Which welder should i buy for welding car panels on bodyshell

[cream2cream]

Hello,


im new came across this website due to this post;


How to remove orange peel (with lots of pictures)

boy was i impressed



does anyone know which welder to recommend buyin for weldin 1/4 panels/ sills on car shells?

average cars; clio/ corsa/ polo/ lupo cars

spot welding

i have a budget for £150 could stretch to £200 quid and probably a little bit more

ive been told a gas one is best, been lookin at machine mart they have loads and loads but unsure which one to go for

any advice wouyld b much appreciated


thanks

[ollied]

Try to get something that has a nice LOW minimum power setting as welding body panels doesnt need much power from the welder as its often very thin. Although low power isnt everything technique is important too. Definitely get gas if you can, some of the clarke ones are good as they have both gas and no-gas functions

That said if your buying a welder it seems daft to get one just for doing body repairs. as there will come a time where you wish you had more power.

Look MIG Welder Buyers Guide as there is loads of stuff there to help.

[BlackBox]

I've never understood the low power reasoning? My mig is 210A and I use power setting four of five mostly for bodywork

[Grim Reaper]

I've never understood the low power reasoning? My mig is 210A and I use power setting four of five mostly for bodywork

mainly so you dont blow through the panel

its nice to have a powerful welder that can go nice and low for the thinner metals but also have grunt for heavier grade metals...a mig150 tends to be a nice all rounder, was fine for me until it broke

with my mig150 i could use it on exhausts and sheet metals etc after i played with the settings and gas

[BlackBox]

I suppose I really meant to say I get a better weld in setting four with bodywork than I do using a low power setting. I would use the same setting for 4mm plate steel, just do it differently.

I've never got on with low settings for car work, usually results in a poor weld. For me at least. Give it some power ...!!
PS, what's blow through, hanging about too much in the wrong place ...

[Grim Reaper]

i guess in the long run, practice makes perfect...like youve said its a technique more than anything

and blow through as in make holes instead of joining panels...ive done that way too many times lmao then you have to sit there trying to fill an even bigger hole with weld lmao

[GSI_2009]

i use a 130 turbo mig welder never had any trouble with panels

[specks]

the amount of practise and growing up with your dad,im not surprised,how long you been weliding,since you were 13?

[cream2cream]

which clark one u recommend? im buyin one within next 48hrs no doubt

[cream2cream]

ive seen this off ebay;

Item number: 130386334912


gonna offer him £150 cash for it out of auction, seen others shiftin it for £250+!!!!

[cream2cream]

check this beast out;

Item number: 110408039625


the chap says its worth £650 quid!!! sellin for £279

[ollied]

I have a clarke mig160en turbo, got it second hand and cant say i have ever had a problem with it. Manages thin stuff and is more than capable of doing think stuff too.

they both look pretty good, get the best you can afford

[ollied]

lmao been there loads of times too although i found holding a big lump of metal behind the area to weld like a piece of ally, or even the face of a club hammer stops it blowing through. That mig welding site says to use stuff like brass as a heatsink but any lump tends to do when its on low power

[cream2cream]

i can only afford 200 quid will i get one to weld car panels u think? lookin for a new one thou

[thedondy]

welding with gas is much better but reamber when the gas runs out it is quite expensive to get refilled! so your after something cheap, id go with 130386334912 as it can be changed over to gas at a later date and no doubt it will weld car pannels with ease plus there is free postage and its within your budget, do it!

[GSI_2009]

the amount of practise and growing up with your dad,im not surprised,how long you been weliding,since you were 13?

i done a welding corse at college lol so onli a few years lol

[cream2cream]

yeah i already know of this one, i offered him £155 cash on collection for it, but then people told me gass less welders r proper crap for weldin car panels so i backed out

im after a gas one not non gas as for convertin it, no thanks i have problems repairing things that have to b repaired let alone convertin something into something else

[justin1970corsa]

go for a gas, mig , 150 should be an alrounder, :}

[GSI_2009]

gasless just gives itmore spit the sparks fly lol

[cream2cream]

im going for this one;

Item number: 110408039625

just seein who can sell it for £190 (my budget) £10 petrol pickin it up!!! what u think? good for weldin panels for someone with a 200quid budget

[GSI_2009]

you will still eed to get the gas as far as i m led to believe you need to have welding qaulification to get it (not 100% on that )
but in general looks a good deal

[Joe-2LT]

I'd love to know how to weld! is there a beginners guide anywhere?

[Grim Reaper]

I'd love to know how to weld! is there a beginners guide anywhere?

Google

[Joe-2LT]

ha.

[cream2cream]

got it, weldin is very very easy