What to consider when buying a MIG welder

A QUICK GUIDE TO BUYING A MIG WELDER

Whether you have entered 2021 with that resolution to learn to weld. Have that project that you wish to undertake where welding will be needed. Buying your first MIG/MAG welder can be an alarming task. There are many brands of machines on the market, some good and some bad. So let us look at the main points to help you choose the MIG welder right for you.

TRANSFORMER OR INVERTER-BASED MIG WELDER?

Most homes throughout the UK have 240 Volt Single Phase. If you have a garage or workshop with 3-Phase, a 415 Volt MIG may be an option. Transformer based welding power sources have been around for years. These machines are Step switched on the amperage settings. The wire feed is balanced against the amperage setting to attain a smooth weld. It is important to understand that these types of machines will always run smoother when using a three-phase supply. The single-phase machines need capacitors to smooth out the waves in the AC current. The more expensive the machine, the likely hood is that it will have more capacitors in it and hence run smoother. If you are looking at this type of machine to do automotive repairs, it is essential that you get a machine with a low Open Circuit Voltage. This will ensure that you are able to weld thin body panels.

Oxford MIG Welders are probably the best of the transformer type machines. This brand of machine offers the largest 240-volt options than any other make of machine. If required, you are able to buy a MIG with over 400amps to run on a single-phase supply. These MIG’s are packed with capacitors and are built in the UK.

Inverter based MIG welders are now the way forward, they are lighter and more compact and are full of technology. The choice that you have with these types of machines is very wide. The main thing is to opt for a branded machine, eBay offers some very inexpensive unknown branded machines. It is advisable that you stay away from these as they tend to be of poor quality and without technical backup. Many machines are built in the same Chinese factory as others, some top UK brands do not actually make the machine with their name on it. Doing your homework will lead you to the inverter of your choice, The Mig Welding Forum is a good place to start. This website is very informative and the posts will be invaluable to you in aiding in your choice. Specialist websites are also useful, Welding Supplies Direct is a fully independent welding equipment supplier, a call to them to ask for advice is free and worth doing. If you live in the Irish Republic and are looking to buy a MIG welder in Ireland, you will find a great selection Here.

Paton MIG welders are new to the UK and are inverter powered machines. This brand of machine has a built-in stick welder and pulse feature on most machines and are competitively priced. They are also built-in Europe with a sizeable warranty. Manufactures such as Parweld and Jasic are a wise choice for your first machine. These brands are Chinese built but have good UK back up and you get great add ons to some of their top-end MIG’s.

WHAT CAN I WELD WITH A MIG WELDER?

You will be able to weld Mild Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminium if you buy the right MIG welder. Welding aluminium would require you to fit a Teflon liner to the torch and special feed rollers. It is advisable to use a 5356 grade of aluminium wire and do not over tension your feed rollers. This will avoid wire feed problems.