Mig Welder and costs

selfdiy

Hi All,
I pretty used to using a arc welder around the farm, but its not much use on light material.
I have some body panel work todo so I wan to invest in a mig welder.

I've done some research and I leaning towards the portamig 235, anybody think these are a good/bad machine? Its got a really low setting of 15amps which should be a help on thin body panels.

On the gas front, there is a website online that do rent free bottles here is the link
http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/product&path=406&product_id=1107

Is this stuff any good, would 8 liters last long?
Do most people use ArgonShield, how much does it cost to rent from BOC.

And lastly what size wire would you use on body panels...

Thanks in advance....

jones 19

What did you go for ?

selfdiy

Well Jones, I ordered one of those 235's at the time from the only supplier, they said they'd contact me when it was ready, I never heard from them..

So I still have no mig welder, still interested in something that can go as low as 15 amps...

What have you in mind?

Pottler

buy a decent Sip mig, somthing with a euro torch connection so you can replace the torch if it gets damaged - just being a Sip and having a euro torch will meet pretty much all your requirements. Use 0.6mm wire and yes, that gas supplier is fine - they are good to deal with. I've a 240amp Sip Migmate that we have roasted for the last eight years still going strong, never once cut out due to overheating and I have often burnt a full size roll of 1mm in one working day.
Forget about the gasless ones and don't waste your money on one of the dedicated "professional" welders - you wont need their features and they are only a very small step better(primarily in having dual rollers on the wire feed but the sip ones are single and work perfectly). Mig is soo much nicer to weld with than stick for thin stuff(esssential for body panels and exhausts) but for heavy/highly stressed welds stick is ultimatly stronger. For heavy industrial steel I use a 450 amp diesel Mosa stick DC but I still enjoy welding with the Sip 240 simply for the rocket speed you can join metal at. Edit - went out and looked and the Sips a 280 amp.

selfdiy

Hi Pottler,
Thanks for the advice, I'm not in a rush in the moment. I have two arc welders which suit most of my needs just have nothing for working on thinner stuff such as body panels.

I've been browsing another forum http://www.mig-welding.co.uk which dont rate the sip machine too highly, maybe yours being a higher amp one is a more professional model.

I am trying to find one which will work well at lower amps on thin material, as the arc can handle the heavy stuff. I think some of the sips can go down to 25amps which is quite good.

jones 19

hey
i went for the mig welder,210 amp, made by swp, the crowd i bought it off are dealing with this company for a while and are happy with them, im only at exhaust repairs really and did my first one today, i had to put it on the lowest setting ,it seems a touch too powerful but i got it done.also i was using gasless wire..... i think im happy with it but i dont know much about welding,,, not much info to give here really by anyway.....
Jones

Pottler

I weld up an awful lot of exhausts for mates etc and the key thing is not really the power setting or the make of welder(I often end up in other lads garages using whatever MIG they have) - the key thing is to only weld in very short pulses - less than a second in one spot - just build up the weld small spot by small spot. When you have it all sealed up you can lay down a heavier bead over the top to toughen things up. The SIP I have has never once given bother - I'm on my fourth or fifth torch though as they do wear out/get damaged and are pretty much a consumable item. The liners also need changing fairly regularily.

roryq69

Thinking of purchasing a mig welder. Any harm asking how much it set you back?

ftnbase

I have a Portamig 185 brand new for sale on donedeal at the moment. Anyone interested contact via the ad.

robie55

ftnbase wrote: »

I have a Portamig 185 brand new for sale on donedeal at the moment. Anyone interested contact via the ad.

Hi do you still have the portamig for sale