27 replies to this topic

[Bobby9779]

Hey all,

 

Been a while since I even logged onto the forum, took me some time to remember my username and password....haha.

 

So, I haven't left the scene, just haven't got the money to keep my motor permanently on the road.  To this end as many of us have I have been taught and self taught some basic mechanics and haven't had to take her to the garage for work in years, however, more and more rust is appearing....at the moment she has failed for rear arches as they are rust fails within 30cm of the shocks.

 

To this gloomy end I have decided to pick up a MIG and start learning, I haven't touched one since school and that was a welder given to me and told what wire to use etc.

 

Who out there welds their own motor and what MIG do you have, what would be a good one to start with, I'm going to have to practice on a lot of scrap before attempting car repairs and certainly won't be touching any obvious body work until I have had A LOT of practice. Currently looking at Clarke 135TEs possibly Clarke 151TEs if people think I need the extra power.

 

Rambling a bit, main questions:

 

What MIG?

What Helmet?

What the hell am I doing?

 

Cheers all!

[gazza82]

I've been told lower amps is better for thinner car panels with gas. Auto-darkening helmet not handheld.

Waiting for my "Welding for Dummies" book to arrive ....

Edited by gazza82, 26 October 2022 - 09:58 PM.

[tiger99]

gazza82 is correct, get an auto - darkening helmet. And you will want to be running down to maybe 30 amps, although technically the voltage and wire feed speed are what you are able to control.

Then think about you gas supply. Disposables are completely unaffordable and will have cost more than the MIG and mask by the time you have sufficient practice to tackle the car. So you need either a rented cylinder with refills from the likes of BOC or an outright purchase and refills from the likes of Adams. There are others too. You will need a regulator, preferably with flow meter (ball in transparent tube type is good enough), and connection to the MIG.

Try 95% Argon, 5% CO2, probably called Argoshield light or something similar. It really is easiest to use. Also 0.6mm mild steel MIG wire, with 0.8mm for thicker metal. Oh, and a good pair of welding gloves, apron and protective footwear may be necessary, depending what you are doing. The gloves, strictly gauntlets, which must fully cover the exposed wrists, are always necessary or you will effectively get severe sunburn which will ruin your day and can lead to melanoma.

Have a good read and watch the videos on the mig welding forum. There are plenty of helpful people here, and there.

It is always good to acquire a new skill. You have shown that you know that plenty of practice is needed, which is a very good start. Please have fun while doing so, and if all is not going well, walk away, calm down, and leave it for a while. We all get aggravating problems....

[Bobby9779]

Cheers Tiger, Gazza. Much appreciated, what welder do you have?

Guessing better to get a reasonably well known make.

[Icey]

Tiger has covered the major points very well. The Clarke welders you have listed are the best for the money, avoid the SIP and SIP clone machines as the wire feeds are terrible for .6mm wire (which you'll be using for most/all Mini jobs).

I would recommend a panel edge joggler/hole-punch tool - they make puddle welding much quicker and easier (something you'll be doing a lot of unless you buy a spot welder too).

[sonikk4]

The 135TE is a good bit of kit. The small holes IE 5/32 that the hole punch/joggler make are too small to be honest. They fill too quickly. If you are welding a small flange then 3/16th is as small as I go, other than that 1/4" is spot on. Nice size of plug and is very strong.

[Icey]

The small holes IE 5/32 that the hole punch/joggler make are too small to be honest.

Last one I used was the same as Frost sell, punches 5mm holes which was fine for .6 wire but to small for .8.

[gazza82]

Cheers Tiger, Gazza. Much appreciated, what welder do you have?

Guessing better to get a reasonably well known make.

I haven't yet .. Looking at Clarke range though ...

[tiger99]

I have an old BOC Migmaster Turbo, a rebadged Cebora, currently broken, and am looking for something better. I bought it at least 25 years ago on the basis of an excellent review in Practical Classics, however the wire feed is not very good, when it works. It did a lot of work for me, not only on cars.

 

I tried the Clarkes and found the 135TE and 150 to be reasonable but nothing to get too excited about. In other words they seem to be very capable of doing a lot of good work but don't have some of the facilities of modern and expensive synergic pulse machines. I am hoping to have a demo of one of these on thin metal some time soon. But if I had to buy one right now, and keep the cost down, it would be a Clarke, probably a 150 as I do weld some thicker stuff, and the MIG is so much less fuss than MMA (stick) with all the ******* to clean off.

 

I am also trying to learn TIG, but that is difficult. I have not had sufficient time as yet. Maybe once I move house and get a decent workshop...

[sonikk4]

Buy something you can afford. Learn with it and then once you have mastered MIG welding and decide to do more then look at buying something more serious.

No point in spending a huge amount of money on something you may only use sparingly.

Saying that I thrash my 135TE. It does what I want it to. Once I have killed it then I will buy a Porta MIG.

[Bobby9779]

Solid info. Cheers guys.

[gazza82]

Cheers Tiger, Gazza. Much appreciated, what welder do you have?

Guessing better to get a reasonably well known make.

I haven't yet .. Looking at Clarke range though ...

Probably should have updated this in 2016 as I picked up a barely used Clarke 90 MIG. And it's still barely used ... but should get a proper workout in 2022 when I replace both outer sills, some of the floor, lower rear wing corners, an a-post, some of the inner wings and assorted external panel patches. (Remember though this is on an A35 not Mini).

Edited by gazza82, 26 December 2021 - 03:14 PM.

[Avtovaz]

I am not the best welder in the world, but i do have a certificate 165 in welding and fabrication and i did a lot of welding at work. I had the clarke style welder before this one i have now, and they are ok, but they dont have very good torches on them, as in they are short and light weight. Also they are the old transformer style, they are good but the more modern inverter types are much better.

 

I have bought one of these, black line 200 amp it was a bit less when i bought mine a few years ago but... It is as i say the inverter type set up, very controllable, and also it comes with a 4 meter long euro torch, that is fantastic in itself. It isnt any mroe flimsy than the clarke one, but for the price you really cant beat it imho.

 

 

Gas at first i was using c02, nothing wrong with it, welds fine, but with proper hobby weld it is i have to say better. 

 

Co2 i got local from a place in wigan BOSS GASSES, i dont know were abouts you are. It was £50 deposit on the bottle and £15 a refill. Hobby weld from them is i think £75 deposit and £45 a refill.

 

You also need a regulator, the one for co2 and hobby weld are different ends

 

I made a trolly for my welder, with the bottle attached, and tools in a tub on top, its really handy.

 

 

Welding wise, i could teach you to weld with in 1 hour as i do with people at work now, but its the experience you need also of what heat does. Have a watch of trevsblog on youtube he did a really good welding guide..

 

good luck ;)

[sonikk4]

I am not the best welder in the world, but i do have a certificate 165 in welding and fabrication and i did a lot of welding at work. I had the clarke style welder before this one i have now, and they are ok, but they dont have very good torches on them, as in they are short and light weight. Also they are the old transformer style, they are good but the more modern inverter types are much better.

 

I have bought one of these, black line 200 amp it was a bit less when i bought mine a few years ago but... It is as i say the inverter type set up, very controllable, and also it comes with a 4 meter long euro torch, that is fantastic in itself. It isnt any mroe flimsy than the clarke one, but for the price you really cant beat it imho.

 

 

Gas at first i was using c02, nothing wrong with it, welds fine, but with proper hobby weld it is i have to say better. 

 

Co2 i got local from a place in wigan BOSS GASSES, i dont know were abouts you are. It was £50 deposit on the bottle and £15 a refill. Hobby weld from them is i think £75 deposit and £45 a refill.

 

You also need a regulator, the one for co2 and hobby weld are different ends

 

I made a trolly for my welder, with the bottle attached, and tools in a tub on top, its really handy.

 

 

Welding wise, i could teach you to weld with in 1 hour as i do with people at work now, but its the experience you need also of what heat does. Have a watch of trevsblog on youtube he did a really good welding guide..

 

good luck ;)

 

The only drawback i can see with this unit is the need for a 32 Amp Red socket. Not the end of the world if you know a sparky but for your average home owner not something you have to hand. 

[Avtovaz]

but mate, dont turn it up to 11 and its fine! No one at home does 200 amps?  i do have a 15 amp socket in the garage already and it is fine! 

Edited by Avtovaz, 26 December 2021 - 09:30 PM.