Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011
Posted 30 November 2020 - 11:46 PM
What's a ogod MIG welder to buy for my son to do bodywork, etc?
I have an old and fairly powerful 180 Miller, but I don't know what the current scene for MIGs is like.
I've been looking at Sealey stuff and I don't want gas-less.
It's just for when he needs to do a bit of bodywork repairs and steel fabrication up to about 1/4" maximum thickness.
What are you guys using and how good are they?
Moved Into The Garage
Posted 30 November 2020 - 11:51 PM
Moved Into The Garage
Posted 01 December 2020 - 04:14 AM
What's a ogod MIG welder to buy for my son to do bodywork, etc?
I have an old and fairly powerful 180 Miller, but I don't know what the current scene for MIGs is like.
I've been looking at Sealey stuff and I don't want gas-less.
It's just for when he needs to do a bit of bodywork repairs and steel fabrication up to about 1/4" maximum thickness.
What are you guys using and how good are they?
Shhhhhhh,,,,,,,, I think I smell a Christmas Prezzy coming on 
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 01 December 2020 - 07:01 AM
Definitely in inverter one like the two linked to - much smaller and lighter than transformer based machines and just as good (if not better).
A very popular choice is the R-Tech 180 - bit more expensive but better quality internals, 3 yr warranty and their after sales is very good.
Noz-alls in Cheltenham also do some reasonably kit with good after sales. I have their older ‘own brand’ machine which has been excellent.
It is a tool I prefer to buy from a ‘shop’ (not just a box shifter) - the cheaper Chinesium ones can be good, but there are a lot of bits that can fail (wire feeds, circuit boards, inverters....) so after sales is worthwhile paying a little extra for.
Camshaft & Stage Two Head
Posted 01 December 2020 - 07:31 AM
Edited by surfblue, 01 December 2020 - 07:32 AM.
Mini Mad
Posted 01 December 2020 - 07:43 AM
I like 'Stahlwerk'
https://www.stahlwer...e/MIG-MAG-175_1
Will be my next Welder, once I upgrade from my Clarke 135TE turbo
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 01 December 2020 - 07:59 AM
Id buy the most powerful one that runs on a standard socket. I did.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 01 December 2020 - 08:00 AM
Without double checking mines a clarke 135 turbo.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 01 December 2020 - 08:24 AM
Whats the view on combined mig/ arc welder inverters? I went searching to buy a conventional arc welder and surprised to find they are a thing of the past! Ideally id like both options but don't want to spend a fortune it will be for occasional use only. Any recommendations?
There are loads of MMA arc welders available, and with inverter technology they are almost pocket sized. Even the top brand ones do them at under £200.
I don't see why the invertor MIG/MMA ones won't work just as well as two separate units though - again I would recommend talking to a shop and getting their advice on the makes they sell.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 01 December 2020 - 08:36 AM
Without double checking mines a clarke 135 turbo.
The Clarke stuff used to be reasonable hobby kit, but these days it really is old hat - big, heavy and not as powerful
Clarke135TE 30-130A 29kg 680x350x470 £300
RTech MIG180 25-180A 14kg 330x210x410 £475 (with TMF+ discount) 3yr warranty!
OK the RTech is one of the dearer ones, but all the other recommended ones will be smaller, lighter and more powerful than the Clarke. Probably more reliable too.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 01 December 2020 - 08:37 AM
Pete - it is really worth having a good browse on the mig-welding.co.uk forum - there is a minefield of useful info on there.
Speeding Along Now
Posted 01 December 2020 - 09:17 AM
Bigger than you will need for just car use but I have an R-Tech 250 Mig and it works very well. Much better than my old Sip welder it replaced.
Good customer service too.
Make sure what ever you get has a EURO plug torch. A lot of the cheaper ones are permanently wired in and a pain to change or get spares.
Check the duty cycles and minimum current rating as well.
Inverter MIG/ARC welders work fine, just remember you need to check the polarity of the cables when swapping from MIG to ARC.
Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011
Posted 01 December 2020 - 12:10 PM
Pete - it is really worth having a good browse on the mig-welding.co.uk forum - there is a minefield of useful info on there.
Thanks Graeme,
It is just for mainly bodywork on his RS2000 ( I think you were on the same event as he was a couple of weeks ago) rally car.
Occassional use only, so not a huge power requirement. If he needs some thick steel welding, say 1/4", he can bring it here and I can use my big Miller set which has worked very well for over 20 years.
Not sure about the Sealey ones, although I believe the Clarke are quite good. Don't need gas-less.
Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011
Posted 01 December 2020 - 12:53 PM
What's a ogod MIG welder to buy for my son to do bodywork, etc?
I have an old and fairly powerful 180 Miller, but I don't know what the current scene for MIGs is like.
I've been looking at Sealey stuff and I don't want gas-less.
It's just for when he needs to do a bit of bodywork repairs and steel fabrication up to about 1/4" maximum thickness.
What are you guys using and how good are they?
Shhhhhhh,,,,,,,, I think I smell a Christmas Prezzy coming on
That's quite right Chris.
But I will let him know he is getting one so that he doesn't go and buy one himself as I know he intends to.
At the moment the Gas/gasless Clarke 151EN is looking good for exactly what he needs.
There is a funny bit of a story as to how I got my big Miller one a long time ago. I bought a fairly small 'hobby' Mig from a fairly local guy who advertised in the local papers and worked from home. After using it for about 3 years it was not feeding wire too well, so I called up the guy from whom I had bought it. He had opened a shop in a nearby town since we were last in contact. He offered to do a service and said he would lend me another one whilst he did so. He came round and delivered an ex-demo large 180 amp Miller professional one and took mine away. After about 6 weeks I had heard nothing so I called in at the shop whilst I was out that way. The shop was all closed up and the guy had gone broke. No-one ever contacted me and I guess the stock, including my little MIG had been sold off. I simply kept the big Miller unit which has performed fantastically and done a lot of restoration work.
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