My days at work playing with a welder

I know its not fishing related but my boss asked me to do a bit of tacking on a project with the mig welder. when i told him i have never used one only watched, he told me to get some scrap and learn. So that is what i have done, not that good but i am getting there

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together


Hazell's picture

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Date Joined: 26/10/09

That fishing one is pretty

Mon, 2010-09-13 20:42

That fishing one is pretty good!

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Ash Hazell

"A cast a day keeps the psychiatrist away"

dagree's picture

Posts: 660

Date Joined: 08/12/07

Not bad for a practise

Mon, 2010-09-13 20:46

Not bad for a practise session Russ.... Very arty!!!!

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Cheers,

David (AKA Grumps)

Location: Heathridge.  Toys:  120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.

Faulkner Family's picture

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hope to get my own mig

Mon, 2010-09-13 20:50

hope to get my own mig welder soon so i can start doing more of it now that i cant work full time.looking at one of those gasless ones, heard they are ok for light stuff but nothing too heavy

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

dagree's picture

Posts: 660

Date Joined: 08/12/07

MIG Welder

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:22

Thinking about getting one for home also.... Definately looking at the gasless aswell. Great for around the home but as you said not for the heavy stuff.

Plus it saves having to buy the gas Money mouth. Getting our guys at work one each so might borrow one and see what they are like before getting it.

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Cheers,

David (AKA Grumps)

Location: Heathridge.  Toys:  120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.

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let me know what they are

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:25

let me know what they are like. the bloke that does the welding at work got one and said they are good on the lightish stuff but he is going to get a better unit as he does more heavy stuff .would be good to get another point of view on them

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

dagree's picture

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Date Joined: 08/12/07

Will do

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:42

Russ I have been advised to stay away from the no name brands that are sold at Bunnings and get a CIG or Lincoln brand. Supposed to be good up to 6mm thick steel so would do me for around the home.

Gasless splatter alot more requiring more cleanup.... Just depends on how much you are going to use it and what you want to spend. Gas MIGS can be used as gasless so another option could be borrow a gas one and try it both ways.

Cost of cylinder rental is about $40/year and $30 to refill from memory.

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Cheers,

David (AKA Grumps)

Location: Heathridge.  Toys:  120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.

scotto's picture

Posts: 2470

Date Joined: 21/04/08

fluxcore

Tue, 2010-09-14 08:23

mig stands for Metal Inert Gas, and was designed to be used with gas (any inert gas, but usually argon). using a gasless (fluxcore) mig is a waste of time, unless you are going to spend the $$$$$$$$$$ and get a good one, but if you are doing that, you may as well get a gas one anyway.

 

the smaller (140 amp) cigweld ones are ok for the home handyman (nontheless, for over a grand, you can buy a GOOD quality compact arc welder), but not as a fluxcore. getting a small cylinder of gas, will greatly improve the quality and ease of welding with these small machines, and cleanup and spatter is reduced by 95%.

scottnofish's picture

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Date Joined: 28/08/07

I sell them at work

Tue, 2010-09-14 09:47

u can get a good lincoln 180 mig for around  a grand  a lot of panel shops and mobile welders use these and they are a good reliable unit if used correctly

flux core is ok but as scotto said u get a lot neater / less spatter from solid wire with gas

sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

I like the Flinstones chopper

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:09

I like the Flinstones chopper Smile

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Love the West!

Faulkner Family's picture

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My 19yo son wanted a

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:12

My 19yo son wanted a motorbike for his birthday so i built him one. not quite what he wanted but he likes it. sits on top of his TV

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

PilbaraBrad's picture

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did you do any work at work

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:39

did you do any work at work russ?

Faulkner Family's picture

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yeah i do when needed and

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:43

yeah i do when needed and with work i can do. as i am on workers comp and can only lift 5 kg and only work 3 days at 4 hours p/day (not my choice) there isnt too much i can do

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

dagree's picture

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Was just thinking the same

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:44

Where do I get a job like that Wink

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Cheers,

David (AKA Grumps)

Location: Heathridge.  Toys:  120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.

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trust me, its no picnic with

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:46

trust me, its no picnic with a bad back. i would give just about anything to be able to get back to normal and do a good hard days work.

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

dagree's picture

Posts: 660

Date Joined: 08/12/07

Have an idea what you are

Mon, 2010-09-13 22:16

Have an idea what you are going through Russ... Did a lower disk 5 years ago (Sciatica... spellcheck). Took 9 months to heel and it wasn't compo so had to fork out the dollars myself Frown.

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Cheers,

David (AKA Grumps)

Location: Heathridge.  Toys:  120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.

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Date Joined: 23/06/10

mig

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:49

everyone I have spoken too says if they had their time again they would go with gas.

i got a lincoln sp 170 - portable good as.

do 6mm no problem, 10mm with multiple passes

i agree with dagree's comments, spend a couple more $$$, you'll be happier in long run.

Justin

Faulkner Family's picture

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i will only be doing this

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:56

i will only be doing this sort of stuff with light steel, prob around the 3 or 4 mm max.  nothing fancy needed

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

kempy's picture

Posts: 810

Date Joined: 28/05/09

we got a mig that can be use

Mon, 2010-09-13 21:57

we got a mig that can be use gasless and gas used gasless for a while now use gas and never lookd back did our whole boat trailer with it

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Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile

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jdog1980's picture

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One thing to keep in mind,

Tue, 2010-09-14 03:40

One thing to keep in mind, if you are using the gasless welders make sure you are wearing a P2 mask. I know that everything is bad for you but gasless fluxcore is very carcinogenic.

soupster51's picture

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Creative

Tue, 2010-09-14 05:10

Top work Russ. I might see you down the local markets on a Sunday by the time I get back.

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The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.

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yeah you never know . when

Tue, 2010-09-14 22:00

yeah you never know . when are you due back to the real world Laughing

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cudbfishn's picture

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Date Joined: 06/04/09

gas gives a better weld.

Tue, 2010-09-14 06:17

gas gives a better weld. Gassless gives a bit of splatter. works out to be about the same price. 4.5kg gasless wire costs bout $100. 4.5kg gas wire costs bout $35, then theres the gas.

Migs will do 6mm easy in 1 pass. so not that light guage.

Posts: 303

Date Joined: 01/09/09

gasless migs !!

Tue, 2010-09-14 07:04

Just my opinioin but please do not get a gasless mig they suck monkeys balls !!!!!

The fumes and smoke they put off is amazing and you cant see shit when trying to weld !!!! plus the spatter !!!

As also mentioned the wire is not cheap, but I will add that the bottle rental and filling charges keep going up.  For home use expect to pay about $120 a year rental and about the same to refill. This obviously depends on bottle size and what discount/ where you work for rental/refill ..

Cheers fishfish...

Posts: 163

Date Joined: 22/02/10

It all depends on what your

Tue, 2010-09-14 08:43

It all depends on what your wanting to weld

Light guage sheetmetal or duragal tube, ill take the gasless any day...  so portable and easy to use and you can weld outside in a 40knot wind (try doing that with mig )

i have had my little gasless for over ten years and its paid for itself many times over and although the wire is expensive it can sit there for two years without being used and im not paying anything for gas bottle hire...

i also have a 350 amp mig welder that barely gets used these days...lets face it how often do you need to weld 10-12mm plate around the house...

ill find some pics of the camper trailer i built a few years back with ALL the 2mm sheetmetal welded with gasless (chassis was welded with the 350amp machine) and show the quality that can be achieved with a gasless given a little practice..

Posts: 59

Date Joined: 02/08/10

cool as bro

Tue, 2010-09-14 16:18

cool as bro

Faulkner Family's picture

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Date Joined: 11/03/08

at last , someone that says

Tue, 2010-09-14 21:59

at last , someone that says they are good. im only after a hobbie welder not a work one. i have an arch welder to do the heavy stuff. thanks for all the info.

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

fisho-ron's picture

Posts: 2539

Date Joined: 26/09/09

russ i was a boiler maker

Tue, 2010-09-14 22:20

russ

i was a boiler maker for 15years and have tried all types of welders.

go for the gasless but get the one that can take gas as well, best of both worlds.

you can rent a bottle when needed, hell if it was a bigger type job you can use my bottle if needed.

the gas is deffinatly alot cleaner but if you are welding galv the gasless is better.

the co2 is a lot cheaper gas than the mig shield universal, just a bit more splatter.

 

as a test next time...try some thin metal 1-2mm and try a vertical up weld, that'l test you.Laughing

 

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thanks Ron. i will keep that

Tue, 2010-09-14 22:33

thanks Ron. i will keep that in mind when i go looking.What brands do i look fo and what sort of price. not looking for something too expencive tho

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

fisho-ron's picture

Posts: 2539

Date Joined: 26/09/09

been out of the game for a

Wed, 2010-09-15 06:30

been out of the game for a long time now russ, but i have always had the cig welders withe the benard had guns, but i am sure there sre some quality cheap welders around thes days.

just get the biggest you can afford!,, like boats, you will always want bigger once you got it

cheers

Colin Hay's picture

Posts: 10407

Date Joined: 23/10/07

Sherbs and I wouldn't mind a two way beach rod holders Russ

Wed, 2010-09-15 09:22

Thanks mate

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Posts: 163

Date Joined: 22/02/10

two way rod holders

Wed, 2010-09-15 10:16

Ive Been thinking of knocking up a few for myself out of ally .. seen a couple with a can holder incorporated into it aswell ...

Colin Hay's picture

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Date Joined: 23/10/07

Got to have the can holder luke

Wed, 2010-09-15 10:21

A seat wouldn't be bad either

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Mick's picture

Posts: 501

Date Joined: 28/08/06

Another thing Russ, if you

Sat, 2010-09-25 08:43

Another thing Russ, if you go down the gas path you can use it for any ally or stainless work if you need to do small repairs and the like. Not too sure if you can weld ally with a gasless unit. Food for thought anyway

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If the lord did not mean for us to eat fish and game, he wouldn't have made them outta meat

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