Starting out

[doodlebug]

Hi all, i,m looking for a welder to buy. Ive been told that a 150 turbo plus would do the job. I think it would have to be able to do gas and none gas welding. Ive got about £250 to spend £300 at a push. Looked at Machine Mart store and saw these 2 welders
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/151te-turbo-mig-welder/path/diy-mig-welders
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...-welder/path/automotiveindustrial-mig-welders
would they be ok for car bodywork? and which one would be best?

 

[weldequip]

Both are suitable. What you need to weigh up is how much you intend to use it. If it's gonna be used a fair amount, ie.for a full restoration project, go for the 160TE which will run straight from the refillable gas cylinders... save yourself a small fortune in the long run compared to disposable canisters.
If you are just doing the odd patch-up every other weekend the smaller machine, running on the disposables, will do the job. You always have the option of converting any smaller model up to refillable gas cylinders at a later date as & when required (around £40).
Oh, and forget gas-less for thin sheet welding, too fierce & you will end up burning holes in everything... fine for thicker section stuff.
weldequip

 

[doodlebug]

Hi m8, yeah im doing a bug so if you know anything about vw,s then yes alot of work ahead lol. I may well go for that and it looks like i could get one a bit cheaper as its no vat day on Sunday. Sounds good to me

 

[weldequip]

could get one a bit cheaper as its no vat day on Sunday

Bugger! Could of offered you one at less than MM's normal price delivered but can't compete with their "Vat Free" prices (I wonder what HM Revenue & Customs would make of that? ).
I've got all the spare parts in stock & vastly superior working knowledge of the sets compared to MM so please do bear me in mind in the future
weldequip

 

[doodlebug]

OK great, thanks i will.

 

[weldequip]

Hey! Demand free wire aswell... nail the buggers to the floor!
weldequip

 

[rusty69bus]

i need some tips (0.8) and shrouds (push-on conical) for my euro torch and some wire (0.8) but maybe going to mm on sunday postage would be a killer on these, weldequip

 

[weldequip]

Wire's a problem mail order cause of the weight
I'm your man for spare parts though, thousands in stock
weldequip

 

[irondarren]

rusty, weldequip does a good deal on tips shrouds etc, but mig wire needs to be by the tonne lol

 

[rusty69bus]

thought wire would be a problem, and it was a very very subtle prompt

 

[doodlebug]

Well i picked up a new welder at the weekend Clarke 160en turbo gas/gasless mig.
Has anyone been using one and are they ok?