Hi
Where can I get a good air gun and welder from? Can anyone point me in the right direction...would the screwfix ones be a good bet? I need it for general work on my motorcycle, and it would be a whole lot easier with this.
Thanks
{made non make/model spcific}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 11/09/2009 at 13:42
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Assuming you'll mainly be welding thin material, a MIG welder is best. I think Screwfix may sell SIP models and they seem to have problems with wire feed. Clarke machines have a good reputation. Maybe something like their 90EN which can be used gasless with flux cored wire or with shielding gas with the addon regulator. This machine also can go down to about 25 amps so you're not blowing holes everywhere. The really cheap ones tend to have a high minimum amperage and aren't easy to use. Unless you really know what you're doing, don't get an arc (MMA) welder. They're certainly a lot cheaper than a MIG but more suited to heavy gauge material.
As regards an airgun - are you talking about a blowgun? You will need a compressor. Unless you want to do just light painting jobs, you'll need one with a receiver tank. Even to keep a blowgun blowing for more than a couple of minutes you need a fair bit of air. Probably the minimum if you want to use a spraygun, tyre inflator etc. as well would be 1.5hp/25 litre tank. Even that would struggle with an HVLP spraygun and it wouldn't really be suitable for high consumption airtools like impact wrenches, chisels etc. If you went for a bigger compressor, be careful of power consumption. 2.5hp is about the most you could run on a 13amp supply. Same considerations apply to welders - about 150amps max. is OK otherwise you'll be blowing fuses.
Have a look at Machine Mart. They've got branches all over the place and supply mail order. Good parts stocks too.
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good post datostar
my receiver pulls 3 amp out of a 13 amp plug the most you can get away with
i havent had a 3 phase compresser for nigh on 17 years now,boy do they make a noise when a phase is down
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And bear in mind that Gregory II like most of us is probably going to be running his gear off an extension cable so another reason to watch the amps. 3 phase - now you're talking big league! I'd go for it if I had an existing supply but it must cost a fortune to have it put in nowadays.
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You can get very large single phase compressors-get yourself a copy of thr "Machine Mart" catalogue or go to their website.
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If you do go for a gasless welder make sure you can run gas if you decide to(you need to be able to change torch polarity).Gasless wire is expensive,if you start doing a lot of welding it is cheaper to use gas,I use Argoshield from BOC.Also it gives a much better weld.Clarke,from Machinemart,are good for the money and light enough to be portable,if that is a consideration.
When looking at compressors check the FAD (free air delivery),if they do not quote that the CFM(cubic feet per minute) rating should give an idea of its capabilities.7 to 9 CFM will run most air tools but you may have to pause for the compressor to catch up,if you can afford something like this tinyurl.com/mnzysr you should have power all the time and be able to run an impact wrench if you want to.
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I run my impact wrench straight off the cylinder-put a tapped plug in place of the end plug;get much more airflow this way than running it thro' the regulator valve.
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Has anyone got any first hand experience of the welddownunder oxyacetylene DHC 2000 torch (DHC Dillon Henrob Cobra)?
www.welddownunder.com/
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I know nothing of welding, but a Weihrauch 100K will sort out the likes of magpie's and rats in uncanny silence.
sorry coat on..;)
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GB
My first thought when I read heading was why does he need an air gun and a welder - took a minute to remember I was on motoring forum. - I thought he wanted to repair an air gun??
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I thought he wanted to repair an air gun??
It caught my eye too, wishful thinking i s'pose.;)
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Yes,I was going to recommend a Gunppower Stealth like I just got,bagged its first rabbit last week.
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Am I assuming that a Clarke welder/ compressor is good for the DIYer like myself?
I think machine mart sell these. Does anyone have first hand experience of using these?
Thanks
Gregory
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ive got a basic gas clarke , hadnt welded before and was using it after 20mins practice
you might need to join a welding forum or find a mate that help with settings at first
air gun...if you mean impact gun why not consider a cordless ? not messing around waiting for a compressor to charge up etc
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reading some of these replies it seems we have a few countryfolk amongst us - My image of Backroomers is changing from the Arfer Daily type.
I have a 25ltr compressor and it isn't quite up to the job of driving an impact Driver - wish I had spent the extra few quid on 50ltr job. - It all boil's down to you get what you pay for.
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Am I assuming that a Clarke welder/ compressor is good for the DIYer like myself? I think machine mart sell these. Does anyone have first hand experience of using these? Thanks Gregory
My son and I shared the cost of a Clarke 90EN Gas/Nogas welder and an Airmaster (Clarke) Compressor from Machine Mart about 16 years ago. Both still going strong and you can always get spare parts from Machine Mart or Clarke themselves. Had to replace the pipe from the compressor to the receiver recently due to corrosion (fertiliser got spilled on it) and just replaced the spool fastener on the welder. No problem at all with parts availability (90EN still in production), which can be problematic with obscure Far Eastern items. I'd definitely go there again. One thing to watch with any MIG welder is wire storage. If you don't use the machine often and it's kept in a shed or garage there's a good chance the wire will rust then jam in the torch liner, causing feed problems. Remove it and store it in a dry place in the house and reload it when you need it again.
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With a welder, is it better to purchase a MIG welder or an arc/TIG welder. Can anyone recommend a good model to go for. I have started a course in welding which is thoroughly enjoyable and I am keen to buy a good welder once I have finished the course.
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Perhaps the course teacher would be able to advise, bearing in mind what you want to weld?
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This is an old thread but to answer the the bottom post a good mig welder is ideal but you need to see one in action go to a welding supplies shop and try them out.
E bay flog loads of returns be carefull what you buy.
Now to air guns old post i know but can't go wrong with ingersol rand they make the compressors this gun i have has had some stick and works a treat, mac tools guns are the same or they was, blue point/snap my blue point gun did not last too long disapointing.
But you get what you pay for draper do a expert range not bad for the diy light use.
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