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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2227   
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What sort of price range are you looking at? Have a look at r-tech's equipment, might be a bit too expensive but I have one of their plasma units and it is superb (as is their customer service).
Cheers, Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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16th Feb 2021 11:37am |
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| joshgorham Member Since: 19 Oct 2020 Location: Glasgow Posts: 8
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I was looking at around the £200-£300 mark, so I think they are a little out of my budget at the moment, but ill keep my eyes out for a second hand one. I have a small amount of experience with MIG welding, and non with TIG welding, do you think it would be worth my while learning how to TIG weld? 2002 TD5 110 CSW
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16th Feb 2021 11:52am |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3414  
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When I wanted to get a MIG, for me price was a facotr (plus the need to get the CO2 or Argon gas cylinders.
Since I use it so little, I thought I should have a go at one of the cheap offerings with flux core wire. The flux core came with a reel of flux core wire. When I tested it, the welds were worse than pigeon poop. So I modified the machine and converted it from AC to DC. The resulting weld was still pigeon poop. I then bough a good reel of flux core wire, the new wire costed as much as 50% of the whole machine package, and boy what a difference. It can weld now, and very pretty welds. You can see one of the welds at the bottom corners of the door in this picture: https://www.defender2.net/gallery/albums/u...04252.jpeg 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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16th Feb 2021 11:54am |
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| Shroppy Member Since: 25 Feb 2016 Location: Shropshire Posts: 866 
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If I were you I'd be looking at second hand transformer MIGs from the likes of Oxford. I started with a Clarke gasless machine which was adequate but not great, as my welding improved I upgraded to gas shielded with the same machine but found the duty cycle to be prohibitive in the end.
I eventually upgraded to a 270amp Oxford MIG as I started to take on bigger on projects and have been thoroughly impressed. Its old school in that it utilities a transformer as opposed to an inverter but it does mean parts/repairs are at least feasible. I'm now (6 years of sporadic practice on) pretty comfortable behind a MIG and am able to produce some decent welds.  Click image to enlarge I purchased an AC/DC TIG to learn whilst recovering from an operation and have found it pretty challenging but enjoyable. Its also a damn site more expensive than MIG! In summary, buy the best you can afford, use an Ar/CO2 mix and practice practice practice. if you need any pointers I'd be happy to assist. the MIGwelding forum is another great resource. 1985 127 V8 Build Thread Series 2 109" Series 1 80" |
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16th Feb 2021 1:00pm |
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| Badger110 Member Since: 06 Feb 2018 Location: South hams Posts: 1039 
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My eyesight's shot, i thought the title said ' wedding ring recommendation '
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16th Feb 2021 3:50pm |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3414
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In that case, M14 nut, stainless A4 preferable. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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16th Feb 2021 3:54pm |
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| Co1 Member Since: 19 Aug 2018 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3674 
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16th Feb 2021 6:18pm |
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| Co1 Member Since: 19 Aug 2018 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3674
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R-tech’s gear is great, as is there customer service. Lincoln also great but a bit more expensive. Plenty of both to be had second hand. Parweld are a decent budget option as well. |
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16th Feb 2021 6:20pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4209 
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I have a little 20+ year old Clarke 150 amp Turbo Mig that uses the little disposable cylinders. It does me ok, and disposable cylinders are fine for an infrequent user. Can get all the consumables from Machine Mart which is handy. If I were to need it more regularly I’d look at adapting it to use hobby weld cylinders. I actually got it off my Dad who used it redo an entire MG that was absolutely rotten throughout, so it has lasted well through some hard use. It ain’t a pro machine, but it does a decent job. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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16th Feb 2021 8:00pm |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1218  
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First welder I picked up was a second hand but virtually brand new Clarke 130EN and it's perfectly capable of stuff for a Defender, was £100 shipped down to me. For reference most of this headstock for the pallet forks were welded with that little MIG, most of it's 5mm wall RHS with 20mm plates for the hooks and locking pin brackets.
Click image to enlarge So far it's been tested up to 1.5t and handled that with ease. I then bought an R-Tech 210EXT TIG welder and that's been very useful as well but a difference price point. However it does also offer an MMA mode and after a quick 20 minute lesson with a mate who used to be a pipe welder I actually pick up the sticks more often than not - it's so much quicker and nicer than having to faff with gas and torches etc. That's comfortably done 20mm down to 0.9mm sheet - was quite chuffed I managed to do the 0.9mm sheet with 2.5mm rods  Ed
82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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16th Feb 2021 8:48pm |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2227
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I still use an old Clarke 151TE unit, it is easy to swap it to use a regulator and larger cylinder. I use a rent-free bottle of co2/Arg mix which lasts ages. I upgraded the swan neck on the torch to a better quality one which takes the larger industrial type nozzles and shrouds. Also fitted a bigger rtech earth clamp and lead. It is coming to the end of economic life now though as it needs a whole new torch and things. Will probably replace it with an RTech unit next. Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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16th Feb 2021 8:53pm |
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