OT Laser for restoration

i have tried it and it‘s working really great. i have limited experience with tig welding but with a laser welder i was able to weld thin aluminium and steel plates together. very nice seams.

mind you, don‘t believe that these things are available cheap, the one i used was €55.000,-
 
it seams to work nice on when working on the bench, but i wonder what it would be like when under a car or inside a tight space which happens lots when working on old cars.
probably a nice pc of equipment as an add on to your shop tools but a MIG is the all round best bet. it will do everything at an affordable price.

most body shops will be using a MIG.
 
old ugly said:
..... but a MIG is the all round best bet. it will do everything at an affordable price.
Click to expand...
It is a MIG. It just uses the light for heat rather than electricity. The gun isn't as compact as a TIG or MIG though.


Xlaserlab X1 Pro Laser Welder, Cleaner & Cutter


Sale price $3,599.00
 
another 2 cents worth.
buy a conventional MIG for home, to work on your vintage car. a nice one for under $1000.
save the money for car parts or beer.
 
TIG will do anything MIG will do, but in general it’s much slower and requires more precise technique. I’ve had both. I now have only a MIG but wish I still had my TIG because there are some things like sheet metal patch panels that I think I could weld cleaner with a TIG. Having said that, for the average Joe who periodically just needs to cobble together a few metal parts, a MIG unit will let you have success earlier. I think old ugly has it correct.

I am NOT a welder by any stretch. A few critical welds I’ve needed, like replacement shock balls in axle housings, I’ve taken to my local certified shop around the corner.
 
I think as time goes on the laser welders will be dirt cheap and smaller in size.

The new generation of young welders will be saying what is stick and mig welding? Oh ya, I remember my grandfather talking about them.
 
I also don't know enough about these but typically a MIG is not the best choice for welding sheetmetal work because of the CO2 hardens the weld making it brittle, and difficult to planish. If pure Argon can be used, it is much better to work with. Does the Laser use a shielding gas, -or is the wire coated with a flux?
 
Don‘t underestimate the necessary safety precautions, you need safety goggles and everyone around you. workplace needs to be shielded and you need a laser-safety-specialist, at least in the eu in a professional environment.

although, you don‘t need laser goggles, once you shot out one eye, you have a spare one…
 
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