I've always wanted to try welding... this thing is cheap enough to buy it just to have a bash: any comments from anyone who knows *anything* about welding?!
- posted
17 years ago
Comments on Aldi arc welder?
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
I've always wanted to try welding... this thing is cheap enough to buy it just to have a bash: any comments from anyone who knows *anything* about welding?!
formatting link
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
steel together, it'll do just fine.
If you want to construct stuff, with reliable, reproducible weld quality, get a mig welder.
That's perhaps a little harsh, but arc welding is noisy, spattery and difficult to do well.
As for that welder in particular, I'm sure it's identical internally to any other sub £100 arc welder; all it is is a big transformer and a fan.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The message from Lobster contains these words:
MIG welding is much much much easier! However, I've still got a welder just like that - had it for twenty years or more and every now and then it gets dragged out - but usually for more interesting things like doing high-current fun and game with the kids. It still welds OK though.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The message from Grunff contains these words:
I've just noticed it doesn't have a mains plug on it. I thought that wasn't allowed these days. If the mains cable is really thick they can be a bit of a bugger to get into some mains plugs.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Talking of cheapies - Netto have a garden shredder next week. Claims on one hand that it's "silent" and on the other hand that it's "94dB".
Hmmm. Or perhaps HMMMMM.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Could you elaborate please???
Cheers
John
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Sounds like he welds the kids to things........
Dave
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
I did once fit a 13A plug to a converting extension for a friend's fancy TIG machine but that was because it _could_ run off three phase.
Jon
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
It's legal if it isn't intended for domestic use. It could be argued that welding isn't a "domestic" activity.
:-)
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
because a small arc welder is a useful tool for all kinds of jobs that the average DIYer comes across. Don't expect to do much welding with the supplied kit of rods (10 assorted rods) which will last about 10 minutes if you're lucky. A pack of 1.6mm or 2mm rods (best sizes to start with, but others will almost certainly disagree) will cost about £14-00p but they'll last a long time if you keep them dry.
Arc welding is often compared unfavourably with Mig welding, and there's no doubt that Mig welding is easier. The fact is that we've become rather blasé about the tools available today and tend to look down on good older tools simply because they're not the latest thing. A fan cooled arc welder such as the one you're looking at compares quite favourably with cheaper Mig welders except for welding thinner metals. You've got nothing to lose with this welder and you'll probably be still using it 20 years from now.
Cic.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 474 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Try SPAMfighter for free now!
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
It doesn't say what its peak power consumption is so I'd guess rather more than 13 amps hence no plug. Common with imports from countries where 16 amp outlets are the norm.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Depends on what you want to weld. If things like garden gates then it's probably ok with practice. For thin sheet like car bodywork you need a MIG
- and a decent one at that.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
benifit of using brass welding and steel welding. I'm sure netto or Lidl had a mig welder on offer a week or so ago?
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
We know that their marketing people are semiliterate, so being innumerate as well would be entirely possible.
As long as they can count to 5 or 6 (max quantity in a stack of boxes), that is good enough. There is even a little graphic on the side to help with this.
I suppose that they must find counting cauliflowers intellectually challenging, though.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Arn't welders supposed to have those outdoor type connector? ie the ones you see on lawnmowers/caravan. This is prolly why it doesn't come with a 13 amp plug,after all welding is done outside. ;-)
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The message from "John" contains these words:
Turning pencils into short-lived incandescant lamps, melting salt with carbon electrodes (one of these days I must make a rectifier so we can electrolise some), running large electromagnets to do fun things with - that sort of stuff.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The message from Frank Erskine contains these words:
'Tis round here.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:
Oh, that's easy - you fit a second mains cable back to the innards and plug them both in together.
No - really - I know someone who has.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
And here!..... But NOT Arc, MIG :-)