$89 welder

**rok-the-boat** · 4th February 2007, 19:05

Saw an $89 Welder in the Warehouse today. Anyone buy one? Do they actually work? How good are they?

**doc** · 4th February 2007, 19:10

Originally Posted by rok-the-boat

Saw an $89 Welder in the Warehouse today. Anyone buy one? Do they actually work? How good are they?

Two rods and the thermal cutout cuts in and thats just welding tinfoil. Save your money and get semi pro stuff betta in longrun.

**Shadows** · 5th February 2007, 00:41

You get what you pay for.

**degrom** · 5th February 2007, 08:16

Originally Posted by rok-the-boat

Saw an $89 Welder in the Warehouse today. Anyone buy one? Do they actually work? How good are they?

Mmmm.... Cheap welder's can sort of go but if you buy shitty welding rod's not even a good welder is going to help you out!!!

I bought a Bunning's $100 Welder and it's fine. Depends on what you want to do.... (I bought BOC welding rods and they work like a charm.. I think they were called Easy-Weld...)

If you want to weld on your bike it's going to be not so good. (Arc ain't the nices looking weld's around!!!)

**Henk** · 5th February 2007, 08:22

I have a baby MIG that I hardly ever use, bought second hand for $300. I was tempted by an ARC TIG caddy at field days last year for $1000 but didn't bother. Was a nice piece of equipment though. Biggest hassle is paying the rental on gas botles. Suspect you'd be better off hiring a welder rather than buying a $100 job.

**degrom** · 5th February 2007, 08:28

Originally Posted by Henk

I have a baby MIG that I hardly ever use, bought second hand for $300. I was tempted by an ARC TIG caddy at field days last year for $1000 but didn't bother. Was a nice piece of equipment though. Biggest hassle is paying the rental on gas botles. Suspect you'd be better off hiring a welder rather than buying a $100 job.

Now you are talking!!!

If you are going to use it a lot... Buy the expencive one. If you don't know, rent one and try it first...

**JMemonic** · 6th February 2007, 16:42

You get what you pay for, look at the duty cycle of the welder it measured in a percentage of 10 minutes, and at a certain current rating.

I have a very cheap mma (stick) welder here, 25% @ 47 amps which is 2.5 minutes using a 1.6mm rod, fine for light work but come time to use 3.5mm rods and forget using a complete rod once the cutout operates it takes forever to cool down enough.

If you are serious take the $100 put it on a semi decent welder with say 60% @ 130 amps and fan cooled, or one of those newer inverter units that can give 100% @ 130 amps.

**degrom** · 6th February 2007, 17:26

What about the Mitech unit's?

180A Tic welder for $800

They have a duty cycle of 60%....

I have also looked at the AC/DC model for TIG welding Aluminum
They are $2300 for a 200A unit...

Originally Posted by JMemonic

You get what you pay for, look at the duty cycle of the welder it measured in a percentage of 10 minutes, and at a certain current rating.

I have a very cheap mma (stick) welder here, 25% @ 47 amps which is 2.5 minutes using a 1.6mm rod, fine for light work but come time to use 3.5mm rods and forget using a complete rod once the cutout operates it takes forever to cool down enough.

If you are serious take the $100 put it on a semi decent welder with say 60% @ 130 amps and fan cooled, or one of those newer inverter units that can give 100% @ 130 amps.

**The Pastor** · 6th February 2007, 18:00

How much is the gas rental? How much is it to buy a bottle and refill it?

**degrom** · 6th February 2007, 18:25

Originally Posted by renegade master

How much is the gas rental? How much is it to buy a bottle and refill it?

Renting the bottle is $10 and filling it is around $60... (Can't remember if the $60 was for one or two bottles,was from BOC)

**JMemonic** · 6th February 2007, 21:07

Originally Posted by degrom

Renting the bottle is $10 and filling it is around $60... (Can't remember if the $60 was for one or two bottles,was from BOC)

Be careful there I used to rent of BOC, was around $130 per year per cylinder, and you are locked into that one cylinder size and gas type, I was using the mig on CO2 and wanted to change to argoshield and the cost was not pleasant, I would have had to have 2 bottles if I wanted to use both gases and pay the rental for a minimum period, cant remember the full details, thankfully there is an option on suppliers here. Don't go of what the folks at gas and gear tell you with regard to the rentals their info nearly got me in trouble re swapping gas types and bottle sizes, ring BOC credit and get the info from there.

**JMemonic** · 6th February 2007, 21:16

Originally Posted by degrom

What about the Mitech unit's?

180A Tic welder for $800

They have a duty cycle of 60%....

I have also looked at the AC/DC model for TIG welding Aluminum
They are $2300 for a 200A unit...

Both look good, if you need to weld alloy then the second option is ideal, there are some units around that also act as a plasma cutter, I have yet to find someone who has used one but they claim up to 6mm steel cutting.

Any tool should be looked at as an investment and you need to think about how much use you will get out of it, 2k-3k is a lot of money if you will only use it this year and then nearly never again.

Best bet for those reading this and wondering if this kind of thing is for you, pay the money to go to your local tech and do a course (if you have not used a welder before) and then decide based on good advise and your own knowledge, as always sales pitches and pamphlets are not always going to be your best source of information, or tell you all the details.

**degrom** · 6th February 2007, 21:54

Yes... It's hard to decide what to buy. I am not sure how mush I will be using it.

I am going for a Tig welding course at weltec so after it I might know what I want to do. I did a short course and it introduced me to gas welding and I loved it. I don't do it a lot but I really like the welding. Tig might just be the same...

If I think about it,welding on chopper's will mostly be mild steel so you will not really need the AC/DC Tig welder.

Thanks for your input!!!

Originally Posted by JMemonic

Both look good, if you need to weld alloy then the second option is ideal, there are some units around that also act as a plasma cutter, I have yet to find someone who has used one but they claim up to 6mm steel cutting.

Any tool should be looked at as an investment and you need to think about how much use you will get out of it, 2k-3k is a lot of money if you will only use it this year and then nearly never again.

Best bet for those reading this and wondering if this kind of thing is for you, pay the money to go to your local tech and do a course (if you have not used a welder before) and then decide based on good advise and your own knowledge, as always sales pitches and pamphlets are not always going to be your best source of information, or tell you all the details.

**The Pastor** · 6th February 2007, 22:02

Originally Posted by degrom

Yes... It's hard to decide what to buy. I am not sure how mush I will be using it.

I am going for a Tig welding course at weltec so after it I might know what I want to do. I did a short course and it introduced me to gas welding and I loved it. I don't do it a lot but I really like the welding. Tig might just be the same...

If I think about it,welding on chopper's will mostly be mild steel so you will not really need the AC/DC Tig welder.

Thanks for your input!!!

Yeah but if you want to put some ali fittings/exhaust or somthing on it...

**degrom** · 6th February 2007, 22:18

I know.... But if I think of every thing that might happen then I will never start.

At the moment I need to get a tube bender going,tube notcher and frame jig.Luckily by the time I have made the most of those tools I will have saved enough money to buy the welder I need for the frames.

Then the Sheet metal work starts and the paint...

Originally Posted by renegade master

Yeah but if you want to put some ali fittings/exhaust or somthing on it...