Cheap starting welder

Well I'm in the US, but this what I recommend to most. If you just want to start out and learn welding, then look on news groups, especially 4 wheeling ones. Lots of times, someone is upgrading to a bigger welder, and then you can buy their smaller used one for cheap.

I can't really tell what that is, is that a stick welder? I think it would be better to spend in the 150 Euro range or so and pickup a used flux cored / mig one. But for 39.99 it may be worth a try, since you aren't spending much money.

Forgot this was not a "UK" group, sorry to everyone across the pond.

It is a stick welder and the price is £39 GBPounds.

I have been waiting to get a welder for a while, thought gas/no-gas mig but can't justify the cost at the mo, just needed something that I can use a couple of times and either stick on a shelf or sell for 1/2 original cost and not worry too much when I am ready to upgrade and have the spare cash.

I am looking on ebay and keeping an eye out for second hand already but don't want to get stuck with a piece of junk that doesn't work right

Cheap isn't good and good isn't cheap. You can, however get a good deal on a used machine.

Buy quality and cry only once.

Steve

Ummm...that's the price for one fine Asian metal case, powder coated in red. If you want to do anything with it, the parts inside are extra.

And the duty cycle is? I saw "Duty cycle 20% at 0 Deg. C. Ambient"

Brrrrrr...Just think how high its duty cycle might be outdoors on a cold winter day in the Arctic. For dog sled repair, one ought to just go and snap it up at that price.

If you're not looking to weld a battleship, then why buy a stick welder?

Don't buy it (IMHO). It might be a useful little welder. It's very probably all the stick welder you ever need. Forget about duty cycles - people who are wondering about 40 quid welders can afford some patience instead - you're not on a production line,.

The trouble is though that it's a stick welder. It's just not much use for you -- if you really needed a stick welder, you'd already know it. It's just not the right sort of welder for the thickness of metal you're likely to be working.

Spend some more money and go for a wire-feed (MIG) welder. It'll be far more value to you. I'd be _lost_ without a wire-feed welder, I use the gas fairly often for heating, but the stick just never gets used.

Try uk.d-i-y for a more UK-centric view of things too.

The big problem that I see from the specs is the 48 volt oc. I have a old welder that was sold by Wards. The open circuit voltage on it is close to 80, which makes starting an arc much easier. I have had it a long time, but it still works the same as when it was new.

Dan