Mig welder
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stokieat75
- TDC Member
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Mig welder
I have decided to buy my own welder and to give it a go after some practice. Have thought that one with a range of 30 to 130 Amp would be sufficient for my needs,have looked around and machine mart do a good range as well as SIP brand. Looking for views and experiences of other forum users for opinion etc. Have welded about 15 years ago so understand the basics so I suppose it's picking the knack again.
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cliftyhanger
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Re: Mig welder
Really the mig-welding forum is the place for info.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/
Saying that,Clarke are one of the better cheap migs. I have had clarke and SIP, clarke way better. But I am now using a Butters mig, and that is another step up....
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/
Saying that,Clarke are one of the better cheap migs. I have had clarke and SIP, clarke way better. But I am now using a Butters mig, and that is another step up....
Clive Senior
Brighton
Brighton
Re: Mig welder
Can't agree with Clive more, the fount of all welding knowledge! We had a chat around welders recently on the forum so have a search, Smartmig (my choice), Portamig and of course the ubiquitous Clarke came up.
Current fleet: '75 Sprint, '73 1850, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Honda CG125, Yamaha Fazer 600, Shetland 570 (yes it's a boat!)
Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3
Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3
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SprintMWU773V
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Re: Mig welder
The Clarke welders have the advantage of being easy to obtain and deal with through Machine Mart. They do tend to do quite well in tests too. Whatever you do though don't go gasless, they give horrible results.
Mark
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30
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yorkshire_spam
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Re: Mig welder
I have to admit that I do like being able to wander into the nearest machine mart and buy replacement tips or liners if I need to (not that it's very often, but it does seem to be when I'm right in the middle of something)SprintMWU773V wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:17 am The Clarke welders have the advantage of being easy to obtain and deal with through Machine Mart. They do tend to do quite well in tests too. Whatever you do though don't go gasless, they give horrible results.
Re: Mig welder
Get this....
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-165-mig.htm
Runs from your 13 amp socket and I have it on good authority that it welds wings together flawlessly!
You also need to think about a gas supply. DONT USE BOC unless you want to take out a second mortgage! I have been using Hobbyweld recently and found them good value. In 2015 I got an 5 Ultra bottle, it did a load of welding on NWL, created a load of frames for various projects and did all the welding on RUK, had about 1/3 bottle left.
https://www.weldequip.com/portamig-165-mig.htm
Runs from your 13 amp socket and I have it on good authority that it welds wings together flawlessly!
You also need to think about a gas supply. DONT USE BOC unless you want to take out a second mortgage! I have been using Hobbyweld recently and found them good value. In 2015 I got an 5 Ultra bottle, it did a load of welding on NWL, created a load of frames for various projects and did all the welding on RUK, had about 1/3 bottle left.
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cleverusername
- Guest contributor
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Re: Mig welder
I would add a note of caution about the Clarke welders, they are the best of the cheap machines, but they are still cheap machines.
Some of them are lower quality ones that don't match the older design and the quality of the newer machines isn't quite up to the older ones. The circuit board burnt out on mine and comparing it to older boards you could see the cost cutting.
The other issue is the design of torch and wire feed. Once again the best of the cheapies, but still done to a cost. The gas valves can stick and the torch is clarke only design which is made to cost. They work, but aren't problem free.
I replaced mine with a bluemig, which has a much more heavy duty wire feed, better gas feed and robust torch. Still a cheap mig and would dearly love one of the more expensive ones, but better made than a Clarke. However it is gas only I'm afraid.
Some of them are lower quality ones that don't match the older design and the quality of the newer machines isn't quite up to the older ones. The circuit board burnt out on mine and comparing it to older boards you could see the cost cutting.
The other issue is the design of torch and wire feed. Once again the best of the cheapies, but still done to a cost. The gas valves can stick and the torch is clarke only design which is made to cost. They work, but aren't problem free.
I replaced mine with a bluemig, which has a much more heavy duty wire feed, better gas feed and robust torch. Still a cheap mig and would dearly love one of the more expensive ones, but better made than a Clarke. However it is gas only I'm afraid.