Which Welder For VW Type 2 Camper

[FunkSoulBus]

Hello all,

Read as much as I can and now getitng short on time, I need to buy a welder to start a restoration project on a 72 VW Camper. Seems body panels are 1mm and chassis 2mm so that's all I'll ever need.

Seems MIG Gas welders on the low end both in Amps output and price are few.

I have 3 here and wondered if anyone has any preference on quality or function if you were to get one now....

https://www.sipuk.co.uk/sip-weldmate-120a-gas-gasless-mig-arc-tig-welder.html#additional seems OK with 20a low end output but then only seems to take 0.8mm min spool wire? Typo... as the control switch shows 0.6?

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/14012-cl-weld-mig107-230v-/ Again seems good but min output is now 40a/100a top end, watched a review of an older model and he didn't seem happy it only went down to 40a for old bodywork work.

https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637202105/mini-portable-gasgasless-mig-welder-130a-230v laslty 30a/130a, you get the gas regulator and hose. Best quality of the bunch?

Doing it at home and on 13 amps so anything above this seems to be on the 18. Don't really fancy used for my first go as I'll be thinking is it me or the welder Don't really fancy the Chinese Amazon, unless people know of a real gem.

cheers

 

[zzr1200]

The Second one has a 40 amp starting point way to high for car body, imo.

The other 2 are 20 amps and 30 amps start point, 20 amp is much better, you stated your vehicle seems to have 1 or 2 mm body panel thickness, they may have been when new, but now a 1972 vw camper will have panels made out of Baco-foil in places.

We've all been there you'll need a gas bottle, mask and loads of other tools as well, your at the start of a very long road, take your time and enjoy. You will learn loads of new skills and we'll help if we can, welcome to the forum...

 

[Stuartg1]

I've done 4 bays and I'm halfway through a beetle, I've been using a gys162,. I upgraded from an sip, worlds of difference between the two...
Having said that I'm tempted by one of the new rtech sets as they're easy to move around

 

[FunkSoulBus]

I've done 4 bays and I'm halfway through a beetle, I've been using a gys162,. I upgraded from an sip, worlds of difference between the two...
Having said that I'm tempted by one of the new rtech sets as they're easy to move around

Good stuff, do you have any socials for the bay refurbs? Checked that out and seems I'd need 16amp feed, maybe start off cheap and regret it later So the SIP not so clever, I wonder about the Sealey. It's the one area where people don't really do reviews on them so much and compare.

 

[tom2207]

Good stuff, do you have any socials for the bay refurbs? Checked that out and seems I'd need 16amp feed, maybe start off cheap and regret it later So the SIP not so clever, I wonder about the Sealey. It's the one area where people don't really do reviews on them so much and compare.

I use an old 180 sealey in one of the places I work in ,,, if you got a second hand one you wouldnt be far off the mark . as for low amps I ignore the spec for low amps as most of the time what they print is just what they feel like printing ,,, my rohr is 50 amps min , and I can weld 0.8 car body work easily ,,, best thing is if you can get a play with a machine you fancy and see how you get on with it .

 

[FunkSoulBus]

The Second one has a 40 amp starting point way to high for car body, imo.

The other 2 are 20 amps and 30 amps start point, 20 amp is much better, you stated your vehicle seems to have 1 or 2 mm body panel thickness, they may have been when new, but now a 1972 vw camper will have panels made out of Baco-foil in places.

We've all been there you'll need a gas bottle, mask and loads of other tools as well, your at the start of a very long road, take your time and enjoy. You will learn loads of new skills and we'll help if we can, welcome to the forum...

Thank you and I will do when I inevitably come unstuck. Starting off with the smaller basic jobs to get the hang of it, I've a lot to do with it front, rear, roof gutters but I knew that and wanted a project

Once I've gone back to good metal shouldn't be so bad but yes I get your point. The repair panels are 1mm at least.

 

[tom2207]

Thank you and I will do when I inevitably come unstuck. Starting off with the smaller basic jobs to get the hang of it, I've a lot to do with it front, rear, roof gutters but I knew that and wanted a project

Once I've gone back to good metal shouldn't be so bad but yes I get your point. The repair panels are 1mm at least.

gutters are a pita , 40 years of doing them and they are still a pita

 

[FunkSoulBus]

Well you buy a piece that's the roof section with the gutter if that's any better/different to your past pita? Made up with two more peices underneath on these which you buy. The corners are bad on mine and you can get the gutter section but no roof peice, so that will be fun. I think for now on the somewhat savable pieces, I'll sand back, rust treat and epoxy primer.

 

[tom2207]

that makes life a bit easier ,, wait till you try and get that to go round a corner and match ,,,,

 

[eddie49]

Comments on the three welders:

SIP Weldmate 120:
It is a synergic inverter MIG/Arc welder
Has an attached torch
Probably has 0.6mm and 0.8mm grooves in the drive roller
Control panel also shows "1.0mm", very unlikely to handle this wire and does not need to ( only for >180A )
Small reels only ( 1kg )
At £186 for a generic imported 120A machine, it is overpriced by about £75

Clarke MIG107
It is a traditional transformer-based 100A MIG, with 4 voltage steps
Attached torch
Weighs 22kg
Takes 1kg or 5kg reels
At £204, it is overpriced by £100
With a 40A minimum - avoid!

Sealey SuperMIG 130
A traditional transformer-based machine, 130A, 4 voltage steps, weighs 20kg, takes small or medium reels
Minimum is 30A
At £276, it is overpriced by £150

I think you need to make the basic decisions and trade-offs: transformer or inverter, synergic ( single dial calibrated in mm of metal thickness ) or two-dial ( voltage and wirespeed ), and new or s/hand. There are plenty of recent threads discussing these issues in the "Buying a Welder" section.

If you are considering a specific second-hand machine - which would probably be a traditional transformer-based machine rather than a modern inverter - then post links to local offers on Facebook, eBay, Gumtree etc., and we can advise if they are suitable and look like they might be functional.

 

[keithski122]

I've never regretted buying my clarke 90 mig welder, helped me restore both a karmann ghia and a beetle although being an Australian import the beetle needed little welding.

 

[FunkSoulBus]

Comments on the three welders:

SIP Weldmate 120:
It is a synergic inverter MIG/Arc welder
Has an attached torch
Probably has 0.6mm and 0.8mm grooves in the drive roller
Control panel also shows "1.0mm", very unlikely to handle this wire and does not need to ( only for >180A )
Small reels only ( 1kg )
At £186 for a generic imported 120A machine, it is overpriced by about £75

Clarke MIG107
It is a traditional transformer-based 100A MIG, with 4 voltage steps
Attached torch
Weighs 22kg
Takes 1kg or 5kg reels
At £204, it is overpriced by £100
With a 40A minimum - avoid!

Sealey SuperMIG 130
A traditional transformer-based machine, 130A, 4 voltage steps, weighs 20kg, takes small or medium reels
Minimum is 30A
At £276, it is overpriced by £150

I think you need to make the basic decisions and trade-offs: transformer or inverter, synergic ( single dial calibrated in mm of metal thickness ) or two-dial ( voltage and wirespeed ), and new or s/hand. There are plenty of recent threads discussing these issues in the "Buying a Welder" section.

If you are considering a specific second-hand machine - which would probably be a traditional transformer-based machine rather than a modern inverter - then post links to local offers on Facebook, eBay, Gumtree etc., and we can advise if they are suitable and look like they might be functional.

Thanks for taking the time Eddie,

Well I'm guessing I want a traditional transformer type and with seperate wire speed and voltage. Tbf the Sip is the only one I've seen with that setup.
I like your take on pricing but I can't exactly tell them that and get it cheaper huh... or do you suggest going for something else that is it's actual value type thing? So yeah you suggest used, I shall have a look and get back then

 

[Stuartg1]

Well you buy a piece that's the roof section with the gutter if that's any better/different to your past pita? Made up with two more peices underneath on these which you buy. The corners are bad on mine and you can get the gutter section but no roof peice, so that will be fun. I think for now on the somewhat savable pieces, I'll sand back, rust treat and epoxy primer.

View attachment 497491

You know you can buy a full roof panel!
I'd be tempted

 

[FunkSoulBus]

You know you can buy a full roof panel!
I'd be tempted

I do know yes, grand I think.... then I have to cut it out for the Devon. Rear panels are like 250 I think. I'll cross that bridge...

 

[Stuartg1]

We had a Devon, water traps everywhere...
If I was doing it again I'd get the full panel, use it as an alignment tool for all the repair pieces your going to be fitting...

 

[indy4x]

Checked that out and seems I'd need 16amp feed

Don't let that put you off, you'll only need the 16A feed if you are running the welder at the top end of its capacity

I have an RTec 250A MIG and their 50A plasma cutter, both have a 32A plug but I have a couple of leads made up with a 32A socket to 13A plug. Both work fine on a 13A supply as long as you dont max them out