A welding question
Discussion
A gas MIG uses bottles of gas (argon or similar) to prevent the weld oxidising in the air. You have to buy replacement bottles or have them re-filled. The wire for this type of MIG is around £2 for a small reel.
A gasless MIG does not need the innert gas bottles as the wire it uses has a flux core (a bit like electrical solder), which generates the gas as it melts. Gasless wire is around £9 for a small reel.
It's usually a bit easier to get good results with the gas type, but you have to fart around with the bottles.
Some welders can used both types - I think the Clarke gasless can be upgraded with a regulator valve to use gas if required.
A gasless MIG does not need the innert gas bottles as the wire it uses has a flux core (a bit like electrical solder), which generates the gas as it melts. Gasless wire is around £9 for a small reel.
It's usually a bit easier to get good results with the gas type, but you have to fart around with the bottles.
Some welders can used both types - I think the Clarke gasless can be upgraded with a regulator valve to use gas if required.
I'd go for an "industrial" type second hand rather than a "DIY" type new every time! Even if you go for single phase, they're just so much more rugged and easier to get spares for - such as the liner for the wire feed tube etc. Getting the gas bottles exchanged is a bit of a pain and if you do as little welding as me, the full sized bottles will last you about 5 years each! Some places charge a monthly bottle "rental" plus refills as required. This gets expensive if you don't use much gas. I usually "borrow" one from a friendly garage as required but it's a pain whichever way you do it.
An auction might be a good way to go.
If you ever need to weld outside the "gasless" type MIG is very usefull as the weld quaility is not affected by wind in the same way a normal MIG is.
However, the downside is that the "gasless" welds aren't as neat(IMO), require wire brushing to remove the flux afterwards and cost a fortune if you use it regularly (small spool of flux cored wire is around £8 compared to standard 0.6 wire at £2 odd, and because the flux cored wire has a larger diameter you don't get as much).
Idealy get a welder that can do both, which most of the Clarke range from Machine Mart etc. can. The main requirement is that the polarity of the tip can be changed.
I have a 110Amp welder, and I've had no problems with welding anything up to the RHS steel on my locost frame. However, if you are intending to weld anything thicker, then get at least a 130Amp, and preferably as high as you can afford.
However, the downside is that the "gasless" welds aren't as neat(IMO), require wire brushing to remove the flux afterwards and cost a fortune if you use it regularly (small spool of flux cored wire is around £8 compared to standard 0.6 wire at £2 odd, and because the flux cored wire has a larger diameter you don't get as much).
Idealy get a welder that can do both, which most of the Clarke range from Machine Mart etc. can. The main requirement is that the polarity of the tip can be changed.
I have a 110Amp welder, and I've had no problems with welding anything up to the RHS steel on my locost frame. However, if you are intending to weld anything thicker, then get at least a 130Amp, and preferably as high as you can afford.
Does anyone buy that?
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