Welder Advise

[Bob]

Im looking at getting a new welder cause the old arc just isn't working as well. Ive looked into migs mostly and was just wondering what would be better, gas or gasless?
I am only welding thin stuff max prob around 4-5mm. No stainless or alley
And is the gas expensive to get?

Cheers

[K6Thou]

Personally I prefer a gas mig, but I have seen some decent results with gasless. Gas will set you back about $16 a month for bottle rental for an E size (small) bottle. Wouldn't it be easier to get Lynton to weld stuff for you and pay him with cheap bourbon ? Hehehehe.

Don't discount TIG either mate. I have a cheap chinese DC TIG and it will weld 6mm steel easily. It might take a little bit to learn the technique but IMO it's worth the effort.

[Redmohawk]

I'd buy a second hand semi industrial single phase 200 amp mig (I picked one up off ebay for $200) it will run gasless wire fine but I generally use gas (much nicer weld and far more control/options ) If your welding outside gasless is good in a shed gas is king.

Then save your coin for a tig once the bug has really bitten (I love my unit)

[Bob]

Cheers guys. I should have said I've used gas before but never gasless, Heard mixed stories about gasless being good/crap. I will most likely get one that would do both.

[Bob]

Personally I prefer a gas mig, but I have seen some decent results with gasless. Gas will set you back about $16 a month for bottle rental for an E size (small) bottle. Wouldn't it be easier to get Lynton to weld stuff for you and pay him with cheap bourbon ? Hehehehe.

Don't discount TIG either mate. I have a cheap chinese DC TIG and it will weld 6mm steel easily. It might take a little bit to learn the technique but IMO it's worth the effort.

It would be easier to get him to do it but then I would miss out on all the fun and bourbon :)

[xa-mont]

gasless is alright, but it's no substitute for gas. not even close.

[ozzy1100]

russ uses the disposible gas bottels with his. For very little use not a bad way to go as no rental but if more than a bit it gets $
Mig is the most accessible and best for results stright up.
As you get better you find that mig is only good for makeing the racks that hold all the cool stuff you want to tig.

[Redmohawk]

If your just welding steel , and know someone at a pub ... Beer gas is straight CO2 . Not as good as weld mix but does just fine on mild steel

[Bob]

You use argon right?

[Deano]

Argon/co2 mix. Straight argon for tig.

Just get an ac/dc tig. It will do everything that you may want to do down the track. Then if you want to make a work bench or something agricultural then buy a second hand mig and use the straight argon for both. This is what I do. Tig gets used 90% of the time