I need to repair my side steps. So I thought buying a used Mig welder would be the way to do it. I was a welder for years in the late 90's early 00's so have experience although along time ago!

I don't want to spend more that a new set of steps costs obviously but can anyone recommend a welder that would work on single phase electrics that is half decent and doesn't cost a fortune?

I want it to run with Argon gas.

Thanks in advance!

You have some gas?
If you dont its going to be costly buying it.
Get the gasless wire for the mig. Its quick convenient and it is very handy for light jobbing sort of work.

MachineMart have a VAT free weekend on. They do some decent enough welders.

I still prefer solid wire with CO2 or mix Ar/CO2. Better quality welds me thinks  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Gas will cost £100 all in but I will get the deposit on the bottle back eventually. At the moment with the welder I have found (although it is old a Rand 150s) and the gas I would be £235. I reckon some mild still for the amount I need won't cost a lot of money.

I have a Sealey MightyMig 100 gasless welder. single phase, cheap and does what it says on the tin.  405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

Hi Mcnallykev, this is the one I use.

I wouldn't touch a gasless. its really rubbish, compared to mig with some argoshield. for a start you don't want argon, that's for TIG, and expensive. however, if you get yourself a decent seconhand mig, try getting one with a EURO torch connector. youll remember how better they stand up to twirling the gun around. secondly, if you are in for a bottle rental,
use this well known dodge. keep an eye on Ebay, for am empty argoshield bottle near to you. they were green and blue striped, and now are all blue with a green neck.....(it will say what in it, on the neck collar).... collect it, (you'll never get it couriered) and go to your local BOC depot, hire another the same size, I would suggest a fat 3ft one which is size Y. you will pay for the gas, about £25, the huge 5ft size W holds four times as much as a (fat) Y and cost £4 extra than the Y, and the (thinner) X holds a quarter of the Y! (I think from memory) plus a years rental about £90 but you get all complete remaining months, when returned. at any point in that same month, return the ebay bought bottle. you now have your deposit back. and a bottle to 'look after' for years. So, you are all done for about £25 plus your spent months rental say, £15 plus what your empty costs you. there is talk about barcodes on newer bottles, that's really just for their own records. they don't cross check them. don't go mad and pay over £50 for an empty. another way, is to approach BOC and ask for their hobby sized cylinder. its only about 18 inches, so it fits the minimigs, and has about 10 disposable bottles worth of gas. there was an online offer a few years ago for volkswagon.... a few years ago and it was discounted..... sometimes you can even find these on ebay. (they are still property of BOC! ) do the same dodge. at least you wont be a slave to those pathetic neat CO2 splatter weld gas bottles.
best gas for you will be argoshield light. or maybe argoshield universal. any argoshield empty is going to get you out of trouble. get yourself a cheap auto darkening mask, (£30) and you are ready to weld.
first place to hunt out an empty, is at your local tip. you cant dump them, they hold them for a gas company to collect. if you ask they will say no, so just grab the empty bottle. also try at typical backstreet scrapyards. ask there.

Last edited by johnboyairey on 12th Aug 2016 11:23pm. Edited 1 time in total

Excellent. Thanks for the advice guys. Thinking back it was argoshield I used we just called it Argon. I will have a look on eBay and at the tip!