Any welders? Need advice on equipment.

[eldon]

it’s more about the versatility of having a unit that does both and is easily moved around.

But there's your contradiction/limitation.

Welding 10mm thick and portability are at odds with each other.

I have small old dc BOC stick set (mma).
An Oxford 200a mig.
An Rtech 200a ac dc tig set.

These x3 are fairly portable, tig set less so, but 10mm would be asking a lot unless multi running mma.

 

[gixer1]

But there's your contradiction/limitation.

Welding 10mm thick and portability are at odds with each other.

I have small old dc BOC stick set (mma).
An Oxford 200a mig.
An Rtech 200a ac dc tig set.

These x3 are fairly portable, tig set less so, but 10mm would be asking a lot unless multi running mma.

Yup, it’s a compromise for sure - as I said, the 10mm would be a rarity.

 

[eldon]

Miller Aircrafter, or something like that from the 1980s would be a good old bus but reliable and easily repaired. Done lots of jobs with these in the past and great duty cycles.
Not really portable though, a big old heavy blue blob.

 

[eldon]

This is a good set, ac and dc plus done quite a bit of work and yet to trip out the thermal.
Here's an example of something I did the other week. 5mm Ali flat bar to 10mm round bar.

 

[Flash G 74]

Esab nu5 were the muts nuts for rooting

Hello, Didcot Power station was another of my good jobs welding using only an Arc Welder , From Pipes to all sorts, I was there for 5 years in the Turbine Hall , When ever i could used ESAB rods , Reading all the posts it is still good we have some excellent Engineering Companies still going in UK

 

[Smellydog]

The older larger sets can be made quite portable with a decent frame and set of wheels and long cables and long lance, if it's a wire welder.

 

[Smellydog]

Hello, Didcot Power station was another of my good jobs welding using only an Arc Welder , From Pipes to all sorts, I was there for 5 years in the Turbine Hall , When ever i could used ESAB rods ,

You made some money there! Dirty work in the boiler.

 

[finnbear270]

My favourite consumables were Bohler Fox for roots, & BOC’s common or garden low hydrogen for fill & cap.
In the sub silos at Lairds.
Tip for anyone with an Oxford Bantam type oil filled, do not clump them down on the deck, ask me why.

 

[Flash G 74]

You made some money there! Dirty work in the boiler.

Hello, Only 2 jobs i made good money The Gas Pipe project before i got married and Didcot power station in the Turbine Hall , Took over a year to build 1 Turbine with about 150 men on the project , Looking back my skills did not compare with some of the Engineers making the internal parts that drove the Turbines, Or the Fitters that did all the Pipe work, Yes it was hot and dirty, And to think when i left School in 1965 i was offered a Carpenters Apprenticeship but chose Engineering

 

[eldon]

The older larger sets can be made quite portable with a decent frame and set of wheels and long cables and long lance, if it's a wire welder.

Or a wheelbarrow lol

A pallet truck for the larger stuff but not really all terrain.

 

[ndt man]

Esab nu5 were the muts nuts for rooting

Esab nu5 cellulose rods run damp

used to think your burning through the root face .

 

[Brad93]

It's a fabricator e500 I think. Thought I had a picture..
We have an old Butters and I'd rather use that but it's not quite powerful enough. It never fails though. It'll run all day maxed out until the lance melts! And it's a smooth arc.
The esab has all adjustments but they kind of don't do anything!

Esab are not what they were afraid.
Once use an old esab from the 80's. 600amp.
That was good. That put it out well and the wire feed was solid.

It's high duty cycle you want. Not for work, for the machines build!

Fabricator range is unfortunately made in India. The demo models they sent to us (the demonstrators) all packed up before we got to show them to anyone.

 

[Sonicdmb73]

i know , i was mostly on site so mig wasn't really the best option although if it was a part we could get inside or the customer had a big enough workshop i'd use mig but i was coded in both ( a long time ago now i hasten to add)

very rare i get locked in the dark room with the green light for long nowadays although having said that i just treated myself to a new shield and they are full colour now!

Full colour and air fed. a long way from glass lens and hand held or luxury at the time a split screen so you could see where you were striking.

 

[shbangsteve]

I'm also looking for MIG welder. I would prefer an old fashioned transformer type rather than inverter. Both inverter ARC welders I have had have not lasted long, admittedly proably down to my damp farm "workshop" for want of a better word.
I was thinking one of these

Oxford MIGMAKER 302 Compact 300A MIG Welder

British made, the Oxford MIGmaker 302 is a single phase MIG welder. Running from 230V at 300A, the Oxford transformer MIGs are a unique design

tbws.co.uk

Are the new ones as good as they used to be ?

 

[finnbear270]

Anybody remember these?

 

[Smellydog]

Anybody remember these?View attachment 472460

The ones I used were strapped to big diesels and some of them were hand start only!

 

[Smellydog]

That's the piece of....

 

[finnbear270]

Just found this pic, the two trucks in the foreground have mounted Lincolns, & the 600 amp one I had for years in the back of a five tonner came from this mob.

https://scontent.fbhx4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/485405080_581587554905655_6576994775954290466_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7b2446&_nc_ohc=7XT_F3PxErsQ7kNvwHTqGa4&_nc_oc=Adr3bgy-kZrYuReBodXki90XSjhZOzsDzAwC6jahkwk-70mHAcZuA_23eIb87SOcJfKXfaCBAgWGneJ67Y3BP0iF&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-1.fna&_nc_gid=ov0jByzXSnXjb69HbrBQGg&_nc_ss=7b289&oh=00_Af3xVO6H2dNnknXkXkyfucOMEAaqanZAcduVsuQ1zD6V4g&oe=69F7CA47

 

[nightcrow]

As above, looking at treating myself to a decent welder. Likely mig/mma.

I know it’s a broad range but jst looking for some suggestions.

Fed up “getting by” or having to borrow/get someone else to weld larger things.

Regards,
Gixer

R Tec are good to deal with.I use one of their inverter units for all my farm welding. Choice of rods makes a big difference, the best I've tried are Lincoln Pantafix, even downhill vertical.

 

[finnbear270]

R Tec are good to deal with.I use one of their inverter units for all my farm welding. Choice of rods makes a big difference, the best I've tried are Lincoln Pantafix, even downhill vertical.

Pantafix very forgiving of beginners & iffy welding machines.