fiestaturbo.com

[leighk2010]

right guys as some of you may no about my project etc i need some welding doing, now is it worth me buying a cheap little welder as i need the following doing.

engine mount welded in
gear box bracket welded in
part of the floor welding were a cage plate has been put in

plus probably more little bits

so is it worth buying a welder or renting one for the weekend? if i was to buy one which would be good as i dont need a big spec one just one up for the jobs i need it for

[- Danny Boy -]

If you can get one cheap enough, then get one

[leighk2010]

more worried about buying one that wont be up to the job

[jayrs]

even a cheap hobby one will be upto the job, you just have to ensure you weld it right.
i would look around for one, a decent s/h one can be got for fair money, but make sure you test it so you know it works ok, and i would test all settings.

i would advise getting one that uses Co2 and not a gasless one, but then you have the problem of Co2, these throw away bottles cost about a tenner each and dont last long.
so your need to get a bottle of Co2 (or if your flush argashield) but if you can get a Co2 fire extinguisher you could rig it up to the welder, depends on the regulator you haver, but it can be done.
i myself rigged up one today when my Co2 bottle ran out while welding

[XR2i-Fiesta-]

I just go for a cheap gas/gasless mig welder, rent yourself some argon, try get a welder that is at least 200amps and has a good duty cycle and your half way there. The other half is down to skill and technique.

I use a 8 grand welder at work and find I get similar results at home using a 170amp nightingale cheapo welder!

[jonyb4]

I just go for a cheap gas/gasless mig welder, rent yourself some argon, try get a welder that is at least 200amps and has a good duty cycle and your half way there. The other half is down to skill and technique.

I use a 8 grand welder at work and find I get similar results at home using a 170amp nightingale cheapo welder!

dont get a cheap gasless one, take it from me they aint upto the job

mine is useless if your after a good solid weld, best it can do is body panels, as its nice thin sheet metal

i had to get my mate with a good welder to do my engine mount for me in the mk4

[muz]

I wouldn't go getting a gasless welder if you're learning then try and make something as important as a gearbox/engine mounts.

Gasless are harder to use for beginners and you probably won't get a strong enough weld.

[niracka]

Yea agreed dont get gasless. Harder to use aswell as not producing a good standard of weld.

As jay said get a cheap mig welder with co2 and have a good practice. You most likely wont need more than 150 amps even for the thick stuff as long as you do the correct prep work before you start.

lots of practice welds to get the right settings before you "attack" your car and make sure you get the area you are welding well clear of any paint or rust ect.

Ollie

[jonyb4]

On the topic of gasless migs

mine has a thin blue tube coming from it, I presume this is my gas line?
can I just buy a valve and a disposable cylinder and it should work?
hopefully ima need it on this restoration of mine

[niracka]

I'd expect so. I take it yours isn't gasless then?

[mikeymikeyp]

in my experience of welding its not so much the welder but whos doing the welding not wanting to sound cheeky but if you need to ask then i assume you havent much experience ,, me myself used to have my old man weld as he was shat hot
so didnt get much use but found it easier to use his big welder cos i learned with that now i can weld but wouldnt do anything like a engine mount because im not to sure about how strong a weld i can do with a "dinky toy" welder

and when he hung up his gloves ,i neede an exhaust welded i borrowed a small toy welder and sorry to say he couldnt weld for shat with it lol because he was used to a powefull machine anyway what im saying is buy the best u can afford but make sure it works no ebay shots


its best to keep a good machine and be able to use it oh and i wouldnt touch a gassless mig

[niracka]

My mate has a a gasless mig in his garage for doing the odd little bit on his golf. It is hard to get a nice uniform weld and it will never be as good as a gas plant but for what he uses it for it does the job. I wouldn't advise doing any structural or heavy stuff with one thaugh as they are just not suitable.

Ollie

[jonyb4]

I'd expect so. I take it yours isn't gasless then?

well its very small and atm is without gas

this blue tube, can i just attatch one of these


and then one of these! or the other ones (argon, co2)



gotta love working at a factors, even if it is halfords

[jayrs]

them throw away bottles dont last long, ive had a couple of them in the past when i havent been able to get Co2.
your better off getting a regulator and co2 or co2/argon mix
wouldnt use pure argon unless your doing alloy or stainless

[niracka]

I concur!!

[jonyb4]

that bottle is argon/co2

[jayrs]

iknow mate, was just stating.

just try get a bottol of C02, if you know anyone at a pub that uses co2 and not nitrogen (do not use nitrogen) see if there let you have a bottol of co2

[niracka]

If you can use argon/ co2 mix its better. Gives a much more stable arc and the boc argoshield has a minute amount of oxygen in it too if i remember rightly which also improves the weld quality.

Pure argon is what we use for TIG or ally mig. Its not ideal but you can use it for steel if you have nothing else.

Ollie

[jonyb4]

will that gas even make my cruddy mig do a fair weld?

bird s**t like mad atm lol

[niracka]

what exactly is happening when you weld? Is it arcing up properly and staying stable or is it pop pop poping away??? Make sure your earth is good and on a nice piece of bare metal (if poss on the item you are welding)

It will definately help yea but obviously there are many things you can try.

Are you using a flux cored welding wire?? If so what polarity are you using as it may help to reverse it.

Ollie

[jonyb4]

dont know anything about the polarity sorry

im pretty sure its fluxed, .6mm i beleive wire

it tends to splutter and pop yea, makes a stupid noise doing so


nothing like the proper migs ive used in college (both colleges lol, neath and tycoch)



thinking aobut it, doing a run on sheet metal witht he earth clamped to it, it does fairly ok, few pits int he run but fairly neat, but on a car it aint as good, as if the current aint strong enough to reach the earth while keeping enough current a know?

[niracka]

Might be an earth problem then. Are you putting the earth clamp on a nice bit of bare metal on the same part of the car as your welding. I know its hard on a car as you dont want to take paint off but sometimes thats the only way.

ok well you can change the polarity by swaping round what terminal the earth lead and the torch get there power from. this changes the direction of flow of elecrons in the circuit. Its a little harder to do on a mig plant than a stick plant so you may have to read your manual to figure out how to do it on your plant. If it doesn't work just change it back. I know some cored wires require you swap polarity from usual as my mate had to do that with his.

[jonyb4]

i believe mine is a fixed earth mate

dont think the earth point is the issue, i usually grind some paint back and clamp there, near enough the point

maybe ill get a video up when i can be arsed to do some welding lol

got nothing to weld atm so no need of it

just want to know how to do it right with this mig, otherwise i paid £80 for naff all

[niracka]

Yea I wouldn't expect too much of it for £80. Thats really very little to pay for a MIG plant when you consider the plants we use at work cost upwards of £2500.

Like I said mate just perseveer with it and practice lots on anything you can get your hands on.

Ollie

[jayrs]

as its been explained mate, many factors can differ on it, the ke=y is clean metal at the end of the day, never expect spot on welds on a car, manky metal can feect weld, and depending whats on the other side, that can also effect the weld, so you always must have the metal as clean as poss.


get ya self a gas one one

also, have a look round the net mate, theres welding forums out there that will expain things in more detail and there have every thing you need

[jonyb4]

cheers chaps