Which Welder?

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pornstarmax

Active Member
Posts
400
Can anyone recommend a good welder? It will mainly be used for Bulkhead and a little chasis work...

Thanks

Max
 
this is a welder that i am looking at buying, had one bit of feedback on it already but wondered if anyone else had any thoughts or feelings Cosmo 170 Mig Welder (2nd hand)
 
A MIG is a long term investment, so Ideally get a decent one that goes up to 150 Amp, with variable amperage output and wire feed control as standard.

I've used a Clarke 151EN Turbo for the last 4 years, and it's been ultra reliable. Able to weld thin sheet comfortably, and also totally wrap a Buick Regal chassis in 6mm thick plate at full penetration.

Really REALLY DON'T get a one mode "gasless" welder. They're ****E, give crap output, and won't last. By all means get a Dual purpose one - they're easily converted to gas (mine is classed as a dual purpose also).

Also, you'd be well advised to get yerself one the the many Argon/co2 mix "Hire free" bottle that are popping up on ebay. small bottles don't last long at all.
 
dirtyrhino said:
A MIG is a long term investment, so Ideally get a decent one that goes up to 150 Amp, with variable amperage output and wire feed control as standard.

I've used a Clarke 151EN Turbo for the last 4 years, and it's been ultra reliable. Able to weld thin sheet comfortably, and also totally wrap a Buick Regal chassis in 6mm thick plate at full penetration.

Really REALLY DON'T get a one mode "gasless" welder. They're ****E, give crap output, and won't last. By all means get a Dual purpose one - they're easily converted to gas (mine is classed as a dual purpose also).

Also, you'd be well advised to get yerself one the the many Argon/co2 mix "Hire free" bottle that are popping up on ebay. small bottles don't last long at all.
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i'll second that with the gasless migs there crap,i bought a sealy gassless mig thinking it would be ok to do a bit of maintenence on the landy,how wrong was i,they make nothing but a mess
 
b20wnx said:
this is a welder that i am looking at buying, had one bit of feedback on it already but wondered if anyone else had any thoughts or feelings Cosmo 170 Mig Welder (2nd hand)
Click to expand...


Bleagh - wire feed on those is ****E. All I ever hear is bad reports on those.

Also - 2nd hand welders are commonly bad news. You don't know if the inverter, rectifier, wire feed control, liner and regulator are in good condition, so ultimatly you'll end up paying more.
 
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Get yourself a 151 Clarke - cheap, reliable and will still be around in ten years when you need to replace a part!

It will pay in the end! (You might even find a used, from someone who has tried and given up- I paid £80 for mine 10 years ago!)
 
i had sort of agreed £80 for the above machine but given the little feedback i have had already i will give it a pass, done a quick search on google and new ones are out of my price (want to spend less than £100) so what should i look for when looking, is fleabay too much of a risk to buy used? help, advise, donations greatly welcome
 
The cosmo is a SIP in disguise, and respect to all that have an SIP but leave it well alone, you'll end up giving up thinking you can never do it.
I've spoilt myself by using industrial sets, and cringe when I think about using a diy compact, that said the Clarke allthough the company name has zero credit is the best of the entry level sets.
Get the best you can afford, you'll be glad you did.
 
I got. A clArke 151 turbo - a little research pointed to this being the max that a normal plug could take - it came without a plug And isnt supposed to be used in a plug

Speaking As a beginner I say budget for. Cheap auto darkening mask - mine came today after I got ****ed at the flip down thing I had - it's like welding with your eyes open it's rediculas the difference it's made to what I can do - perhaps my flip top was just crap .
 
I have a Clarke pro 90 (my first welder) No thad chance to use it, My dad did last week. Got it form my uncle, more or less brand new £40 from my uncle. Needed wire, gas regulator and bottle.
 
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I was hoping to teach myself to weld with a cheapish gasless welder as I understood that using gas meant tying yourself into an expensive monthly contract. Is that a load of tosh? Sounds like gasless is a waste of time?
 
drumlisden said:
I was hoping to teach myself to weld with a cheapish gasless welder as I understood that using gas meant tying yourself into an expensive monthly contract. Is that a load of tosh? Sounds like gasless is a waste of time?
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Gasless welders are crap, You can now buy small gas bottle and no rental :D there was a thread on here about that earlier.

Some people even use cheap CO2 gas from a pub for around a fiver a bottle and if you know your landloard, he probably has a spare that he could give you

If your going to be using it regular buy a decent 150amp welder to start (Not Gasless) you could easily make the money back by doing small jobs for freinds, The minute people know you have a welder, the jobs will come in ;) and get a small 9kg bottle of Argon/co2 mix (see here from Adams Gas http://www.adamsgas.co.uk/Categories.aspx?id=132 - no rental)
 
Engineer1964 said:
Gasless welders are crap, You can now buy small gas bottle and no rental :D there was a thread on here about that earlier.

Some people even use cheap CO2 gas from a pub for around a fiver a bottle and if you know your landloard, he probably has a spare that he could give you

If your going to be using it regular buy a decent 150amp welder to start (Not Gasless) you could easily make the money back by doing small jobs for freinds, The minute people know you have a welder, the jobs will come in ;) and get a small 9kg bottle of Argon/co2 mix (see here from Adams Gas :: Adams Gas :: - no rental)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice - I do have a friend who is a pub landlord and he owes me given how much I've put in his till over the years.:)
 
yeah some good advice guys, thanks, i dont drink so dont know any pub landlords but not to worry. i am narrowing it down slowly but surely and trying to save to be able to get a really good one, problem is spending £200 on one leaves me with that money less to put towards the refurb plus if i dont use it again it would in my eyes be a waste of money. anyway i will keep looking....
 
b20wnx said:
yeah some good advice guys, thanks, i dont drink so dont know any pub landlords but not to worry. i am narrowing it down slowly but surely and trying to save to be able to get a really good one, problem is spending £200 on one leaves me with that money less to put towards the refurb plus if i dont use it again it would in my eyes be a waste of money. anyway i will keep looking....
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Just ask on the forums and perhaps you may get someone local to you who can help with some welding.

I'm in colchester, in essex and i'm moving to a new unit in the next couple of weeks, if anyone wants any welding done i'll help ya for free ;)

Its a nighntmare to fork out money for something you may only use once, save it and call in a favor
 
will be down in colchester this week/weekend collecting some parts and a bulkhead that needs repairing - maybe i should just get you to collect it and fix then i come and get it engineer.. lol only joking, i do have an offer from someone on the forums who is going to show me the basics - one of my problems is i dont like borrowing equipment just in case i break it - i know i am in the catch 22 situation. i have taken the advice from people, cancelled that other welder, but i think i am going to have to go against what people say and look at used ones....
 
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