Welding 8mm mild steel rods

[rachflying]

Hi, complete newbie in need of help. I’ve been trawling the internet trying to find which welder I need to make a mild steel armature using 8mm mild steel round rods. I need to weld them crossing over each other.
Which welder type and Amp would I need?
Rachel

 

[bourbon]

arc or mig at that thickness, What else do you want to do with it? BTW welcome to the forum

 

[rachflying]

I need to make armatures similar to these photos but because it’s 8mm rods the internet is telling me I need a 200amp welder, do you agree?

 

[Barking Mat]

An arc welder, would be the cheapest way to go.

You'd need an hours practice of getting a nice arc first, if you've never tried before.

2.5 rods would suffice I would have thought.

200 amps will be fine.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[bourbon]

Don't forget your PPE. helmet, gloves, apron. then a chipping hammer, grinder and wire brush. then just practice practice, practice. Then, when you get bored, Practice some more.

 

[rachflying]

An arc welder, would be the cheapest way to go.

You'd need an hours practice of getting a nice arc first, if you've never tried before.

2.5 rods would suffice I would have thought.

200 amps will be fine.

Welcome to the forum.

I was hoping I wouldn’t need a 200 amp cause I can’t plug that into a 13amp domestic socket ( I don’t think).
Is there no hope in achieving this with something like a Sealey mighty mig 100? Do I have to go big?

 

[rachflying]

Don't forget your PPE. helmet, gloves, apron. then a chipping hammer, grinder and wire brush. then just practice practice, practice. Then, when you get bored, Practice some more.

Thank you

 

[More Amps]

Calling @chunkolini (one of our famous resident sculptors)

 

[rachflying]

Just to add - the armature will be completely covered and not seen so it needs to be strong but not pretty

 

[bourbon]

get a welder that you can run on a 13 amp socket and put plenty of weld on it! I won't make a recommendation of welders out of respect for the forum sponsors. even though I work at Machine Mart

 

[Barking Mat]

I was hoping I wouldn’t need a 200 amp cause I can’t plug that into a 13amp domestic socket ( I don’t think).
Is there no hope in achieving this with something like a Sealey mighty mig 100? Do I have to go big?

You can plug a 200 amp inverter welder into a 13 amp socket, no worries.

We've got one at work, will do 3.2 rods happily.

 

[Barking Mat]

Amazon has loads of 200 amp arc welders with a 3 pin plug.

 

[Mark 2]

Any fairly basic stick welder will do for what you want. 120 maybe 150 amps will do.
I'm fairly sure you'll not need hundreds of hours practice either.
Welcome.

 

[Barking Mat]

But the higher rated machine, the better the duty cycle, even if you don't need 200 amps.

 

[George A2Y]

Amazon has loads of 200 amp arc welders with a 3 pin plug.

Would think 150A Arc welder would be fine, possibly 200A if mig.

 

[Cobbler]

I’ve made several garden obelisks out of 10mm reinforcing bar with a 140a arc welder using 2.5 rods running at about 85 amps. That’s all you will need for 8mm bar, much more than that & you will blow it away.

 

[rachflying]

I’ve made several garden obelisks out of 10mm reinforcing bar with a 140a arc welder using 2.5 rods running at about 85 amps. That’s all you will need for 8mm bar, much more than that & you will blow it away.

Thank you - I’m not entirely sure if I need an arc welder or inverter arc welder - can either be used on a domestic socket?

 

[Mark 2]

Inverter is the modern version, much lighter.

 

[Cobbler]

Thank you - I’m not entirely sure if I need an arc welder or inverter arc welder - can either be used on a domestic socket?

As Mark 2 says above, an inverter is easier & nicer to use & not a lot of money now.

 

[mike os]

Arc is more about the current to melt the rod rather than the parts (summarised)

2.4 or 3.2 rods 85 to 125a off an inverter welder will easily run off a 13asupply