[Shoki]

Hey guys,
I wanna get a welder for future bodywork maintenance. Anyone know if it's a MIG or TIG that would be better suited? I think it's a MIG for thinner work? Anyone done any bodywork with one? Any advice would be great.
Cheers :thumbsup:

 

[lofa]

Welding bodywork i prefer Mag.
Welding other things i prefer Tig.

 

[Chris Wilson]

A good man with a TIG can weld two milk bottle tops together. If you need to weld alloy of aluminium, titanium or Inconel a TIG is needed really. They are usually a lot more expensive and can be very sophisticated. For normal mild steel body repairs and jobs around the home a MIG should be sufficient. `Course, when you buy a MIG you get some alloy job that needs welding.... Buying a tested, used, commercial quality machine is much better value than going and buying a new toy like thing from a DIY warehouse.

 

[Shoki]

Hey Chris. Ah cool, thanks for the info...MIG it is then! I've done a fair bit of body/spray work on previous cars but never any welding. Just wanna learn so I can get rid of any rust that might crop up in the future properly. Thanks again!

 

[Chris Wilson]

Shoki, the question you need answering is duty cycle at its rated output. Cheap ones will only run full whack for very short periods before a thermal cut out shuts them down and allows the electrics to cool. A good commercial type will run continuously at X% of its full output. They try and hide that figure on cheap ones and there's nothing more frustrating than waiting 15 minutes for the damned things to cool down before starting welding again.

As I said, a good used commercial quality single phase machine is a FAR better buy than a new El Cheapo.

 

[MrGT]

Shoki, the question you need answering is duty cycle at its rated output.

As I said, a good used commercial quality single phase machine is a FAR better buy than a new El Cheapo.

as above, and keep your eye out on piston heads you see a few garages putting up second hand commercial migs for sale at good prices on their.
hope that helps