tig inverter v Mig for stainless welding

[newbie304]

Hi all,

Have been welding for a number of years now both MIG and ARC, very good at mig welding and fair at arc welding.

Now i have purchased a boat and wish to manufacture my own stainless fittings, handrails etc.

I wish to purchase a small tig/arc invertor or use my 130amp snapon/cerboa migwelder, i understand that it is possible to mig stainless but what can the masses advise me on the use of mig for stainless or would a tig be better.


Kind regards

Newbie 304

 

[NTwoO]

Are you fastidious about looks? I have no experience with Stainless mig, but TIG is da beez neez.

 

[newbie304]

Thanks for the reply,

Not that concerned, but i do take pride in my work and have intrest from other parties having seen the handrails i have bent to shape and the quality of my trailer manufacturing.

Now i have seen the ebay items from china and italy but have visited both BOC and 2 local welding suppliers in Plymouth and they have advised me against the chinese versions due the 220v voltage supply.

What are the thoughts of the other members regarding these.


cheers


newbie304

 

[fingers99]

I think BOC just want to sell you something more expensive (but which is probably made in China anyway). Stuff about the voltage supply is nonsense.

TIG will look better (at least, unless you want to do a lot of re-finishing). You should also look at -- I'm presuming 316 -- the availability of suitable MIG wire. With 130 amps you may be struggling for penetration with MIG.

John Davies (in Liverpool) did have some pulsed DC TIG inverters which might suit around the £300 mark. 01512275728

I have one of the itsy bitsy Rehman 150amp TIGs. For DC work it's very good (but pulse would be nice).

 

[hotrodder]

For this sort of work TIG is usually the process of choice, no reason you can't use MIG though especially if you're an experienced MIG hand but a TIG virgin...

Whereas pure argon covers all metals with TIG you'd want a different gas blend for stainless MIG- argoshield has a bit too much CO2 in it. Increasing the inductance is beneficial too but i doubt your set has this facility

 

[lincoln17]

Hi Newbie, Its got to be the tig, it neater and very precise and leaves a beautiful finish. The mig is faster, but unless you splash the cash on a synergic pulsed mig you wont achieve the same weld quality. I do a lot of marine work and tend to use the tig for 80% of the stainless work, I tend to use a stick inverter for the heavier stainless and I have a fronius synergic mig for alloy. Most of my stainless jobs tend to be small brackets and handrails on yachts so the tig is ideal. If i am fabricating a large structure from stainless I find the synergic mig is the way to go but large structures in stainless are few and far between therefore the tig would get my vote every time. I would try and get one with Hf on it and a stick to the known brand machines, fronius, kempi, lincoln,miller,lorch, ewm,esab all produce quality kit.
I hope this is of help, Cheers

 

[newbie304]

Guy's.


Many thanks for the replies, 260445339326 is the ebay number of a tig from italy that i am considering, it is HF start, what is the main differance between scratch and hf start, im guessing that scratch start is as it suggets ie the same as arc welding you need to contact with the work piece before you can actually start the welding process, if that is correct then i am assuming that hf start will "jump" the gap and start the arcing process.

I have made hand rails previously from 304 grade and have had no real problems with corrosion being a "sparkie" i can bend, thread etc the standard sizes and 304 is available to me in 3.3m lenght for £9.00 rather than £35.00 for the 316.

Im not looking to put anyone out of work but have always preffered the hands on "i made this" approach


Please if i am miles off please correct me,

Many thanks

NEWBIE304

 

[fingers99]

Just that most marine stuff is 316. I find 304 discolours very quickly even if used on exhausts.

Yep. Scratch start is exactly as you describe -- you'd not really want that unless desperate. HF is the way to go.

The eBay one looks fine to me, of course, comes from Italy, made in China, BWTH.

 

[newbie304]

Lets face it everything in some shape or form is made in china, PCB'S switches etc, i used to use JCC lighting when they had a uk manufacturing base, it moved to china and the quality went.

I will see how the aution runs for the time being and nearer the end make an offer.



Regards

NEWBIE304

 

[busastars]

Well I know everyone on hear slates the import stuff but my Lincoln went down, i've bought one of those Giant 200a Tig welders and so far im impresed. Ill be stuffed if that goes belly up mind.

 

[newbie304]

Well folkes,


I have purchased the item in the above postings, it arrived yesterday and as of yet i havent had the time to play, well the lack of tungstens also has'nt helped.

Having read some of the above posts regarding knobs buttons etc, my manual is in total italian with NO english.............looks like i will need to get it translated or just crack on and play.

Can anyone in the southwest point me in the direction of resonable supply for Argon as BOC just want to tear the **** out of my trousers.


Many Thanks

NEWBIE 304

 

[Robotstar5]

Having read some of the above posts regarding knobs buttons etc, my manual is in total italian with NO english.............looks like i will need to get it translated or just crack on and play.

Have you tried babel?

 

[carlcall]

Can anyone in the southwest point me in the direction of resonable supply for Argon as BOC just want to tear the **** out of my trousers.

I live in the North West and TBH I found BOC the cheapest @ £55 rental per year and £32.50 IIRC for the X sized Pureshield, the other 2 wanted £70 - £90 rental and another £70 - £90 for the same sized equivalent pure argon.

 

[Angusdog]

Having read some of the above posts regarding knobs buttons etc, my manual is in total italian with NO english.............looks like i will need to get it translated or just crack on and play.

Have a look on Everlast's website and you may find a machine very similar to yours. I have a Mitech (chinese) 'Super 200A' 4 in 1 machine, and there's a similar model which helped me familiarise myself with the controls. The manual which came with mine was typical chinglish and not worth printing, and was even wrong in several parts. For example, when the foot control in connected, the base and peak amps dials have no effect on the current; it's entirely in the foot control.

 

[paultheg33k]

I have made hand rails previously from 304 grade and have had no real problems with corrosion being a "sparkie" i can bend, thread etc the standard sizes and 304 is available to me in 3.3m lenght for £9.00 rather than £35.00 for the 316.

NEWBIE304

Hiya, is that price for 304 a retail price, or a special deal? Sounds good - I'd have some at that price!

PC

 

[newbie304]

Hiya, is that price for 304 a retail price, or a special deal? Sounds good - I'd have some at that price!

PC

Not a special price as far as i am aware a general price for 20mm 304 grade stainless tube from my electrical wholesaler, shop around and play one off against the other...........................always works for me

No similar looking machine im just going to suck it and see, have figured out the upslope/downslope , gas purge ? 5 / 10sec etc.

Thanks for the heads up also re BOC not that cheap in the SW but have been given some details about somewhere else.


Cheers Newbie 304

 

[Jake SS]

Have a look on Everlast's website and you may find a machine very similar to yours. I have a Mitech (chinese) 'Super 200A' 4 in 1 machine, and there's a similar model which helped me familiarise myself with the controls. The manual which came with mine was typical chinglish and not worth printing, and was even wrong in several parts. For example, when the foot control in connected, the base and peak amps dials have no effect on the current; it's entirely in the foot control.

They are also referred to as "neverlast"