BXProject

[Bx Bandit]

Phil will orgasm over this post!

I need to buy me a MiG! I currently have a mere £70 put aside but I'm keen to save more and wait. But what do I look for in a model?
I'd put functionality and quality above cost but it needs to be able to weld cit BX 'foil' as well as I guess up to 8mm section (multiple passes anyway right?)
But what are the key features to look for? And roughly where do I pitch my budget. I'll need to buy the regs and guages too. Are there any good brands worth sticking to? Is it worth considering a very high quality but 2nd hand unit as opposed to a more modern and 'mass marketed' brand?

ta floks!

[Philhod]

I`ll av to change me undies now(I wasn`t sure about that last fart anyway)

I would always go for a high kwality 2nd hander mate. You need something in the region of 180 Amps
If you get new you will have to buy everything new. 2nd hand usually brings gauges, flowmeter etc, sometimes even a headscreen.
Government auctions are a good resource. Ex MOD stuff is usually ok. ESAB, Murex, Butters, even SIP
like mine try t`internet.

Fan cooled or even oil cooled if you can find one. some sets have a socket on them somewhere, so you can connect a hi frequency head straight on, pulse start, for TIG welding.

OH, and £ 70 -£ 100, should find you a descent one.
And them auto darkening screens...... unless you pay big bucks they darken to about 13 EPW.
I can`t see fuck all above 9 these days. so if you get an ordinary glass you can get say a 10, 12 and a 13, for less than 1/4 the price of one o` them

[docchevron132]

Yeah, I'd go with used too.
For occassional use it's a bit daft spending much wonga on a big set..

As much as I despise E-ghey there's usually some good sets on there for not much outlay.
And as Phil says, they pretty much always come with everything already, so no additional outlay except for the gas like..

[Bx Bandit]

Fuck - waaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than I thought - utter bargain. I've not bothered looking on flea bay yet cos I didn't know what to look for exactly.

I'm not sure I'll use TIG mind, where does that come in?

[docchevron132]

TiG is a better weld, takes practice and all, but I find it more forgiving and better penetrativley!
MiG is still my fave, the old 180Amp turbo I had was £600 when new, the 150Amp I've got now is dads,so I dont know what it cost, but I do know the dude we get all our garage supplies from was sellinga 220Amp Mig set (used) for £100, reconditoned, oil cooled thing. I was going to rip his hand off, but when I went back for it, he'd sold it! Ho hum.

[Bx Bandit]

I's gonna get my big ole ass on ebay's ass mutha fukka and have some fun biddin' on a baaaaaaf assssssssssed Mig mutha fukkin welder then bro

[docchevron132]

Er, yeah man, I'd do that to, if I didn't think E-shite were a bunch of cock gobbling shitemeisters..

[David]

TIG welding is a different process. It requires greater skill, and much more expensive kit. Generally you would only bother on high-integrity welds like hydraulic pipework, or gas pipework. It also uses a lot more power, and creates a significantly larger HAZ.

[Philhod]

Yeah it does require a lot more practice to do joints David, but nowadays the equipment has become much cheaper. Once you have your Hi frequency converter, currently running at £ 150 -
£ 250, the rest of the gear is quite cheap, Tungstens, ceramics, gloves. If your MIG set already has a plug in, thats it.
With a cheaper, low range head, you can drop right down to 12v and 20 A and this can be used for any very thin stuff. I`m working with a company that makes micro filters, they are trying to tack 25 thou thick perforated sheet. We managed it by turning it right down and choosing positive earth.

Besides things that technical, it is also brilliant (and doesn`t take much practice) for fusion seam welding like on cars.
What hazards was alluding to like?

[docchevron132]

Gloves?
And I thought er were all men on here!
Christ, next you'll be suggesting goggles for grinding and ear defenders for prolonged grinding!

[Philhod]

What would you use all that shit for? Erm The gloves I refer to, are a must I`m afaraid

TIG, produces lot`s of the nastiest types of UV radiation and I would seriously advocate using
at least a left hand one( ok right if your left handed) and a bib fitted to your head screen.
They are specially made for TIG welding and are made from very thin kid leather.

So you have to treat yourself with kid gloves ....so to speak

[Bx Bandit]

That reminds me of a simpsons episode. Homer welds up a 'suit of armour' to protect him from bears. As he finishes, he turns around and mutters something about not wasting money on welding goggles....but his eyes are bright red and look fucking painful!

[Philhod]

I`ll bet they were It`s not the light intensity that does the damage it`s the UVA rays.

That`s why you cannot get "a flash" even just wearing ordinary glasses.. They just bounce off the glass, although the intense light still gets through of course and because it is too bright to register on your retina, it temporarily "blinds" you. No real harm done though

[Bx Bandit]

What's arc eye then?

[Vanny]

ha ha ha, come round to mine and i'll show you exactly what arc eye is bandit matey. It fucking hurts mind

[Bx Bandit]

/\ oddly enough mate your last 4 words have put me off the idea!!!!

[Vanny]

in my case it normally occurs with stick, when you lift your visor to inspect and clip something metal and set off a spark with your eyes wide open and staring at th work piece. You only do this once in a session mind! Your eyes literally burn and more oftent han not become very blood shot!

[Bx Bandit]

I know the feeling but I don't think I've ever had it bad at all. Is it UV or just too bright?

[Vanny]

lots from column a and some from column b, damn dangerous too as the damage is pretty much permanant!

Thinking about it, i'll give my uncle a call and see whats going at his place, when time gets tough the guys he works with always have a bargain! Unless you want to pay huge big bucks for mine

[Bx Bandit]

Your MiG? Are you selling? If so, is it hot? If not, what's wrong with it?