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Post by chippie on Aug 2, 2022 19:03:52 GMT 1
Anyone do welding?
MMA/MIG/TIG……
Looking for recommendations on a mma/Tig set…..not too expensive for a pensioner….looking to learn…🤣
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 2, 2022 20:07:08 GMT 1
Anyone do welding? MMA/MIG/TIG…… Looking for recommendations on a mma/Tig set…..not too expensive for a pensioner….looking to learn…🤣 I do lots of welding MMA/MIG TIG DC/AC. What do you want to weld....?
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Post by chippie on Aug 2, 2022 20:19:06 GMT 1
Mild steel, mainly, thin sheet stuff maybe a bit of box section 3mm wall….no exotic stuff like al or stainless/copper… So a straight dc inverter set would suffice, around 140-180A with a decent turndown…
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 2, 2022 23:04:44 GMT 1
Mild steel, mainly, thin sheet stuff maybe a bit of box section 3mm wall….no exotic stuff like al or stainless/copper… So a straight dc inverter set would suffice, around 140-180A with a decent turndown… 1/8th (or 3mm) box section is the last thing you wanna be learning to weld with MMA. Too easy to blow a hole in the box. 70amps DC with a 2.5 6013 rod is about where you wanna be - but it is not easy. ------------- Nothing wrong with an old AC buzz box wound coil welder - except open circuit voltage is low and rods are hard to get alight. Modern DC invertors have 100volt plus OCV and light a rod up OK. DC inverter and a TIG torch - bottle of Argon is where it is at. Lift ARC for ignition is good. HF arc ignition everybody raves about - but even expensive welding sets with HF I always use lift arc - unless it is AC pulse alloy welding - then I use HF. Plus with a DC TIG set and argon you can TIG braze - and that is a usefull repair skill.
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Post by chippie on Aug 3, 2022 7:57:22 GMT 1
Thanks for that….. I have an old school buzz box, it’s about 30-40 yrs old…. I like the idea of Tig, but this Tig brazing, is that a similar process to gas brazing using prefluxed rods? ( I have a tube of rods already courtesy of work….😀 ) Looking at this… www.ukhs.tv/Wolf-Professional-Combined-TIG-200-DC-Welder-ARC-WelderNeed to sort a bottle/reg….
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Post by rhyds on Aug 3, 2022 9:31:55 GMT 1
My old man is a big fan of his Thermal Arc 175 inverter stick welder. Its light, easily controllable and is happy enough on a 13A power supply unless you're hammering it at full power
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 3, 2022 12:02:03 GMT 1
Thanks for that….. I have an old school buzz box, it’s about 30-40 yrs old…. I like the idea of Tig, but this Tig brazing, is that a similar process to gas brazing using prefluxed rods? ( I have a tube of rods already courtesy of work….😀 ) Looking at this… www.ukhs.tv/Wolf-Professional-Combined-TIG-200-DC-Welder-ARC-WelderNeed to sort a bottle/reg…. Read the spec: 1. OCV is low at 65volts (which will make it hard getting rods alight) 2. Does not say what sort of TIG arc ignition (avoid scratch start TIG ignition it is not easy)
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Post by chippie on Aug 3, 2022 15:11:18 GMT 1
Most of the Tig sets I came across ( that are affordable….) don’t specify scratch/lift/hf start….I spose a clue is in the torch….a switch for lift, ( hf ? ) no switch scratch….
I’ve seen one or two with o/c volts of around 85….(the Clarke one is 85v, but doesn’t have gas control built in like the Wolf..)
Iirc, my buzz box is around 40-60 volts, it seemed to work ok for me….I built a 4 foot trailer with it back in the 80’s…( plenty of stick practice then….but I’ve not done any since then (or very very little…not needed to do any really..)
I’ve been using my Clarke mig set today, starting to get the hang of it….(tweaked the settings a bit more…) surprising how well a weld can look after cleaning up with a grinder….🤣
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Welding
Aug 3, 2022 15:27:31 GMT 1
via mobile
Post by OldGit on Aug 3, 2022 15:27:31 GMT 1
Thermal Arc are a good workhorse for the money, a lot of the budget end are Chinese, further up are also Chinese but with better quality components and QC... I have a GYS MMA /TIG, it was most likely several times your budget, I do use it for some quite involved repairs and fabrication so it earns its keep but I wouldn't have spent anything like the cost if it was just for hobby use. I've tried TIG brazing, to be honest it seems to be one of those things that people do 'because they can' rather than the best way to get good results. Gas brazing to my mind, gives better results and is more controllable.
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 3, 2022 15:49:04 GMT 1
Attachment DeletedI got two TIG/MMA sets: Both 240v on a 16amp plugs. Kemppi Miniarc EVO 180 (DC lift arc ignition TIG - no Argon gas solenoid valve) Lincoln V205T (AC/DC lift/HF ignition TIG - with gas valve) As you can see from the picture - even thou the little Kemppi is newer - I have used it more than the older Lincoln AC/DC set.Previous to this - I used for TIG welding a huge monster Murex DC 400amp 3 phase rectifier - huge wheel barrow thing - big enough for shipbuilding - but went down to 5amps. I bought a AC TIG welder because I convinced myself I needed one - but I hardly ever use AC for TIG welding.
OldGit I like gas brazing better than TIG brazing - but most people only have Oxy propane now for heating and cutting (I don't have Acetylene now). If you have a DC TIG set with a bottle of argon - you already have everything to TIG braze with. Plus in an emergency - I have used the earth cable out of 4mm twin and earth electrical cable for the filler wire - TIG brazing is fast - TIG welding is slow
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 3, 2022 16:27:07 GMT 1
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Post by chippie on Aug 3, 2022 17:29:07 GMT 1
Yep!…. Very neat job, ‘bout as good as my welding…..🤣 ( I wish…..mine is like pigeon shit at the moment….)
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 3, 2022 18:12:08 GMT 1
Yep!…. Very neat job, ‘bout as good as my welding…..🤣 ( I wish…..mine is like pigeon shit at the moment….) I can do it - (I have had my fill of agricultural/plant fitting) - but I don't do it often as I used to! Do very little welding now - only repairing stuff! My problem with age is eyesight - seeing the weld pool - I got cheater lens (magnifying x2) in both my welding helmets. And I cannot see the weld pool in alloy - I really just can't now. --------- If you gonna get into MMA welding choose a high OCV set - higher voltage will keep "fast freeze" rods alight. Because if you get into this - you will soon learn quickly the standard 6013 welding rod has its disadvantages (they run everywhere). When you start doing vertical up or anything away from downhand - get into position you will soon be wanting 7018 and 6010 rods. Most of my MMA welding for repair work now is done in 312's (29/9's) - Dissimilar rods. Most of my MMA welding is done with 3.2mm rods (and a few 2.5mm rods for repair work). So 180amp set is enough for me. Higher amperage welder buys you a bit more duty cycle (but a modern 200amp inverter set will lay down 4mm rods as fast as I can do it without cutting out). I cannot recall the last time I turned a MMA welder up above 120amps. --------- Lot of science and chemistry in any welding process - get the right stuff - the right settings it just gets easy so quickly.
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Post by OldGit on Aug 3, 2022 18:30:27 GMT 1
The right rods (and filler) for the job are essential - and keep them dry or bake them for a couple of hours if they're 'old stock'. TIG especially likes everything to be clean, Acetone is best, you can get 5 litres + a couple of squeeze bottles for next-to-nowt on Amazon.
If you want to put a hard edge on anything, broken HSS-Co Cobalt make great filler rods.
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remmington
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Post by remmington on Aug 3, 2022 18:37:34 GMT 1
The right rods (and filler) for the job are essential - and keep them dry or bake them for a couple of hours if they're 'old stock'. TIG especially likes everything to be clean, Acetone is best, you can get 5 litres + a couple of squeeze bottles for next-to-nowt on Amazon. If you want to put a hard edge on anything, broken HSS-Co Cobalt make great filler rods.
Most new things I make are lazered out and CNC folded up now - you either MIG stitch them together or rivet them. All my welding now is - broken bolt extraction or welding up broken/corroded rusty things. Or making an old special tool.
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