cheap chinese MIG welders- trademe etc.

[flyingbrick]

so on trademe (and in a few tool store fliers) are very cheap gas/gasless mig welders around 180A for between $400 - $600.

I'm aware the duty cycles are poor (10% to 20% at 180A) however this will be fine for what i'd use it for.

has anyone bought/used one of these machines? im curious as to how well they work, quality of parts etc. I know they wont be as good as a more expensive unit but how bad are they? The torch lead for example looks very thin and light weight on these compared to other units.

Any advice would be appreciated!

-Nathan

[lincooln]

whats the brand on them? I got a 120A mig from a welding distribution place in otahuhu for $300. its got a 30% duty cycle and is gas or gasless too. the brand is a 'mig star combi' 120

[chevrolux]

very interested to hear people's thoughts on these too. My welder got nicked so been on the hunt for a new one for a while and quite like the look of this one...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =374196184

[flyingbrick]

thats more than im willing to spend on a welder. I just wont use it enough. I'm talking about the CHEAP welders.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 293495.htm

I can not even see how amps are adjusted?

Also, what are they like when used gasless. EG why would one choose to use argon rather than flux cored wire.

[getsum]

most of those will only have 2 amp settings, labeled high and low..

ive got a ryobi 100..

its gasless only,works good for small stuff..up to 6mm
switchable from 30amp - 100 amp only..
has wire speed control..thats it..

using argon/other gasses works out cheaper..

a roll of flux wire is more than double the cost of non flux...
some of those small welders can be run off a soda stream type bottle,and are cheap to fill..

[flyingbrick]

thanks for that.

I think this might be the go. For the amount that i'd use it gas just seems like an added complication.

So 180A and a roll of flux cored .8mm wire would have me capable of welding most things it seems. .

If I wanted to weld light gauge sheet metal can you simply slow the wire feed and lower the amps or do you need to go with lighter wire also.

-Nathan

[getsum]

yup..i find it better to use the .9mm wire and tips..

allthough youll get a bit more wire with .8mm..

i got mine to weld up a firewall and trans tunnel on one of my old projects, have since used t to weld almost anything, ive found it really good on galved pipe.....

get a good auto helmet too..most welders come with a shitty little hand held which is ok if your welding an exhaust where your doing short bursts,but i binned my ones...

get spare tips too,youll end up going through a few while you get used to the flux weld wire speed

[flyingbrick]

thanks for the advice

[muddyhilux]

very interested to hear people's thoughts on these too. My welder got nicked so been on the hunt for a new one for a while and quite like the look of this one...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =374196184

i eyes this one up a while ago but I'm sure it'l crap out quick if used for too much heavy stuff

[chevrolux]

The way i figure 80% of my welding will be with thin walled tube up to 10mm plate. The rest might be heavier stuff (12mm brackets for a 4-link etc...). So the duty cycle rates they quote suits me perfectly. I dont expect the torch to be anything special but when you look at a 250A mig with inverter at BOC it costs nearly three grand. Im sure there are cheaper places but i reckon thats a decent deal.

Whats the story with using co2 regs on argon? Is it a no no?

[haydgq]

The way i figure 80% of my welding will be with thin walled tube up to 10mm plate. The rest might be heavier stuff (12mm brackets for a 4-link etc...). So the duty cycle rates they quote suits me perfectly. I dont expect the torch to be anything special but when you look at a 250A mig with inverter at BOC it costs nearly three grand. Im sure there are cheaper places but i reckon thats a decent deal.

Whats the story with using co2 regs on argon? Is it a no no?

Look for the RILON brand then MITECH and JASIC (in that order), they are the premium brands in China and also the first to make Invertor welders, the rest just copied these original brands but are still probally ok.

The Green magmate pro Invertor BOC migs are made in China In the RILON/RILAND factory but are very expensive from a BOC store. (much cheaper when importing yourself )

My 200a Rilon mig can easily weld unto 12mm plate and with the high duty cycle it will do it for long periods of time aswell.

You can also buy your own C02 bottle, my 6.8kg bottle is only $55 to fill and it lasts a long time.

[flyingbrick]

Thanks for that.

I've just had a browse through my toolshed catalogue and they have a 180A DYNAMIC brand mig for a little over $600. It has a more professional looking torch and cable than the other ones ive seen.

I think i'll go with that one.

[Nivapulledout]

Rilon/rilands are made by Jasic, however I too was going to say that Jasic (or other brands that are jasic) or mitech are the best and you cannot go wrong with them. I have had a Jasic 200amp mig for the last 3 years and lays perfect beads everytime, quality is fantastic and it was nice and cheap(well more expensive than some of the chinese ones)

but if you shop around and look at the specs and feedback on trademe then you should be ok.

[haydgq]

Rilon/rilands are made by Jasic

,

Na mate they are not, i know this for a fact and have been to the Rilon/Riland factory, but there are many companies using other's names so its actually very hard to find the right company when looking for a actual brand.

There is another company using the Riland name and this is the company that are huge in the USA and i think they are the ones with relation to Jasic, they sell the light blue Riland machines not the dark Blue original Riland machines, the Rilon versions are the yellow ones.

[Nivapulledout]

yeah that is where I got it from as I was looking on the weld USA forums and they kept saying it.However I think that For the AC/DC tigs most brands are using the Jasics WSE 200 rebranded or copied as they are all the same but mitec. As you say hard to tell which company is which sometimes.

me Bad ok go for any of those three brands then Nathan.

[haydgq]

yeah that is where I got it from as I was looking on the weld USA forums and they kept saying it.However I think that For the AC/DC tigs most brands are using the Jasics WSE 200 rebranded or copied as they are all the same but mitec. As you say hard to tell which company is which sometimes.

me Bad ok go for any of those three brands then Nathan.

Jasic starting producing welders a few years after the Rilon/Riland guys, and Rilon already had AC/DC Tigs at that point so Jasic were one of the first companies to copy the original guys and that includes the Tigs aswell

[Nivapulledout]

My bad ,

you like Chinese welder Wise man sun

[haydgq]

My bad ,

you like Chinese welder Wise man sun

haha yea sorry to sound like a smart arse

[Nivapulledout]

Not at all. good to know someone knows their shit.

So I am now in the market for a Chinese 200amp AC/DC tig with pulse and was almost going to get a WSE200P but then there is the mitech unit.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 273038.htm


and then I found this IGBT one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IGBT-AC-DC-200Amp ... 2433wt_905

that seems to be the ducks nuts, have heard great feedback on the company SHop river and have contacted them and said this is better than a WSE200P that they also sell.looking at the pics the build quality seems to be alot better than the WSE200P of which ever brand.

what are your thoughts oh master sun.