Welding???

[SHERMAN TANK]

Looking for advice on welding.

1. I've never done it before, is it difficult, is it advisable??

2. Lots of welders, what type do i need help me restore my series 3?

3. What brand should i get/avoid?

4. Is there any for sale, within reason, i'm working to a tight budget.


Many Thanks

[barmiebrumie]

My advice would be to go on a welding course first that way you will get all the right advice & learn the correct method's, I have seen lots of people weld to bits of metal together & then be able to pull them apart  :shock:

[666]

My advice would be to go on a welding course first that way you will get all the right advice & learn the correct method's, I have seen lots of people weld to bits of metal together & then be able to pull them apart  :shock:

good advice!

I would also suggest that you go for a mig welder! Much easier to use on thin stuff like landrover chassis

Cheers

Mark

[redhand]

Try Screwfix I just brought an 130amp no-gas mig welder for £99 cheapest similar alternative was £199 at machine mart.

[SHERMAN TANK]

Cheers lads, guess i should start looking for courses.

wasn't overly keen on just going for it myself, without any proper training.

[rollazuki]

Dont Buy Gasless


Buy one with gas, or one that can be converted to gas. Buy at least 150 amp. buy one with a fan.(at least it reminds you its switched on when you lock the garage up, whirring away!)

Buy LOTS of wire, and get a gas bottle. The little tiny ones last 2 minutes and cost the earth!

Get lots of scrap steel, and  P R A C T I S E.

Theres videos, and many books to help teach you how to weld, better bet is to get a welding mate to show you the basics, then practise.

Cut your practise welds apart and check penetration. Beat the hell outa them with a BIG hammer. If the weld breaks, its your fault, if the steel tears, then the weld was good.

Above all, Practise. Its actually pretty easy.

Good luck.

[Highlander1]

Dont Buy Gasless


Buy one with gas, or one that can be converted to gas. Buy at least 150 amp. buy one with a fan.(at least it reminds you its switched on when you lock the garage up, whirring away!)

Buy LOTS of wire, and get a gas bottle. The little tiny ones last 2 minutes and cost the earth!

Get lots of scrap steel, and  P R A C T I S E.

Theres videos, and many books to help teach you how to weld, better bet is to get a welding mate to show you the basics, then practise.

Cut your practise welds apart and check penetration. Beat the hell outa them with a BIG hammer. If the weld breaks, its your fault, if the steel tears, then the weld was good.

Above all, Practise. Its actually pretty easy.

Good luck.

COULDN'T AGREE MORE don't go for less than 150 amp and use argo shield keep practicing until you can weld uniform straight lines try welding you name in a piece of steel and look at the back for the penetration. Good penetration is essential. Should sound like your frying bacon not a spitting cackle.

Cheers.

[666]

I bought a 150 Amp version of this
Not a bad little thing and while i do prefer to weld with gas on a mig i didnt find it too bad using it gasless

Cheers

Mark

[cardiff_gareth]

I bought a 150 Amp version of this
Not a bad little thing and while i do prefer to weld with gas on a mig i didnt find it too bad using it gasless

Cheers

Mark

I have the same welder but mine is 130amp:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-SIP-COSMO-130-AMP-DUAL-PURPOSE-MIG-WELDER-04778_W0QQitemZ130136918666QQihZ003QQcategoryZ113743QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This welder is now available to buy in B&Q but they want £150 for the 130amp one. I understand the more amps you get the more stronger it is i.e. it welds thicker metal together but Richard and I were only using the power settings on mine at about 3/4 strength and that was fine for the wheel arch and the rear floor boot replacement so I say 130amp would be a starting stength to go from

I'm probably wrong and no doubt will be told so in a mo but thats advice :lol:

[redhand]

Dont Buy Gasless

WHY?? just posting "don't do this" isn't very helpful. What are the pro's and cons? Anyone can do the "just say no" routine but a bit of information would be a lot more helpful rather than uninformed personal opinions.

Buy at least 150 amp.

Why Chassis rails are 2mm thick and body work is either aluminium or less than 1.5mm mild steel. A 90amp welder would handle these thicknesses. Though I agree a larger welder is better and less likely to be operating at full capacity so less likely to overheat. for a diy/hobby welder that's only gonna be used once every blue moon 130amp is more than enough.

This is the one I bought. http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=72403&ts=25301#

[666]

I'm probably wrong and no doubt will be told so in a mo but thats advice :lol:

If all you are doing is a bit of bodywork and will never use the welder for anything else then a 130amp is probably all you need!
My preference for a more powerfull welder is due to working within the steel construction industry and spending a few years as a welder on structural steelwork. I have also built my own car transport trailer and im constantly working on different projects (like shackle lift kits) where a 130amp just might not be enough!
If i had a big enough workshop then i would have a much bigger free standing 350 amp minimum!

Cheers

Mark

[666]

This is the one I bought. http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=72403&ts=25301#

I have a Clarcke 180amp turbo fan cooled arc welder, these are a great make of welder at a very reasnable price!

Cheers

Mark

[cardiff_gareth]

Wasn't having a go at you 666, I was responding to the "don't go for les than a 150amp" replies above yours when this for a gerneal hobby welder doing most applciations on a Disco might be a little OTT :!:

All the welding I have done so far has been using gasless weld and its done a cracking job, there are welders who know far more than myself as its probable their F/T job and they'll baffle me with science in a mo so all i'm saying is from what I have experianced don't be put off from gasless welding, ideally get one that does both, and on that note, the SIP that I have and also 666 has, has the option of gas and gasless weld

[666]

Wasn't having a go at you 666, I was responding to the "don't go for les than a 150amp"

I didnt think you were having a go at me! :lol:  :lol:
I was sort of agreeing with you! If you can get away with a small welder then fair enough, go for it! But if you can spare a little extra cash then get a bigger one than you actually need, might save you money in the long run! (when you find that you have mastered the art of welding and decide you want to build a trailer or similar)
And as for gas/gasless? i had never used it before i bought my little mig! Not a great fan of it but its usable if you run out of gas! It is handy if you get a welder that will weld both!

Cheers

Mark

[SHERMAN TANK]

Wow, lots of info :shock:

Just found out my brother has do alot of welding in his job, so i think im gonna take ur advice and get a 130-150 mig welder, and get some coaching from him. As far as i can see there is only minimal welding to be done, but its a skill i no doubt will need in the future.

Thanks for all the replies =D>

[Boggert]

I am self taught, but it was a case of trial and error! I got there eventually, I had a SIP mig welder, now sold as I have not used it in years. I agree get a 130-150 MIG Gas and get a larger bottle.

Oh yes get a good grinder as well! :lol:

[rollazuki]

OK, dont buy gasless!

Ill expand.

They weld hotter, so harder to do thin stuff.

They smell and smoke, Yeuch.

They leave slag and need cleaning.

They are harder to see the weld 'pool' and so harder to judge penetration(oooer)

You cant turn the gas pressure up to weld outside on a windy day.

The wire is more expensive.

Just my opinions thats all

[clbarclay]

welding land rover chassis you can get away with a smaller welder as you tend to only weld bits ata time, however bear in mid that just because a welder can run at 90 amps maximum it can't do this for very long peroids of time or it will over heat, its to do with the duty cycle of the welder. 130 to 150 amps should weld 2 to 3mm well without over heating issues.


For cheap welders clarke have one of the best reputaion amoung kit car builders. I have a draper 2300 which is pretty much as big as you can go on 240volts (its on a 32 amp plug). Its not too often I use it at full power, but doing things like making the rear bumper and welding up damper mounts made from 6mm plate then I need all the current its got.

[redhand]

OK, dont buy gasless!

Ill expand.

They weld hotter, so harder to do thin stuff.


You cant turn the gas pressure up to weld outside on a windy day.

The wire is more expensive.

Just my opinions thats all

Not if you turn the amperage down

The whole idea of them been gasless is so that you can weld outside on a windy day as there's no gas to blow away

For the amount of wire the average diy'er is gonna use it'll probably work out the same as the cost of buying the gas+wire for a standard mig.

[Highlander1]

If you decide that you would like to do a simple mod or beef up the underbody protection aor build a trailer your'd be better to start with 150 min co's you will soon want to get more adventurous. I just built a new boat trailer and now built a trials bike trailer from thick steel.

Wee welders cut out when getting flogged with heavy steel.

I've been welding for 24 years now with both oxy acet and mig.

Cheers H1

[cardiff_gareth]

If you decide that you would like to do a simple mod or beef up the underbody protection aor build a trailer your'd be better to start with 150 min co's you will soon want to get more adventurous. I just built a new boat trailer and now built a trials bike trailer from thick steel.

Wee welders cut out when getting flogged with heavy steel.

I've been welding for 24 years now with both oxy acet and mig.

Cheers H1

No body was questioned your welding credentials, in fact its great you've been welding so long as you can offer great advice to a lot of people, me included :oops: , but what Dave said was he wanted a welder to restore his Series 3, not to build a boat trailer etc etc so going for a welder which is more powerful than what he needs would be firstly OTT for what he wants it for and also too much as he states he's working on a tight budget.

Dave, whats you mending skills like as there was a Cosmo welder 130amp on Ebay that when turned up was dead so its unused but only 99p.
If you can't fix it then its worth that just for the gasless wire that'll be on it, good for practising with

[Highlander1]

Hi Gareth

I didn't think anyone questioning my skills I get by, each to their own mate.

Iv'e tried the 130 and got fed up with it cutting out welding chassis on my landrover.

Buying the best you can afford is fine. But if waiting another couple of weeks gets something that will last a life time that's even better.

Each to their own.

I bought mine to restore an old classic car and progressed from there.
No point in renting the gas cylinder if you are not using it very often I'll go back to my cave now.

Cheers H :?

[666]

Hi Gareth

I didn't think anyone questioning my skills I get by, each to their own mate.

Iv'e tried the 130 and got fed up with it cutting out welding chassis on my landrover.

Buying the best you can afford is fine. But if waiting another couple of weeks gets something that will last a life time that's even better.

Each to their own.

I bought mine to restore an old classic car and progressed from there.
No point in renting the gas cylinder if you are not using it very often I'll go back to my cave now.

Cheers H :?

I would be the same, after spending 20 years in the steel construction industry, most of it as a welder a 130amp welder would not be much good to me! I think Gareths and my own points are simply if all you are ever going to use it for is welding up a landrover then a 130 amp would be more than suitable, however, if you are an experienced welder and have plans to build things such as trailers then a bigger welder would be an advantage!

Cheers

Mark

[SHERMAN TANK]

:shock: I didn't mean to start a fight guys.

Honestlt though thanks alot for the advice, i'll keep you posted on what i do. Not even sure how much or even if the series III needs welding. Surely it must do somewhere???

I'm taking it apart tomorrow, down to the chassis and bulkhead, not to keen on going further than that. :roll:

[Highlander1]

:shock: I didn't mean to start a fight guys.

Honestlt though thanks alot for the advice, i'll keep you posted on what i do. Not even sure how much or even if the series III needs welding. Surely it must do somewhere???

I'm taking it apart tomorrow, down to the chassis and bulkhead, not to keen on going further than that. :roll:

No worries matey no ones got the boxing gloves on here Just a load of folk with different ideas you read em and decide :lol:  :lol:

If you can't share views It would be a sad thing indeed.

With me it's like riding a bike before you know it youv'e out grown the stabilizers and looking for the next model up.

 :lol:  :lol:

Let us know how you get on. If your anything like me next you'll be needing a pair of tin snips, then comes the edge setting tool, then the dent pulling kit, clamps, then all the shrinking hammer sets etc etc.

 :)

[666]

:shock: I didn't mean to start a fight guys.

Dont think you started a fight :shock:
I thought having a forum was all about getting information/advice  from like minded people, and to be honest thats what you got! no one is the same so you are never all going to agree, take a look at all the posts, have a thing about each one and then make your own mind up. you might suprise yourself and do something completly different not yet suggested

Cheers

Mark

[cardiff_gareth]

I'm not / we're not fighting, in fact, If we were together now, we'd have a group hug, just a quick manly one  :lol:  :lol:

[Highlander1]

Gareth  I might not be the group hugging type on account of my scratchy beard :lol:  :shock:

But I'd  have a pint with few a drams and a good laugh round the table with you all. :lol:  :D

[666]

But I'd  have a pint with few a drams and a good laugh round the table with you all. :lol:  :D

Sounds good to me :P  

Cheers

Mark

[SHERMAN TANK]

AAAAHHHHHH :sobsob:

You guys have really touched me

 :shock: Not that way, im not like that. :lol:  :lol: