Is it worth it? I have a SIP 105 MigMate which is grea, but the umbilical is coming detached at the welder end. I've soldered the cable once already but it's probably on it's way again. TIme to change for a new one, but should I do a conversion to a Euro Torch, and is it worth it / easy?
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
Originally Posted by TomK
Depends on how much time you lose at the moment from burn back?
The kits you can get are easy to use/fit
I'm considering changing mine over when I actually get to spend more than 5 mins in the workshop
Yeah, if the welder was 100%, then I'd carry on with the current set up, but seeing as the umbilical is shot, and the trigger in the gun occasionally plays up, it seems worth replacing both - it's just a question of whether I put in replacement stock parts, or do a conversion.
What's burn back?
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
Wire burning back into the torch tip... a lot of places use euro torches so they can just change the torch there and then and sort out the tips in the burn back ones later... they can keep momentum that way
Oh, no, I don't really have issues with that. I occasionally get the wire jamming, but then maybe I should use something other than net curtain things for my liner
Aren't parts cheaper for Euro Torches? It'd be nice to have a couple - one long, one short. Would also be good to be able to get another welder and use the same torches.
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
The feeder on Sip migs are cr*p. Might be worth selling it and getting a Clarke?
The feeder has been fixed. It's a known problem with them, but it's simple to solve.The feeder on Sip migs are cr*p
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
The tips and shrouds are cheaperOh, no, I don't really have issues with that. I occasionally get the wire jamming, but then maybe I should use something other than net curtain things for my liner
Aren't parts cheaper for Euro Torches? It'd be nice to have a couple - one long, one short. Would also be good to be able to get another welder and use the same torches.
If you buy a cheap euro torch you might as well stick with the non euro setup
I actually found the feeder on my first SIP better than the Clarke I have nowThe feeder on Sip migs are cr*p
a good reason to go ET is if you use different thickness wire as you need to match the wire to the liner not one liner fits all or you get slack wire if the liners to big
makes welding hard and the look of the weld crap as the wire judders out, easy way to tell is to run a couple of inches of wire out of the torch then push/pull the wire to see the movement you have in/out of the torch
id price up the difference.
chances are your cord has got pulled out because you have puled your welder around like a dog on a lead.
on those you can mod the feed setup to make it clamp the wire better. although they are still regarded as crap.
About £70 to replace the existing torch etc. About £100 to go to Euro Torch
Nope, just old. It was second hand when I got it..
The mod has been done, it's got a steel liner too now, and it's been excellent for what I've used it for, being was purchased on the basis of reviews of welders in it's size / cost / purpose bracket.
The alternative is to treat myself to a new welder - but if these are crap, what shoudl I buy?
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
so its a mega old migmate, not one of the new badly made ones. if you can lay down decent beads with it then fair play.
if you plan on keeping it get a euro torch for it. get a decent brand one as some of the cheaper ones have crap switches.
Cheers
If I didn't keep it, what would be a good replacement?
Where ever you go, never take an idiot with you. You can be sure you'll find one when you get there.
This is working well for me.
depends what you want to weld. but as a rule of thumb big,old,heavy,secondhand is usually a good start.
the machine mart stuff is ok but is more geared towards the DIY user. a decent industrial setup blows them out the water.
£300 would have you a decent migatronic/cebora/esab etc and they would accept propper size wire and spools. not 0.6 weld the same spot for eternity.
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