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buying a new welder

Started by mranarot , Aug 23 2007 03:00 AM

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15 replies to this topic

#1 mranarot

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Posted 23 August 2007 - 03:00 AM

I am looking at buying a new mig welder to carry out some rust repairs and noticed on ebay cheap 100amp migs, to just do some spot welding and filling in some holes will this do me or should i just fork out for a costly one? does it need to be gas?

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#2 _gtr161s_

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Posted 23 August 2007 - 01:29 PM

i bought a uni mig 172 off ebay - about $720 delv.

On advice i was told dont buy a small amp mig as you'll regret it if there's a need to weld something thicker say 6mm +.

I run 0.9mm wire for all my panel repairs (floors,sills, quarters, flutes, beavers etc)

As it turned out i built a rotissorie for my lc so the amperage came in handy.

Here's my floor pics.

http://s43.photobuck...llyredgtr27.jpg

http://s43.photobuck...llyredgtr26.jpg

http://s43.photobuck...lyredgtr113.jpg

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#3 arrimar

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Posted 23 August 2007 - 07:06 PM

there is an indepth look into welders somewhere here on the forum.

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#4 _Yella SLuR_

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Posted 23 August 2007 - 08:54 PM

I bit the bullet and bought a WIA 10mm MIG (new rating system - most powerful you can get on single phase) ---> $1,800 on sale.

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#5 _Pete_

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Posted 23 August 2007 - 09:46 PM

I made the mistake of buying a small 120amp Gas MIG for home here a couple of years ago thinking yeah I don't need to do heavy stuff, It works OK on panel repairs and thinner RHS but when your used to welding with higher rated/Bigger machines, these little ones are annoying to use.

My advice would be to either spend the extra cash on a bigger "brand name" machine or ring around Mig Welder Servicing guys and ask if they have any second hand machines for sale. A mate of mine bought a nice old Kempi MIG S/H of our servicing guy for $350 and it kicks the pants of my little MIG here at home, and his will outlast mine forever!!

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#6 rodomo

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Posted 24 August 2007 - 12:18 AM

Gas is best.
Ask yourself how many tow bars you want to make as far as amps go? :blink:

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#7 _micksgtr_

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Posted 24 August 2007 - 06:06 PM

Right here is the go,

Do not buy cheap, with welders you get what you pay for, cheap machines means no spares, cheap guns, cheap rollers and you will never get close to what ever amp rating it has.

Your best brand are WIA or Lincoln, they start around the 150amp mark and head up for a mig.

Then You have cebora, uni-mig and CIG and a few others..........

These machines are OK. The quality of the guns wont be awesome but they are ok. You will pay about 60-70% of the cost of a WIA machine with these.

What thickness will you welding?? how often?? do you have only 10amp supply or 15amp as well?? What size spool can the machine take and the cost of the roll of wire. Whats your budget??

also yella that 10mm machine is only 200amp....you can go up to 255amp on single phase, not a bad price considering i offered you a 215WIA at $1600.........

Also please all note, due to the success of my recent machines 150 and 175amp WIA machines, Miller tig welders and also 3 phase migs, i will have a few more machines in the coming weeks. Will have 3 AC/DC tig, sinlge phase, uni-mig brand 200amp $900inc gst each

cheers

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#8 _NVMYLH_

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Posted 13 September 2007 - 08:36 PM

Hi all, was just wondering if anybody here has used 1 of those Henrob torches for welding panels? They are supposed to concetrate the heat really well and weld very thin steel. Thinking of buying 1 but want to check that they are decent before we do.

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#9 _racyrabbit_

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Posted 13 September 2007 - 09:38 PM

I agree with everything micksgtr has said and have also found a couple of others that i have owned as well that go well , i have a lincoln now but have owned a few migomags and every farm job i have done the farmers when i finished the job bought them off me , they were 240/s , TREX

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#10 _Sammy_

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Posted 14 September 2007 - 01:42 PM

one thing i can add after my experience with car panels and migs, try and get some thin wire like .6mm, it melts easier and hense creates less heat when doing the car panels .... i bought my mig (UNIMIG 200amp) with .8mm wire and the change to .6mm was unreal! however the thicker stuff is a must for larger metal!

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#11 Statler

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Posted 15 September 2007 - 11:16 AM

I was looking through a catalogue yesterday at work.
Some mob? was selling 170 amp migs for $400!
Cheap & nasty i know, but if you are not trying to be a boilermaker, & just want something to fix rust with, the cheapies arn't a bad option!
As said previously, you get what you pay for!
Remember when buying a gas mig, the extra expense of the gas & bottle rental.

I have a 150 light industrial c.i.g mig for home use. I use either .8 or .9 wire for all my welding. I've had it for 10 years now without failure, but i dont use it very often. I do enough welding at work without having to waste my weekends too!
I think i paid $900 for it back then. It has paid for it's self many times over!

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#12 _ute388_

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Posted 20 September 2007 - 10:03 PM

Ive got a a 250 weldmaster gas mig i can use it at home for panels roll cages ect also i can take it to work and weld truck trailers and heavy gauge steel no prob and its single phase last time i saw they were about 2000 or close to that hope this helps.

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#13 turbotrana

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 02:02 AM

MickGtr, that Unitig 200 for $900, what is the part number for that.

I have a UMJR200ac/dc as the only TIG they do and its alot more than $900

What are the spare parts like for Unimig/tig. I really want something that can touch
up a cylinder head and really need a 3phase machine but have seen a 2xx machine (forget exactly but low 200s) in a head shop doing ally heads

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#14 _micksgtr_

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 08:56 PM

If you want a 3phase machine, go for a MILLER and nothing else!!!
You wont get much change out of 7 grand retial, 350amp, water cooler, flex head torch, full mickey mouse machine. I have used them and they are worth every cent!!!

Cant remember the part number of the unimig machine without being at work but they have only just brought it out. These are a deal through my work, we do a lot of work for unimig and WIA so i get their company prices for my own purchases, which is how i help you guys out.
Cheers

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#15 turbotrana

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Posted 23 September 2007 - 01:37 AM

mickgtr could you get me a part number for that unitig to see if we are
talking about the same product. All I need is a good power unit and not really interested in a water coolled torch.

I have a torche,regulator and foot controller from my old CIG 275 AC/DC. It welds ally quite OK but I think because it cant alter the square wave balance Set at 50/50) it does impede weld quality to a degree. You cant get clean shinny welds on cylinder heads with this machine but on most other stuff It OK but I think a newer machine would allow me to be a much better welder.