MIG welders??

[jtraf]

Hello all,

at the moment I am in the market for a MIG welder to help with modifications and fabrication on various projects I am doing.

I already have two arcs for heavy type fabrication and I am looking for MIG for welding bodies and light material.

What r u guys using and can I get a half decent MIG for around the $500-$700 mark.

Also will gasless cut it or do I have to go with a gas type MIG.

cheers

James

[N*A*M]

Hey James,

I bought a CigWeld 130 Twin for $570 brand new. These retail for around $650. It's right in your budget range. You can come and try it out if you want but I have to get some gas first. I'm out of gasless wire and I won't go back because of the crappy splatter etc... I thought it'd be sufficient for sheet and light gauge work (up to 6mm). It only has 4 amperage settings but wire speed is infinitely adjustable. It's small and light duty - but cheap and versatile. You know where I live, just give me a call if you wanna test it out.

Nam

[Charlie]

A cheap migs OK for sheetmetal but if you want to weld alloy you need more amps. When you look at the cost of gassless wire you might be better off with gas or a tleast get a model that can be upgraded. It' much cheaper to buy a gauge as part of a kit.
Charlie

[M&M Custom Engineerin]

i really wouldnt buy a mig that small, you will end up wishing you saved a bit longer for a bigger one.

The minimum i would go is a UNI-MIG procraft 240. Hare and Forbes has a good deal on them for around $1200. Thats with gas reg, helmet, tips, wire, and a heap of other consumables.

Dont go for gasless as the wire is very expensive and the welds dont look as nice as gas.

[GRUNTLESS]

i really wouldnt buy a mig that small, you will end up wishing you saved a bit longer for a bigger one.

The minimum i would go is a UNI-MIG procraft 240. Hare and Forbes has a good deal on them for around $1200. Thats with gas reg, helmet, tips, wire, and a heap of other consumables.

Dont go for gasless as the wire is very expensive and the welds dont look as nice as gas.

totally agree with mick on this one im pretty sure that is the one surfection bought really good machine, good for small stuff and big stuff .......... so if i was going to buy one i would definately save a little longer and grab one of these 8)

[srowlandson]

I had a CIG Gasless Mig (little $650 Baby)

Old Man bought it at the ShowGrounds Tool sale and they charged him $199 (as they thought it was an arc)

Truthfully, not worth the $$. It has bugger all power for anything but light sheet metal and panel work. Save $$ for a Better mig, or spend the $200 on an ARC and pay someone to mig the other stuff for you when required with the Change ($450). Or, save more and get a Mig with more grunt, as it REALLY is required....



Steve

[Julian_4x4]

whats the difference between arc and mig ?

[dave]

You really want a mig thats about 200amp this will cover about all your general needs. I'd go nothing less than 180amp but up to 250would be good,although i think that at about 230-240 you go to 3 faze not 240 volt.Look in the trading post
you can get some desent second hand units.

[Charlie]

We run 240 and 250 migs where I work and they are all standard 240 volt. The guys often use them contiually for a 12 hr shift and they are just normal $1200 dollars units. You need to change the plug to fit a normal power point which I guess is illegal but theis never been any problem.
Charlie

[Roktruk]

I've just bought a Unimig 240, which runs up to 200 amps, and has a stitch control for doing light gauge stuff as well. Under $1000 at Fisher Discounts in Fyshwick(Canberra). I've used smaller migs and arc, and decided the bigger amp job was the go. It runs of a standard 15 amp circuit. Long runs are no dramas, no stop-start stuff at all

[Carl Coight]

I have a small arc welder and it is a pain in arse to do any long runs with. It has a piss pour duty cycle, but it will have to do till i get a spair $1200. :(