MIG welders selection advice sought

Ive had my SIP migmate for five or six years and I must admit I have in the last six months replaced the wire feed assembly, otherwise it does what I bought it for.

Martin P

Mart> Looking for a MIG welder rated about 150A; I need to be able to weld

You are aware, that MIGs don't weld Al below 2mm. And that the welds don't look very nice. You are also aware, that the feed mechanism should be of the 4 rollers type and that you need special rollers (the groove has a different shape). You also know, that the "burner" (howsitcalled? the tube stuff where the current and wire etc. are going through) needs a different core. You will want to have a different complete "buerner" for Al and steel.

You are also aware, that heating up (at least where you start welding) the workpiece makes things much easier.

Can't give you brands, because we have others on "the continent". Maybe you get a "Merkle", a "EWM" or a "Rehm"?

Nick

I bought the SIP/Clarke type about 10 years ago and after not a great deal of use the wire feed started causing problems unless the liner and wire were perfect. However it only took about an hour to make a new rigid wire guide and now it will feed anything all day long.

The problem, I have found, with these relatively cheap welders is getting the current down low enough to weld aluminium. But all is not lost! A few metres of fencing wire in series with one of the output terminals and Bob's your uncle! It probably only amounts to less than an ohm resistance but it's enough to bring the minimum current down to allow the welding of relatively thin ali. Of course this doesn't fix the problem with the tips burning away but that's another experiment.

BTW, the wire feed on my SIP is also playing up. A round-to-it is needed but I am fresh out.

Mark