Gasless MIG

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Jak
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Hi all, has anyone out there got a gasless MIG welder they use at home? (13amp plug)

I just want to weld mild steel for garden ornaments so nothing to industrial!

Any recommendations would be very welcome thank you
 
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For smaller things like that, why not just get an arc welder? It's the same thing as gasless MIG and they both have the same kind of flux slag and spatter residues. Gasless/stick also tends to be too hot for thinner metals like auto body panels if that's a concern.
 
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I'm not a huge fan of the gasless stuff, it serves a purpose but I'd suggest you go either for an inverter Arc welder as they're fairly controlible or one of the Clarke gas/no gas Mig machines which are easy to swap between both options simply by changing a couple of connections relating to polarity and adding gas. Disposable CO2 or Argon mix can be expensive if you're doing big jobs it may be worth looking at the Pub Gas suppliers.
I'm currently using a Tig/Arc machine from R tech welding, but need to go back to mig for a job on my rusty camper Van.
The Jasic kit is also quite nice if you have a distributer nearby.
 
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had gasless wire for mig, it was ok, but much better with gas, but dont buy small bottles, these are expensive and
dont last for long, Im going for inverter one soon , they are much better than the old stick welders, and weld much
thicker stuff for a small machine, i would buy one of these for what you would use it for.
 
Thanks Mark, I have an arc (stick) welder already.

I fancy the mig so I can weld thinner materials, 1 - 3 mm items. I'm finding the arc a bit brutal! I might struggle cash wise to purchase a gas one :(
 
Thanks Mark, I have an arc (stick) welder already.

I fancy the mig so I can weld thinner materials, 1 - 3 mm items. I'm finding the arc a bit brutal! I might struggle cash wise to purchase a gas one :(

Maybe hire one for the job ?
 
Not really Allen, it's my new 'retirement' hobby :)

I'm making garden ornaments out of scrap metal and such like. Well, going to soon as I get my kit sorted out.
 
I fancy the mig so I can weld thinner materials, 1 - 3 mm items. I'm finding the arc a bit brutal!
Gasless MIG probably isn't going to be any better... it's just wire feed arc welding (flux inside rather than outside). Have you tried running it electrode negative with thinner rods?
But for thin stuff like that and ornamental type work I would probably just use oxy acetylene welding/brazing.
 
I'd agree, for thin ornamental stuff gas brazing is probably the way to go. You can braze with propane and a suitable torch.
 
I have an old 150TE gas MIG under my bench in work and it's the perfect welder for what you need. There is a place by me that will fill pub bottles. It's years old, I spent about 6 years restoring my Escort with it.

We use Jasic stuff in work though. Not bad really for the price they are.
 
Thanks guys, I like the idea of propane brazing, I'll do some research on that (y)
 
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