Electric welder at Lidl

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I would appreciate advice as to whether this gasless wire supplied welder is worth buying. Reels of the wire will also be on sale at the same time.

**LINK**

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

[Iain DownsParticipant @iaindowns78295]

I'd also be interested in views on this, particularly as the rear photo looks like it has some kind of gas regulator which would make it gas and gasless…

Iain

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Well those photos are of a plasma cutter

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by Ian Parkin on 10/01/2020 17:40:40:

Well those photos are of a plasma cutter

There's a couple of videos available showing the use of the item in the photo ( a couple are of the A1 model, rather than B2)
I guess I'll have to keep tabs on Lidl's website and see what arrives on the shelves.
Unfortunately since moving away from Sheffield, my nearest store is in Leek.

I'll have to think about whether I could use an un-welder.

Bill

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Gasless migs are for construction type welding, you're better off with a stick welder, far more choice of different welding electrodes

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Slightly off the original topic, but are their welding helmets any good?

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 10/01/2020 23:38:38:

Slightly off the original topic, but are their welding helmets any good?

I bought one a year ago and am very pleased with it.

[Ray LyonsParticipant @raylyons29267]

The air controller/filter at the back seems to be more like a plasma cutter set up rather than a gas/no gas mig. The line tail is shown with an airline connector.

Puzzled- no information in the add so will have to wait for it to arrive in the shop.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Posted by Gary Wooding on 11/01/2020 07:20:12:

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 10/01/2020 23:38:38:

Slightly off the original topic, but are their welding helmets any good?

I bought one a year ago and am very pleased with it.

Thanks Gary, I'll pick one up.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Includes: welding wire, burner nozzle, 4 welding nozzles, welding shield and chipping hammer with wire brush

Can't find a manual for the "B2" variant, but the "A1" appears to be a plasma cutter. The description above appears in the current model description & suggests that this device can be used both as a welder and a plasma cutter. As I have a job for which a plasma cutter would be beneficial, I'll have to have a look at the box in store to confirm the details.

Nigel B

[Chris_CParticipant @chris_c]

Another "yes" to the auto dark masks. My old one was very past it last year and I'd mentioned to Mrs C that I needed to get round to buying a new one. One day she came home from shopping with the Lidl one and the receipt in case she'd bought the wrong thing.

I've been very happy with it, much better than my older more expensive one.

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Nigel b

plasma cutters and welders are very different in operation and currents I’m not aware of any dual purpose machines at all

plasma’s are generally in these small hobby machines only 40 amp

mig welders you want 80+

It will be interesting as to what turns up in store as the description is all mig wireless welder and the pics all plasma cutter

Edited By Ian Parkin on 12/01/2020 18:47:41

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Posted by Ian Parkin on 12/01/2020 18:47:01:

Nigel b

plasma cutters and welders are very different in operation and currents I’m not aware of any dual purpose machines at all

plasma’s are generally in these small hobby machines only 40 amp

mig welders you want 80+

It will be interesting as to what turns up in store as the description is all mig wireless welder and the pics all plasma cutter

Edited By Ian Parkin on 12/01/2020 18:47:41

Ian. There are a multitude of multi use welders on the market. Some industrial some for hobbyists. Many do Plasma/MMA/stick & Mig.

I had one in the workshop before I retired. I think it was a LOTOS if I recall correctly.

regards

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Can you show a link to a plasma/welder?

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Sorry stand corrected but cheapest in the Uk seems to be £700 from china £350 so hardly Lidl price territory

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Ian Parkin on 12/01/2020 19:19:11:

Sorry stand corrected but cheapest in the Uk seems to be £700 from china £350 so hardly Lidl price territory

Ignored the cheaper ones?

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=273628024868&category=124825&pm=1&ds=0&t=1548296571000&ver=0

£186, so not quite as cheap as Lidl, but certainly not £700. It says ‘from Leicester’, but like most, it will gave been made in china. Don’t think I would buy one.

Edited By not done it yet on 12/01/2020 20:21:36

[Oily RagParticipant @oilyrag]

"It says ‘from Leicester’, but like most, it will gave been made in china."

Must be from ARC Euro Trade then!

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Gary Wooding on 11/01/2020 07:20:12:

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 10/01/2020 23:38:38:

Slightly off the original topic, but are their welding helmets any good?

I bought one a year ago and am very pleased with it.

I think this is the same one I bought from ebay badged up as Van Haus. Went duff recently as the batteries eventually die. The way through that is to open it up & resolder 2 new button batteries in. The solar bit is only for the switching. They seem to work well though. I use mine for TIG welding

Steve.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Steviegtr on 13/01/2020 23:06:29:

Posted by Gary Wooding on 11/01/2020 07:20:12:

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 10/01/2020 23:38:38:

Slightly off the original topic, but are their welding helmets any good?

I bought one a year ago and am very pleased with it.

I think this is the same one I bought from ebay badged up as Van Haus. Went duff recently as the batteries eventually die. The way through that is to open it up & resolder 2 new button batteries in. The solar bit is only for the switching. They seem to work well though. I use mine for TIG welding

Steve.

If the darkness is adjustable and it has a grinding setting then that is also the 'off'' position for the battery.

SIP do a £40 one with these features + a normal replaceable button cell

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I've just looked at the Lidl website, the welder is going to be on sale from Sunday. The pictures of the welder now show an entirely different machine. Now I understand why some members called the original one a plasma cutter. I couldn't quite see how the wire would get through the nozzle, which had a sharp bend in it.

Would the experts please now re evaluate the latest pictures and specifications and give a rough idea if it would be relatively easy to use compared to stick welding. I couldn't weld anything with sticks to save my life, but had no trouble with gas welding. I don't see any form of ability to convert to MIG, so maybe a MIG welder would be a better bet as it would also be able to use the flux cored wire as well.

Edited By old mart on 17/01/2020 19:47:23

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by old mart on 17/01/2020 19:42:34:

.
I've just looked at the Lidl website, the welder is going to be on sale from Sunday. The pictures of the welder now show an entirely different machine. […]

.

That makes much more sense … and this might help: **LINK**

https://www.lidl-service.com/static/283496315/280331_EN.pdf

MichaelG.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Usual issue with cheap welders – a high-ish minimum current so it might be a hole blower on thin or rusty stuff.

Gasless wire is nearly as messy as stick welding.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Agree with above I have seen what people have done with gasless & it aint pretty. You need a good welder if you are going to invest in one. I just recently was looking for a Tig welder ac dc to do alloy etc. Looked at Chinese ones but ended up paying a little more & bought nearly new Thermal arc. Same as EASAB American. If you cannot afford a good one I would wait a while & save the pennies. You will be glad you did. The gas bottle is a bit expensive to start with but once purchased you only need to pay for gas refill. Mig for steel 5% argon 95% Co2 will do. Unless you want to do stainless , then you will need 100% Argon. Good luck.

Steve.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Posted by Dave Halford on 17/01/2020 21:05:53:

Usual issue with cheap welders – a high-ish minimum current so it might be a hole blower on thin or rusty stuff.

Gasless wire is nearly as messy as stick welding.

Totally agree with the comment on gasless wire, but horses for courses – if you are lying on the drive trying to repair a rusty car the shield gas can disappear with the slightest breeze while a gasless weld, although far more grotty to look at, will have welded OK.

Its what angle grinders were invented for

The issue with cheap gasless welders is that they are often gasless because you don't pay for a regulator or a bottle of gas in the box and that all helps to make them that few quid cheaper.

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