that first!

 

[johniban]

im using, etch primer then spray on stone chip, then primer then paint for repair sections underneath seems to be ok