New Weldering Machine

[podgey]

I'm looking for a small portable stick welder for some light domestic projects, does anyone have any advice on good deals around at the moment? Last time i was going through the shops i saw there were alot of cheaper chinese models which i'm not too sure about. What i was looking for is an american brand welder with some sort of warranty. cheers

[howto]

Regret to say I've only seen those crap chinese welders here.

And they are not inexpensive given their quality.

I purchased a full size ac chinese unit ten years ago,

works well enough and works today (infrequent usage).

I would prefer a smaller unit, and ac/dc.

I do miss my good ac/dc Miller unit back home.

I did learn one thing...

beware that that some (many) welders here

may use copper coated aluminum windings

and not full copper windings.

I've heard that

it is required in Thailand to disclose that fact,

and I have seen something to that effect

with a statement (in Thai) stencil painted on the case,

who knows about it's validity, being it's Thailand.

I doubt their are any good deals (but that is relative).

Best of luck

[tothemark]

In your travels did you come across any MIG welders ? I know they are out there somewhere possibly wire only as opposed to gas as I really dislike ARC.

[MAJIC]

In your travels did you come across any MIG welders ? I know they are out there somewhere possibly wire only as opposed to gas as I really dislike ARC.

Large TOOL PRO Stores have been known to stock a range of Professional, MIG Welding Sets,as well as lower rated domestic ones,

Actually I have seen TIG SETs also stocked there.

Bear in mind though that MIG continuous wire feed units also need a Arc Shielding Gas.

Unless they have in recent years perfected Fluxcore Wire,that doesn't need any Co2/Argon Gas coverage?

Edited April 3, 2011 by MAJIC

[podgey]

Checked out global yesterday, again the Chinese brands, heavy and expensive units. No idea where they thought up the prices? One boasted German tech, it might have been cutting edge in the 40's. The prices are similar to what you'd pay in aust. for a legit brand that is the lastest and greatest in welding tech. Has anyone imported them from the states because there would be a market here you'd think. Checking out homeworks today.

[podgey]

sad

[howto]

^sad, it's far beyond sad.

And they smile while giving an absurd price for garbage.

'fraid it's like this thruout the country too.

anyway, here is a couple of links to on-line dealers.

Prices are abhorrant.

http://www.rujirashop.com/?lang=en

absurd listed prices, I've never delt with them.

http://www.chumsin.com/home.php?module=product_search&keyword=&search_cate=11&page=1

Thai only, worst website layout I've ever seen.

Page listed is for the welders, stick, mig, tig.

No prices are listed.

I've ordered/shipped from them before.

Expect discounts of 15~20% (prices are still absurd).

note: usually all the smaller shops will discount, however

you, being a farang with limited thai, are at a disadvantage.

I have, at times, located what I want,

then had a Thai negotiate and purchase it (me not present).

You know the globalhouse/homepro/etc don't discount.

BTW, can you imaging the quality of that wire-feed unit on the mig?

Best of luck.

Do let us know how it turns out.

[thunder30101]

Maybe try these ? http://thaiwelding.com/

http://www.thaikobe.com/corp/products.php?lang=en Im looking myself for a mig machine and just have decided I will buy from the shop who will honor the warranty when it breaks down (HAHA). Everything here in thailand is crap quality due to the ridiculous import duties, I can see protecting your industries with duties, but when you dont have a domestic source for something why tax its importation. F&^tards !!!

[beechstreet]

I was in a metal shop at Chulalongkorn and was shocked to come across a new Miller Tig welder (and a Jet lathe with DRO). It gave me hope that there might be a distributor here in Thailand but I haven't had the need to look into it yet. (I brought along my Miller Dynasty 200 when I moved).

At the various Builder/Architect/Homepro shows there is usually a large "Welpro" booth where they have all of their products set up and you can actually demo their welders. Some of their high end stuff looks pretty nice (digital readouts etc.). Still not Miller of course...but their catalog and website is a solid step above the average Thai company, to me that suggests that a certain standard of care may also extend into their products and service. Maybe!

[klikster]

You might try getting in touch with the guy at http://www.gasbbqthailand.com/ , (a TV sponsor). If you look at that site you can see some pretty nice T.I.G. welding on light ga. stainless. So where he bought his welding machines will likely have a variety of machines. He seems like a pretty nice fella.

[Spoonman]

The guys at Diamond International Distributors sell some decent welding gear, they stock Lincoln electric welders (Tig/Mig/Stick) and thermadyne products as well (plasma cutters), I have a 300amp Cigweld mig here, Iam sure we purchased it from them as well.

[Aromaz]

In your travels did you come across any MIG welders ? I know they are out there somewhere possibly wire only as opposed to gas as I really dislike ARC.

I have been using the WELPRO 200Y MIG welder and am quite happy with it.

I am in Pattaya and bought this from tool shop (BOSCH) next to bus station in Pattaya Nua road. Three years down the row, once had a small problem on machine and took it back. Was fixed in two days - free (Had to get spares from Bangkok)

All kinds of wires available - but usually order to collect in 2 or 3 days. This machine is running something like 6 hours every day in variety of work. Another place I found good service - and ample supply of gas is RC in Bang Chang.

As for small DC inverter stick welders: We also use WELPRO, 160 & 180A. Not had problems, but the punishment in factory is quite high. Average lifetime about 18 months. I would only recomend this for home use and small jobs - say about 3,000 hours or 150Kg rods is the expected lifetime. As with everything - all depends on your maintenance and give it a rest between every few welding rods. At least buy one with overheating/overload trip switch.

Maybe I am lucky, but of all the welding machines we tried over past 11 years Welpro lasted the best.

Now I am replacing all ARC welders with the MIG 200Y. Better quality, faster production and a fine on worker if not maintained. You can quickly see (and hear) if not maintained. Though the price is around Tb 28,000 now, I think over three year period these machines are saving money - not only replacement but also on material and electricity.

Lastly: Welding rods has a tendency to 'walk' out the door because every worker has his own machine at home or has friend and it is quite cheap to take a few rods every day from shop to his home. With MIG wire it is not so easy to hide and more important - not likely a worker will have a MIG machine at home!

[beechstreet]

Lastly: Welding rods....

Slightly off topic...Despite the tropical climate I haven't seen (and often get the "crazy farang" look in response to my queries) any shops that use welding rod ovens to keep the electrodes moisture free. Most guys (even hobbyists) in the States are somewhat fanatics about welding with dry electrodes.

Does your shop use electrode ovens? Or has anyone even seen them for sale?

[Aromaz]

Lastly: Welding rods....

Slightly off topic...Despite the tropical climate I haven't seen (and often get the "crazy farang" look in response to my queries) any shops that use welding rod ovens to keep the electrodes moisture free. Most guys (even hobbyists) in the States are somewhat fanatics about welding with dry electrodes.

Does your shop use electrode ovens? Or has anyone even seen them for sale?

No we do not use for welding rods. Do have system we use for fiberglass.

Usually packets of welding rods are sealed and once opened go very quickly; either by use of by rods walking out the back door.

I have seen some in real profesional shops i.e RC in Ban Chang and Marine engineering shops in Laem Chabang.

Even somewhat damp rods on very humid days does not make much difference in normal steel welding - Thai style, Thai quality.

That said, it is very easy to build one; heating element (like you can get in cheap water cooker) and steel box.

[Soutpeel]

Lastly: Welding rods....

Slightly off topic...Despite the tropical climate I haven't seen (and often get the "crazy farang" look in response to my queries) any shops that use welding rod ovens to keep the electrodes moisture free. Most guys (even hobbyists) in the States are somewhat fanatics about welding with dry electrodes.

Does your shop use electrode ovens? Or has anyone even seen them for sale?

Whether you bake an electrode or not depends entirely on the type of electrode, you uneed to read the instructions on the box, if you bake an eletrode will cellulose in the flux, the flux will fall off rendering the eletrode usless.

Typically general purpose electrodes do not need to be baked

If your electode classification is either E-XX18, or E- XX16, these are low hydrogens electrodes and DO need to be baked, these electrodes produce "x-ray" quality welds

Bottom line is read the instructions on the box before use...

Baking ovens and holding scabbards are availble all over the Maptuphut area, as are all the name brand imported welding machines.

[beechstreet]

Drying was recommended for both the S-6013 and S-7016 that we are using on the structure for my house. I hacked together a rod oven using the free panini maker I got when I bought my fridge and one of those precast concrete junction boxes. Gets pretty warm inside (150F) but doesn't really achieve the temperatures required by spec for the S-7016.

Maptuphut is the industrial area down in Rayong?

[Soutpeel]

Drying was recommended for both the S-6013 and S-7016 that we are using on the structure for my house. I hacked together a rod oven using the free panini maker I got when I bought my fridge and one of those precast concrete junction boxes. Gets pretty warm inside (150F) but doesn't really achieve the temperatures required by spec for the S-7016.

Maptuphut is the industrial area down in Rayong?

150F is not the baking temperature for E7016 electrodes, drying or baking electodes is typically 250-350 for 2-3 hours, once baked, electrodes should then be transferred to either a holding oven or scabbard or quiver before use which could be around 150 (a bit high for me but would be ok)...but a scabbard/quiver or holding oven does not bake the electrodes

Using E-7016 electrodes for the structual steel work on a house (assuming here the roof trusses) is a bit of an overkill, and expensive, need to look at the structual steel being welded, ie if only a 42,000 psi tensile type, then a 70,000 psi electrode is certainly overkill. As in this case, as deposited weld is almost twice the strength of the parent material.

I would also question whether a "house" structural "welder" could even weld properly with a LH electrode as arc characteristics are quite difficult to control and get a good quality weld, if the welder is not experienced with this electrode type, E 7018 electrodes are even more difficult to use.

In summary IMHO...use to LH electrodes is best left to properly qualifed/coded welders..

Correct Maptuphut is near Rayong and is the industrial area, plenty of shops in the area which sell all the welding machines and all other kit you would be looking for

[seedy]

Don't know if available in Thailand, but Air Liquide makes low moisture pickup flux on a 7018 electrodes. Called LA18LMP. We use them in the field as the rods live in the service truck and encounter a full range of weather, from freezing to baking temps.