metal glue Welder buying spam

[440bbm]

^^ LEGEND! if you are still offering when i get  a tig be dead keen to work out the ali stuff

[mjrstar]

I've been messing a bit more with Ali, I've found more hz seems to be helping with the bead not spreading out so wide (like it does when it's too hot) my machine seems to only go to 150hz.

I'm keen to know if even more frequency than that would help more on the thin stuff.

Also hooning a bit more pulse, but haven't really settled on pulse frequency (using 1 sec at present) and the Amp offset, I've got it the low about half the high current.

I can attach things to other things, occasionally they look pretty decent but mostly it'd go into the ugly but functional bracket.

[Raizer]

Wanted a pedal for the new welder but didn't want to fork out around $500 for the Xcel-Arc one, first plan was to make a patch cable to use my existing BOC pedal, but I opened it up and it turned out to be a digital output Chinese truck throttle pedal inside!

Checked out AliExpress etc for cheap options but ended up setting for the absolute cheapest option I could find. 

Toolshed pedal retails for $109 normally but they had decent discounts on welding accessories last week and I picked one up for about $80.

Turns out it's the exact same internals that a bunch of brands use. 

Works perfectly! 

/Have a proper plug to solder on coming Monday

[NickJ]

109 is still a steal, on special is awesome! I used mine for a quick job the other week, kept meaning to do some pics and feedback that the ali option is all good too!

[RXFORD]

On 01/09/2025 at 16:48, mjrstar said:

I've been messing a bit more with Ali, I've found more hz seems to be helping with the bead not spreading out so wide (like it does when it's too hot) my machine seems to only go to 150hz.

I'm keen to know if even more frequency than that would help more on the thin stuff.

Also hooning a bit more pulse, but haven't really settled on pulse frequency (using 1 sec at present) and the Amp offset, I've got it the low about half the high current.

I can attach things to other things, occasionally they look pretty decent but mostly it'd go into the ugly but functional bracket.

I'm guessing you are talking tig?

Whats your a/c balance set to?

[mjrstar]

1 hour ago, RXFORD said:

I'm guessing you are talking tig?

Whats your a/c balance set to?

Yip tig, about 40% ac balance. Seems clean frosted edge, and not killing tungsten.

[RXFORD]

1 hour ago, mjrstar said:

Yip tig, about 40% ac balance. Seems clean frosted edge, and not killing tungsten.

What machine? Does it read balance in EN or EP?

My Dynasty reads in EN and a quick 'go to' balance I'l use for clean Ali sheet is about 70% unless I'm really wanting to dial it in. (So 70% penetration, 30% cleaning).

If I was at 40% like you mention it would be balling/overheating tungstens. So maybe yours reads in EP which would put you about 60% EN. I run 50-60% EN doing dirtier shit or cast. 50% cleans cast nice aslong as I don't run too high amperage.

 

Frequency just stabilises the arc. Higher hertz means less arc wander so you get a narrower arc/puddle. My machine goes up to 250Hz. I'm running 150Hz on some 1.5mm 5xxx grade sheet I'm currently doing.

If I'm doing something ultra critical or want it super pretty then I just do some tests with that material and dial it in. Sounds like your on the right track. Just gotta play around and see what you like and are comfortable with. 

[mjrstar]

3 hours ago, RXFORD said:

 

Oh man, apparently it pays to read the manual, this machine is negative balance control.

It's a weldwell 200.

https://www.colliermiller.com.au/documents/TDS/MC1050_1.pdf

[Muncie]

On 01/09/2025 at 15:49, Geophy said:

Hey for all those in the Waikato that want to learn a new skill, brush up on some skills etc im happy to have a couple people over and do some lessons. Can cover;

Mig, gasless and solid wire

Tig, mild steel stainless and basics of Ali

Arc, all positions. 

I just want people to be able to do more and make more stuff themselves. If you have a paticular skill or project we can dial some lessons around that no problem.

Where abouts are you?

[RUNAMUCK]

I'm getting ads on FB for BOC flexi gas. 

The comments are hilarious. Years ago (when they had a monoply) they abused it and price gouged customers horribly. (Absolutely exorbitant bottle rentals) now they've been forced to sharpen their pencil due to competition in the market, they're probably a viable option again.

But people remember.  And there are no shortage of snarky comments from people who similarly hate them. 

BOC=Bunch Of Cunts.

Lolololololol

[Geophy]

On 15/09/2025 at 22:33, Muncie said:

Where abouts are you?

Te Pahu, deep within the economic exclusion zone.

[gibbon]

i've just ordered one of these capricious phantoms of the orient;

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009497758524.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.21ef1802QZzEfx

what am I in for

50/50 welder or aliexpress thread

[sheepers]

Nothing could possibly go wrong

[gibbon]

a fool and his money are soon welding (hopefully)

[RUNAMUCK]

Be sure to report back on how good/Terrible it is.

[RUNAMUCK]

In other news, 

I bought this https://www.georgehenry.co.nz/shop/Welding/Machines/WDCUT40.html  this morning. 

Probably Chinese shite too. But it's a reputable shop. So I can easily return it if the smoke escapes from it.

[SOHC]

I am trying to find another good shit mig, I got a 160 amp no name non inverted thing but my god it's bad, it won't feed the 5kg spools, it won't feed unless the main lead to the torch is straight, one time the wire bunched up inside the machine and shorted the board out and I had to repair that and the board needs constant re soldering of 2 of the components that control the wire feed, it has the gas control valve in the torch witch is super crap.

 

Do the small inverted mig welders last at all? I borrowed one and it had stupid digital controls and there was a huge delay in everything, someone here was saying the noname BOC branded welders were ok?

[Nominal]

My BOC branded one is throwing a wire feed error even though the wire is moving fine. Most annoying.

Wasn't particularly cheap either.

[Nominal]

On 07/10/2025 at 09:35, Nominal said:

My BOC branded one is throwing a wire feed error even though the wire is moving fine. Most annoying.

Wasn't particularly cheap either.

Time honoured approach of taking the cover off and poking around seems to have got it back to life. There is a lot going on in there.

 

[tortron]

yeah my tig still looks the same