Which welder

[RichardAlexander]

after getting several quotes to restore the bus all in excess of £14000 :shock: :shock: :shock:

I've decided to do the welding myself. not so bad i did do welding at engineering college, 25 years ago.

I only have minor repairs to make front wheel arch, bumper bolt etc. no major panel work

so what welder do i get ??? MIG, current 30-90 amps or higher (surely not) gas, non gas?

basically want to get one and practice before having a go but not sure where to start Clarke do a nice reasonably priced 30-90 non gas at around £120

then the wire? surely some of you restorers have the quick answers PLEASE !!!

 

[vinvan]

Hi
Defo Gas, welding with non gas is a pain and the welding wire is more expensive, as far as the amps not 100% sure but not to high as you are only welding thin sheet metal, to high and you will burn holes everywhere

Hope this helps

PS you can get migs that do gas and none gas

Vinvan

 

[Webbaldo]

No gas migs are crap for bodywork. Gas is fine outside if not too breezy. Did all mine on drive. Clarkes 90en from machine mart is good and enough for most parts of a van.

Make sure it's the Italian made one not Chinese rubbish.

Second hand ones can sometimes be false economy due to worn rollers etc. Clarke 90 is about £200

Cheaper on vat free days too. Good for spares as well

 

[Tofufi]

I've had my Clarke 150TE over 10 years now, and it's done pretty much everything I've ever asked of it.

I'm sure a 90 amp would be fine for bodywork, but the 150 has the power to do stronger stuff such as chassis rails too.

Whatever you buy, do read reviews and make sure it's got a good wire feed. On my 150TE I've had to improve the wire feed wheel mountings to get a consistent feed rate.

I wouldn't bother with gasless, especially for delicate work. Use 0.6mm wire too, 0.8mm isn't as easy for bodywork thickness stuff.

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

...also consider depending on power you may not be able to run from normal 13 Amp socket, might need to get a
separate high current feed from fusebox (like an electric cooker has...)

 

[Tofufi]

...also consider depending on power you may not be able to run from normal 13 Amp socket, might need to get a
separate high current feed from fusebox (like an electric cooker has...)

From what I understand, a 150amp MIG is the most you can run on a domestic socket. Mine blows it's 13 amp fuse occasionally (about once a year), normally when you get a short...
I can confirm that nicking the fuse from the kettle to get the welder working again is likely to land you in hot water...

 

[paul_q]

I also had the Clark 150, there used to be somebody on
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That sold them cheaper than machine mart. Also get it converted to a big bottle as it will save you a lot of money in the long run. There usd to be a deal for boc gas on volkszone.

 

[*Sam*]

I would go for something with a Euro touch and an industrial style wire feed. I used this company as they were local.
https://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/Welding-Supplies/mig-welder.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[RichardAlexander]

thanks everyone

that why i love this forum

 

[Happystamps]

I'd go an alternative route and start looking for good second hand welders, 150-180A. You get more flexibility out of them and they're much higher quality. You'll find that a 90A restricts you quite a bit and the wire feed is usually awful on them ;-) i found a 170A butters style job for £180 i think, it's much more reliable and gives me better welds. Couple it with adams gas or BOC(if you'll be going through bottles) argon/co2 mix and buy a light reactive mask. They're well worth the money.

 

[BJ1]

If you are saving say £15k on the resto then don't buy a cheap welder! The difference between a cheap welder and proper welders is huge - it's all about control and penetration :shock:

The wire feed and voltage/amps control units are FAR superior on better welders. I like Oxford welders because they are superbly made in the UK, customer support is outstanding, and they are purpose-built to weld thin metal with no drama! Talk to Steve (Weldequip) on the MIG welding forum for advice.

I also use an ancient Murex 160 that I bought second hand decades ago. It's Swiss made and works perfectly every time on metals from 1mm to 6mm.

Don't even think about no-gas welders - they are toys not tools! Good advice on gas is in previous posts.

 

[Tofufi]

The wire feed and voltage/amps control units are FAR superior on better welders.

No argument from me!

The Clarke 150 I have is a good beginner welder, but if it were to pack in I'd 'upgrade' to something a bit more sophisticated. I don't use it enough to warrant splashing out though

and buy a light reactive mask. They're well worth the money.

Forgot about this!

A decent, auto-darkening welding mask makes a world of difference

 

[Albie5]

I've used no gas setting with no problem at all - I can see the weld pool better. Wire is more expensive but you don't have expense of gas bottle. Better outside as well. Need a good respirator for fumes.

 

[colinvw]

Check deals at machine mart. Brought a 135en (think thats the biggest u can run on a 13amp socket) Gas/gasless option with .6mm wire. Then brought a argon gas mix from a local reseller & adapter. Practice/ practice. Buy a joblot of flap discs. Nice pair of welders gloves from screwfix & auto darkened mask, your sorted. Check out local college courses, as they do 1 day crash course or a 12 week courses. My local college booked up 6months in advance , so be quick. Good luck. Just keep practicing. Its very rewarding. Oh and buy a fire extinguisher ...its very rewarding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vwcanuck]

I used an Eastwood 135 Mig with argon gas mix bottle and 6 mm wire for all the body and frame repairs on my bus. I used a flux core wire without gas at higher temp for welding in my Avis beam adjusters and all has held for after a few years of driving. Full length clothes with hat, welding gloves and a proper self-darkening shield are a must to be safe. Enjoy the project and be patient ... there are always surprises.

 

[Guest]

weldequip has some of the best british made MIGs in the market.

https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm

i have the 236 and its a beast. it goes right down to 15 amps (the fine control is excellent) meaning you could weld a coke can without blowing holes. the 186 should be more than enough for your needs. Add some argo shield and youl be welding like a pro.

the guy that runs the shop is boss as well he wont sell you something you don't need. great guy for advice too.

 

[james_stan]

Hang on..

'I only have minor repairs to make front wheel arch, bumper bolt etc. no major panel work' and yet estimates over £14000

What gives? You getting gold-plated interior or summat?

J

 

[six]

Hang on..

'I only have minor repairs to make front wheel arch, bumper bolt etc. no major panel work' and yet estimates over £14000

What gives? You getting gold-plated interior or summat?

J

its a old vW. therfore must be "1 yr only" and can only use "rare" "cherry" and barn find repair panels. thems not cheap you know.

I currently run a oxford 180. light years ahead of the clarke 16 somthing turbo i had before. it was good for the odd job but cannot handel 1970s metal in the volumes the curent resto needs.

if you get a disposable bottle type welder and want to convert let me know I have a converter new in the box.

cheers