This is my first post, I've read loads of the info on this forum, so I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed.
I'm trying to work out what I should buy as my first welder and would appreciate a sanity check.
For some context, I did a 1 day session at my village blacksmith where most of the day was learning to Mig weld with his Lincoln Electric welder and we finished up with a bit of forging. So my experience with welding is roughly 4 hours, Mig only.
I'd like to get something to use at home in my garage, it'll likely get used sporadically to make brackets and racking for garage storage, maybe a bbq rack and other random bits and bobs. If I get more ambitious then maybe I'll tackle building the railing for my decking from stainless steel, and harbour some fantasy about customising a motorbike and making sculptures. But not any kind of construction or serious production work.
I'd quite like to try out Tig at some point, so have been thinking either a multi function machine or used mig and tig welders.
I started out looking for used, and probably Clarke 135 or 151, but not seeing much come up near me (Cornwall).
More recently I have seen a Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i come up nearby on eBay, other choices I am considering are to get a cheap Static Arc multi function machine, and accept that it might not last forever, or to save up for a bit longer and get the cheapest Paton Mig.
If I am honest with myself I am not going to use it that much, but I don't want to hate using the thing when I do get the chance.
My main question is whether the Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i would be sensible?
The ad says it works and it's near enough for me to collect. Bids are low at the moment and it ends on Sunday.
I've read elsewhere that Thermal Arc maybe now bought up by ESAB, so I don't know if I'd have any option for spares if it packs up.
Maybe if it is cheap enough I get it and use until it breaks?
Oh, and I think it has 32 amp plug, is changing that to 13 amp and staying at low currents and thin stuff a sensible thing, or horribly dangerous?
I have hi current cabling to my garage, but no sockets yet (cable was put in when we built in in anticipation of cars being electric one day).
( I know I'll need helmet, gas and a bunch of other stuff, and will no doubt ask about those too )
Thanks again for all the past posts and for any advice.
I'm trying to work out what I should buy as my first welder and would appreciate a sanity check.
For some context, I did a 1 day session at my village blacksmith where most of the day was learning to Mig weld with his Lincoln Electric welder and we finished up with a bit of forging. So my experience with welding is roughly 4 hours, Mig only.
I'd like to get something to use at home in my garage, it'll likely get used sporadically to make brackets and racking for garage storage, maybe a bbq rack and other random bits and bobs. If I get more ambitious then maybe I'll tackle building the railing for my decking from stainless steel, and harbour some fantasy about customising a motorbike and making sculptures. But not any kind of construction or serious production work.
I'd quite like to try out Tig at some point, so have been thinking either a multi function machine or used mig and tig welders.
I started out looking for used, and probably Clarke 135 or 151, but not seeing much come up near me (Cornwall).
More recently I have seen a Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i come up nearby on eBay, other choices I am considering are to get a cheap Static Arc multi function machine, and accept that it might not last forever, or to save up for a bit longer and get the cheapest Paton Mig.
If I am honest with myself I am not going to use it that much, but I don't want to hate using the thing when I do get the chance.
My main question is whether the Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i would be sensible?
The ad says it works and it's near enough for me to collect. Bids are low at the moment and it ends on Sunday.
I've read elsewhere that Thermal Arc maybe now bought up by ESAB, so I don't know if I'd have any option for spares if it packs up.
Maybe if it is cheap enough I get it and use until it breaks?
Oh, and I think it has 32 amp plug, is changing that to 13 amp and staying at low currents and thin stuff a sensible thing, or horribly dangerous?
I have hi current cabling to my garage, but no sockets yet (cable was put in when we built in in anticipation of cars being electric one day).
( I know I'll need helmet, gas and a bunch of other stuff, and will no doubt ask about those too )
Thanks again for all the past posts and for any advice.