What type of welder?
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Re: What type of welder?
Firstly if you’re getting a welder, don’t do any work on the hull - this is a job for a specialist welder. However, I think owning a welder is a must have if you have a metal boat.
You’re really looking at 2 choices - either get a stick welder or a MIG welder
You can’t MIG weld effectively outdoors because the gas gets blown away, so you’ll need a stick welder for this. If you’ve got rusty parts you’ll need to stick weld or clean then up before MIG welding.
TBH I’d just go for a cheap inverter stick welder, pick one of these, probably the Amico http://www.kingsofwelding.com/buyers-guides/best-stick-welder-reviews/
Hope this helps! -
Re: What type of welder?
What is 'overplating'?
I like my Hobart Stickmate.
RSleep with one eye open.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
I recently watched a bloke at the yard using a gasless mig. Didn't know they existed until then. Apparently there is some kind of flux in the wire which allows it to work without gas. I was skeptical, but after seeing it in action it appears to have all the advantages of a mig without having to bother with a gas bottle (and the expense which goes with it).Originally posted by wizbang 13I set them in with a yankee screwdriver that I inherited from my godfather Jesus Muhammod Herreschoff in 1848.It has the original red oak handle.Alas, the rest of it rusted away and was replaced with an impact driver.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
which leads to a poor weld causing it to unstick...Originally posted by wizbang 13I set them in with a yankee screwdriver that I inherited from my godfather Jesus Muhammod Herreschoff in 1848.It has the original red oak handle.Alas, the rest of it rusted away and was replaced with an impact driver.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
MIG makes it easy for anyone to get a good looking weld with little penetration/ strength.
RSleep with one eye open.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
I recently watched a bloke at the yard using a gasless mig. Didn't know they existed until then. Apparently there is some kind of flux in the wire which allows it to work without gas. I was skeptical, but after seeing it in action it appears to have all the advantages of a mig without having to bother with a gas bottle (and the expense which goes with it)."If it ain't broke, you're not trying." - Red GreenComment
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Re: What type of welder?
I recently watched a bloke at the yard using a gasless mig. Didn't know they existed until then. Apparently there is some kind of flux in the wire which allows it to work without gas. I was skeptical, but after seeing it in action it appears to have all the advantages of a mig without having to bother with a gas bottle (and the expense which goes with it).I'm high on life. The trick is to grind it up and snort it.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
I have a flux core wire feed jobbie for making a blobby mess of thin sheet to 3/32" and a buzz box arc for making a blobby mess of 1/16" to 1/4" .... yeah I could use practice.2019: returning from being sidelined with medical probs, crossing fingers worst is over, still in "armchair enthusiast" mode for time being.Comment
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Re: What type of welder?
In order of difficulty to learn from easy-hard: MIG (wire feed), stick, Oxy-fuel (torch) and TIG.
MIG is simplest and easiest to learn. It’s also one of the least versatile. Stick is useful on heavier metals (greater than 1/8” or 3mm thickness). Both MIG and stick are messy, leaving lots of spatter and in the case of stick, slag that will need to be cleaned off the weld. TIG and Oxy-fuel are both difficult to master, requiring a great deal of practice to get right. Oxy-fuel is of limited use, as it utilizes an open flame; add combustible materials and things get exciting quickly. TIG is the most versatile form of welding, and also the most difficult to master. With the correct set-up, one can weld everything from razor blades to 1/2” (12mm) plate, along with brazing steel, stainless steel, and welding aluminum.
Not sure what you mean by overplating, but for handrail repairs, etc.; MIG would work well. I’ve been TIG welding for far too long, and I am a bit of a snob when it comes to clean welds, so I would go that route. TIG requires dedication to master, however; it can be an art form in and of itself...Attached Files“You can have peace. Or, you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on having both at once.” RA HeinleinComment
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Re: What type of welder?
Saral
Could you say what materials and thickness you might be using?
Since you are in UK, a bit of reading on mig-welding.co.uk will give you a head start. Good tutorials on the top of the page.
I have had a lot of practice, so can use stick on stuff like 1.5mm stainless tube. Mig is better, but the kit costs more and you need to rent or buy a bottle of argon/co2 mix. Also a MMA(stick) welder of say, 160amps will weld much thicker stuff than a 160amp Mig.
I have not tried gasless, but the guys on the forum think it is good for thinner stuff outside. Most Migs now come as either. One needs to swop the polarity and the tip in the torch, along with the wire drive wheel (sometimes..)
DC inverter welders can be used for scratch or lift start TIG, but it is a bit more tricky to get the arc going than a dedicated TIG with HF, which jumps the gap to get it going.
Don't think of aluminium at this stage, it requires an ACDC machine, much more costly, along with pure argon (as does the DC tig)
Apart from reading the above site, I would highly reccommend taking a course at some local education place or find an experienced welder to give tips and watch your first efforts.
Basic advice, get a DC inverter or a second hand older transformer machine(good ones can be very cheap) and start with stick. My little DC machine has 'soft start' which helps avoid the rod sticking when striking the arc.
A2
Edit: A girl asked me to teach her the basics as she was going to an OZ outback station. She managed to run simple beads that were strong enough in about two hours from her first touching a welder.Comment
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