Advice on a Hobby welder

[kiwi kdx]

Hey guys I'm looking at buying a little welder for home, I can weld fine and have always used nice big workshop welders at work.
I know people will say stay away from the little things but a mate and I have welded a bundoora coil over setup into a pajero with a gases less mig and it's in it's 5th year as a competition winch truck so I'm more after advice on brands
I guess.

Im looking at a ROSSI 185amp unit on egay $340 bucks anyone used one?

[K6Thou]

Haven't used one, my only advice would be to stick with a reasonably well known brand, spare parts, service etc will be a hell of a lot easier if it's not a chenghing brand from ghana.

[El_Hefty]

try Hare and Forbes kiwi (machinery house) have the unimig i bought one a few months ago during the sale they have annually and its a wee ripper, welded security grilles has done some trailer repairs made a gate

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W240

at least you'll have somewhere to go to if you have a warranty issue, uni migs been a round for a while too

[Hillsy]

You probably already know this, but the duty cycle is more important than the peak amperage. A lot of those cheap welders will have a high amperage but have a low duty cycle.
I've got a 110 amp Cigweld Wire Wasp gasless and while it's a pretty tough little bugger, it's got a low duty cycle and it will shut down if you get too heavy with it and you have to go away / grab a coffee and wait for it to switch back on. Pain in the butt when it happens, but it was like $300 about 10 years ago.....

Yeah - I know I should get a bigger / better welder but this one refuses to die and, to be honest, I like welding with it.

[kiwi kdx]

That's I nice little unit Hefty and it would be nice to have a counter to dump it on if anything happens to it!
I may have to consider that.

Hillsy the unit I'm looking at on egay is 180 @ 15% And 90 @ 60% so should be more than enough I think,
As the most it will be doing anytime soon is welding my monoshock mounts in.

[ozzy1100]

my advise is that gasless wire sux fur of a drunks ass
that leaves argon imo and the price of those little 1 or 2 kg hobby bottles cost more than a ex wife if you have to use for more than
some small work.
bottle hire now days is a lot more easy than it used to be and can be hired by the mth and droped of at yr house

[Redmohawk]

I just sat on ebay looking at good 200 amp light industrial migs till one came up that needed a little "fixing" it didnt sell at $200 made the bloe an offer after the auction finished and bought a new set of rollers/liner/gun tips all up with the new bits cost me $230 including 15kg roll of mild steel wire. Welds far better than the little gasless I used to use, I've done heaps of work with little gasless units and yep you can do a good job but nothing on a welder with a little grunt and gas.

Something like this will prob go resonably cheap.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/JIC-Mig-w...item20d2a23104

this will prob go for even less but a little far from you
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MIG-WELDE...item1c32813c1b

[oldskool]

Thats a pissa!
this will prob go for even less but a little far from you
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MIG-WELDE...item1c32813c1b

[MattyDucati]

http://www.everlastwelds.com.au/welders/?pid=Home
Ive got one of these, had it for 4 years now, build 2 speedway stockcars(cage) and 2 car trailers with it and no problems. I'm just settin up to build a large inclosed bike trailer now.

[ozzy1100]

everlast im told isnt a bad bit of kit