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jrule

Member Since: 10 Aug 2015
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 302

Buying new MIG welder

Hi

I'm after some advice, I'm looking to buy a small MIG welder for some metal work jobs I want to do and wondered if any of you have bought a welder recently. I've got some repairs to do to my defender door frames and some repairs to my garden tractor. I will want to be able to weld up some box section for a small quad trailer I need to repair too.

Any advice on models, I was looking at some of the SIP range but be grateful of people's views

Thanks

11th Jun 2016 12:28pm

Lucifus

Member Since: 29 Jan 2016
Location: U.K.
Posts: 52

I bought a clarke 151te recently. I'm an amateur and get good results considering my lack of experience. Picked it up at one of machine marts regular vat free days. Check out some of the welding forums and YouTube videos. Read all you can before you spend your money

11th Jun 2016 12:57pm

Anderzander

Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 1000

This place is a brilliant resource : http://www.mig-welding.co.uk

Great forum and great stuff sold through the site. If you do searches on their forum for 'first mig' and that type of thing, you'll learn loads.

11th Jun 2016 1:05pm

Fatboy Slim

Member Since: 04 Feb 2008
Location: Bridgend
Posts: 1006

SIP are a pretty poor machine in my experience. Have a look for a second hand Oxford

11th Jun 2016 2:52pm

xtr2turbo

Member Since: 30 Apr 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 71

2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey

The wire feed seems to let down the cheaper models. I bought a portamig in the end but was about £600

Also get yourself an auto darkening mask. So much better

11th Jun 2016 3:17pm

Happyoldgit

Member Since: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3471

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey

Anderzander wrote:
This place is a brilliant resource : http://www.mig-welding.co.uk

Great forum and great stuff sold through the site. If you do searches on their forum for 'first mig' and that type of thing, you'll learn loads.

I'll second that, it's an excellent resource.

Buy the best you can afford and avoid cheap small units. Look for a good make with a decent duty cycle, I'd rather buy an un-abused secondhand unit by a reputable maker over and above new from some a maker nobody has ever heard of..

That said after reading the reviews I bought a Gys Smartmig 182 recently for smaller jobs around the place, so far so good.

http://www.waspsupplies.com/gys-smartmig-1...7823-p.asp Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades.
Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW.

[Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc]

http://forums.lr4x4.com

I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic.

11th Jun 2016 4:05pm

Cupboard

Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey

I would seriously consider getting a decent stick welder over a MIG. There are some jobs where one is better than the other but with the stick you don't have to worry about running out of gas and so long as you get a decent inverter based one they're as easy to use as anything.

Definitely get a decent auto darkening helmet though, that makes a huge difference.

11th Jun 2016 4:21pm

jrule

Member Since: 10 Aug 2015
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 302

Thanks for all your comments I'll do some research tonight

11th Jun 2016 4:55pm

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