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westcoast
14th Jan 2008, 06:55 PM
Hi all,

Thanks very much for the great info that this forum supplies. I've learnt an incredible amount about an incredible amount by just keeping an eye on things on this site. I am a keen renovator - completely self taught, very thorough but very slow. So many times I've thought "if only I could stick these two bits of metal together"...I think its time to buy a welder. I reckon it will be used for repairs, maybe knocking up a gate or two and things in the shed. From what I've read at this stage I will probably get away with one of the cheaper arc welders such as the ozito, gmc or arlec. For the amount of use it will get I think I have settled on one of these. But my question is which one. I note that the amps on the GMC is lower than the other two and my best guess is that the duty cycle is slightly better on the arlec than the Ozito. That said my suspicious mind is telling me that the Arlec and the Ozito are so close in spec that they might be the same welder with different stickers.

For what it's worth my welding experience is almost zero...I did do a TAFE course about 15 years ago but I can't remember too much.

Thanks

Brickie
14th Jan 2008, 07:15 PM
That said my suspicious mind is telling me that the Arlec and the Ozito are so close in spec that they might be the same welder with different stickers.



No way........:oo:

Grahame Collins
15th Jan 2008, 09:09 AM
Hi Westcoast,

You are most likely correct in your assumptions about the Arlec and Ozito welders. My lady works for electrical repairer specializing in industrial tools.

In conversations with the electricians there it was revealed that if a welder of that size is a rebadged unit, it is most likely to be a re badged Telwyn. According to the electricians they are best avoided as "They made millions of them and they are all crap". I have used some of the Telwyns and feel they are best utlised as land fill.

The sign to watch for is a tiny transformer unit in a really over sized case with a 10 amp power supply.

Not having used and Arlec or an Ozito,I cannot really offer a valid opinion on either.

I have used the GMC machine as the maintenance guy at school has one. So long as you don't intend to build battleships ,the GMC is a reasonable machine for the money you will pay.

Grahame

westcoast
15th Jan 2008, 06:12 PM
Thanks very much for the response. I was leaning towards the Arlec - mainly because they are on special for $90 at K-Mart, but maybe the GMC warrants another look...

garfield
16th Jan 2008, 02:08 AM
Hi westcoast, I'm a novice welder myself, but recently had a lot of questions answered in this very helpful forum, and purchased a GMC arc welder from Bunnies for a $100. You must remember that by the time you buy the Gloves, chipping hammer, wire brush, face shield and some electrodes.... etc that you'll be around the $200 mark.... something I didn't calculate when I raced out to buy my welder. Told the bank manager (missus) would only be a $100:doh:

Anyhow I can't complain about the GMC welder it served me well for what I have been welding with it and Knocked up my first project with it prior to Christmas with no probs what so ever. I too only got a cheapy as I'm just gonna do basically same sort of jobs you have mentioned. Use this forum to get help and ask questions and listen to members like Grahame and you can't go wrong.

Good luck
Geoff

Rossluck
16th Jan 2008, 09:53 PM
Gerday Westcoast,

One thing that Grahame Collins will I'm sure confirm is that the better welders are actually better to use and weld better. I know that this is obvious, but what I mean is that 140 amps with a GMC is different from 140 amps with a WIA or Lincoln or Miller or whatever. The better welders are smoother and more consistent.

My point is that it may be worth spending the extra few dollars.

Uncle Bob
17th Jan 2008, 10:59 PM
I've got the GMC cheapy from bunnings too. It works great. The duty cycle is bit of a draw back but works out ok if you're a heavy smoker :) (probably does about 4-5 sticks from dead cold before needing a 10-15 min rest). I actually squeezed a 200mm fan I had kicking around in the welder and that really helped the Duty cycle.

Grahame Collins
18th Jan 2008, 08:21 AM
Uncle Bob
Congratulations on your purchase.I am sure it will suit your purpose.

Rossluck, I agrre with you in one way that the dearer welders are certainly a little better to use in terms of current density due to the extra copper wire used in their construction.Given that Uncle Bob may only want to use his welder a couple of times a year, its a bit hard to justify 4 to 5 times the purchase price of the GMC.

Its all about fitness for purpose.The GMC is a solid compact machine and will do the job asked of it and gives value for money.

An inbuilt cooling fan is not beyond the manufacturer however and I am sure most of us would gladly pay the few dollars more to have that feature built into the unit.

Grahame

hux
18th Jan 2008, 03:49 PM
Grahame and all

Sometime a poor man can't afford to buy cheap things. That said the metal hot glue gun (as my wife calls the welder) takes your shed projects to a whole new dimension.

Considering arc welders are really quite simple so far as electrical devices go, and older used one may be just the ticket rather than some cheap cruddy X brand.

Personally I bought a used MIGOMAG 220 which is as heavy as sin, has a copper transformer and comes out of eastern europe. So far (other than the new welding torch I just bought) it has rewarded me with being extremely heavy duty, great duty cycle (60% at full power from memory) and works like a new one.
I would think you could do the same with hunting down a good CIG/WIA/insert good brand arc welder and maybe invest in new cables but have something that you know will last you and do everything you want.

Just another angle to look at it from.....

westcoast
18th Jan 2008, 09:47 PM
Thanks very much for the advice...I think I will keep my eyes open for a second hand job or - if nothing comes up in a short space of time I might find a home for a GMC....Just one more quick one - and I'm sure its a stupid one, but is there any prospect of welding stainless with the GMC?

thesupervisor
18th Jan 2008, 09:57 PM
yes you can weld stainless you just need to buy the rods i think 316l-16 are the ones

AV Elec
18th Jan 2008, 10:23 PM
I have a toolex mig welder which has done probably done over 400 hours. It has been abused, lent to friends, left in the rain, bounced around the ute, and it still works :)

Toolex is definately one of the cheaper brands, and they sell arc welders as well.

Otherwise, cigweld make a good welder and they are probably cheaper than lincoln.

There are often lots of used welders at government auctions.

If you get a second hand probably the most important thing is the quality of the main cable, also make sure you can still get parts for the second hand one.

garfield
19th Jan 2008, 08:59 AM
Uncle Bob
Congratulations on your purchase.I am sure it will suit your purpose.

Rossluck, I agrre with you in one way that the dearer welders are certainly a little better to use in terms of current density due to the extra copper wire used in their construction.Given that Uncle Bob may only want to use his welder a couple of times a year, its a bit hard to justify 4 to 5 times the purchase price of the GMC.

Its all about fitness for purpose.The GMC is a solid compact machine and will do the job asked of it and gives value for money.

An inbuilt cooling fan is not beyond the manufacturer however and I am sure most of us would gladly pay the few dollars more to have that feature built into the unit.Grahame


Well said Grahame. I have the little "cheap" GMC and it did the job I required it for just before Chrissy. Now it's packed away and hasn't been used since the last week before Christmas and I don't really have anything on the agenda for it anytime soon, so it could be the end of the year before its next use, but know it's there when I want it and as I said before its not a bad little unit for the novice like myself.

Fossil
19th Jan 2008, 10:25 AM
I agree with Hux on this one.

I have a very good quality stick welder that I bought new over twenty years ago. It has done an enormous amount of work, in an industrial setting, and hasn't missed a beat.

Also, a really decent set of leads also is required to get the best out of any unit. I got hold of 30m of welding cable thicker than my thumb at an auction, a few years back. My earth cable is 6m long, and the work cable is 8m long, which makes life easy when using the unit in my workshop. The welder is permanently housed next to a 20amp supply now.
I had plenty of cable left over to make up a set of top notch jumper leads as well which was good.

Fossil