Sealey S0817 - OK for vehicle welding?

[LukePickering]

I've got a rusty old 1969 Beetle which needs to be patched every six months or so. My restorer lives miles away and it's a ball ache to keep taking the car down there. I know there are guys closer by but I thought, why not have a crack at learning to MIG weld and maybe doing it myself?

I'm looking to spend between £250 and £350 on a welder, I've read a bit on these forums and picked up the following tips: Sealey = Good. Non-Live Torch = Good. Minimum ampage 30 or less = GOOD. You get what you pay for = FACT.

So this has lead me to the Sealey S0817 as below.

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/index.php...=7750&gl=uk&utm_source=google&utm_medium=base

Here's what I'll be doing...

For about 6 months I'll just be learning, I've got some old 1mm steel sheet which I'm going to start with, then maybe I'll go down the scrap yard and pull the bonnet off a car. Laying welds, butt joints, plug joints all that stuff.

Then, when I can get my courage up to take an angle grinder to my car, I'm going to replace some panels, front wings, wheel arches, stuff like that.

Maybe, at some point in the very distant future, I'll have the skills and the balls to look at chassis repairs, front beam, heater channels, you know, the more serious stuff. I won't do this until next winter at the earliest because my car's (somehow) got a year's MOT. When that expires I'll start to consider a proper resto but I want to get my skills up to the mark in the intervening months.

So, will this Sealey be up to the job?

And, of course if anyone has a second hand machine which will be as good or better in the Gloucestershire area, I'm happy to consider that too.

And at the risk of completely sending this thread off on a tangent, can you give me an idea of the cost of other bits, helmet, gauntlets, gas bottles etc, so that I can factor that into my budget?

Looking forward to this!

Luke

 

[KTMMICK]

Weldequip on here would be a good person to ask..........I would personally try and get one with a Eurotorch.......as I say he will be best able to advise!

 

[Wozzaaah]

That's a Siegen, not a 'proper' Sealey.
Apparently the build quality on the yellow ones is far inferior to the red ones which is why they're so much cheaper.
Having said that, it will work and has a low enough minimum current for bodywork.
Auto mask - around £45-£50, gloves - fiver or so, gas - depends what route you go for, rental or non-rental.
Have a trawl through the shielding gas section for more info but take a good look at the non-rental supplier 'sticky' post for anyone in your area, that's usually the best option for low-volume users.

 

[R BEADLE]

Sealy mig

HI LUKE IM AN EXPERIANCED WELDER AND I DO DEAL IN WELDERS FROM TIME TO TIME . I HAVE RECENTLY PERCHASED A SEALY 180 AMP MIG AND I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THEY NOT A PROFECIONAL PIECE OF KIT , THEY HAVE A CHEAP WIRE FEED MOTOR AND CHEEP INTERNALS . YOUR RIGHT YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR . YOU WOULD BE AS WELL OFF SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY ON A QUALLITY SECOND HAND WELDER , YOU WILL GET A GOOD BOC MUREX ELLAND ETC EASILY FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY AND YOU WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY GET IT BACK WHEN YOUR FINISHED WITH IT . HERE ARE THE MOST REPUTABLE QUALLITY WELDERS YOU CAN BUY . ITS NOT HOW OLD THEY ARE ITS WHATS INSIDE ( A BIT LIKE A WOMAN ) LOOK FOR A WELDER WITH A EURO TOURCH FITTING AND COPPER TRANSFORMERS ESAB HAVE ALLOY TRANSFORMER BUT ARE VERY VERY GOOD .THEY THE EXCEPTION
BEST MAKES ARE , ESAB , MUREX , BOC , ELLAND , NBC , MILLER USA , MIGATRONIC , A,G,A , LINCOLN , OERLIKON , BRITWELD , AND THEY IS MANY MORE . I CAN SAY THAT CEBORA ARE O.K FOR BODY WORK AND THEY DO A NEAT WELD , CEBORA MAKE SNAP ON WELDERS , JUST A DIFFERENT BADGE .

 

[LukePickering]

Well I can find precisely squat on eBay, surprising since I would have expected welders to be a bit like exercise bikes; people buy them with lots of good intentions then sell them a year later when they haven't used them in months...

Still, I'll keep looking. Please feel free to PM me if you have a machine which might be suitable. Like I say £250 - £350 range, probably one of the makes listed by the previous poster, no Taiwanese rubbish thanks.

Cheers

Luke

 

[malcolm]

If you can't find a new ESAB for £250 then the Clarke welders will tend to be the best of the bunch in that price range. They are a big improvement on the cheaper welders.

I've not tried the Siegen, but the price and spec does suggest it's in the SIP, Draper, eBay Chinese area, and won't be usable.

Something nice secondhand or spending a bit more money would be other options.

 

[LukePickering]

Now I've heard bad things about Clarke...

Why would this not be a good move? Poor components for feeding the wire? Short duty cycles?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/150te-turbo-mig-welder/path/diy-mig-welders

I'm very very keen not to land myself with a machine which irritates me and makes me lose my enthusiasm, I'll be hindered enough by a lack of ability - I don't need to welder to hinder me further...

 

[malcolm]

I'd avoid most Clarke tools, but they got lucky on their welders. I ran one for 13 years before upgrading.

For learning to weld they are good - they are more sensitive than more expensive welders, but things like wire speed can be adjusted to fine tune the welds. For something like a SIP welder the wire speed is just set to get the thing working and gives little feedback.

Have a look through the learning to weld section on the forum for the first time posts and for the welds that don't look bad take a note of the setup.

 

[R BEADLE]

Welders

well i can find precisely squat on ebay, surprising since i would have expected welders to be a bit like exercise bikes; people buy them with lots of good intentions then sell them a year later when they haven't used them in months...

Still, i'll keep looking. Please feel free to pm me if you have a machine which might be suitable. Like i say £250 - £350 range, probably one of the makes listed by the previous poster, no taiwanese rubbish thanks.

Cheers

luke

hi luke i have an elland 130 amp single phase with copper transformer euro and quallity wire feed motor very good welder for rofecional industry thats 200 pounds i also have an aga viking 90 amp welder with copper transformer proffecional wire feed motor but it dosnt have a euro its an old welder but very good none the less . Its a profecional welder made long before hobby welders came out could be from the late 70s early 80s . I think esab bought them out , they made in sweeden perhaps an expert on here will tell us both . Aga used to be a big gas`supplier i know that much . Any way i can sell you that for aga for 150 pounds . I know a courier who delivers most of u.k for 40 pounds . The welders dont come with gas or guages as i need them on my own . They is a murex on ebay at the moment what would be ideal for you luke its 200 amp so will weld thind and 6mm no bother at all all day long . The trouble with a lot of them cheap hobby welders is that the thermal overload trips in when the transformer overheats and you have to wait for it to cool down before welding again . A good welder will weld all day none stop like murrex etc . I know ivedone body repairs and made digger buckets trailers etc .

 

[LukePickering]

Where are you based Mr Beadle? I am interested but it's the courier cost that takes the edge off.

Luke

 

[R BEADLE]

welders

Where are you based Mr Beadle? I am interested but it's the courier cost that takes the edge off.

Luke

hi luke im near carlisle north cumbria . you wont find a courier much cheeper than 40 pounds most carge from 60 to 80 . but i understand what your saying . have a look on ebay at that murex . im going to have a look my self . my email address is dick.beadle@ggoglemail.com

 

[R BEADLE]

hi luke its a three phasae on ebay no good to you id imagine

 

[LukePickering]

hi luke its a three phasae on ebay no good to you id imagine

That refers to the power supply right? So it's not a mains one, it has to run off the 'camping' style hookup?

 

[R BEADLE]

That refers to the power supply right? So it's not a mains one, it has to run off the 'camping' style hookup?

hi three phase i2 415v its an industrial set up fro the imput your looking for a 240v mains hook up like your normal house hold . three phase welders have a red plug and single phase 240v come with either a normal three pin plug or a blue plug caravan type all weather . generaly to use a welder over 140 amp i would recomend having it wired with a blue plug and on a 32amp trip switch like your cooker . a three pin plug will keep blowing fusses *UNSAFE SUGGESTION REMOVED BY MODERATOR* check out that kamanchi on ebay , ends in 5 hours or so . very good buy for the price with all the stuff it comes with .

 

[R BEADLE]

Where are you based Mr Beadle? I am interested but it's the courier cost that takes the edge off.

Luke

near carlisle north cumbria .

 

[gr1010]

Welders



hi luke i have an elland 130 amp single phase with copper transformer euro and quallity wire feed motor very good welder for rofecional industry thats 200 pounds i also have an aga viking 90 amp welder with copper transformer proffecional wire feed motor but it dosnt have a euro its an old welder but very good none the less . Its a profecional welder made long before hobby welders came out could be from the late 70s early 80s . I think esab bought them out , they made in sweeden perhaps an expert on here will tell us both . Aga used to be a big gas`supplier i know that much . Any way i can sell you that for aga for 150 pounds . I know a courier who delivers most of u.k for 40 pounds . The welders dont come with gas or guages as i need them on my own . They is a murex on ebay at the moment what would be ideal for you luke its 200 amp so will weld thind and 6mm no bother at all all day long . The trouble with a lot of them cheap hobby welders is that the thermal overload trips in when the transformer overheats and you have to wait for it to cool down before welding again . A good welder will weld all day none stop like murrex etc . I know ivedone body repairs and made digger buckets trailers etc .

Hi ive been looking for information on what the settings 1-5 mean in amps for the aga viking 90a mig and see that you have had one. do you know this information for amp settings.