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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
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    Sydney
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    4

    Default Novice question - What would be your 'weapon' of choice?

    I’m a DIYer with, I guess, about 100 hours (maybe less) experience with stick welding over about 50 years.

    Considering stick, MIG, gasless MIG, and TIG, imagine you need to weld some 2-3mm mild steel tubing - the sort of material I'll use in most of my projects. What would your 'weapon of choice' be …
    a. If you were a novice like me
    b. If you have a lot of experience in all the welding modalities.

    I need / want to buy a new welder to replace my el-cheapo 40 year old model. One machine that on paper looks like it will fit my needs and my budget (I am happy to spend a bit extra for quality, within limits) is the Cigweld W1008185 3 IN 1 WELDSKILL 185 MIG/TIG/MMA Single Phase Inverter Welder.

    All thoughts on this machine, and recommendations for others in a similar price range would be greatly appreciated.

    P.S. I am in Australia, so the options are a bit limited.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Western Sydney
    Posts
    262

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kenlip View Post
    I’m a DIYer with, I guess, about 100 hours (maybe less) experience with stick welding over about 50 years.

    Considering stick, MIG, gasless MIG, and TIG, imagine you need to weld some 2-3mm mild steel tubing - the sort of material I'll use in most of my projects. What would your 'weapon of choice' be …
    a. If you were a novice like me
    b. If you have a lot of experience in all the welding modalities.

    I need / want to buy a new welder to replace my el-cheapo 40 year old model. One machine that on paper looks like it will fit my needs and my budget (I am happy to spend a bit extra for quality, within limits) is the Cigweld W1008185 3 IN 1 WELDSKILL 185 MIG/TIG/MMA Single Phase Inverter Welder.

    All thoughts on this machine, and recommendations for others in a similar price range would be greatly appreciated.

    P.S. I am in Australia, so the options are a bit limited.
    In a similar boat not long ago and got the 185 CIG, (the tig torch doesn't come standard with it) used it for the past 12 months almost daily and had no problems , in regards to 2-3mm RHS i tried stick machine for a while but kept blowing holes in everything + trying to weld overhead , upside down and vertical didn't work out most times, Gas mig produced the nicer looking welds and was the easiest to weld with, i found fluxcore Mig is quicker and cheaper but no good indoors and the welds are uglier sorta across between stick and mig in appearance. Happy welding and good luck with it !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kenlip View Post
    I’m a DIYer with, I guess, about 100 hours (maybe less) experience with stick welding over about 50 years.

    Considering stick, MIG, gasless MIG, and TIG, imagine you need to weld some 2-3mm mild steel tubing - the sort of material I'll use in most of my projects. What would your 'weapon of choice' be …
    a. If you were a novice like me
    b. If you have a lot of experience in all the welding modalities.


    I need / want to buy a new welder to replace my el-cheapo 40 year old model. One machine that on paper looks like it will fit my needs and my budget (I am happy to spend a bit extra for quality, within limits) is the Cigweld W1008185 3 IN 1 WELDSKILL 185 MIG/TIG/MMA Single Phase Inverter Welder.

    All thoughts on this machine, and recommendations for others in a similar price range would be greatly appreciated.

    P.S. I am in Australia, so the options are a bit limited.
    Hi Kenlip,
    Welcome to the MetalWork Forums

    We have great bunch here very helpful and supportive of one another. You will find many like minded folk here, perhaps with same interests as you.

    If you explore our pages you will find bits and pieces of interesting things all over the place.

    Go to the FORUM box at top LH corner and click on it.

    A drop down menu appears and you can select Forum Home at the top of the drop down menu list. Scan down the pages to look at what we have.

    Please make an effort to read the Terms of Use -our Rules - pretty standard for many forums these days.By joining the forum its automatic that they apply to you as a member.
    Not having read the the TOUs won't be of help if a rule is infringed.

    Sometimes the soft ware works so you can't post pics or links until 10 posts are made ( or such links and pics are cleared by a mod)

    Its anti spam thing.

    There are all sorts of forums that might be parallel with your interests, found as described above.

    If any questions contact me via PM and I'll try to help you.

    Grahame

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Iron triangle View Post
    i found fluxcore Mig is quicker and cheaper but no good indoors
    Thanks for the response.

    Why is fluxcore MIG no good indoors?

    Which mix of MIG gas did you buy?

    I'm tempted to buy the TIG nozzle at the same time, out of interest with experimenting with it. People say it is difficult, but I am always up for a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, this is just for hobby purposes and I am not relying on it for a living, nor is anyone's life dependent on my welds.

    Cheers
    Ken

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Gulfview Heights, Adelaide
    Posts
    83

    Default

    Ken, if you are thinking of TIG with this welder, then a few points for you to consider...

    - MIG and TIG use different gases, you will need a separate gas cylinder for TIG (straight argon)

    - this welder does not have AC output, therefore you cannot TIG weld aluminium with it. You will need an AC/DC TIG welder for aluminium.

    - note there is no HF start for TIG .

    cheers,
    Paul

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi kenlip,
    Based on information you have provided I would say a dedicated Mig is your best all round option. There will be those who disagree with me but if 2 to 3 mm wall thickness tube is going to make up most of what you weld , a plain mig will do nicely.

    The 3 in one units sound just great but you are up purchase of an the extra cylinder plus the fill of argon gas for your tig and the tig torch as a extras for starters.That a straight DC tig - no AC no Aluminium capacity.

    Those Tig extras will throw probably at least $500 plus on top of the 3 in one price. you are still up for a Argoshield gas fill and cylinder purchase for the Mig side.

    CigWeld was once a great name but the product now offered does not carry the same quality, reliability and enjoy the confidence by confidence by industry as it once did.

    Better to own a welder that does it job exceedingly well rather than another that performs three functions just passibly.The Cigweld units are at the bottom of the envelope in performance..
    There are better brands around if you insist on a three in one.

    Sales are one thing but ongoing support ,after sales service and quick repair facility are quite another.

    As far as flux core and mig you are talking two different process though both can be accommodated on the same wire feed unit. MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas - solid wire using a Argon /co2 gas sheilding mix. Fluxcore is a hollow wire ,flux filled usually with out shielding gas but gas cover can used in certain applications.

    MIG can weld both sheet and pipe,tube and also light structural types of weld and give excellent results.

    Possibly the fluxcore was too smoky indoors for the taste of the user.

    Does this help?

    Grahame

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by paul33 View Post
    Ken, if you are thinking of TIG with this welder, then a few points for you to consider...

    - MIG and TIG use different gases, you will need a separate gas cylinder for TIG (straight argon)

    - this welder does not have AC output, therefore you cannot TIG weld aluminium with it. You will need an AC/DC TIG welder for aluminium.

    - note there is no HF start for TIG .

    cheers,
    Paul

    Thanks, Paul.
    I guess TIG will have to wait. I am sure MIG and stick will cover all my immediate needs. Maybe, one day, if I ever get bored (can't see that happening) I'll explore TIG.

    Cheers
    Ken

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Hi kenlip,

    There are better brands around if you insist on a three in one.
    Grahame
    I don't have any aversion to dedicated machines other than the fact that my workshop is already pretty tightly packed with woodwork machines.

    In the dedicated machines. do you have any recommendations regarding specs for me to consider, and maybe brands?

    Cheers
    Ken

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southern Flinders Ranges
    Posts
    1,536

    Default

    If you have a MIG, as a home gamer you’ll likely never use the welder as a power source for stick welding, you just won’t. Modern 3in1’s whilst advertised as capable of TIG are only DC for steel, and are scratch or lift start, yeah you can learn it, but it’s next level frustrating. And as already pointed out you’ll need a seperate bottle of gas, and another torch and consumables.
    The learning curve to become proficient with a MIG is considerably faster than all the other processes, and it’s also a faster process. As a hobby, that second point is probably not so much a concern.

    If the bulk of your projects are 2-3mm I’d suggest looking at a MIG in the region of 200A. Get the biggest duty cycle your wallet can afford. Not that you’ll be on the duty cycle all that often, but when you are it’s a cruel mistress.. You can weld 3mm with around 100ish Amps so having a 200A machine gives you some headroom for those larger jobs you’ll almost certainly find (I used to weld 20mm plate with my old 140A machine, but there was a lot of bevelling to allow me to do it multi pass). Budget for a bottle of gas, fluxcore isn’t any cheaper if you work out the total cost per metre of weld, but it doesn’t carry an outlay in the form of rental or deposit in the same way having a bottle does if you’re not using it. Get a machine that will accommodate a 5kg wire spool, 1/2kg spools are very expensive by comparison and a pain because 1/10th the wire…

    My 2c worth hope it helps

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Western Sydney
    Posts
    262

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kenlip View Post
    Thanks for the response.

    Why is fluxcore MIG no good indoors?

    Which mix of MIG gas did you buy?

    Cheers
    Ken
    First reason is the excess smoke , its produces a massive amount of smoke , and second reason is its hard to see the weld puddle indoor using fluxcore, you need the outdoor light to see what's going on.

    Re gas Argoshield Universal , it's a BOC mix and recommended for mild steel & general fab. As a guide 1 medium sized E gas bottle = 1 x 5kg roll of wire used so it doesn't last long @ $160 a bottle.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Western Sydney
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by racingtadpole View Post
    Budget for a bottle of gas, fluxcore isn’t any cheaper if you work out the total cost per metre of weld, but it doesn’t carry an outlay in the form of rental or deposit in the same way having a bottle does if you’re not using it.
    Fluxcore is cheaper than gas ;
    * $70 fluxcore wire 5kg. (can get it cheaper on Ebay).
    * $30 Gas wire 5kg.
    * E size bottle $160.

    Total = $190 for gas vs $70 for fluxcore. Plus a decent regulator $90.

  12. #12
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    Sep 2021
    Location
    Western Sydney
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    CigWeld was once a great name but the product now offered does not carry the same quality, reliability and enjoy the confidence by confidence by industry as it once did.
    I recently sold a old 1980's CIG transmig 250 to a fella who said exact same thing , the old CIG machines are better , lol .

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Southern Flinders Ranges
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    Default

    There you go, just learnt fluxcore wire has come down quite a bit in price since I last bought any.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Berowra Waters
    Posts
    149

    Default

    Buy a Kemppi, it will make you a much better welder in half the time you’ve forgotten how much it cost.

  15. #15
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    Mar 2011
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    Southern Flinders Ranges
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    Default

    LOL..I see what you did there…..

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