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Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
http://www.ozdat.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34196		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Hatchman [ Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Specifically this one: http://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-120-am ... r_p6290149

Usage would be for car panels, small jobs around the home etc...
Author:  Stowers [ Thu Apr 14, 2016 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
I’m not a welder but when I do weld odds and ends I’m average at best. I’ve tried 2 cheaper welders $400 mark they would weld ok on stuff thinker than 2mm and the surface would have to be super clean but sheet metal was a mission. I would recommend saving couple extra backs and spend $1000-$1500. I’ve got a Lincoln 180c and have never looked back, amateur like me can weld sheet metal very easily with pretty much zero splatter. If you do buy the bunnings one let us know how it goes. Sorry my comment doesnt really help you
Author:  SR20Datsun [ Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Never used something like that, but IMHO, you would be better buying something second hand, but a better known welding brand that has had little use. Everything is better quality, like the welding gun trigger switch for example.
Never go gas-less. It sucks hard.
Author:  RJB510 [ Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
I have the Lincoln 180c and for the home I can not fault it. Best thing i like about it and why i got it is the variable voltage control, so you can well very thin stuff as long as you run the .6 wire, doesn't blow through or put too much heat into fine jobs. Amp control of 30-180 amps.

I bought this welder in 08 or about then, not long after they first came out. Reason, I bought my second Datto and decided to learn how to fix it myself because i was just out of uni and broke and couldn't afford someone else to do it.

Since that time it has done countless hours of work and has been great at nearly everything i've thrown at it. With the exception of mig welding stainless tube (though with the optional stitch timer, that might help). I struggle to get nice welds with that. But even without the spool gun it'll weld ally no problems. It has more than paid for itself over the years and i can vouch for its versatility and ease of use.

In hindsight, I would really like a welder that could take a 15k spool of wire rather than the 5k max. I'd like it to be 200amps. But if I bought a welder again, i'd seriously consider paying the money and getting something with a hot start function.

Regarding gas and gas less,
I have welded car panels with gas less also, smallest wire is .8. If your wire is good quality then you can achieve really nice welds with very limited spatter. The stuff you do get you can minimise by shielding the area and a wire wheel/flap disk or similar will clean it up fine.
Gas is ideal, but not essential.

Now, the welder you're looking at:
IT IS a gas and gas less mig.
Looks like the amps will go down to 40. Which if you're not a heavy handed welder it should be ok for thin stuff with thin wire. You won't have the finer control but most welders only have set amps and adjustable (to fine tune) wire feed (which this has) to alter the amps and volts going into the job. Also remember, that the amps and volts are also determined by the thickness of the wire you use too. Thicker wire = more power.

Bad points I can see is it might be hard to get a replacement gun if you ever accidentally break .
ours or run over it!

I'd say if you're planning on doing a lot of work, then it'd be worth paying a bit more and getting a well known welding brand, but if its only hobby stuff and you are happy to persevere if its difficult to use, then it might be ok.
Author:  MrDatsun21 [ Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
I'm a boily by trade and as the other's have already said buy a decent quality machine. It does make all the difference. You'll have a lot less hastles. Even jump on gumtree you might be able to fine a good second hand machine. Stick with the brands. Parts are easier to get (tips, liners etc). Also there are quite a few aussie online toolshops now. Have a look there.

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online ... mendations

http://www.gentronics.com.au/collection ... ng-machine

With welding wires there are quite a few decent quality gasless wire's out there now days. I remember when my old man first got a welder and using the gasless wire it was rubbish to weld with. Now you can get some really good stuff. If you do want to go with gas though you can actually buy gas bottles. Mine is a D size bottle and was around $350. If you do the maths on bottle rental it works out far cheaper to buy the bottle, and good quality gas. Lot's of companies do it now I got mine from speedgas.
Author:  Imago [ Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Gasless is a waste of time, no ifs or buts about it unfortunately.

I bought a 185 amp Cigweld for about the $1k mark. Does Mig/Tig/Arc. Mig works great, tig I'm no good at and arc almost seems unnecessary when its good enough to almost handle 10mm plate.

There are differences between good welders and cheap ones. When your mig wire hits the surface a good welder will have enough current behind it to make the arc whereas cheap ones will struggle at first, pushing your mig torch back in your hand - no good for panel work.

In regards to gas, if you work in industry consider ordering bottles through your work. Otherwise rental is a bit of a pain if you don't use it much. Or consider buying your own bottles from Gasweld/equivilant. After 2 years or so they offset the cost of renting a bottle and you own it for good.

Usually there is a cheap way out or reasonable compromises with everything in the world but unfortunately not with welding.

Hope this helps.
Author:  d [ Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Lincoln 180 for panels in gasless mode is possible as
its a crazy lil jigger makes even me look capable
Author:  charliehill [ Fri Jun 17, 2016 7:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
you should clean all the impurities before welding, such as oil, water, paints, rust, etc. these impurities would cause defects.
article from AWS.org https://app.aws.org/wj/supplement/WJ_1970_11_s521.pdf
Author:  J1mm1e [ Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Hey guys just been reading through this thread from last year because I just bought myself a welder, and I'm planning to attempt some panel work on my 1600. I recently did a short 1 day course that was just a basic intro to welding, apart from that I have no previous experience welding.

I initially looked at the supercheap auto cigweld 135 (because its on sale atm for about 299$), but ended up spending about $550 and got a uni-mig viper 182. It's 180amp gas/gasless and can do arc for thicker stuff. At the moment i'm still mucking around with tweaking the settings before I go near the car. I'm using gasless 0.8mm wire at the moment to practice before I hook up the gas.

When i go down to 1mm sheet metal I struggle with blow through at the moment. but hopefully with a bit more practice I can improve this. I haven't hooked up the gas or tried 0.6mm wire yet, so hopefully that improves things. Once I get on top of using the mig with better control, I plan to remove the front apron/beaver panel and weld in a new replacement I bought from Australian Panel Craft.

I'm hoping to cut out the old, and replace them with these new panels:
[ img ]
before photo front apron:
[ img ]

If that goes well I'll have a crack at the rear beaver also. It looks like a much bigger job, there looks like a fair bit of work undoing that fold that runs along below the rear numberplate. seems to be a stack of spot welds that run along there.

[ img ]

I've read through alot of the old build threads on here, and I've seen similar work completed by a few guys on here before. Most of these threads are from years ago, but they have given me the idea to have a crack at this.
Author:  577ftg [ Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
I've got a welder from Bunnings and it seems OK. It's not an Ozito though (can't remember the brand ATM). can be both gas and gasless with a 120amp rating (has got a poor duty cycle but), using gasless wire ATM, which is giving OK results with a fair amount of spatter. Best way to clean off the flux I've found is a wire brush. When doing panel work I've found that chasing your weld with an air blower (compressed air) stops the warps. You do a small piece and cool the area straightaway with the compressed air). I made the rotisserie with it and it hasn't fallen apart.
Author:  J1mm1e [ Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
Have you tried running gas through your welder 577ftg? if so how does it compare to gassless on panel work?

Yeah I don't have an air compressor, I've been contemplating getting one. I haven't been able to justify getting one just yet.. So I'll just have to take it slow for now and see how I go. If a cheap one comes along I may be tempted to splash out.
Author:  Hatchman [ Mon Apr 10, 2017 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Thoughts on a Bunnings Welder
J1mm1e wrote:
Have you tried running gas through your welder 577ftg? if so how does it compare to gassless on panel work?

Yeah I don't have an air compressor, I've been contemplating getting one. I haven't been able to justify getting one just yet.. So I'll just have to take it slow for now and see how I go. If a cheap one comes along I may be tempted to splash out.
Haven't bought the welder yet for myself but have had a compressor for quite a while. Can't live without it they are so handy to have around the shed

An absolute must is a retractable hose, I think Repco have a 20m one on special this week
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