talk to me about welding kits

[fabiostar]

ok chaps, something iv always wanted is a set of like mini gas bottles for welding, just for heating up seized nuts and the odd bit of light welding ,just a handy thing to have about the garage,, anybody have them? who or where would i go looking a set up.
nothing big or heavy duty its really only to have handy incase i need them

 

[NickR]

@Woodcutter ?

 

[stevieturbo]

Welding and just heating up are very different things.

If you want to weld, buy a welder.

If you want to just heat things up occasionally, buy a mapp gas torch.

 

[Apis]

To do both you need acetylene which needs to be rented from BOC.
Stevieturbo's plan ^ would be far more effective. Unless you find an oxy acetylene portapac with some gas in it, on the down low.

 

[Antoin]

Alternatively for heating bolts, nuts etc you could go for an induction heater. Pricey though but less chance of blowing the garage up .

 

[stevieturbo]

To do both you need acetylene which needs to be rented from BOC.
Stevieturbo's plan ^ would be far more effective. Unless you find an oxy acetylene portapac with some gas in it, on the down low.

I think there were some places selling some sort of mini kit, but I'd be sceptical of it....and availability here, and it probably wouldnt last very long at all. Sounds more like hassle than a solution. And gas welding these days is largely a thing of the past.

A good MIG welder is hard to beat for having around a workshop

Alternatively for heating bolts, nuts etc you could go for an induction heater. Pricey though but less chance of blowing the garage up .

They do seem insanely priced, but anyone who has used them rate them very highly.

 

[Woodcutter]

These are good wee kits for the job which we sell.

Arc Welding, Battery Chargers & Body Repair | GYS

GYS is a French family-owned manufacturing group that engineers, designs and sells arc welding, collision repair and automotive battery service equipment.

www.gys-welding.com

 

[fabiostar]

so for proper bottles its a BOC job. nothing like cornering the market lol.

iv not arc or migged but i used to do some gas welding many years ago thats really why i fancied a small set, im always needing we brackets and stuff made up or welded and im bored going hunting people to do a 5 min job , and spending 3 days hunting the people down lol

 

[Antoin]

These are good wee kits for the job which we sell.

Arc Welding, Battery Chargers & Body Repair | GYS

GYS is a French family-owned manufacturing group that engineers, designs and sells arc welding, collision repair and automotive battery service equipment.

www.gys-welding.com

Yes Graeme I haven't seen anyone do those over here! How long do they typically last?
And price?

 

[Apis]

so for proper bottles its a BOC job. nothing like cornering the market lol.

iv not arc or migged but i used to do some gas welding many years ago thats really why i fancied a small set, im always needing we brackets and stuff made up or welded and im bored going hunting people to do a 5 min job , and spending 3 days hunting the people down lol

Forgot about Air Products who do acetylene too. Either way though, it's not cheap for DIY use.
I'm not familiar with those kits in the link above; the temp at 3100degC is almost as hot as oxyacetylene (3200) but they do seem to be marketed more towards jewellery and fine work.
Gas is nice to have around but it's so handy having a stick or mig around for a quick job.

 

[Woodcutter]

Yes Graeme I haven't seen anyone do those over here! How long do they typically last?
And price?

Not sure how long they last, depends on usage I guess. I think they’re pretty pricy, circa £150 but I’ll check tomorrow

 

[Antoin]

I think there were some places selling some sort of mini kit, but I'd be sceptical of it....and availability here, and it probably wouldnt last very long at all. Sounds more like hassle than a solution. And gas welding these days is largely a thing of the past.

A good MIG welder is hard to beat for having around a workshop


They do seem insanely priced, but anyone who has used them rate them very highly.

There are ones around the 200quid mark. Chinese no brand name so God knows what quality is like.
There are also diy kits about 70 quid where you make your own.
Run it off a DC inverter arc welder.

 

[Mark_C]

I've never come across a fixing yet that hasn't been persuaded loose with a dose of oxygen and acetylene

 

[southsky sunrise]

I've never come across a fixing yet that hasn't been persuaded loose with a dose of oxygen and acetylene

And a burning torch

 

[-Pete-]

2nd for stevie's suggestion. Thats the way I'm set up. Considered for a long time getting oxy set up but the cost and hassle versus uses and I couldn't justify it. Mapp gas torch has shifted everything I've ever needed it too and its a lot more flexible without having hoses to snag on or tie up, plus the maintenance of hoses renewal and flash back arresters etc.
Mapp gas with bernzomatic self ignition head, mig welder for mig welding and a dedicated ac/dc tig machine for tig welding (both can be used for stick welding too).
those GYS machines are decent too. one of those and a 10l bottle of co2 mix and you'd be off to the races. dont forget a new lid, gloves, roll of wire and some consumables to get you going.

 

[big-lew18]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but my i left my wee welder lying for a while with the wire in the liner, when I went to it it had rusted, I tried to pull it out from both ends but both broke off a inch or two inside the liner. Any advice on how to remove it?

 

[Antoin]

I'd go with a new liner tbh

 

[stevieturbo]

Water must have got in or something ?

Either a new liner, or if it's a Euro torch, last one I bought for a 4m torch was only £40.

 

[big-lew18]

Its only a cheap welder, think its been cheap wire too. Don't know how easy the liner is changed

 

[Antoin]

Its only a cheap welder, think its been cheap wire too. Don't know how easy the liner is changed

Fairly easy I think. Never done one but id say it is fairly straightforward.
Go onto mig-welding.com/forum and they will have loads of posts and possibly a video showing it.