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Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 07 Sep 2021, 16:56

Thanks for all the replies fellas - lots for me to think about.

The shed I have in mind is more like a little barn with boards on the walls (I guess you could say that of many sheds, but hopefully you get the picture) so leaving a gap top and just up from the bottom shouldn't be an issue, or maybe just a doorway with no door. Nothing will be kept in there except the bench, I think. (Again, I'm not clear what kit's needed but we'll find out).

As for type of welder, that's on hold - I'm planning on setting this up for my lad who (as Dave said above) is starting a wetalwork course next week, some time at home and some away and I want him to be able to practice while home - and teach me, of course. I've told him if he's going to be welding, he has to be the best welder he can be and from what I understand, that's all about practice. They'll be doing all types of welding and he's going to ask the tutors which type is best for practice - there's little point in me spending a few hundred £s just to discover it's not the type they'd recommend.

All that said, I know he ultimately wants to work on cars and we have one sat on the drive that I was going to pay someone to weld, using the repair panels some of you helped us cut. When he decided he wants to go down the metal/ welding route, it seemed fair to wait (the repair on the car's non-essential) til he can do it himself, hopefully next spring. Out of sight behind the rear bumper, it'll be a good first stab for him. To my 'understanding', MIG's good for that, and I'm really hoping the suggestion is we get one of those for practice, as I have lots of ideas for things to make of my own. 8-)
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby AndyT » 07 Sep 2021, 17:01

Sounds a great plan. Do you have a full set of these sons, one interested in plumbing, one keen on electrics, one good at IT... :D :D
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby novocaine » 07 Sep 2021, 18:13

If hes wanting to do body work its MIG all the way up till you reach bespoke coach building at which point TIG takes over (because ypu can position the panels to make tig easier).
But just because MIG rules the roost in bodywork doesnt mean he shouldnt learn other processes. A lot of bodywork is about knowing thw tios and tricks,keeping heat out of panels with sinks, alternate welding (1 inch then move to let the steel cool) etc. Along with plug welding and tacking and forming he should be fine.

I have a toy that most bodyshops would steel if they could. Ill takr a piccie later l. :lol:

Edit: wasnt as hard to get at as i thought it would be.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Dr.Al » 08 Sep 2021, 10:24

novocaine wrote:Agree with all that, only thing I'd add is that if I end up upside down I'd rather be in an HGV or car than on a bike. Same with welding. :)


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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 08 Sep 2021, 16:50

AndyT wrote:Sounds a great plan. Do you have a full set of these sons, one interested in plumbing, one keen on electrics, one good at IT... :D :D

No, but I have a daughter who I'm hoping will drop her plans to study psychology and focus on 'domestic science' instead. (And who'd no doubt punch me in the eye if she saw that remark. :lol: )

Not that I'd have a clue Dave, but is that for spot welding? Just looking at the two prongs.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 06 Nov 2021, 10:37

Remembering this is a temporary/ makeshift 'shed', are the sides best made with sheets of ply or OSB? Essentially, they're just to keep wind out.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby novocaine » 06 Nov 2021, 10:41

What ever is cheapest.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 06 Nov 2021, 10:51

Thanks Dave. I wondered if that quantity of glue made OSB more combustable.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby novocaine » 06 Nov 2021, 11:35

Nope. If hes chucking so much spatter that he sets fire to the shed, hes doing it wrong and wont matter what matetial you use. :lol:
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 06 Nov 2021, 12:15

I'll let him know!
Sheet material's v expensive now so I think 5.5mm ply @ about £25/ sheet, unless anyone says that's a bad idea.

Roof - corrugated steel? It'll have plenty of ventilation (gaps in sides top and bottom to vent), so shouldn't be any issue with condensation?
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 05 Apr 2022, 10:19

Well, this has been on the back boiler for some time now. And nothing's happened.
He needs to practice and it occurred to me yesterday that such a thing as a welding tent (/elephant tent) exists and could be a quicker and transportable alternative to a shed (I'm planning on moving in a couple of years). I'm looking at this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174643030401 ... SwKEZansBJ

I've read around on the MIG welding forum but no specific advice (it ranges from 'get a cheap old canvas frame tent and hope it doesn't catch fire', to 'build a proper workshop'). Has anyone used one of these welding tents? And what do you make of the flame retardant material - will it work?! (M2 / BS7837-1996 - I searched for it online but couldn't find any information that meant anything to me.)

Thanks for any thoughts.
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Robert » 05 Apr 2022, 11:18

Have you bought a MIG welder yet?

Not read all the thread but the welder would be the first thing to buy.

If it is not windy just use it outdoors. Using it you will get a better idea of what shielding is needed and how much fire safety you need.

I wouldn't buy an expensive site tent just for learning to weld. Must be cheaper options and I'd start with nothing :)
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 05 Apr 2022, 14:16

Thanks Robert - yes, he has a Clarke 135 TE. Outdoors on non-windy days would be ok if it weren't for the endless windiness we get here - we have the odd days of course, but the chances of that coinciding with him having time is really limited. So a tent that he can keep and take with him seems like a decent option?
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Robert » 05 Apr 2022, 15:29

Not sure what you are hoping to achieve with this.

A tent is a very damp place at night so you don't want to be leaving steel and equipment in it over night for rust /electrics /security reasons.

Welding environments I've been in feature heavy metal slab work tables (the earth clamp usually goes on the table) and are not clean areas due to the grinding that often follows welding. We had a welding and grinding area with extraction to keep other people safe and protect the CNC machines from abrasive dust.

I was a have a go welder and MIG is easy once you get the hang of it and understand the right wire feed for the current. I used to adjust the wire speed just by the sound the weld made. TiG is the really skilled welding. We had a guy that was an artist on stainless and aluminium with TiG.

Think I'd vote with the welding forum if you must enclose him - make a shed/ workshop of some kind. Screw it all together so you can dismantle and move?
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Re: Cheap shed/ setup for outdoor MIG?

Postby Chris152 » 05 Apr 2022, 18:10

It's just a space for him to practice welding bits of metal for the part-time course he's on, Robert. It seems tents are standard for use in welding pipelines and railway tracks, I was really just wondering about the one I linked to. It'd be something we put up on days he has time to practice, then take down again.

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