Welder able to do MIG spot weld too

[Takson]

Hi,

I am new to welding, currently restoring a VW type 2. I am having the welding done on this one by someone with a lot of experience, but having been involved it is a skill set I'd like to start developing for the next project or some of the things we are making to support the restoration like an oil drum parts washer and chassis skateboard. This time round the welding on the actual panels will remain with the pro!

I have about £500 to spend on a welder, so looking at the Clarke, Sealeys etc. I would like to be able to do some MIG Spot welding with it too, as well as more traditional MIG welding. I understand what the timers are for, and recon it would be useful for someone with little or no experience to start with but not absolutely essential.

However, where I am struggling is on the power of the machine to go for and therefore whether I would be able to use a 13 amp plug or need to wire in a high amp feed and socket. I would probably not be MIG spot welding anything over 14 - 16 gauge metal (Most likely 16) and would prefer if I could use a 13 amp set up to start with.

Is something 150amp suitable for what I am looking to start doing or should I bite the bullet and go to 180 or 200, but with the necessary power setup and changes?

 

[Cobbler]

The Clarkes are a good deal if you can get hold of a Machine Mart VAT free voucher, look for one of the original machines, NOT on of the newer budget machines they have started selling alongside the originals. The budget ones are as yet unproven & the low setting is higher, making it difficult for thin sheet, such a bodywork. Go for the 150a say, 160tm or similar as you may regret not having enough power for heavier jobs in the future. Look on the web site, there is a spec. sheet on there for info. Clarke state this cannot be run off a 13 amp plug, but they are just covering themselves, on full chat you might blow the fuse sometimes in the plug top. There are a lot of people, me included that use one off a 13a plug.

The other one that would be well worth looking at is the GYS Smartmig sold by Weldequip use the button on the top of the page, never used one, but those that have say there very good, a little bit dearer though.

Welcome to the Forum by the way, loads of info on here, have a look at the tutorials on the home page to help you.

 

[Monkey Harris]

Hi,

I am new to welding, currently restoring a VW type 2. I am having the welding done on this one by someone with a lot of experience, but having been involved it is a skill set I'd like to start developing for the next project or some of the things we are making to support the restoration like an oil drum parts washer and chassis skateboard. This time round the welding on the actual panels will remain with the pro!

I have about £500 to spend on a welder, so looking at the Clarke, Sealeys etc. I would like to be able to do some MIG Spot welding with it too, as well as more traditional MIG welding. I understand what the timers are for, and recon it would be useful for someone with little or no experience to start with but not absolutely essential.

However, where I am struggling is on the power of the machine to go for and therefore whether I would be able to use a 13 amp plug or need to wire in a high amp feed and socket. I would probably not be MIG spot welding anything over 14 - 16 gauge metal (Most likely 16) and would prefer if I could use a 13 amp set up to start with.

Is something 150amp suitable for what I am looking to start doing or should I bite the bullet and go to 180 or 200, but with the necessary power setup and changes?

are you on the latebay forum ..TLB ..?

 

[Takson]

are you on the latebay forum ..TLB ..?

Yup. Burtthebus.

Currently off being acid dipped at SPL

 

[Takson]

The Clarkes are a good deal if you can get hold of a Machine Mart VAT free voucher, look for one of the original machines, NOT on of the newer budget machines they have started selling alongside the originals. The budget ones are as yet unproven & the low setting is higher, making it difficult for thin sheet, such a bodywork. Go for the 150a say, 160tm or similar as you may regret not having enough power for heavier jobs in the future. Look on the web site, there is a spec. sheet on there for info. Clarke state this cannot be run off a 13 amp plug, but they are just covering themselves, on full chat you might blow the fuse sometimes in the plug top. There are a lot of people, me included that use one off a 13a plug.

The other one that would be well worth looking at is the GYS Smartmig sold by Weldequip use the button on the top of the page, never used one, but those that have say there very good, a little bit dearer though.

Welcome to the Forum by the way, loads of info on here, have a look at the tutorials on the home page to help you.

Thank you for the reply. I've been watching the forum and site for a few weeks now and am finally ready to take the plunge. I'm going to practice on the off cut sheet metal from the proper welding being done on the van to start with and see how I go. The tutorials are very useful, especially on the areas you don't always think about like the full face helmet rather than just a basic eye cover and the visual demonstrations of reel speed, voltage, ampage etc.

 

[Monkey Harris]

Yup. Burtthebus.

Currently off being acid dipped at SPL

Cool I'm on there as art b..


You can get a shroud ,
which is able to create a spot weld..you may need a bit of power for it..


I bought an old murex 230amp welder for £200 and it welds really well,
Also works on a 13amp plug on lower power settings..

 

[T0rnado69]

ive have the clarke 155turbo for 15years or so. and it runs from 13amp plug.
never blown fuse even on full wack.

 

[Monkey Harris]

Yup. Burtthebus.

Currently off being acid dipped at SPL

Ah...
I have read your resto thread before..

there are some crusty bits on there...

 

[Takson]

Ah...
I have read your resto thread before..

there are some crusty bits on there...

There sure are! Less crusty bits now, but then again there is a lot more Air where there should be metal.......

 

[norlander]

I have the GYS 162 and its got loadsa poke and does well on the thin stuff too, and does not trip my crap french lectric supply. I am currently using it on gasless for jobs where I would use my MMA kit.

So I would say 160 amps should do you. Whatever you buy, 500 should get you a decent set plus gas set up-the gas set does produce much nicer results, less smoke and spatter.

R-Tech could be worth looking at as well-their kit seems to produce good results and after sales seems to be good.

 

[Kent]

I should fuss about a spot weld function as its not really a true spot weld you do with mig but a plug weld your doing and its essential your test your settings when starting on similar scrap as a destructive test.

 

[Takson]

I should fuss about a spot weld function as its not really a true spot weld you do with mig but a plug weld your doing and its essential your test your settings when starting on similar scrap as a destructive test.

I see. So would I be correct in thinking it is more of a plug weld but if you have a powerful enough welder you don't necessarily need to pre drill?

I should think pretty much all of my initial work will be on scrap and called scrap again soon after :-)

 

[Takson]

I was chatting to a bloke called Dave in the pub last night, who came up with a good idea to get consistency on tacks and plug welds on a machine without a timer. He used a cheapy in ear metronome that drummers use to get the on off rhythm.

Thought that was a good idea.

 

[Wallace]

If you are looking up around the £500 mark maybe stretch a bit more to a Portamig 185? The low 15A minimum current is a bonus on thin material and you can spec a spotweld timer as an optional extra. As for the Metro Gnome that would soon drive me mad....... does Dave sit on his own a lot in the pub?

 

[Kent]

I see. So would I be correct in thinking it is more of a plug weld but if you have a powerful enough welder you don't necessarily need to pre drill?

I should think pretty much all of my initial work will be on scrap and called scrap again soon after :-)

No you should still be better drilling a plug weld is as the name implies "Plug to fill a hole right?" I saw a whole heap of these welds fail once, it was a bad procedure on office desk manufacture all the welders on the line new it but did what they were told rather than speak up. The issue and reason I say test it is these welds often lack bite into the flat metal below even with a hole, get it hot and start from the middle not a ring around and fill. If I had a spot feature I still shouldn't use it

 

[Takson]

No you should still be better drilling a plug weld is as the name implies "Plug to fill a hole right?" I saw a whole heap of these welds fail once, it was a bad procedure on office desk manufacture all the welders on the line new it but did what they were told rather than speak up. The issue and reason I say test it is these welds often lack bite into the flat metal below even with a hole, get it hot and start from the middle not a ring around and fill. If I had a spot feature I still shouldn't use it

Thanks for the advice. I thought the testing was more my learning curve, which will no doubt be steep and full of scrap at both ends of the process! :-)