welding for beginners

[mk1nova_rich]

can do just about everything else when it comes to cars (wiring, mechanical etc) but never done welding.

Something i've always fancied learning but never got round to but as i have loads of spare time now and money is getting better i think im gona start learning.

As quite a lot of you on here seem to do your own welding some advice on where to start would be great. Is it worth investing in my own equipment just yet or should i learn the basics first??

[16v Nova Kev]

i think its quite easy to learn yourself. think ade wrote a good guide a while back in articles. if your going to buy one i would go for a 150/180amp really dont go anywhere near gassless ones. just my 2p worth.

[djbrowney]

imo its one of those things talking about makes **** all differnce, get your self a welder so metal and get stuck in. You will soon learn, well i did anyway lol

[mk1nova_rich]

imo its one of those things talking about makes **** all differnce, get your self a welder so metal and get stuck in. You will soon learn, well i did anyway lol

yeh thats what i was thinking, just after some pointers really on what sort of kit to buy to get started

[mowgli]

a cheap mig & some scrap metal. maybe get a book from the library or an online guide.. then lock yourself in the shed & get on with it.. after hours of patient experimentation, you will start to get it...

[mk1nova_rich]

getting offcuts of metal isnt a problem, so i will have a look round for a MIG

[16v Nova Kev]

or burn the shed down roundabout you lol.

[Adam]

www.mig-welding.co.uk


Mint site!!!

[MattBrown]

Cheap tools will always give a cheap job.

You want a gas mig set.

Mines a "Murex" quality maker, but it was very expensive when new, although that was about 1995, but its still 100% good today

Its 135a, and on a car you will never go anywhere near this.

I also use argon shield 5%, as I weld alsorts of differant shat, from motorbikes, to gokart frames to rotten novas:(

Just grab a decent 2nd hand set, and get an auto tint mask

[burgo]

migwelding forum is an awesome place

[bmw156]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEALEY-130-AMP-130AMP-GAS-MIG-WELDER-S0771-SEIGEN-NEW-/190387172550?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c53f5b4c6

i think i have this one, looks simular, and has never failed me. always been great for thin metal, but struggles with anything about 4-5mm thick.

great for a beginner.

[mk1nova_rich]

cheers lads, some really helpful info here and thanks for the link

[MattBrown]

Thats a newer version of mine

http://www.weldinggear.co.uk/Mig-Welders/MUREX-TRADESMIG-171-PACKAGE_659.htm

Very good piece of kit, but Im not the best with it lol

Also, you will need a bottle, ours costs £140 to fill, but we have had it 18 years, and its still 3/4 full lol

[bmw156]

bloody hell matt, must be the biggest lol.

mine is the smallest you can get and is 40 quid to fill

[mk1nova_rich]

bit too expensive for me lol im still an apprentice but thanks anyway

[16v Nova Kev]

pub gas ftmfw.

[MattBrown]

bit too expensive for me lol im still an apprentice but thanks anyway

Im only 18 and an apprentice.

As said, get something decent and 2nd hand.

As new, and cheap = shat :d

[bmw156]

bit too expensive for me lol im still an apprentice but thanks anyway

IMO, you buy it once for4 a little more.

and the small halfords gas bottles, are good for starting. but buy a big bottle if you think your going to do any more welding in the future.

[MattBrown]

bloody hell matt, must be the biggest lol.

mine is the smallest you can get and is 40 quid to fill

Live like a lord, and fk like your on film:d

It is the biggest bottle ever, 300 bar, and stupid amount of litres lol

Also, its better knowing you definately have gas, than getting down the garage, and going "ohh noes, no gasses left"lol

[mk1nova_rich]

Im only 18 and an apprentice.

As said, get something decent and 2nd hand.

As new, and cheap = shat :d

i appreciate that fact, which is why i would look at decent secondhand gear but i really cant see myself doing enough welding to justify paying £600 for a welder then all accessories on top

[MattBrown]

i appreciate that fact, which is why i would look at decent secondhand gear but i really cant see myself doing enough welding to justify paying £600 for a welder then all accessories on top

I have a clarke gas mig you can have for £30 here?

Got a gasless one aswell £30?

If you wana play, and if you break it, its only £30:thumb:

[Annie]

I got a welder not long ago & gave it ago. saved £££'s in welding costs.

found this youtube video useful

basic mig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzBGZaS1apw

advanced Mig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMdQT-eswYY

words of wisdom you cant own a nova without a mig :)

[mk1nova_rich]

if you still have the gas mig in a few weeks i will have it, unable to collect til i get a new nova lol

[MattBrown]

if you still have the gas mig in a few weeks i will have it, unable to collect til i get a new nova lol

No probs.

Will swap for nova **** if you have owt knocking around?

[mk1nova_rich]

sold all my spare bits mate, nowt of any value unless you want a box of bolts, fuses and doorcard clips?? lol

[Vausey_Nova_Knotla]

will be good to buy a good one as when u have it yeh you may have spent £££ but can most certainly wont have to be buying a new one for time

[Paul]

Spend as much as you can afford on a welder, one which doesnt use disposable bottles, but a proper size bottle. We use argoshield lite from BOC and a snap on welder (not sure of original make), machine is maybe 15 years old but is awesome!

[burgo]

theres no way you need to spend £600, £200 tops imo

[Jon_nova1]

cheap welders will always give you a crap weld, i got one for £120, the welds are ok, as in ok enough to scrape through an assesment, then i went for an interview last week as a welder, did an assesment on one of thier units and it was so good they offered me a job on the spot lol

But i suppose if you can do a half decent job on a crap welder you'll do an awesome job on a good one!

[Andy]

What the fukk do you need a 150-180amp one for?!
My 90amp Clarke from machine mart,can weld up to 3mm easily.
Its stitch welded my full bay,welded bottom arms,and done my 2.5mm plate for my alt cut out.I did a night college course in city and guilds mig welding,where to pass you had to weld pieces up to 10mm thick in various positions.Their welders were up to 400amp iirc but were only usually working at 180 on the digi display.
Oh,and you can convert to big bottle gas (rented) like i did for approx £60 (inc twin guage reg)
Those welders are around £180 in machine mart and is enough for any job you will ever do on a car,unless of course you want the 180amp one,if your into building replica iron bridges or similar????? lol

[Jon_nova1]

I did that, bought a machine mart one and converted it, and all assesment pieces are 10MM thick

I did mine with an arc welder as they said its the hardest, so on that basis, if you can do arc welding, you can do any, and that only ever ran at 140 Amps for 10MM work, and unless you start getting the round sockets in your house you'll only be able to run 140 amps anyway

[MattBrown]

I did that, bought a machine mart one and converted it, and all assesment pieces are 10MM thick

I did mine with an arc welder as they said its the hardest, so on that basis, if you can do arc welding, you can do any, and that only ever ran at 140 Amps for 10MM work, and unless you start getting the round sockets in your house you'll only be able to run 140 amps anyway

He isnt gonna be doing 10mm pieces:roll:

The thicker the metal, the eisier, 10mm is a piece of piss to weld, its the overall neatness of the bead thats hard to achieve;)

[Stuart]

Clarke disposable bottles of gas from machine mart are double contents compared to the halfords/ebay ones....

Ideal :)

[burgo]

i find the higher ampage welders weld thinner stuff in a much more controlled manor, ive had various 100amp welders and they are crap compared to a 160-180amp. also i am welding 10mm plate to my rear beam so i do need a big one

[Andy]

He isnt gonna be doing 10mm pieces:roll:

The thicker the metal, the eisier, 10mm is a piece of piss to weld, its the overall neatness of the bead thats hard to achieve;)
Maybe so,but do a nick/break test and see if youve properly penetrated it.Its not as easy as you think;)
and lol,getting it neats a doddle,its getting it penetrating adequately and neat thats hard.Plus "neatness" is only "desirable" in the asessment piece.

[Andy]

i find the higher ampage welders weld thinner stuff in a much more controlled manor, ive had various 100amp welders and they are crap compared to a 160-180amp. also i am welding 10mm plate to my rear beam so i do need a big one
I totally agree,but theres no point spending 400pound on a welder to weld panels on etc when a £200 one is more than adequate in the right hands.
My welder is fine with panels/stitch welding,just takes a bit of setting up,people make the mistake of not getting twin guage regs aswell so dont know how much gas flow they are getting.Which playes a massive part,as it is possible to flow too much.

[burgo]

if you buy second hand you dont need to spend £400, i got mine off olly for £150 and theres plenty others on ebay around that mark.

[trackdaynova]

lol

[Mike]

I disagree to an extent on the theory of crap tools = crap work.

A tool is made for a job, however if the person operating it doesnt know what there doing then the outcome will be fail.

Ive got a baby MiG now, cant remember the ampage but its not loads & can weld 10mm all day without an issue. The one I used to use was a 3phase with auto feed on 25kg reel's mounted onto a trolley the size of a small car. That thing was properly ace!