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Mar 21, 2007 15:12:03 GMT
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Here goes... no chuckling at the back! 1) Can I plug a 150A welder into household mains or will it blow all the fuses? 2) Is CO2 any good for welding (I've heard mixed reports) as I can get that for free  3) Where can I buy just sheet metal, the same gauge as car panels? erm... think that's it! if I think of anything else I'll add it later on  |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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phatphord
Part of things
Scorpilow
Posts: 674
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Mar 21, 2007 15:14:14 GMT
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1) plug it in and see, my 165 runs fine and doesn't trip owt
2) never used CO2
3) scrapyard, or speak to local steel stockholder
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1994 Ford Scorpio Lowrider
um...and some bikes...
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Mar 21, 2007 15:18:25 GMT
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Wicked, that was quick!
That'll be the welder I bought off you yonks and yonks ago, still sat at the wife's work under the desk where it got delivered to hehehe - now I've bought the GTE back I might as well start using it!
Is CO2 just plain no good at all? I think you gave me a 'big bottle' regulator with the welder, and as i work in a pub I was going to 'borrow' one of their bottles.... unless it's really going to screw the welding up in which case I'll just have to fork out for the real stuff.
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,542
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Mar 21, 2007 15:18:48 GMT
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1) You should be fine with the electrics. If you're doing bodywork you won't be at the welders max setting anyway. Mine is a 130amp Clarke jobby and I have to plug it into a heavy duty extension cable. If you also need an extension make sure you pull it all off the real as a coiled cable can restrict power. 2) CO2 can be used and if you can get it for free then fine! Personally I found my welding improved when I went to a bottle of argoshield from BOC. 3) Just find your nearest metal stockists using Yellow Pages. Bodywork is usually 20gauge (approx 1mm) but thicker gauges were used on chassis members and more structural areas. |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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Mar 21, 2007 15:19:53 GMT
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Is it a manta GTE per chance - Chances are there isnt enough metal in exsitance to fix one of them!
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Mar 21, 2007 15:23:33 GMT
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It's an Astra GTE Cabrio, and most of the sills went into black bags and in the bin last week. I might just bosh some box tubing on and glue the sideskirts on top so it looks alright |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 21, 2007 15:25:11 GMT
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Pillock you should be fine with CO2. No doubt that Argoshield is better, but £££ is king and i can get CO2 free too ... and so thats what i use. (its handy living next door to a social club, and having the owner support the same footy team as you! ;D )
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Mar 21, 2007 15:26:14 GMT
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CO2 is fine for welding.
And your 150 amp welder will be fine too, you'll only be using a low setting on it anyway.
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1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
1975 Mazda 929 Coupé
1986 Mazda 929 Wagon
1979 Mazda 929 Hardtop
1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica
1977 Toyota Carina TA14
1989 Subaru 1800 Wagon
1982 Hyundai Pony 1200TL 2-dr
1985 Hyundai Pony 1200 GL
1986 Maserati 425 Biturbo
1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
2000 Rover 45 V6 Club
1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
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Mar 21, 2007 15:26:30 GMT
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Using Argoshield is much easier than pub C02 and is supposed to produce better welds too
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Mar 21, 2007 15:33:49 GMT
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I recently started mucking about with my welder clark 135 with standard little 'gas' bottle, what does teh gas acatually do? sorry for daft question, but most of my practice attempts was without it, and they looked better IMO anyway more practice coming up soon.
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
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Mar 21, 2007 15:35:24 GMT
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To be honest I haven't found a great lot of difference between CO2 and argoshield, both seem to work much the same. Saying that, my worn-out 15 yr-old Italian 'hobby mig' probably does not make the most of either of them.
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1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
1975 Mazda 929 Coupé
1986 Mazda 929 Wagon
1979 Mazda 929 Hardtop
1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica
1977 Toyota Carina TA14
1989 Subaru 1800 Wagon
1982 Hyundai Pony 1200TL 2-dr
1985 Hyundai Pony 1200 GL
1986 Maserati 425 Biturbo
1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
2000 Rover 45 V6 Club
1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
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Mar 21, 2007 15:38:51 GMT
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Slap on a 13A plug and give it a go. Mine is fine and at top whack it dims the lights in the house.
I have had more success with CO2 on old metal than with argoshield. However I use the small disposable bottles and the flow isn't as good with argoshield as it is with CO2 and I suspect this may have sommat to do with it. Argoshield works fine with new metal.
I bought a sheet of 1mm steel from my local steel stockist. It was about £10 and the delivery came to more than that.
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Mar 21, 2007 15:48:57 GMT
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I recently started mucking about with my welder clark 135 with standard little 'gas' bottle, what does teh gas acatually do? sorry for daft question, but most of my practice attempts was without it, and they looked better IMO anyway more practice coming up soon. From reading all the technical gubbins on welding, the Argon gas is a shield (hence 'Argosheild') that stops the molten metal oxidising before it cools, hence the weld penetrates into the metal. Or something. You can get gasless wire, but you apparently need a gasless welder that can switch +ve and -ve. It has a coating which turns to gas and does the same job. Anyway, for anyone else thinking of having a go - take a look at www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php - it's a really comprehensive site and there's a rather good 'newbie' section of the forum where they don't mock daft questions. Like mine |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 21, 2007 15:53:37 GMT
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Pillock you should be fine with CO2. No doubt that Argoshield is better, but £££ is king and I can get CO2 free too ... and so thats what I use. (its handy living next door to a social club, and having the owner support the same footy team as you! ;D ) Hehe sounds a good deal! To be honest I don't mind paying for their refills as they obviously get it at a much better rate than I would. And if all else fails, I've got a Energas outlet about 400 yards up the road. |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 21, 2007 15:55:47 GMT
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My 105amp mig takes the trip out in the fuseboard so I have to plug it into the cooker socket.
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.  |
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Mar 21, 2007 15:57:36 GMT
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Anyway, for anyone else thinking of having a go - take a look at www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php - it's a really comprehensive site and there's a rather good 'newbie' section of the forum where they don't mock daft questions. Like mine Yeah its a great site, i did an hour or two reading on there then went welding the next day, really happy with the results TBH, thread comining up when the job is completed though  damned weather  ;D |
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
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Mar 21, 2007 16:08:09 GMT
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My 105amp mig takes the trip out in the fuseboard so I have to plug it into the cooker socket. Hmmm my cooker is wired straight into the wall!  However.... I *do* have a socket on the wall that has the on-off switch for the cooker too, is that likely to be on the same ring as the cooker, or as the rest of the kitchen sockets? Failing that, it's an old fusebox with wire-wrap fuses in.... could do a little 'upgrade' I guess |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 21, 2007 17:23:30 GMT
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Yeah, you should have a cooker socket near the cooker that has an "on off" switch for the cooker as well. The cooker is wired into the wall, but theres a spare socket as well in most cases with an isolator switch. If its fairly new the switch will be red to indicate its on a high ampage circuit for the cooker.
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES. |
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Mar 21, 2007 17:46:26 GMT
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Yeah, you should have a cooker socket near the cooker that has an "on off" switch for the cooker as well. The cooker is wired into the wall, but theres a spare socket as well in most cases with an isolator switch. If its fairly new the switch will be red to indicate its on a high ampage circuit for the cooker. 70's wiring throughout, but the switch is red indeed. I'll give that socket a go then, thanks! |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 21, 2007 17:55:19 GMT
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I can run my 220 amp welder from a 13amp supply without problem. As its only thin stuff you will run it at a low setting and you don't draw a lot of current so the fuse shouldnt go unless you either have a bad earth. If you are planning on running it flat out (current not wire feed) then it could blow.
Also if you get a lot of spatter inside teh nozzle the tip can earth against teh shroud and if the shroud touches the workpiece it can easy blow fuses.
Generally I use C02 at home and never have a problem with it. The last monza I did I used a CO2/Argon mix but too be honest there was no real benefit.
The only noticeable difference is using an argon mix gives better penetration than CO2 so you can run at a lower heat setting. It also helps if you are welding stainless steels. Pure Argon is for aluminium welding
As said above molten steel oxidises so you need to weld in an oxygen free environment.
Arc welders use a rod with a coating that gives off a gas to provide a shield, gasless mig welders use a wire that does the same so are ideal outdoors. Gas mig welders use the gas as the shield. If you are outside you generally have to run a higher flow rate of gas to provide the shield as the wind can blow it away. Disposable bottles are a bit of a nightmare if you are not well sheltered.
If you are sheltered you only need enough gas to just be able to hear it to provide a shield any more gives a flatter weld but otherwise justs wastes gas.
And like Seth said make sure any extension cable is uncoiled before use as the cable will melt (or go up in flames) and the fuse wont supply teh protection it should.
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damned weather 
;D
