My days at work playing with a welder
Submitted by Faulkner Family on Mon, 2010-09-13 20:35
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
____________________________________________________________________________
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Hazell
Posts: 194
Date Joined: 26/10/09
That fishing one is pretty
That fishing one is pretty good!
Ash Hazell
"A cast a day keeps the psychiatrist away"
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
Not bad for a practise
Not bad for a practise session Russ.... Very arty!!!!
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
hope to get my own mig
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
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
MIG Welder
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
. Getting our guys at work one each so might borrow one and see what they are like before getting it.
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
let me know what they are
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
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
Will do
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.
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
scotto
Posts: 2470
Date Joined: 21/04/08
fluxcore
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
Posts: 1621
Date Joined: 28/08/07
I sell them at work
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
Posts: 14973
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I like the Flinstones chopper
I like the Flinstones chopper
Love the West!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
My 19yo son wanted a
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
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
did you do any work at work
did you do any work at work russ?
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
yeah i do when needed and
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
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
Was just thinking the same
Where do I get a job like that
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
trust me, its no picnic with
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.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
Have an idea what you are
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
.
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
jack_action
Posts: 2
Date Joined: 23/06/10
mig
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
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
i will only be doing this
i will only be doing this sort of stuff with light steel, prob around the 3 or 4 mm max. nothing fancy needed
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
we got a mig that can be use
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
Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile
Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs
jdog1980
Posts: 27
Date Joined: 20/06/10
One thing to keep in mind,
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
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Creative
Top work Russ. I might see you down the local markets on a Sunday by the time I get back.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
yeah you never know . when
yeah you never know . when are you due back to the real world
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
cudbfishn
Posts: 1311
Date Joined: 06/04/09
gas gives a better weld.
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.
fishfish
Posts: 307
Date Joined: 01/09/09
gasless migs !!
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...
luke t
Posts: 163
Date Joined: 22/02/10
It all depends on what your
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..
Drew Tagote
Posts: 59
Date Joined: 02/08/10
cool as bro
cool as bro
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
at last , someone that says
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.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
russ i was a boiler maker
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.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
thanks Ron. i will keep that
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
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
been out of the game for a
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
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Sherbs and I wouldn't mind a two way beach rod holders Russ
Thanks mate
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
luke t
Posts: 163
Date Joined: 22/02/10
two way rod holders
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
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Got to have the can holder luke
A seat wouldn't be bad either
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
Mick
Posts: 501
Date Joined: 28/08/06
Another thing Russ, if you
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
If the lord did not mean for us to eat fish and game, he wouldn't have made them outta meat
The speed of light is faster than the speed of sound. That's why so many people appear bright...until they speak.