Discussion
Aldi are doing a 140a stick welder, with inverter internals for £69.99 with free delivery on pre order for shipping around the 24th.
Half the price of my cheapest stick m/c. You can get a tenner off for 1st online order if some one emails you the code they get.
Might be worth a punt if duty cycle is not a big issue and you're not trying to put the root in schedule 40 pipe with 6010s.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-140-amp-inverter-w...
Half the price of my cheapest stick m/c. You can get a tenner off for 1st online order if some one emails you the code they get.
Might be worth a punt if duty cycle is not a big issue and you're not trying to put the root in schedule 40 pipe with 6010s.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-140-amp-inverter-w...
Learning with it will be okay but just don't try learning by trying to weld a Quality Street tin that's resting on the garage floor..
Set up some clean-ish steel box or whatever, clamped or weighted down and good work piece lead connection and it will be a lot less frustrating learning.
Also don't forget you'll need some electrodes. 1.6-3.2mm 6013 should be okay for most mild steels and you'll be within the machines capabilities. Get some quality ones if you can, Bohler, EWM, Esab, Sif etc but Screwfix ones actually get a good rating. When learning it can be useful to cut them in half to get better control, just don't smash all the coating off doing so.
I've bought one for the lolz just to see how it compares to my sub £1k machines so will put the voucher code up tomorrow.
Set up some clean-ish steel box or whatever, clamped or weighted down and good work piece lead connection and it will be a lot less frustrating learning.
Also don't forget you'll need some electrodes. 1.6-3.2mm 6013 should be okay for most mild steels and you'll be within the machines capabilities. Get some quality ones if you can, Bohler, EWM, Esab, Sif etc but Screwfix ones actually get a good rating. When learning it can be useful to cut them in half to get better control, just don't smash all the coating off doing so.
I've bought one for the lolz just to see how it compares to my sub £1k machines so will put the voucher code up tomorrow.
21TonyK said:
Looking at the quality of the welds they used something cheaper than the Aldi 
21TonyK said:
Theres some hope then!
Hehe. Trouble is the cost of the stainless box section, say 50x50x3 even 304 grade, thick enough to weld with stick would be very high, we're talking hundreds for that frameSomething like that would normally be Tig or a decent Mig but then there's cutting the stuff too..
Mine arrived today. Didn't have a lot of time so grabbed a cheap 2.5mm 6013 and a bit of 2mm steel.
Set it up, guessed at 74A DCEP (this thing goes as low as 20A up to displayed 145A)
Expected a stick spit stick curse experience but it struck a steady arc first time. I relaxed a bit in shock at how good and smooth it was running so not my best weld but pretty good for a first go. Easy penetration on 2mm, I reckon you'd weld some pretty thick stuff and definitely as thick as most home users will go.
Ran a few more welds, each time easy strike, no sticking (I don't bang the rod in, stroke it on and then weld over)
If I get time I'll try some 1.6 rods on thin stuff and see if it will scratch start tigweld too.
Not the fine pulsed slag peeling job you'd get with an ewm and quality rods but perfectly usable imho for not a lot of money
Set it up, guessed at 74A DCEP (this thing goes as low as 20A up to displayed 145A)
Expected a stick spit stick curse experience but it struck a steady arc first time. I relaxed a bit in shock at how good and smooth it was running so not my best weld but pretty good for a first go. Easy penetration on 2mm, I reckon you'd weld some pretty thick stuff and definitely as thick as most home users will go.
Ran a few more welds, each time easy strike, no sticking (I don't bang the rod in, stroke it on and then weld over)
If I get time I'll try some 1.6 rods on thin stuff and see if it will scratch start tigweld too.
Not the fine pulsed slag peeling job you'd get with an ewm and quality rods but perfectly usable imho for not a lot of money
Edited by dfen5 on Friday 29th September 21:30
If money is no object Bohler Pheonix Blau or EWM stuff.
Then Esab, Oerlikon, Siftrode, Lincoln, Hilko, GYS and a few more I've forgot.
Then brands like Parweld, Weldarc and so on, but get the Lloyd's certificates with 'em if you can.
ETA the supplied hand shield is pretty useless. Auto helmets are great but you can do well with a manual, quite a few people still use the old ones.
Personally I would avoid the cheap unboxed stuff off eBay and the Super 6 brand gets mixed reviews.
I just used Weldarc as I have them in, nice soft arc but slag removal a bit harder than expected but no big deal, just wire cup it.
If you're on mild steel use 6013 for most stuff.
7018 is low hydrogen rod and you are supppsed to bake them once opened for a few hours to get the moisture out. Unless you're trying to avoid cold cracking and messing about with hydrogen release phases I wouldn't bother.
Then Esab, Oerlikon, Siftrode, Lincoln, Hilko, GYS and a few more I've forgot.
Then brands like Parweld, Weldarc and so on, but get the Lloyd's certificates with 'em if you can.
ETA the supplied hand shield is pretty useless. Auto helmets are great but you can do well with a manual, quite a few people still use the old ones.
Personally I would avoid the cheap unboxed stuff off eBay and the Super 6 brand gets mixed reviews.
I just used Weldarc as I have them in, nice soft arc but slag removal a bit harder than expected but no big deal, just wire cup it.
If you're on mild steel use 6013 for most stuff.
7018 is low hydrogen rod and you are supppsed to bake them once opened for a few hours to get the moisture out. Unless you're trying to avoid cold cracking and messing about with hydrogen release phases I wouldn't bother.
Edited by dfen5 on Saturday 30th September 09:42
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