... right then ....... i've decide there's no fooking way we can afford to pay someone else to restore our bus so i'm gonna have to learn to weld .... eek !!

can someone recommend a decent bit of welding kit for a complete novice/beginner (read as 'idiot')

don't want to spend megabucks and need summat thats easy to use and i can learn to weld with (...and wont kill myself with!! lol).

ta muchly.

Clarke from Machine mart

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro-90-mig-welder

or

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/110e-mig-welder

would do you. No need for Turbo ones. Ebay's also good but welders are heavy so you would have to pick it up.

Gasless ones are also ok but you have to buy special wire which is more expensive.

Welding only gets better with practice. Unless you have a natural ability, I would recommend a college course evening class thing. Use as much of their electric and gas as you can

Hope this helps..

ave a read on this link matey

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=661


for me MIG is the way to go.....i will try and find my welder details 2morro for you so you can see which one ive got...........

if you have never welded before....then i suggest getting some metal you can practice welding on...


also try welding on a bit of rusty metal,so you can see/feel the difference......

also,when it comes to the gas bottle( i would suggest going gas and NOT gasless) you want to look for the bigger bottle,by this i mean using the gas bottle that the pubs use to power their pumps,you will need an adapter for this.

i will try n get back to this thread 2morr to add more info



cheers

Mario

substandard wrote:Clarke from Machine mart

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro-90-mig-welder

or

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/110e-mig-welder

would do you. No need for Turbo ones. Ebay's also good but welders are heavy so you would have to pick it up.

Gasless ones are also ok but you have to buy special wire which is more expensive.

Welding only gets better with practice. Unless you have a natural ability, I would recommend a college course evening class thing. Use as much of their electric and gas as you can

Hope this helps..

BEFORE buying from there^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ave a look for the same welder on amazon........i saved a load of dosh,couldnt believe it but i did

cheers gents .... all advice gratefully recieved !!

Mario wrote:ave a look for the same welder on amazon........i saved a load of dosh,couldnt believe it but i did

ooh yeah. Amazon wasn't around when I bought mine

substandard wrote:

Mario wrote:ave a look for the same welder on amazon........i saved a load of dosh,couldnt believe it but i did

ooh yeah. Amazon wasn't around when I bought mine

And what ever you do do not get a Boc contract for your gas cyl.

I got a mig from machine mart, 30 - 110 amp i think, 30 is about perfect for bodywork

i got my gas reg from r tech in innsworth tech park and my gas from the unit on the same park, target tools i think, then get some scrap and play

the mig site is good that's what i used to start off

Don't go for one of the chapo ones they sell in screwfix the min amps is about 70 !!!! unless you fancy blowing holes in your bodywork

Stereophoney, you coming on the cruz on sunday ??

Go for it. Everyone has already mentioned welders themselves..... so I won't say it all over again.

Not been mentioned yet tho - get a decent mask. Most of the cheap welders will have a hand held one with them but forget that. I use a really old speedglas mask - cost three times what my welder cost but its donkeys years old and you can pick them up now for about £100.

Being able to actually see what you're welding makes a lot of difference

Also - decent gloves. Having one sunburnt and peeling hand is not a good look

Last but not least - if you've got an angle grinder already...... get another, along with a linishing disk backing pad for it, and a load of lineshing discs. Makes life loads easier if you have one grinder with cutting disc on it, and another for linishing.

Good luck !

paddy wrote:Go for it. Everyone has already mentioned welders themselves..... so I won't say it all over again.

Not been mentioned yet tho - get a decent mask. Most of the cheap welders will have a hand held one with them but forget that. I use a really old speedglas mask - cost three times what my welder cost but its donkeys years old and you can pick them up now for about £100.

Being able to actually see what you're welding makes a lot of difference

Also - decent gloves. Having one sunburnt and peeling hand is not a good look

Last but not least - if you've got an angle grinder already...... get another, along with a linishing disk backing pad for it, and a load of lineshing discs. Makes life loads easier if you have one grinder with cutting disc on it, and another for linishing.

Good luck !

Good points.

Though sometimes a hand held mask can get you into tight corners.

paddy wrote:Go for it. Everyone has already mentioned welders themselves..... so I won't say it all over again.

Not been mentioned yet tho - get a decent mask. Most of the cheap welders will have a hand held one with them but forget that. I use a really old speedglas mask - cost three times what my welder cost but its donkeys years old and you can pick them up now for about £100.

Being able to actually see what you're welding makes a lot of difference

Also - decent gloves. Having one sunburnt and peeling hand is not a good look

Last but not least - if you've got an angle grinder already...... get another, along with a linishing disk backing pad for it, and a load of lineshing discs. Makes life loads easier if you have one grinder with cutting disc on it, and another for linishing.

Good luck !

good points Paddy

and another vote for speedglass helmet

bixit wrote:Stereophoney, you coming on the cruz on sunday ??

Would have been nice as the bus will be in for mot sat but sadly i have prior engagements, 2 tickets to lee evans at the nia to be precise

right then ....

1 x mig welder
1 x decent mask
1 x pair gloves
1 x shit load of scrap to practice on

.... oh this winter's gonna be fun !!!



be prepared for lots of questions my fellow FDK'ers.
(and maybe some help aswell!!)

get some spare tips too you may melt em learning, This is a fuckin great site http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/Mig-welding-tips.html