Buying a welder.

[Covo71]

Need some advice from the experienced.
I want to buy a welder and start working more with making different stuff but unsure of what to buy or need.
I am not flushed with cash so not to expensive.
Can you get something to use on different gauges or types of metals?
Used to do a ton of mig welding and silver soldering around 20 years ago but lot of things changed.
Any ideas appreciated.
Cheers

[mudnut]

I love my Tig/stick welder, but it is a bit small for larger jobs as it is limited to 80 amps. It is brilliant on panel work.

[threedogs]

I have a few welders a MIG an old Transarc CIG and a very light inverter welder.
I find I use the inverter more, but I love stick welding , Mig allows anyone to
call themselves a welder,
All depends what you want to build IMO

[Covo71]

I have a few welders a MIG an old Transarc CIG and a very light inverter welder.
I find I use the inverter more, but I love stick welding , Mig allows anyone to
call themselves a welder,
All depends what you want to build IMO

Thanks TD. Don't want to build anything specific but have found more and more often that I have an idea in my noggin and want to have a crack at it but can't. Different things so that is why I was asking if you can use on different metals or do you have different welder for different jobs?
Cheers

[lucus30]

I just bought a unimig 175. Seems to lay a bead nicely even for a new welder like myself.

[threedogs]

Trouble with MIG for the DIYer is the rental and cost of the bottle of Gas,$$$$$$$
I have gasless wire but its not up to par with a MIG weld. For any square tube welding
an inverter would work well, if youre doing a dual cab chop then hire a bottle and mig weld it

[lhurley]

I have a cheap cig weld 145 amp mig. Runs mig and flux core wires.
Not amazing but does well for sticking things together and odd fix up jobs.

If you want to weld other metals (not just mild steel) then you should look into a tig/stick welder. Tig requires gas but that could be saved for bigger jobs and the stick can be used for quick little jobs.

[Nightjar]

My old CIG Transarc stick was getting tired so began looking around for a new welder. One that would be handy in the shed and one that was small light weight and could be taken away on our prospecting trips and be run using our Honda 3kva inverter generator.
This one works a treat.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Misht...YAAOSw-W5Utx2~

Strangely if I switched off the generator "economy" and struck an arc the welder tripped after a couple of seconds.
Switched back to "Econ" struck an arc generator came up to revs and the stick burned away.

[billyj]

Trouble with MIG for the DIYer is the rental and cost of the bottle of Gas,$$$$$$$
I have gasless wire but its not up to par with a MIG weld. For any square tube welding
an inverter would work well, if youre doing a dual cab chop then hire a bottle and mig weld it

check out power 10 gases, avalible through total tools + bunnings if my memorys right, you buy the bottle outright then just swap and go when empty like with bbq gas

[Covo71]

My old CIG Transarc stick was getting tired so began looking around for a new welder. One that would be handy in the shed and one that was small light weight and could be taken away on our prospecting trips and be run using our Honda 3kva inverter generator.
This one works a treat.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Misht...YAAOSw-W5Utx2~

Strangely if I switched off the generator "economy" and struck an arc the welder tripped after a couple of seconds.
Switched back to "Econ" struck an arc generator came up to revs and the stick burned away.

I am liking the price a lot at $139. It might be a winner.
Cheers