looking to buy a mig welder,ive never done any welding before but I need to learn.i need to make bust at my t25 camper as it needs few bits ie front panel and other small bits of welding.has any one got any advice on what type to go for,been looking at swp 170 mig.also what kinda power/amp do you weld car panels 30 amp?? http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/product&path=43_81&product_id=1231
The Clarke 135te I have is pretty good. Also heard great things about portamig welders. Don't know about the swp your looking at, but I have heard you need to avoid SIP welders. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/ Good site for info and tips. They even have the swp welders for sale on their sponsors site, so they can't be that bad
the swp looks very good for the money i would be temped to get it it's a step up the Clarke one that beetie and I have your best bet once you get the welder is practice with some scrap the same thickness as your going to weld you will need co2 or a co2 argon mix for welding steel i got a rent free cylinder at about 135 +vat i think it was 60 deposit on the cylinder if you looking for a welding mask the one below is a good starting point http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/251838531671?adgroupid=13585920426&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=aud-133395220866%3Apla-131843269746&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&googleloc=9046836&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80
welding masks, now there's a subject. I have ended up back full circle with the lump of dark glass that comes with the cheap kits. every auto darkening mask I have tried has been crap Jon
Duty cycle-Duty cycle-Duty cycle!!!! No point in buying a high power mig if it'll only weld for 15 mins and then has to cool for an hour. You may not ever use it flat out but even at 50% at some point you're gonna think you're running out of gas when in fact, the welder has just become too hot and needs to cool. I learnt this the hard way. Auto welding masks. The amount I've seen in a skip because they 'don't work any more' due to the idiots using them leave them face down or in a cupboard. They're solar powered lol My auto tint mask has been great and was only 40. if you buy one may sure it has a full range of auto settings as you don't need pitch black for gas welding! The grinding setting is a waste of time though.
The spec of the welder below Search for products... Home > Welding and Cutting equipment > Mig welding equipment > Mig welding machines > Single phase mig welders SWP Redline Mig 170 Turbo 230 volt mig welder, just add gas and wire.SWP Redline Mig 170 Turbo 230 volt mig welder, just add gas and wire.SWP Redline Mig 170 Turbo 230 volt mig welder, just add gas and wire.111 SWP Redline Mig 170 Turbo 230 volt mig welder The SWP Redline Mig 170 turbo mig welder is ideally suited to repairs,maintenance, DIY and hobby use. With exellent arc characteristics,durable cabinet construction and quality components normally only seen on high end professional equipment. Supplied with MB15 Euro connector torch, gas regulator and earth lead. Input 230v Max output 170 amps Forced air cooling thermal protection with warning light. Robust steel feed mechanism. 6 voltage settings Takes 5 or 15 kg wire spools Weight 40 kg welding wire 0.6 and 0.8mm 30-170amp Euro professional welding torch connector 800x450x680 mm Accessories and spares listed below. Redline 170 Turbo Weight 40 kg Dimensions 800Lx460Wx686Hmm Setting Range 40 - 170 A Input Voltage 230 V Single Phase Fuse 16A Max output at 15% duty cycle 140A Max output at 60% duty cycle 70A Max output at 100% duty cycle 55A Voltage Steps 6 Wire Diameter 0.6 / 0.8 mm Torch MB15 3m Euro Connect
Exactly the opposite of my experience. I think they are bloody fantastic and hate having to use an old style dark pane of glass
The parweld one I have at home is just as good as the 3m speedglass one I used at work The grinding mode is not the be all and end of But I find it very handy Just remember to switch back
The one I had (machine mart) I thought wasn't working, so I bought a new one, again from machine mart. No better. Over the years, I have two before the above two and given them away, they were so poor. Will have to try again, I suppose. Jon
What do you guys think of the Swp 170,will it suit panel work and light fab work.also what's the ideal amps to weld car panels
Probably a bit off topic, it applies to inverters (like a lightweight electronic arc welder, includes tig). Not sure if you can get a mig where you dial up the amps? I'm no expert. My basic mig has a 1/2 switch and a hi/lo switch. Basically, if the knob says 60A and the electronics control the current to 60A, its closed loop. I mentioned it as the inverter I bought year ago has it, and it works absolutely wonderfully. In the old days trying to strike maintain an arc with old school transformer arc welders was really hit/miss. My inverter is that good it made the old school type obsolete overnight Jon So, in summary if you get a closed loop current mig at your budget, go for it
at full power 210A you would get one and a half minutes welding out of ten minutes at 105A you get six minutes out of ten at 80A you get a full ten minutes before it needs to cool down thats how you should look at Duty cycle the likely hood is you will be using it at 80A and under doing bodywork and it will run all day long without problem remember getting a shot of a small maypole welder years age and welded 4 sides of a 3" x 3" plate on a floor pan and it cutting out lol
