Best learner welder options?

[bazyerma]

Hi All

Thanks for the reply's. My chum is away to Doha for work for the rest of the year with work so I have "hired" his Clarke 135TE 130AMP MIG welder from him for some work on his car (replaced the front springs on his Jag X type and I am sure he got the best deal!).

I have a local mobile welder coming over to do some work for me and is willing to spend a few hours with me setting up and using the Clarke welder. Hopefully this will give me a good starting point.

Was going to get a GYS smartmig 182 180AMP as it looked good and well made and my local welding supply shop offered it re-furbished for a £500 with a two year warranty and CO2 bottle and seemed a good deal.

Regards

Barry

[cliftyhanger]

CO2 is OK as a welding gas, but you will get much better welds using CO2/Argon.
Downside is you don't get as much in a cylinder, but I get well over a year of welding out of a cylinder. (that seems to be doing a minor resto on a car plus all teh other small assorted jobs I do)

[bazyerma]

CO2 is OK as a welding gas, but you will get much better welds using CO2/Argon.
Downside is you don't get as much in a cylinder, but I get well over a year of welding out of a cylinder. (that seems to be doing a minor resto on a car plus all teh other small assorted jobs I do)

Hi

It was Co2/Argon 30kg bottle, I am still new to this welding malarkey!

Regards

Barry

[Jod Clark]

I've always found that it takes a seasoned welding expert to get a sensible weld from a machine marketed as a 'beginner' model. I'm sure many many people have been put off welding completely by such machines.

When I was taught to weld we were walked through the various processes in the order described above. The great thing about oxy/acet welding is that it shows you what good metal fusion looks like and how to control the pool.

I learned to MIG weld on a three phase Cebora 400A two-box machine. It was a delight to use and would weld anything from foil to girders. The last machine I bought myself was a Clarke 205TE. its very capable but Ive had to repair it a few times. Should I ever need or want to replace it, Oxford will be getting my money. If you're serious about doing some serious welding, I would suggest a machine with a retail price of above £1000 as it will last so much better. Sadly the cheaper end of the welding market have realised, much as has everyone else, if it never breaks they only ever sell one unit.

Oh, and always compare the duty cycle of the machines you're considering. Your machine going on a thermal trip is the worst thing ever because it always happens right in the middle of the very best weld you've ever laid down!