Welding set recommendation?

Skylark

Skylark

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I need to make a smallish steel box section structure. I'll probably use 25x25 and 50x25, 3-4mm thickness. It will resemble a cage, about 1m x 1m x 0.5m.

Once upon a time I was quite a competent welder, both gas and electric, but I've done nothing since the late 1970s. My options are to cut the metal and take it to a local garage / fabricator or buy some equipment and do it myself. I fancy the latter..........

Does anyone have experience of using a contemporary piece of welding gear, ideally for a similar fabrication job and care to make a recommendation?

Much appreciated, thank you.
 
I have been using a Clarke TE135 mig for the last couple of years. Used it for various things from motorcycle frames to car bodywork. Even used it for stainless steel making up the odd thing for the boat. For the money you really can't go wrong with it. I don't use the small bottles of gas anymore as they don't give enough of a shield if working out side. Now use a bigger bottle and regulator. Also the torch is the negative side rather that the clamp. I have no idea why but it makes things easier
 
Loads of cheap stick welders out there, which is all I'm left with now as the cost of rented gas bottles became stupid when I'm away so much and only used them very occasionally. If you plan to do a fair bit (justify having gas) MIG is very versatile but, if you want a Stick/TIG set then suggest it's worth spending a bit extra for HF start.
 
As recommended before , that clarke Te135 is a useable thing for occasional jobs. Not suitable for workshop environment where it gets heavy use, but we kept one as a backup for some years and it did fine, better than a lot of clarke stuff.
Steer clear of gasless mig - it is useless. A cheap arc set would be fine for the thickness you are going for - If you can arc, and it is a one off job, you can use a couple of batteries and a set of jump leads. Not a recommendation, but in my world for field repair it can make all the difference between sitting still in the arse end of nowhere, or motoring out of trouble.
If you intend to do more welding then an combined invertor rig would suit you for arc and tig, and as mentioned before, if you can afford it, dont go for a scratch start. As for Oxfords, lovely antiques, and still a fantastic machine
 
solent clown said:
A cheap arc set would be fine for the thickness you are going for - If you can arc, and it is a one off job, you can use a couple of batteries and a set of jump leads...can make all the difference between sitting still in the arse end of nowhere, or motoring out of trouble.
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Forgive the digression, but Australian "bush-welding" is some sight: an electric kettle element, bowl of water, car battery, jump-leads and a stick, and broken sub-frames miraculously heal themselves. (Often at night when it's even more impressive.)
 
As SC says, a Clarke is not too bad. Mig is much easier to learn than plane old stick (MMA) and TIG is a higher level, but closer to gas welding as a skill.
At 3/4 mm box, a simple stick will be ok (I cut my teeth on an Oxford oïl cooled) if you go thinner, then MIg is worth the effort and the extra for gas. Do not be influenced by disposable gas bottles, total expensive waste. Get pub gas CO2.If really interested and keen to learn, log onto mig-welding.co.uk a very friendly site with loads of info and tutorials.
 
macd said:
Forgive the digression, but Australian "bush-welding" is some sight: an electric kettle element, bowl of water, car battery, jump-leads and a stick, and broken sub-frames miraculously heal themselves. (Often at night when it's even more impressive.)
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yea baby!
 
macd said:
Forgive the digression, but Australian "bush-welding" is some sight: an electric kettle element, bowl of water, car battery, jump-leads and a stick, and broken sub-frames miraculously heal themselves.
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Where do the kettle element and bowl of water fit into the picture?

Pete
 
prv said:
Where do the kettle element and bowl of water fit into the picture?
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Not really my field, Pete, but the element's obviously a resistance, so perhaps helps weld penetration. The water presumably just keeps it relatively cool. Bush welding's certainly done without either, although the first time I saw it used, to stitch a 4WD chassis back together, both were involved -- to my complete and memorable surprise.
 
macd said:
Not really my field, Pete, but the element's obviously a resistance, so perhaps helps weld penetration. The water presumably just keeps it relatively cool. Bush welding's certainly done without either, although the first time I saw it used, to stitch a 4WD chassis back together, both were involved -- to my complete and memorable surprise.
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Back in the stone age, I actually wrote the books on battle damage repair, conducted many trials with brand new equipment from eager beavers to main battle tanks and anything else they could think of breaking before I was sent of to finish my education properly, and earn more in a month than I did in a year in the army in R + D with the MOD, then defence procurement. I hated every minute of it away from the dirty side, and proper blokes. That's why I quit, spent my severance on some welding gear and other tools , and started again from the bottom up in civvy street.
Have welder you will never go hungry, but you will alawys be dirty and burned!
Welding is only a bit of what we do now, but I will never forget how that honest hard graft enabled us to get the position to buy the hi tech stuff we have now for what we do. Our first tube bender was bought scrap for 42 quid, money I made welding up a shed of a dozer blade many years ago.
We now have three tube benders, each worth many thousands , one of which is the only of it's kind functioning on the planet!
Have welder, use welder, fix things, and fix your wallet.
Buy a welder, cherish it. They dont need much love, just chuck an oily sheet over it to hibernate, if mig just get a pub bottle, will last you ages for occasional use.
 
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yes, apologies chap, ran a saw blade over my fingertips, had a tiff with the wife, and jumped into a bottle last night :D

For your money the 135TE is best and most adaptable. The other thing that makes a huge difference nowadays are auto darkening helmets. They are very cheap nowadays, but dont buy machine mart one, the glasses are tiny. £40 should get you a useable one.
 
Steve_N said:
As mentioned earlier don't even consider gas-less MIG.
And as to welding 4mm steel with 90A, well...
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Can't seem to see your earlier post Steve though I remember reading it.

Assuming I rarely want to weld anything above 16swg and always work indoors, would the Lidl welder still be a hopeless case?
 
doug748 said:
Can't seem to see your earlier post Steve though I remember reading it.

Assuming I rarely want to weld anything above 16swg and always work indoors, would the Lidl welder still be a hopeless case?
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gasless welding is quite tricky to get right. It is sold as a cheap hobby option nowadays, but it is harder to get instant good results than mig as it is a messy foggy process to behold through the lens
It is fine outdoors, that was the whole idea of it in the first place.
If you are willing to practice you will get some kind of result. If you want it to weld 4mm, you will need to really bevel it, and accept that it may not be very strong.
 
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