+1 for mobile welder - it mans you can get it all done without transport. +1 again on prep, it saves a lot of money and it goes down well with the welders, they want to weld not grind rust. Search as a guy on the LR forums posted a series of how to pics on the door pillars. Its small angle grinder, thin cutting disc, drill, hammer, chisel and take it slow. And make sure you don't cut off more than the repair panel, easy to get carried away.....
Trumar
Active Member
Getting carried away is what I’m worried about lol. But understand what you are saying about the prep work.+1 for mobile welder - it mans you can get it all done without transport. +1 again on prep, it saves a lot of money and it goes down well with the welders, they want to weld not grind rust. Search as a guy on the LR forums posted a series of how to pics on the door pillars. Its small angle grinder, thin cutting disc, drill, hammer, chisel and take it slow. And make sure you don't cut off more than the repair panel, easy to get carried away.....
In the end a lot of us invest in an inverter mig, about £200 and with a modern auto helmet and gasless wire you can do most yourself. Its just practice, practice and more practice. I welded the wheel barrow, then the mower then the trailer and then I was ready for the bulkhead.
Marmaduke
Well-Known Member
Have a look at your local machine mart and register online as they regularly have a 20% off day. Also keep an eye on ebay
I got mine from StaticArc in Birmingham via e-bay but I see a lot of their kit is sold out at the moment. Some rough and ready advice:
Expect to pay between £2-300, below £200 may be lacking some features.
Get an inverter MIG, these are DC and digital controlled for reluctance so they ramp the arc up and hold the arc steady. Its a bit of a revelation after an AC / non-inverter MIG
You need polarity reversal to be able to use gas or gasless and its best to get a Euromig torch connection as this has the gas tube and replacements are easy to get.
They usually comes with stick welding leads as well as the MIG and may or may not have a TIG torch but most should be able to do TIG.
Get one that draws 16A, in practice this gets you somewhere around 160-180A (depending on duty cycle) but for a "normal" weld of (say) 70a it will draw well under 13A off the mains so you can run it on a std 13A plug. The inverter welders seem to be more efficient in how they use the mains AC to get a high current. They rectify the mains AC to DC, invert the DC to very high frequency AC then transform that to high current DC. Because they are "making" the high frequency AC using sold state circuits they can vary this in real time to give automatic control. It will take some practice to get initial settings but once you are welding you will hardly ever drop the arc.
I have found knobs to be easier than buttons for the controls but its a moot point as once you get the basic setting the welder will make its own adjustments during the weld.
I have been very impressed with modern gassless wire. Its very good on thin metal and working outdoors.- I recently welded up an old exhaust. And of course its a lot cheaper to practice with gasless and save the gas for the high stressed welds..
Expect to pay between £2-300, below £200 may be lacking some features.
Get an inverter MIG, these are DC and digital controlled for reluctance so they ramp the arc up and hold the arc steady. Its a bit of a revelation after an AC / non-inverter MIG
You need polarity reversal to be able to use gas or gasless and its best to get a Euromig torch connection as this has the gas tube and replacements are easy to get.
They usually comes with stick welding leads as well as the MIG and may or may not have a TIG torch but most should be able to do TIG.
Get one that draws 16A, in practice this gets you somewhere around 160-180A (depending on duty cycle) but for a "normal" weld of (say) 70a it will draw well under 13A off the mains so you can run it on a std 13A plug. The inverter welders seem to be more efficient in how they use the mains AC to get a high current. They rectify the mains AC to DC, invert the DC to very high frequency AC then transform that to high current DC. Because they are "making" the high frequency AC using sold state circuits they can vary this in real time to give automatic control. It will take some practice to get initial settings but once you are welding you will hardly ever drop the arc.
I have found knobs to be easier than buttons for the controls but its a moot point as once you get the basic setting the welder will make its own adjustments during the weld.
I have been very impressed with modern gassless wire. Its very good on thin metal and working outdoors.- I recently welded up an old exhaust. And of course its a lot cheaper to practice with gasless and save the gas for the high stressed welds..
Trumar
Active Member
Thank you for the info I do worry that setting up what needs bead welding and what to do if I have to spot weld like the pillars! I have noticed there is no beads down the length of both sides of the pillar so I’m thinking that this has some other way to be held together like is this spot weld how would I do this? I think I will be practicing for a while before I feel safe enough to do the welding on my truck, apologies for just answering you, I haven’t been near my truck for awhile been decorating at home to keep the wife happy!! many thanks Mark
If you have a compressor then get a pneumatic joggler/punch (they come as one tool) then mig the spot welds. You can drill 3/16 holes and mig those.
One of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pneumati...054657?hash=item4229ea2e41:g:zygAAOSwWGNdcfR8
Like this:
One of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pneumati...054657?hash=item4229ea2e41:g:zygAAOSwWGNdcfR8
Like this:
Trumar
Active Member
I haven’t got a compressor I could possibly borrow one! I watched a video last night and the man making it had drilled holes all the way down the new door pillar, now I understand why! Thanks to you. I took at screenshot of this mig welder I know it’s cheap compared to other mig welders but would this be ok to use?
Attachments
Colthebrummie
Well-Known Member
It looks to cheap to be any good. One of the problems with cheap mig welders is the pitiful duty cycle. They cut out when they get hot. Also cheap welder have poor quality wire feeds and you have difficulty in getting smooth runs. My first mig was about this price and it was dreadful, I thought it was me and it was very frustrating. To be honest it was probably 50% me. I gave it to a mate who is a good welder and he said it was ok on thick stuff but you couldn't weld thick stuff from a 13 amp plug. So, if you are already a competent welder it might be ok but it won't be long before it breaks down.
Col
Col
Trumar
Active Member
Glad I asked you now. I couldn’t stretch much further on a new welder so I will look for a secondhand welder. I think I shouldn’t need to keep sending screenshots and asking you is this any good! As most of the secondhand welders are old so should be a lot better just thought of this question for you I have both bottom pillar feet that are galvanised should I buy the two pillars galvanised or normal black metal ones?
Trumar
Active Member
Thanks Andy J. For showing me this video it is the best one I have found on YouTube he does make it all look easy lol. But he’s not fooling me lol.
Colthebrummie
Well-Known Member
The problem with welding galvenized metal is that the melted galv gives off very toxic fumes. Some welders won't touch it, especially mobile welders who don't have forced extraction. I would use non galved parts and paint them really well once in place. If a welder offers to weld galv without commenting, he probably is a cowboy.
Col
Col
You really want to get an inverter mig, they are a lot easier to use. If the add doesn't say "inverter" assume its not. The problem is inverter migs have come down in price a lot so there's few on the 2nd hand market or they are priced close to the new cost now. Re galv, I grind the galv off and work outside in a breeze, OK for gasless but no use with gas. I try to avoid doing it.
Trumar
Active Member
And I thought I done good getting galvanized parts lol. No worries I will not be buying galvanized again. Appreciate all your help Col I will let you know how I get on!
Trumar
Active Member
Thank you I will start looking for the inverter mig welder. I’m really glad I asked on here about welding as I thought a welder was a welder! Thank you for your help
