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Re: MIG welder

To: "Picard, Pierre" <Pierre@incognito.com>, "triumphs@autox.team.net" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: MIG welder
From: Trevor Boicey <tboicey@brit.ca>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 01:38:03 -0400
References: <716D440F8C29D311991100A0C92048745A7E2F@GIDGET.INCOGNITO.COM>
"Picard, Pierre" wrote:
> What make and model for a MIG welder is recommended? 

  I have a Lincoln Weld Pak (aka: Mig Pak) and it's served
me extremely well, all the welding on the restos on my site
were done with it.

  The weld pak and mig pak are the same as far as I know, except
the Mig Pak comes with the gas kit, and I had to purchase the gas
kit seperately and install.

 (I guess this goes without saying, but you want the gas
for sure)

> I'm aiming for one that
> can weld at least a 3/16 or 1/4". Probably 220/230V. Is that overkill for
> auto body work?

  You can always turn it down, but don't pay extra for more than 3/16th.
If
you have to weld 1/4 inch once in your life, you can just make extra
passes.

  You'll not only save money, but you'll get a smaller lighter unit.
Also,
having it work in 120 can be pretty handy in ways you won't even realize
until you have a welder, then you weld anything.

> the Millers' have a 4 position wire speed control (at least according to the
> pictures). I was told that variable wire speed is important when welding
> thin material.

  My welder has a 4 position heat control, which I've never found
to be a problem. Maybe if I was an incredible welder I'd need fine
tuning power, but I simply have never found a sitation where I
wasn't happy with any settings.
 
> Out of curiosity, what gauge are the body panels on a TR6?

  As the cars get newer, the gauges get lighter. Many 50s cars
are 18 gauge or so. Later cars are 20-ish, perhaps your TR6 falls
in here although I've never done any TR6 bodywork. Modern cars are
22-ish.

  A good MIG will do them all, but the thinner the metal the more
careful you have to be.
 
> I'm planning on dipping the whole tub after welding a bit of a sub-frame to
> it. Any tips there?

  Lend me your dip tank, that's a good tip!
 
-- 
Trevor Boicey, P. Eng.
Ottawa, Canada, tboicey@brit.ca
ICQ #17432933 http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
"...if never to be seen again, you're in my air" - Ajax

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