Screwfix MIG welder offer

Screwfix special today is a Stanley Top MIG1400 130amp 240v MIG welder. Reduced from £399-99 to £249-99, Offer ends at midnight.

Hi Jimmies,

for the same sort of money u can get a 180 mig........pay the extra unless ur just doin car body work.......

I tend to run at the 140-165 for my work and just the odd time run it flat out......it's a 180 amp unit.....as for gas I use carbon dioxide........ I only do mild steel and mostley use 0.8mm wire......for fine work u can use 0.6mm

one of the problems with the small amp migs is "run time", the bigger unit will run for much longer on the lower amp's but the smaller amp unit will be nearer to it's max......there will be the run time at say 130amp in the blurb but it won't be long...the info will take some finding as they don't want u to know......it all depends on the machine, fan size etc etc but may only be for less than 5-8mins of run time......they mark it as a percentage......best ask if u can.....

u'll find the small machine will time out when u most need it......Murphy's law of sod........

remember a big machine will do a small job .......also, my Mig stands in a draughty barn, I have fitted a household bulb holder under the mig wire spool (15kgs) with a 60watt bulb in it to keep the machine free off damp and it also stops the welding wire getting rusty.......this is left on permently from Sept - May, not cheap but got sick of buying new wire cos of rust.......I say this as there won't be room for a bulb holder in the small machine and to save the wire from rust u'd need to remove from the machine...thats unless u got central heating in the w/shop....

for heavy welds and or a lot of it, I run a 225amp oil filled arc welder and for the very big jobs I have 480 amp welder as well........be lost without em.........mind u I'd love a decent TIG but £1500 squids it just to much me......

PS....don't bother with a gasless machine, to expensive to run....get ur gas from somebody like Hobbygas, stockists all over the UK....cheapish, easy to get a refill, (quite a lot of hire shops do the bottles)...........

good luck Clogs

Hi Clogs

Many thanks for your thoughts - very interesting to say the least and a great guide to those who are thinking of taking up the 'art'. Sadly me hands are past using much more delicate tasks than a hammer!

JimmieS.