* A Buyers Guide - What's Your MIG Welder - Post up the specs *

[fozsug]

• Make : Butters AMT
  
• Model : AMT311
  
• How Long have you had it / How old is it : 7 years / 8years
  
• Typical Current Price : £ 800
  
• Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 340 AMPS
  
• Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 240 AMPS
  
• Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6-1.6
  
• Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : Both
  
• Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : Yes
  
• Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : Big bottle
  
• Weight : F Heavy about 100kg
  
• What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : Chassis on lorries 10/12mm but will weld 1mm very well too
  
• Other standard Features : stand off /delay / spot weld
  
• Good Points : very powerful very good duty cylcle for heavy welding
  
• Bad Points : Fan attract dust in the workshop, has to be cleaned weekly, very heavy if not on a flat surface
  
• On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 10, it has done everything it has ever been asked to do, and has not broken down in the 7 years ive had it
  

[dangerous doug]

• Make : sealy
  
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• Model : mightymig 210
  
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• How Long have you had it / How old is it : 4 ish years
  
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• Typical Current Price : £430
  
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• Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 210
  
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• Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 105A
  
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• Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6- 1mm i think
  
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• Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : both
  
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• Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : yes
  
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• Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : full size
  
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• Weight : 45.5
  
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• What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : will weld 8mm pretty well, have welded axle tabs, cages and winch mounts with no problems
  
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• Other standard Features : thermal cutout light, reversable polarity, comes with euro torch, regulatior, contact tips, shrouds and a spool of 06 wire, flat top
  
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• Good Points : extremely smooth! very versitile, comes with nice long leads. for what you pay, you get a pretty good welder.
  
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• Bad Points : its massive for what it is! its extremely clumbersome manovering it around. could have been a bit narrower but taller. when you crank it up its not very forgiving. low amps a child could lay a nice weld but when you turn it up if there is the slightest contaminent on the steel or if you wobble i little it will show!.......provided you clean stuff properly and have a steady hand youll be fine.
  
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• On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 8
  
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• its an ok set ill dig out some photos of the sortof welds it can generate, for the money you pay im nor sure that you can get a nicer package
  

[Bingy]

• Make : Clarke
  
• Model : 205TE
  
• How Long have you had it / How old is it : 2 Years
  
• Typical Current Price : was approx £250 s/h
  
• Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 185
  
• Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 80
  
• Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6-0.8
  
• Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : Both
  
• Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : Didnt have when i bought it, but has now
  
• Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : Full
  
• Weight : No Idea, but once bottle has been removed off back, it can be picked up and put into back of Landrover
  
• What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : Landrover chassis and panel mods, axle brackets, Roll cage, 6mm diff pans, railings, gates, workshop roof fabrication
  
• Other standard Features : Stitch, spot weld Needs a 25 amp supply
  
• Good Points : Easy to move about, easy to use easy to get gas bottle on and off back Good spray pattern
  
• Bad Points : Didnt have Euro connector on when i bought it. Had a short earth lead. Both now easily rectified.
  
• On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 9 Like an engine, now im used to it i want more power out of it
  

[Cynic-al]

• Make : SIP
  
• Model : Migmate 170P Gas & gasless
  
• How Long have you had it / How old is it : 5 years / unknown
  
• Typical Current Price : £650 RRP
  
• Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 25a - 170a
  
• Output at 60% Duty Cycle : unknown
  
• Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6mm - 0.8mm
  
• Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : 0.7kg - 5kg although i've only ever used the 0.7s
  
• Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : yes (but only on the Professional model)
  
• Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : A disposible will fit on it, but I stand a BOC bottle next to it.
  
• Weight : 35kg, you can get wheels for it but I just carry it.
  
• What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : Steel & stainless car parts & general fabrication 2mm - 12mm. Ali tube 3-4mm thicnkess but not pretty!
  
• Other standard Features : Comes with cheap mask, regulator for disposibles, chipping hammer, wire brush etc. Wire feed rate changes with power setting.
  
• Good Points : You can carry it around (just) which is what I need, welded everything i've wanted to weld, it's never broken down, i've managed to get all the parts i've wanted (rollers etc) from local welding shops. You can upgrade it to work with bigger bottles and have wheels. It claims it needs a 25amp supply but i've run it off a 13amp plug and extension leads without blowing the fuse. Comes with a basic wiring diagram and parts list.
  
• Bad Points : Wire feed mechanism can be tempremental. If you over tighten the tension spring it bends the top roller out the way and looses grip. It has 6 power settings through 3off 2 position switches yet it welds regardless where you put the switches - probably makes the transformer electronics simple but doesn't make much sense to the user?
  
• On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 8
  

[discomikey]

• Make : SIP

Model : Tarde Weldmate T150p

How Long have you had it / How old is it : 3 yrs since new

Typical Current Price : 375ish

Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 150

Output at 60% Duty Cycle : unknown - 113a @20%

Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6-0.8

Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools: tiny and 4.5-5kg

Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : No

Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : crappy disposable things

Weight : 25kgish

What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : 0.8-6mm (up to 10 at a push but push, triple pass it and weave!!!!!)

Other standard Features : auto wire speed - (does it actually work???)

Good Points : portable and once set right can lay some rather nice beads!

Bad Points : origionally had wire feed issues with it, new decent liner and gun parts cured this. power settings confusing and too "steppy" no fine adjustment. absolutely DRINKS those little bottles for fun. push fittings on the cheapo regulator leak like a sieve and are THE bane of my life!!!

On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it: 6.5 despite its issues once you get to learn how it works as a welder, it will quite happily do nice jobs, however you will spend more time setting it up for the thickness steel than you will actually welding with it. (this is not me as i can jump on works 3ph rock weld 60 odd year old machine and set up for 0.8-20mm thick steel happily - but that is an absolute beast with an awesome water cooled binzel torch!)

as a starter MIG i would say go for something with a power "dial" rather than the 3 inline switches. but learn to adjust your weld to the "closest" possible setting and you can lay some nice beads, flat, uphill or even upside down its not actually bad at all.

just bought a slightly older SIP mig same power but bigger and more "proffesional" will post a review when i get a gas bottle for it! the torch lead is surprisingly short though may convert it to a Binzel torch

[robertspark]

Welder # 1 (original) - now sold, but review provided for assistance / comprehensive review

· Make : Clarke

· Model : 100E (blue one)

· How Long have you had it / How old is it : ~14 years

· Typical Current Price : ~£40 to £120 (second hand - ebay) £240 machine mart (new)

· Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 100A

· Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 40A

· Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6 / 0.8mm

· Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : Small Hobby ~700g / 1kg (16mm 5/8" bore) + 5kg (200mm spools / 50mm 2" bore)

· Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : no

· Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : Hobby as std (60L of gas at 8 l/min gas flow rate ~ 7.5 min weld time! )

· Weight : 25kg (excluding spool + cylinder)

· What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : ~ 0.8mm - 1.2mm (bulkhead repairs)

· Other standard Features : blue clarke welders have 6 power settings, comes new with a few other bits (welding mask etc)

· Good Points : did my bulkhead repairs quickly (hole filling + repair panels, quicker than I was doing it with a Tig). Would recommend if you're filling holes in a bulkhead or other thin plate (more than tig). Settings were good and allowed good rangeability.

· Bad Points : weld quality was not brilliant, struggled to get a consistent weld bead (not a trained welder except stick + brazing at college so may be more my own ability). Don't use the hobby bottles they will bankrupt you! Find yourself a local CO2+argon supplier that does not charge bottle rent (non BOC or Linde etc) I use welding gasses (st helens) £80 bottle deposit for a 20L @ 200bar bottle (20L x 200 = 4000 L), £60 for contents, against a hobby 60L! (at £10 to £15 each)

· On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 7 (does what its suppose to + cost effective (if bought second hand!)

· manufacturers manual available here: http://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/migpro90_150te.pdf

Welder # 2 (current)

· Make : ESAB

· Model : C200i

· How Long have you had it / How old is it : ~2 months

· Typical Current Price : paid £625 (new), can go for +£1000

· Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 200A on CO2 or 180A on ArCO2mix

· Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 120A

· Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6 / 0.8 / 1.0mm

· Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools : Medium spool 5kg (200mm spools / 50mm 2" bore) ONLY

· Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : no (is actually a MB15 standard torch, i.e. uses standard MB15 tips + shrouds)

· Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : comes with no regulator, just a 6mm bore hose so fit whatever regulator you want, highly recommend full size (non Hobby) bottles, see other comments.

· Weight : 25kg

· What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc :

· 0.6mm to 6mm mild steel - used

· 0.6mm to 3.0mm aluminium - not used yet

· 0.6mm to 6mm stainless steel - not used yet

· + CuSi (mig brazing) - not used yet

· + flux cored (would not use unless outside + had to, would arc weld instead)

· Other standard Features : "automatic" (near synergic) welding wire feed + ampage and voltage setting - called "QSet" - absolutely brilliant + idiot & occasional user proof, laying down a perfect (to me) bead is as easy as dial in the wire speed (material thickness set automatically), weld for 6 seconds and it tunes the ampage and voltage to the required settings, you can also adjust the bead thickness + penetration (fine tune / bias voltage slightly) and inductance (although not necessary as far as I can see).

· I say "automatic" because the Qset only works on various mig wire sizes 0.8 Fe/SS/CuSi + 1.0 Al. If you use another wire thickness, then you need to set the wire feed up / down slightly to compensate for the thinner to thicker wire (0.6 or 1.0).

· Good Points : perfect for me + anything I'm likely to use (can't fault it on QSet), lightweight + small + will run off a generator and extension lead no problems being inverter based, and its power factor is almost unity (i.e. little wasted power, due to inductance).

· Bad Points : none to do with the weld qualify or settings .... but only takes 200mm / 50mm bore reels which can be expensive (on stainless + CuSi [should you ever use]).

· On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it : 10! thinking about getting rid of the tig once I've tested it on Aluminium + stainless.

· manufacturers manual available here: http://www.esab.co.uk/gb/en/support/upload/Caddy-Mig-C200i-2.pdf

If you can afford it I would highly recommend the ESAB C200i (or Kemppi similar machine) for an occasional user because trying to remember settings + get back into welding and doing a few practice welds to get the weld quality good, also the duty cycle and it's range is very good. I can say its idiot proof (but maybe that's more my competency). 100% duty cycle at 100A, the resell value should be good too if you bought it for a specific task lets say and then wanted to shift it on afterward, especially if you added a few accessories to it (spool + regulator + even a rent free bottle).

Note the ESAB C160i is more for flux cored not all the other Al + SS + CuSi options if you're temped by that one on cost.

A few formulas which may be of use to someone:

Welding current (approximate): 40A / mm material thickness

Hence for m/s plate (0.6 / 0.8mm 23-21 gauge), you need a welder that will do 30A minimum.

recommended read, page 8 / pdf page 10 (weld current + wire feed speeds + wire currents): https://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/mig_handbook.pdf

To work out welder duty cycle at any welding current:

1) obtain the manufacturers rated current at 100% duty cycle

2) select the desired welding current / desired duty cycle.

Actual Welding Current at desired Duty Cycle = 100% Duty Cycle Current x SQRT ( 100 / Desired Duty Cycle)

Actual Duty Cycle at desired current = (100% duty cycle current / Desired duty cycle current) ^ 2 x 100

Cylinder volume + duration:

cylinder volume x pressure = compressed gas volume / regulator flow rate = approx weld time avail

hobby bottle 60L contents / 8l/min = 7.5 mins or 110L bottle = 13.75 mins (approx cost ~ £10 to £15/bottle i.e £1.30 to £2 / weld minute)

full size bottle 20L x 200bar = 4000L / 8l/min = 500 mins (~8 hours) (approx cost ~ £60 contents i.e 12 pence / weld minute)

note: the 8l/min torch flow rate depends upon the torch + manuf recommendations, but the MB15 is about 8 to 12l/min (depends upon any wind / weld location too, I’ve seen people quote 25l/min too!)

[discomikey]

• Make : SIP
• Model : Topmig 150 Turbo
• How Long have you had it / How old is it : 1 yrs (second hand must be 10 yrs old?)
• Typical Current Price : Paid £150 (plus £70 for a Eurotorch)
• Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 150
• Output at 60% Duty Cycle : Duty Cycle unknown, although it manages 15 minutes welding at full power before cutting out
• Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6-0.8
• Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools: tiny and 4.5-5kg
• Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : Not normally. I retrofitted one
• Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit : I have a Hobbyweld bottle although larger will fit
• Weight : 25kgish??
• What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : 0.8-6mm (up to 10 at a push but push, triple pass it and weave!!!!!)
• Other standard Features : Crappy 1m torch lead.
• Good Points : Once modified it will weld as nicely as any of works' ESAB or Oxford welders. but just doesn't have the duty cycle!
• Bad Points : Standard SIP wire feed issues, easily sorted. Standard torch lead at 1m combined with it being a floorstanding unit makes it pretty useless. 4m Euro torch (type 25 i know, overspecced) was the best thing i could have possibly done to it. Will never buy a welder without a eurotorch from now on!
• On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it: 8.5 Once modified it is a cracking welder. Couldn't ask for better at the price! 150 amps is a tad low for what i do, ideally could do with something upto 250+ amps. but that's not the welder's fault! The duty cycle is a tad low, although its price reflected that at £150 rather than £1,000+

[qwakers]

• Make : Sealey

Model : supermig 180

How Long have you had it / How old is it : 1 month (new)

Typical Current Price : Paid £310 RRP about £900

Maximum Welding Current (AMPS) : 180

Output at 60% Duty Cycle : 73A

Welding Wire range in mm : 0.6-1.0

Small Large or BOTH re Wire Spools: tiny, 5kg and 15kg

Euro Torch (Yes / No ) : yes type 15.

Argosheild Bottle - max Size that will fit :as big as you like.

Weight : 25kgish??

What is the most typical things you weld with it - thicknesses etc : 0.8-6mm will happilly weld 10mm

Other standard Features : spot weld mode. very useful.

Good Points : works perfectly out of the box. a excellent bit of kit.

Bad Points :needs 32a supply to run at full power.

On a scale of 1 to 10 1 being very unhappy with it, and 10 being "Its perfect for me" rate it: 10.