21 replies to this topic

[mkmini81]

Hi,

Im looking at picking up a second hand welder and start to learn how to weld..... so the question is what type of welder should i be looking at to weld the mini? whats the easiest one to learn with?!

thanks!!

[tadleysimon]

get a mig for sure!

[MiniBonkerz]

I have just bought a Clarke MIG135TE great welder perfect for the mini tig is more for Stainless steel Mig would be best suited to mini panels

[mkmini81]

Mig it is then... time to hunt for one and start practising!!

[Rich.]

To be honest, if you have no deadline to stick too and a decent wad of money, then a Tig is the better choice any day. Although I will admit it will not fall into your easiest to learn catagroy.

I can now Gas, Stick, Mig and Tig weld, and have to admit that tig was one of the hardest to master out of the set, however i have no doubt that it produces the best results, and is the most versitle in that almost any material that can be welded you can do with a Tig.

There are 3 main downsides to Tig over Mig. Tig is a very difficult process to learn as said above, it is the most expensive welding method and it is alot slower than Mig.

I would probably admit that its not the best method to learn on, however out of all the welding techniques i use if i could only keep one then it would be Tig without a shadow of a doubt.

Oh and just to add, Tig is not a process specific to one material, you can weld more materials with a tig welder than most other techniques, and it is the only method that can produce truly good results with aluminium. And before anyone says you can weld ally with Mig, i sugest you go and try the two different techniques and compare results.

Rich

Edited by Rich., 16 April 2010 - 06:45 PM.

[Shifty]

Sorry but theres no way I'd recomend tig for auto work, TIGs fine for bench work, however welding upside down on crappy metal, nah!!

TIG is also fussy about how clean the steel is, it would struggle to cope with the rusty cack you find on mini and you simply wouldn't get the torch in a lot of the confined areas.


Also the only way you'll weld aluminium with a TIG is if you have an ac/dc one, a lot of people have just bought DC ones thinking they can use it for all materials

MIG all the way, clarke do some decent hobby MIGS, look for one thats got a min amp current of 30 amps.

[mkmini81]

Cheers for all the advice. i have seen one in screwfix which is gasless. whats the advantages/disadvantages of a gasless one... part from not having to buy gas?

[Shifty]

Go back and check the min amps on the screwfix one.

[j500cpr]

i use gas less and found it fine and as you say no gas to buy

[mkmini81]

it states 60-90A

http://www.screwfix....-... MIG Welder

[Rich.]

Sorry but theres no way I'd recomend tig for auto work, TIGs fine for bench work, however welding upside down on crappy metal, nah!!

TIG is also fussy about how clean the steel is, it would struggle to cope with the rusty cack you find on mini and you simply wouldn't get the torch in a lot of the confined areas.


Also the only way you'll weld aluminium with a TIG is if you have an ac/dc one, a lot of people have just bought DC ones thinking they can use it for all materials

MIG all the way, clarke do some decent hobby MIGS, look for one thats got a min amp current of 30 amps.

I wouldnt say tig was any worse than Mig in terms of metal preperation, if your trying to weld anything with a dirty surfce its going to be crap, yes, you can put metal down with a Mig on a dirty surface which you would strugle to do with a Tig, buts at the end of the days its still not a weld.

I have to admit i prefer Tig upside down to any other welding process, theres alot less splatter to go down your sleave and alot less to drop into the torch shroud and clog it up.

As for Aluminium, yes, it has to have an Ac setting, but then using that argument is like saying Migs crap with aluminium becuase im trying to weld it with Steel wire and Co2.

I knew id cause some contavercy with that statement

As for the screw fix welder, your just going to put holes in everywhere at 60A. You want at least 30. Have a look at the range of Clarkes from Machine MArt, decent welders for very little money.

Rich

[djdobson]

as regards to gas or gasless i found gas welding much easier and alot neater. it doesnt go to say that you cannot get the same results with a gasless but i have always preferred gas mig welding

[Shifty]

I still don't belive TIGs the best choice for automotive work, so we'll have to agree to disagree there.

One thing we do agree on is that the screwfix welder is crap, 60amps is only useful for gates, as I said above 30amp is the minimum amp current you're looking for.

Look at the Clarke range of welders.

[mkmini81]

See if it wasnt fo this forum id be blowing holes all over the min! thanks for all you help.

[sonikk4]

I have just bought a Clarke MIG135TE great welder perfect for the mini tig is more for Stainless steel Mig would be best suited to mini panels

Snap!! got one of these and its working well. Plenty of power when needed and apart from a minor glitch to start with alls well. The one thing i would recommend though is use the 5kg reels of wire and not the 1kg spools. This was causing me all sorts of problems but the 5kg spool no problem at all.

As for gas Argoshield Light from BOC. Prices for bottle size vary but very helpful. Its contract based but if you decide you have finished with the gas bottle they will refund any full months of the contract left.