Off topic about welders

[umka]

i know this is off topic but there are some really knolagable people here so i thought i would ask.

i what is a reasonably priced mig welder that is a gas/gasless combo. i dont know much about them and want to buy one for general use nothing huge. is the chinese stuff fine or must i stay well away? is it worth while getting a gas/gasless or should i just get a full gassless as it wont be getting used much and dont know if i can be bothered with hiring gas?

any help appretieted.

[Taz]

I have a mig welder and it's great. Built a bucket sidecar with it back in the day. And a trailer. Used to used gas when I was using it alot. Now I just run flux cored wire. Get a bit more splatter but works good for general use.

[umka]

what type and how much did it cost?

[Taz]

Bought it years ago off a mate who needed the cash. It's a Telwin. Was marketed by NZIG. Cost me $500 I think...... Couldn't get him the money fast enough.

[barty5]

dont go for gas less as you might as well have an ark welder you will have to clean off the slag i have two migs gas thier great built three trailers with them

[1vanvan1]

give blackbuell a pm. He might be able to help you

[Edbear]

PM Sarge, he's with Sulco.

[bigfatmat]

you can buy disposible co2 and argon shield bottles reasonably cheap they are non refillable i recommend gas as is much tidier

[Weaver]

Come the 30th of september 2008 BOC gases will be stopping their bottle exchange program. They will be replacing it with a rental program.
Bear this in mind if you have a mig welder and hardly ever use it, as the bottles will be costing you dollars to just sit in your garage.
Consider a decent Arc/Tig welder and a welding course at your local polytech

[Quicker_with_age]

It only costs around $2.50 a week to hire a gas bottle from BOC so dont let that put you off, I run straight argon but you can run co2 which is cheaper but I find the argon worth the extra cost, I do not like gasless unless im welding in the wind.
It depends on how thick the steel is you intend on welding as to how much you will have to spend.

[barty5]

i stil have fitting for one of my welder from when i first got it can fit it to soda stream bottle cheap can keep bottles as long as you want and can allways get more on the weekends down fall they dont last for long but you can weld a fair bit on one bottle

[B0000M]

are soda stream bottles comparatively expensive tho?

[barty5]

are soda stream bottles comparatively expensive tho?

yes $5 a bottle but if your not welding heaps its not so bad then you donthave the weekly rental you be suprise how far one will go as long as you reulate bottle properly