Thread: Track bike trailer build.

Been struggling with my Brothers big WIA 255 for 12 months and just cant fully come to terms with it on thin galv.
Even on its finer 'A' setting and running the wire feed flatout with huge 0.9mm wire its a bit wild.
lots of stop start to control it, and inconsistent.
It had held back trailer building for far too long trying to get the setup and technique to a standard this trailer deserves. Its been tacked for a year while I made and fitted all the accessories and ready to be fully welded upside down on the trestles without distortion.
Didn't know if it was me, the chinese galv, or my fading eyesight,
On the bench I can run welds with the best of them but in situ the big handpiece doesn't agree with me.
Some the failings of my design is being able to get in a 35mm gap to weld the underside of the Trussed Tyredown rail and some other tight spots, (stick gets in where its impossible)
Never one to blame the machine, but was frustrated that his so called better welder wasn't able to do what I know was possible.
Dragged my 20+ year old little CIG Transmig 130 out from not being used for 5 years.
Fixed a broken Feed assembly/motor drive housing with loctite 401 glue,

Pulled the Handpiece apart, fixed the contacts and a full clean up,
set up a mini spool of 0.6mm wire,
put my regulator on his bottle of Argoshield Univarsal gas bottle and fired it up,
hadnt used this great old machine for 5 years.

First vertical down pass made me realise why Ive always loved it.
Brings me back to my age old creed I live by,
'No good havin flash shoes if ya can't run

Not sure what the cheesy smegma is that they coat imported SHS Duragal with,
but hot dipping the Mig torch in BOC Weld guard and wiping off the escess is my friend.
We're good to go welding all the verticals in the right order.

Hot off the press.
Now its running sweet, set up a 5kg spool of 0.6mm LW1-6 wire

Some think these machines do welds, they are nothing like the $400 migs on ebay.
I like the small handpiece, especially for auto work in cramped confines.
Many years ago I built a very nice custom tray for my HJ V8 one tonner and many other projects.
$660 in 1993 well spent.
They do have some known fails of a resistor on the circuit board,
easy fix here to upgrade them-
http://bodgersparadise.blogspot.com....in-repair.html
CIG decommissioned the parts in Au in Feb 2014 but that's not bad for a 20+ year run.
Found its sold as a Cebora 130 Pocket Turbo, a Snapon 2135, and a BOC Migmaster Turbo 130 in Europe.
UK suppliers have parts, albeit expensive but better than a new one.
Bob the Welder can supply an entire new wire feed motor setup with some modification.
If anyone has a dead Transmig 130 Twin they don't use or CBF fixing, I want it.

Awesome stuff mate.
Glad it's not just me that takes a while to get back to projects...

And I like your "welding trolley"... I have one just like it.