royaub Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Hi all As most of you here will know, especially if you have a landrover that is over 15 years old, that welding can be expensive. So I've decided to have a go myself. I'm thinking of buying an ARC welder. The reason for this is the cost and my father has some experience with ARC welding. Trouble is I don't know what sort of ampage/voltage would be suitable. One thing we have to take into account is that money is tight at the moment so I'm looking for something that will do the job without breaking the bank. Has anybody got any experience with ARC welders and can advise me on what to get? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks Roy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncmc Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I got a MIG to do mine, don't know about ARC. Have you looked at http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/ ? A truely valuable forum, just like lr4x4 but on all types of welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P H Services Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Personally i would go for mig as well as it is much easier to use for landrover patching. Arc welding is very good for heavy duty use and is relativley easy to do especially with something flat in the vise, Personally i find it a pain to do vertical welds with. I have only tried once to do a patch on a landy with arc got fed up and used my mates mig. Mig is much easier for using whilst laying under your landy. As a footnote i spend an average of 20 hours a week minimum welding up Landrovers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 MIG all the way. At some point you'll need to weld the underside of something. Arc can be done upside down with acquired skill, but MIG's a heck of a lot easier, more versatile too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlandy Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Try to find a secondhand oxford. As stated above a much higher skill level is required, that said as the material is only thin down ward vertical welding is acceptable. A advantage with arc is being able to get into tight and blind positions and wind if working outside is not a problem Dont be tempted by cheap rods , oerlikon is my favorite multi position rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi_110 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Another vote for MIG. I scratched around with a stick-machine for years until I saw the light and coughed up for a MAG-Mate from BOC. Much more versatile, you can do exhaust pipe and steel panel work. Easier to use than a stick-machine too. Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaub Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thanks guys can you advise on what mig welder to get without breaking the bank ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I've got one of these - http://www.spawelding.co.uk/online-store/mig-welding/diy-a-hobbiest-mig/271-170c-swp-mig-welder.html nice machine, good enough price and does all i want of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slihp Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 like most of you im gonna just learn myself. did arc at school so was going to go down that route but now going for mig. my question is with all the varying priced migs from 100 upwards what properties should i be considering when selecting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi_110 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I'd recommend somthing with a genuine Binzel handpiece on at least a 3m cable, duty cycle around 60% or better at max current, up to 180 amps, that'll do 0.6 to 8.0mm jobs, does both gas or gasless. Nice to have infinate voltage and inductance controls. Here in NZ, a reputable brand machine is around $1000. That's about 500 of your real, actual, genuine British pounds. Plenty of no-name ones to be had for half that on our local version of Flea-bay, but "ya gets what ya pays for..." Caveat emptor. Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaub Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Thanks for the info i think i will be geting one of these Clarke MIG195TEC Welder My link Roy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Be careful what mask you get - some of them are real rubbish. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Thanks for the info i think i will be geting one of these Clarke MIG195TEC Welder My link Roy You will need a 16amp feed and blue plug for that on higher powers, i stuck with a 151TE as you can run all powers on 13amp socket. its also half the price of the one you are looking at which will only do 7mm, 1mm more than the 151te. http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/151te-turbo-mig-welder/path/diy-mig-welders for £600 I'd forget clarke and buy a portamig http://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm much better job, as others have said get a decent auto dimming helmet, starparts or parweld for £40-50, some long gloves, and gas. edit: the portmamig will do 15amp minimum which is useful on thin (read rotted) metal, your clarke 195 will only do 30amp min. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 .... and some thick, non-melty overalls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 and some ear defenders... not cos its loud, but you will understand why when you get a blob of molten weld drop in your lug-hole. personally i like my arc welder for everything other than really thin upside down welding, i dont know why - i just find it much more satisfying and easier to weld arc. I also use a welding rod guide, so i can more accurately control the rod gap and movement when using a new (and hence long) stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 ive had an ARC welder for years, but you cant weld chassis' with them too well as they tend to like removing steel on thin chassis' ive welded a couple of brackets onto my chassis with arc, and done some upside down arc welding (with upside down rods), and while im rather good on the flat and not too bad vertical, its very drippy looing even with the right rods. MIG welding is much better however i still need to improve my MIG skills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 a blob of molten weld drop in your lug-hole. Too right - that's an awful feeling Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Too right - that's an awful feeling Les. I agree. Also plasma cutter and grinding bits too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Too right - that's an awful feeling Les. The funny thing is you can smell it burning, even though it's in your ear Put some rubber bands on the sleeve cuffs of your overalls and turn them back over the bands, that'll stop spatter going down your sleeve - the elbow can only take so many burns. And buy some spare bootlaces too, that's what the burning smell will be when you can't find any obvious source HTH Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlandy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 ive had an ARC welder for years, but you cant weld chassis' with them too well as they tend to like removing steel on thin chassis' ive welded a couple of brackets onto my chassis with arc, and done some upside down arc welding (with upside down rods), and while im rather good on the flat and not too bad vertical, its very drippy looing even with the right rods. MIG welding is much better however i still need to improve my MIG skills mig welding is not better it is easier,hence critical jobs are still speced arc only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brighouse shed Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 You're right MIG is not better than arc but it is a lot easier and as ARC puts a hell of a lot of heat into your weld it's not the best for in situ welding as distortion or thermic lance type operation is only seconds away. Mig is always a bit ugly cos it's not so well controlled hence the joy of spatter but it is fairly foolproof. personally i would only use stick on >10mm plate and TIG on <1mm hence i have a fairly underpowered clarke 105 MIG set. I reckon if i can't do it with my set then it's gonna be structural and i shouldn't be playing around. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forkrentfitter Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 You're right MIG is not better than arc but it is a lot easier and as ARC puts a hell of a lot of heat into your weld it's not the best for in situ welding as distortion or thermic lance type operation is only seconds away. Mig is always a bit ugly cos it's not so well controlled hence the joy of spatter but it is fairly foolproof. personally i would only use stick on >10mm plate and TIG on <1mm hence i have a fairly underpowered clarke 105 MIG set. I reckon if i can't do it with my set then it's gonna be structural and i shouldn't be playing around. Just a thought 4mm plate can be successfully welded with an arc welder,2.5mm rod at around 60 amps,having the right rod is important too.one of the test pieces i did at colege was a single v butt weld on six mm plate,that was a root with a cap on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlandy Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 You're right MIG is not better than arc but it is a lot easier and as ARC puts a hell of a lot of heat into your weld it's not the best for in situ welding as distortion or thermic lance type operation is only seconds away. Mig is always a bit ugly cos it's not so well controlled hence the joy of spatter but it is fairly foolproof. personally i would only use stick on >10mm plate and TIG on <1mm hence i have a fairly underpowered clarke 105 MIG set. I reckon if i can't do it with my set then it's gonna be structural and i shouldn't be playing around. Just a thought 16 to 10 gauge is quite easy to weld with arc, and very quick so heat build up is not a issue. With tig you can go as thick or thin as you like, with critical welds I use tig root instead of a low hyd rod which can be on some very thick plate. As for in situ welding arc is excellent due to the weld electrode being thin and plyable therefore easy to get into places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_me Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 We use an old eland mig and it's working great. Welding sleeves on eBay for about £7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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