Lidl's cheap welder

[Fab5Freddy]

Parkside Inverter Welder - at Lidl UK

Parkside Inverter Welder - Ideal as an entry-level device - easy to handle with a compact design Innovative inverter technology for

www.lidl.co.uk

I know it's cheap and you get what you pay for most of the time, but with a 3 year money back guarantee , I thought it was worth a go (plus, I had a £10 voucher as I use the lidl phone app)

Last time I welded with a stick was about 1980/1.

Has anyone used one of these and survived to tell the tale What do you make of it? All I can say is it's light, small and cheap. Gotta find a mask and then I'll come back and review it. They had a mask in lidl today but it cost almost as much as the welder , and I can wait till I see a cheap one at a car boot.

EDIT - Update , it doesn't say on the front of the box but just opened it up to find something that resembles a mask in there , not 100% confident , but it's better than a poke in the eye....(or is it?)

 

[Burnerman]

Only my opinion of course, but for a stick welder I like to use 2.5mm electrodes and around 90 amp current.......the very top of the range for this welder.
Anything thinner then it's a MIG every time - I never got on well with 1.6 rods.
John

 

[Fab5Freddy]

Cheers John - I'll buy a pack of 2.5mm rods and turn it up to 90a and see how it goes.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I went to buy a S/H Lidl arc welder off marketplace, now it's about 35 years since I welded anything and I was rubbish at it back then and have never used an arc welder and I couldn't really get it to work when I tested it so took a punt on it and paid £15 assuming that the rods were very old and the crappy bit of test metal I found in the garage wasn't exactly bare metal, anyway got it home and some new rods and an angle grinder on some steel and I seem to be able to get bits of metal stuck together effectively but it sure ain't pretty! I don't profess to quite understand the whole necessary amperage vs electrode thickness vs metal thickness so just tried by trial and error I too have had to turn the amperage up to max, I'll check the rods I used in a bit. I don't think I'd have the skill to weld thin metal but it's nice to have as I have few things I know it'll be handy for. The mask that came with it is as you say is woeful and I did buy a mask from Lidl which as you say is £35 but seems sensible given it's for your eyes. But it will hopefully make the whole process a bit easier.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So just checked and I've been using SIP 1.6 rods, will switching to 2.5 make it a bit easier?

 

[Fab5Freddy]

Cheers - pretty much the same . I'm not aiming for pretty , but I have a couple of jobs that I could use it for, so i'll give it some practice and have a go (after I get some decent goggles). With a 3 year warranty, you cant really go wrong can you?

 

[Burnerman]

To get you started....
Find some clean scrap steel around 3mm thick, use 2.5 rods at 90 amps.
Start away from you, and strike the arc, laying the rod down in a ‘U’ movement, bringing the rod towards you using the U shape as you do......this pushes the rod metal down without trapping the slag.
If you’ve got it right, the slag will chip off in one layer.
When you are happy, try lighter current and thinner rods but you must maintain the arc to avoid slag inclusion.
Cool, damp rods don’t start well so dry and heat them if you can!
I like to use a thick gauntlet and actually hold the rod if the weld is to be precise - my hands aren’t as steady as they once were!
John

 

[Fab5Freddy]

To get you started....
Find some clean scrap steel around 3mm thick, use 2.5 rods at 90 amps.
Start away from you, and strike the arc, laying the rod down in a ‘U’ movement, bringing the rod towards you using the U shape as you do......this pushes the rod metal down without trapping the slag.
If you’ve got it right, the slag will chip off in one layer.
When you are happy, try lighter current and thinner rods but you must maintain the arc to avoid slag inclusion.
Cool, damp rods don’t start well so dry and heat them if you can!
I like to use a thick gauntlet and actually hold the rod if the weld is to be precise - my hands aren’t as steady as they once were!
John

John - I really appreciate your nice short intro. to welding with a rod. It's been 40 years since I touched one, and even back then , I wasn't that much of a dab hand at it. Your simple guidance might just be the most helpful thing that I have heard in a long time. Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Good luck with your welding!
I think it’s a huge mistake for people to start joining materials straight away.....the secret is to learn how to lay weld down which may use quite a few rods before they get it right.
Try holding the rod at around 45 degrees to get best penetration into the parent metal......if you get a few spatter lumps then up the current a bit, or slow down when pulling the rod towards you.
John

 

[Exedon]

I used to teach a 'learn to weld' evening course, used to do exactly what John has suggested lay down weld runs on flat plate .
My preferred rod for learner's was 6011 deep penetration low slag and will deal with contaminated surfaces.

 

[cdbe]

I tend to wind up the current till the rod stops sticking (especially as my rods are 20 years old and a bit damp). And as a beginner don't be afraid to give it some "beans" on your practice pieces - remember that you have to melt the metal as well as the rod or you just end up with "chewing gum" stuck on the surface. Aim to see at least a bit of molten metal through your murky mask. Try butt welding two bits of steel and then you can destructively test the joint (bend it to see if it breaks - it shouldn't). Once you achieve that pool of molten metal you're well on your way to basic but competent welds.

Don't forget safety, I'm not a H&S zealot but while you're staring through your mask beware of that ball of molten metal that's burning through your trainers into your foot!

 

[scbk]

You need to go back to lidl and buy the mask, an automatic mask makes like sooooo much easier

 

[Old Salt]

…and no disposable lighters in your pockets

 

[Exedon]

One thing well worth mentioning is to work in a well ventilated area welding fumes ain't good for you!

 

[Burnerman]

.......especially if the material is galvanised - nearly topped myself with that one back in the 70's
John