Welder recomendations

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Bracey
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Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Hi guys,

So it looks like I need to start tackling rust on the car. Worst that I can see is on the bottom edge of the drivers door as below...

http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/Brace ... sort=1&o=0

http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/Brace ... sort=1&o=1

http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/Brace ... sort=1&o=2

It's rusted through from inside so I plan to cut the bottom edge out and weld in fresh metal.

Can anyone recommend a welder please? Initial budget is around £200 but I'm open to suggestion. On top I'll need a mask and gloves as a minimum - what else do I need? Also where can I get panel steel and what thickness is best? What wire thickness too? Apart from playing with a welder for 20 mins many years ago I've no experience but am happy to put in the time to practice before i start blowing holes in my car.

Many thanks,
Dan
fordperv
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by fordperv »

I've got a Clarke 135te, you can get them new from around £250 if you shop around but its £299 at machine mart so if you can wait until a vat free day it will be cheaper, ive had it around 10 years and there hasnt been a problem with it, it's great for hobby use, my reccomendation is if you have a lot of welding to do get a regulator for a large gas bottle and use a larger bottle that you can get refilled, those hobby bottles run out quickly and are seldom as full as they can be it starts getting expensive, i also changed the earth clamp on mine for a heavier duty type

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/135te-t ... 0wodJcEG7Q

I use a pub co2 bottle so use a regulator similar to this
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Single-Stage-2- ... nav=SEARCH

I use this type of clamp, but the original will be more than good enough to start off

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Parweld-Hea ... nav=SEARCH

I would recommend you get an auto darkening mask it will help you no end

Your local motor factors should be able to get the steel in for you or google metal stockists in your area
Bracey
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Thanks for the info, very helpful indeed. What gas should I be looking at though and where can I get it?
Thanks.
Mc Tool
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Mc Tool »

Bracey , Buddy , :) with you having asked sooooo many newbie questions , I get the feeling that this may be your 1st foray into the world of panel beating .........considering the cost of all the gear you will need ( there will be things you haven't even thought of yet ) , the disappointment as you realise that this aint as easy or straight forward as you thought . Good on you for thinking DIY but why don't you get a couple of quotes to get it done professionally .... just to put a perspective on things :) :) :)
Sometimes I talk to myself ... and we both have a good laugh
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nigecapri
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by nigecapri »

CO2 is fine but as Fordperv says, it's expensive from MachineMart in the white bottles. Check very closely on the labels as there are often two different prices for two weights - the higher priced one worked out much better value than the cheapo last time I was in.
You might find a welding supplies shop near you so check their prices compared to MachineMart.
Mine's a gas/gasless EN160 from MM and it does the job fine. Just a case of matching wire speed to power setting so you get a nice even crackling sound without high build-up or blowing holes.
Either splash out now on the full helmet for fifty odd quid (your DIY welding will save you hundreds in the end) or if using the supplied hand-held mask then wear an old beanie hat to stop the flash burning your forehead !
Always wear a glove on your mask hand as well as your torch hand for the same reason. Always have a fire extinguisher & bucket of water to hand for the same reason - unplanned burns are not good.
Bracey
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated especially on the burns dangers. What's the best way to protect the car? I have MDF sheet laying around but is a welding blanket or simular a better way to go?. I'll be welding at the bottom of the rear panel which is the same end as the fuel tank. Is that something to worry about?
Bracey
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Hey Mc Tool,
You make a valid point. Regards doing the work myself, I'm realistic about my own abilities and I'm not expecting anything to be easy. I have however turned my hand to a number of things over the years and usually ive been successfully. Longer term it's not viable for me to keep paying someone else to sort out my car though and I'd rather learn now as I know the car will need more doing before too long.
Thanks,
Dan
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nigecapri
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by nigecapri »

You don't want grinding or welding sparks near any plastic fuel pipes or joints/vents.
As long as you can't smell any petrol vapours it should be o.k.
Some sort of shield against heat is good for anything with fuel.
Weld or grinding sparks can damage paint, trims and glass.
Bracey
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Thank Nige much appreciated!

I picked up this welder below off Evil-bay at the end of last week. Price looked very good and came complete with arc activated head shield and two small bottles of gas.

Image

Give me a bit of time to get to grips with it and I'll post an update!

Dan
Vermilion
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Vermilion »

I have got Kemppi Minarg Mig Evo 200, pretty much full automatic Mig.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEMPPI-MINARC ... gG90J_jZGw

Image

CO2 is pretty good gas for welding carbon steel, but if you weld 304 or 316 stainless you need
Mison Ar gas

http://www.aga.fi/en/products_ren/cutti ... index.html
Bracey
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Bracey »

Looks like an awesome piece of kit, but if the missus ever found out I'd be out on my ear :lol:

She thinks I spend all my money on the Capri already. She may have a point there though... :whistle:
Paul G
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Paul G »

Vermilion wrote:I have got Kemppi Minarg Mig Evo 200, pretty much full automatic Mig.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEMPPI-MINARC ... gG90J_jZGw

Image

CO2 is pretty good gas for welding carbon steel, but if you weld 304 or 316 stainless you need
Mison Ar gas

http://www.aga.fi/en/products_ren/cutti ... index.html
My best mate is a professional welder fabricator and he swears by the KEMMPI welders, he says they are the best available but I don't think I could justify that price for DIY restoration of a few old cars.

I've got a 20 year old Sealey Mightymig 130XT which has restored several cars and been used in the line of my work as well. It cost about £150 when I bought it and has been brilliant. It once broke down with a blown circuit board and I sent it back to Sealey for repair and service and it came back like brand new, circuit board replaced, new liner and nozzle etc, PAT tested and cleaned and they only charged £60 for doing it. Can't knock that.

I use the Sealey 2kg refillable bottles for gas, paid a deposit years ago for the bottles and each one lasts quite a while and when it runs out I just take it to the local motor factors and exchange it for a full one - all for about £7.
Vermilion
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by Vermilion »

I had old Italia Mig cheap model, it was cheap yes, but you could not make good weldinjg with it. It was hard to use.
It had only 150A, so evo has 50A more and used same fuse size. Also cheap model weighted like a ton, compared to Evo 200 that
you can carry almost as backpack. Evo200 is really reliable, if you need spare parts they are easy to get. You can weld up to 8mm steel with that
cheap models will do up to 4-5mm steel with through weld. Also the settings for 0.5mm steel sheel are quite easy, you won't get as many holes while
weldings. There is always cons and pros, but if you count that you need mig for other things too its totally worth it. Especially if you can use it for 30 years. Thats like one time investment for good future.
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thebigsham
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Re: Welder recomendations

Post by thebigsham »

I picked up a Wolf Professional mig 140 from Amazon May 2015. Its both gas/gasless.

It was well under £200. I used it to carryout repairs on an 91 MR2. It was a joy to use and as I time served welder, i found it to be very good and it worked to a very high standard.

The work was being carried out in an old barn with limited electric options and we ran a heavy duty 50m extension lead from a mains plug in side the house across the yard and i had thought that ther would have a too great of voltage drop or it would trip the fuse box. But it never missed a beat. Worked far better and neater with the gas of course. But with the gasless flux it wasnt quite as neat but it seemed to do very well.

Heres a link to the same one now found on Ebay.

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282325033882
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