Welding setup

[Smiffy]

Issue with Mig is two fold.... Power and Wind...... Both you will struggle with in "the bush" the Former is also a problem for Inverters although to a lesser extent.

Mig depends on Gas for the shielding (flux cored wire is fair shite so I'm not going into it) Not only does this mean bottles and the arising issues but the slightest breeze will blow the shield away which means s**t welds.

Other issue with Mig is the reality that you need Power to get penetration with any welder...... it's more of a operator and unit fault. Small wire can be easily spunked onto the work with a mig, resulting in a great big weld with naff all penetration. Most Migs aren't very big and thus spunking on the work results because "that's all I have"

My Arc Gen 330 Is a beaut for big welding..... you won't do panel work but that's buy the by.

No one's disputing the merits of of arc v mig but surely it makes more sense to buy a modern inverter mig that will run MMA as well. Then you have both.
You also have the advantage that modern inverters are so much easier to learn to weld with than older arc sets.

You could even push the boat out and get a 3 process machine and learn Tig aswell.

Then any generator to run the setup, Within reason, the biggest Honda powered gennies will run welders which I would prefer over a diesel if you don't have a red diesel tank as a petrol 10kva is smaller and lighter than the diesel equivalent.

 

[JD450A]

The question is have you run a modern Inverter Mig in a field off a generator and did the entire setup cost less than £1500.

My big petrol genset (littleun won't run my stick inverter) cost £1300, the Stick Inverter I run cost £500 and neither will shine a candle to the £900 arc Gen 330. I know which setup as a beginner I would prefer to be learning off too.

I only use my Inverter for small stuff.... Average is done off the Eutectic Oil cooled set and the Heavy work is the Remit of the Arc Gen..... makes a nicer arc than running off the Mains interestingly.

 

[Smiffy]

The question is have you run a modern Inverter Mig in a field off a generator and did the entire setup cost less than £1500.

My big petrol genset (littleun won't run my stick inverter) cost £1300, the Stick Inverter I run cost £500 and neither will shine a candle to the £900 arc Gen 330. I know which setup as a beginner I would prefer to be learning off too.

I only use my Inverter for small stuff.... Average is done off the Eutectic Oil cooled set and the Heavy work is the Remit of the Arc Gen..... makes a nicer arc than running off the Mains interestingly.

No but the inverter mig can have MMA leads plugged in for being in the middle of the field. The arc gen won't do mig so is a one trick pony.
And I learnt to weld half and half of an oxford oil cooled and a modern inverter stick.
Whilst now I find very little difference and will happily weld with either, learning on an inverter is far easier as the electronics help starting off an stop the electrode sticking as badly.

Then the welder can be put in the back of a car and taken elsewhere that has power. Whereas Even small diesel welders are a pig to manhandle By yourself.

 

[Bri963]

I prefer stick, but I have, when forced, welded buckets outside with mig. It isn’t that hard to keep the draughts away, and if you’ve got good gas cover and short stick out, it’s doable. Obviously not in a gale force wind. All this crap about stick can weld rusty, mucky metal, yes it will, but is it a good penetrating weld? No more than mig unless you’re using 6010’s. However a weld is done, you’ve got to clean things as best you can.

also to someone’s mention of gas earlier, more CO2 in the mix = more penetration for a given setting.

 

[V8Druid]

No but the inverter mig can have MMA leads plugged in for being in the middle of the field. The arc gen won't do mig so is a one trick pony.
And I learnt to weld half and half of an oxford oil cooled and a modern inverter stick.
Whilst now I find very little difference and will happily weld with either, learning on an inverter is far easier as the electronics help starting off an stop the electrode sticking as badly.

Then the welder can be put in the back of a car and taken elsewhere that has power. Whereas Even small diesel welders are a pig to manhandle By yourself.

two words .... Hobart Hefty

 

[Lancs Lad]

#safety | Mr Preventive : Maintenance and Safety News | 29 comments

#Safety source : https://lnkd.in/gV2U3MRH | 29 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

Trying to figure if he had 6 fingers.

 

[Quattromike]

Anyone else having problems with air products not having weldap20 or is it just our local distributor being an ass?

 

[V8Druid]

Anyone else having problems with air products not having weldap20 or is it just our local distributor being an ass?

how long's he been an agent Mike ... might be feeling his way on stock if new, although BOC gave me all the holdings in my area when i started with them as a guide to consumption I might encounter ... was next to useless though .. all the big ppl had it delivered .... complain to AP that your agent can't keep up with you and you need an urgent direct delivery ..... FOC ... they'll also make him stock more of what you want

 

[doobin]

Anyone else having problems with air products not having weldap20 or is it just our local distributor being an ass?

Might be a knock on effect from the CO2 shortage.

 

[Quattromike]

We've been getting gas from them for 30 year but last year it changed to air products account with current supplier being distributor. They say there is a shortage but I don't know. Haven't had any weldap from them for 2 weeks

 

[V8Druid]

We've been getting gas from them for 30 year but last year it changed to air products account with current supplier being distributor. They say there is a shortage but I don't know. Haven't had any weldap from them for 2 weeks

"sort me or I go elsewhere" .. FFS 2 weeks!!!!

 

[Steve]

I believe the margins for stocking hoc products are really bad, unless the distributor is using the gas thereselves & want the convenience it’s not worth the bother. BOC are always sending out letters saying which distributors are no longer stocking boc products.

 

[V8Druid]

I believe the margins for stocking boc products are really bad, unless the distributor is using the gas thereselves & want the convenience it’s not worth the bother. BOC are always sending out letters saying which distributors are no longer stocking boc products.

100% correct ....
was their agent in Aber area for 14+ years .... had i not been a user it wasn't worth the bother .... but I never ran out of gas ...... was 90p / cylinder for handling them ... 1 in, 1 out wasn't worth opening the compound for, let alone the bloody paperwork, which BOC were totally crap at -- forever losing docs their end. As said though, the convenience to me outweighed the shite and it brought in a lot of customers for other things ... i sold a lot of gear and consumables too ... none of it theirs - too 'kin dear
tried for years to get them to drop the rental on small cylinders and add it to the contents cost .... could've done hundreds more than I did for 'hobbyist's use' - they wouldn't pay the rental ..... and BOC'd never listen ...
if @Regy53 moves this to the member's area, could tell you a few more gems too

 

[Regy53]

100% correct ....
was their agent in Aber area for 14+ years .... had i not been a user it wasn't worth the bother .... but I never ran out of gas ...... was 90p / cylinder for handling them ... 1 in, 1 out wasn't worth opening the compound for, let alone the bloody paperwork, which BOC were totally crap at -- forever losing docs their end. As said though, the convenience to me outweighed the shite and it brought in a lot of customers for other things ... i sold a lot of gear and consumables too ... none of it theirs - too 'kin dear
tried for years to get them to drop the rental on small cylinders and add it to the contents cost .... could've done hundreds more than I did for 'hobbyist's use' - they wouldn't pay the rental ..... and BOC'd never listen ...
if @Regy53 moves this to the member's area, could tell you a few more gems too

I can move it but its possible the poster or others intrested are not members ...

 

[V8Druid]

I can move it but its possible the poster or others intrested are not members ...

Aye ... 't was a 'passing comment' Ross, but I've a few tales best kept non public

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Aye ... 't was a 'passing comment' Ross, but I've a few tales best kept non public

New thread then!!!

 

[wee_gus]

Not just air products, BOC Glasgow didn’t have any oxygen last week, this week they didn’t have any propane, no consumables such as grinding and cutting disks or propane nozzles in stock

 

[Quattromike]

Not just air products, BOC Glasgow didn’t have any oxygen last week, this week they didn’t have any propane, no consumables such as grinding and cutting disks or propane nozzles in stock

So why is there a shortage of industrial gas, is there a supply shortage or increased demand?

 

[Steve]

CO2 shortage in the uk at the moment.

 

[V8Druid]

This caused a massive DA shortage in '10 ......

Crews attend Bristol explosion - Avon Fire & Rescue Service

Avon Fire & Rescue Service.

www.avonfire.gov.uk

couldn't get DA for months and they were trucking it in from Eu for a long time after
when I was ill and had to quit in Aug. '10, I didn't have a single DA cylinder in their bunker/agency stock in my yard .... usually had 80 + in varying sizes