Hi everyone, would you be so kind to give a begginers advice?

[angellonewolf]

And copper unsure if it welds copper


i might get a mask as a birthday gift and ill invest in a gas bottle to begin with, and gloves and a suit
so im missing the welder....

Apart of the list i hear lincoln machines are very good too, but more expensive

You solder copper not Weld

And Lincoln very good but about 4 or 5 times your budget


Have you looked local for 2nd hand welding stuff ?

Stick welders are quite cheap 2nd hand the Transformers use a quality power extension lead they go quite far in the garden
And unless you doing work out and about the weight should not be that much of a problem

Unless your getting on the older side I'm 50s and carrying round a transformer unit is easy but I'm a big bloke

 

[Hopefuldave]

You solder copper not Weld

I've seen a video of Ron Covell TIG welding copper, so it is done - if i unforget diserroneously he was making a radiator grille for a tiny retro racecar to be sent off for plating?

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Interesting, thanks for the advice we are always learning new stuff.



Im surely gonna look local for 2nd hand lincoln or other options, but i strugge to understand which are reliable or not with so many options...



I do get what you're sayin on the transformer too, but for my first machine i would like an inverted, an maybe in the future i get both for convenience...

 

[angellonewolf]

Interesting, thanks for the advice we are always learning new stuff.



Im surely gonna look local for 2nd hand lincoln or other options, but i strugge to understand which are reliable or not with so many options...



I do get what you're sayin on the transformer too, but for my first machine i would like an inverted, an maybe in the future i get both for convenience...

im only saying with the limited buget you have you will get more bang for your money if you go for older transfomer stuff and have more options there will be plenty of transfomer hiding in sheds unused i dought meny people having spending the big money on a quality unit lets it sits unused

and you did come to the fourm for advice its up to to you on how you use that advice

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

For sure, quick update , Apart from some standalone MMA inverters here's what i found local, around 400 to 600eur-pounds


Inverter MIG MAG TELWIN Electromig 220 Synergic
Bester 190C Mult
Plasmargon Multi mig235A

i also found this model locally from widmann

MIG 160A INVERTER DC WELDER 3-IN-1 MMA TIG GAS GASLESS ARC WELDING | eBay

Widmann 3-IN-1 INVERTER DC WELDER MMA MIG TIG 160A. MIG rated duty cycle: 35% at 160A, 60% at 120A, 100% at 95A. Rated duty cycle MMA / LIFT TIG: 35% at 160A, 60% at 120A, 100% at 95A. Function: MIG, MMA / LIFT TIG Max.

www.ebay.co.uk

I tend to believe now its not gonna be easy, but ill keep searching...

 

[eddie49]

Sine you are in the EU and can benefit from their excellent 7-year warranty, I would suggest that the best option for you is an inverter MIG/MMA machine from Stahlwerk.

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Thanks i heard of them too, ill keep my eye open for a good machine-price



cheers

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Today i found this one locally too around 250, maybe its a piece of crap but it looks like a multi inverter too....


hitbox hbm1200.....


Any feedback anyone on this model ?

 

[eddie49]

At 250 Euros, your price for the HBM1200 seems high. That model only costs 115 - 130 Euros here:

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

Regarding "multi inverter", most inverter MIGs at this level also offer MMA ( Arc ) functionality, and in theory you can use a DC Arc welder as a power source for Lift TIG.
This machine has a non-attached but also non-Euro MIG torch, which feeds the wire through a hollow Dinse socket. It has no controls for gas, so is only usable for fluxcore. Overall, it is about as far away from the high-end machines that you originally mentioned as you could get.....

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Thanks Eddie, after reading your post i discarded that one



Somebody here suggested the brand stahlwerk too, and i found them locally and found the price range reasonable too, however too many models and specs that get me very confused... heres what i found (some of these have included the protection mask too)



stahlwerk CTM-250 ST (higher end model with ac-dc tig too and plasma cut) around 1200eur-pound

STAHLWERK MIG MAG 175 ST IGBT - price 400
STAHLWERK MIG 160 M synergic - price 200
STAHLWERK MIG MAG 155 ST IGBT synergic - price 250
STAHLWERK MIG MAG 200 ST IGBT - price 450


Im thinking the price goes up as the amperage, so maybe i could be fine with a 160 amps machine..... has anyone got any feedback on these ones ?


Thanks in advance

 

[zx9]

Im thinking the price goes up as the amperage, so maybe i could be fine with a 160 amps machine.

It would be usual to find that in any range the price goes up with increased power.

The actual full power may not be required but a higher power welder running at a lower setting will most often have a better duty cycle letting you weld for longer.

 

[prepman]

Hi good forum people , and thanks for visiting my topic, new complete begginner in the soldering world here and trying to buy my first machine. and wondering if good people here could help me choose on the below models.
I have had some chats with some friends about it, living in Europe, so in a nutshell, a 220v machine, and looking to try to use it for cast iron, galvanized, stainless steel and of course aluminum, thin and thick.

Tons of info out there so easy to get confused, so please pardon if any mistakes are written here. Got some spares parts of iron bar to start and a soldering table already set, looking for something around 200amps, if possible an lighter weigh inverter with ARC MMA, MIG (and flux) and AC / DC Tig, and if possible a plasma cutter, would be a plus.

My budget is around 400 but i dont mind saving a bit more for a better machine.

Some extra specs and miriads, like acessories are appreciated, eurotorch, synergic mode and induction. Here are some models i first had looked into:

1-DECAPOWER FUSION PMCT-205
2- hzxvogen hvm270
3- STAHLWERK CTM-250

After found about the forum some models came up (not sure on which are chinese or european, just trying to get a reliable machine)

4-Bester by LINCOLN 190C Multi or BESTER 200S multi
5- Cros Arc Titan 160 Multi Function MIG Welder (SYN)
6- Bohler Uranos 2000
7- R-Tech 181
8- GYS Multipearl 210-4 XL Multiprocess (a bit out of budget)


Sorry for the long post, but there is a lot of info around to dive into. Any opinions are appreciated and very welcomed !
cheers

I have 200amp Stahlwerk for past ~10yrs or more MIG/TIG. no major issues...gets full of dust occasionally and amp control drops.....blast out with air and it's good to go.
But Sherman advanced TIG is much better for TIG than the Stahlwerk especially at DC low amps. As a general unit the build quality is good.
Both units being from EU are a bit of a problem in UK after Brexit. eg returns etc Stahlwerk stopped shipping to UK, post Brexit. Maybe they've resumed? Obviously doesn't affect you.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Another vote for Stahlwerk, I have a plasma from them and it works well. Had a queiry and they were very quick to reply and help.

When I lived in Portugal, I found Telwin good too, I had some an inverter mig/tig off them, very good and a Cebora transformer plasma cutter. but that was a while back and I expect they are marketing oriental stuff now, so depends on the service and warranty. Luckily I didn't need to test the warranty on either.

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Thanks guys, great info, so i would probably be better served with a 200amp stahwerk for a better duty cycle


Yeah im not in the UK at the moment, so that wont cause a problem.



here are 2 other questions

1-What is double pulse mig and is it important ? (i believe i saw some machines have it others dont)
2- what Sherman advanced TIG machine for that welding would you recomend ? 206p ?

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

How and by the way, actually a 3rd question i forgot...


3- can one use mig to weld iron as well as stainless steel, galvanized and aluminium ?



thanks again

 

[KemppiFrog]

I often weld galvanized steel tube, but I grind off the galv for about 4mm back from the welding joint edge. I do notice that the zinc next to the weld does inhibit rust a bit, like the anodes on a boat. Apart from possible weakness in the weld, the burning zinc is pretty toxic.
Again, I often weld stainless with 308 and 316 wire. Much the same as plain steel mig welding, but one 'should' use 2% CO2 gas (I think) rather than the 8% I have. Problem is about here, the 2% is only available at €€€€ and in big bottles. Bottle rental is a problem too, if one only uses it accasionaly. I think SGS operates in Portugal (see in the gas section on here) when you can get a bottle for a one time deposit of about 50 euro plus the gas. No such luck here... though I just bought a bottle, as it is not a lot more than a year and a half rental. In Portugal, I bought the bottles, as way cheaper than renting at the time.

Cast iron. I use MMA (stick) weld for that, the few times that I need it.

My last Mig welder was a Kemppi, 150 amps, that I took in exchange for some work in Praia da Luz. I didn't realize quite how good it was until I got used to it. Here, I welded an aluminium tank for a boat in 3mm. It was right on the limit and not really right, but managed. Plus you need argon gas, as you do with any TIG welding, so another bottle...
I now have a Portamig 281, but have not tried it on aluminium. Solid bit of transformer kit and very good. But, new, over twice your budget.

I understand that pulse migs can do aluminium better. But no experience.

 

[Erie Fred]

Based on the OP's questions I would suggest talking a night school class in welding.
Learn how to operate different welders, and then decide.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Based on the OP's questions I would suggest talking a night school class in welding.
Learn how to operate different welders, and then decide.

Tiago did say he had welded before...

 

[Erie Fred]

Tiago did say he had welded before...

But how much ?
The questioning looks like someone with little to no experience, but wanting to weld
everything under the sun.

Get some time under your belt, try the various processes and then look for a machine.

 

[TiagoFigueiredo]

Thanks for the replies everyone, i did weld with mma electrodes many years ago, maybe for a couple of hours. At that point i hadnt got the slightest idea that there were mig, tig or other methods-techniques available....

Taking a welding class was my first option, but down here, its not really possible, its about 4 times my budget for the machine only. Id stick for friends, videos, small garage shops and slow self learning. If i have the chance in the near future, ill take it straigh away, know how and safety first.

Thats looks like a great machine KemppiFrog

Can the mig machine weld the 304 or 316 stainless steel with gas bottle or any special mix gas?

I still dont know what double pulse mig is....