Bestestest Sparkly stick for sub £200?

[320touring]

Now I have a CX, and many many old bmws, I think I should turn my attention to the ability to magically replace metal using nowt but lecamatricity and madskillz.

 

I did A welding course, and have done some basic welding previously- but what is stumping me is identifying a suitably useful machine for hobby use/

 

Anyone any suggestions as to the best MIG for sub £200? I'm not fussed re masks etc as I'll buy myself a good one separately.

 

all info and suggestions most welcome, and I'm open to 2nd hand ones too

[twosmoke300]

From my experience I would go with a Clarke . My little 100en cost 80 quid secondhand and has been used for three years on a weekly at least basis .

[320touring]

From my experience I would go with a Clarke . My little 100en cost 80 quid secondhand and has been used for three years on a weekly at least basis .

cheers for the suggestion- I imagine something of that size would be spot on for what I'm looking to do

[John F]

Yep, the red Clarkes are OK for light use.

[320touring]

Yep, the red Clarkes are OK for light use.

What about blue ones?

[Dave_Q]

Machine Mart have Clarke stuff for VAT free about 1 weekend in 4, can send you a voucher next time there is one if you're not signed up for their spam already.

[twosmoke300]

The one I have is blue and it's a little trooper . Certainly better than dads cebora / snap on junk

[320touring]

Machine Mart have Clarke stuff for VAT free about 1 weekend in 4, can send you a voucher next time there is one if you're not signed up for their spam already.

That would be most useful chap:)

[John F]

I did loads of research on www.mig-welding.co.uk before I bought my Portamig 185 years ago... the consensus was that the red Clarkes were better than the blue ones, although I can't remember why. They're probably both fine for occasional chod fettling tbh.

[Eddie Honda]

Certainly better than dads cebora / snap on junk

The 130 turbo isn't that bad. Got a second-hand Snap-On badged one presently (s/h 75 quid). Years ago had a BOC badged one (new). Mate had a Cebora branded one (8 years ago, only used about 3 times £65 just asking around at work). I did end up cleaning all the crap off it and did a eurotorch conversion.

 

DSCF5620.JPG by E Honda, on Flickr

 

 

On the other hand those SIP efforts smell of wee.

 

 

The old boy has a big Lincoln Electric (I think) that never gets used. I've been eyeballing it to fund a Portamig....

[Taff]

I'm on my second Clarke Mig (it's blue, same as the last one). The first one lasted a mere 16 years or as I like to think of it:-

 

fiat/escort/escort/austin1300/capri/granada/trans am/capri/spitfire/Consul/Cadillac/zephyr/cresta/cresta/cresta/maestro/zodiac/e30/Benz220d/mini/metro/ford pop/xantia/minor/minor/cortina/pug205/zx/model t/A60/capri/Mercedes/A50/Fairlane/austin7/e36

 

This second one is currently 11 years old, or as I like to think of it:-

Cadillac/herald/modelA/cresta/viscount/civic/Passat/E36coupe/C10/astra/model T coupe/polo/golf/chevy210/modelA/Galaxie/mgf/x19

 

my point is, I dread to think what it would have cost to pay someone to weld up all those nails. Money spent on a Mig is seldom wasted, mate

[catsinthewelder]

Possibly two bigger ones for sale here;

 

The bosses mate has a huge three phase, all the bells and whistles jobbie and no supply.

 

I have a 130A Eland which is a great bit of kit if you have a workshop.  As I don't and the new house will see me dragging a mig out some distance to the car I need to get something lighter (or find a home for the big one and keep mine there).

[Roostybroon]

Have to agree that clarke make a good diy welder. My last one was bought second hand and lasted 15 years and lots of abuse with me.

Don't buy a sip. They're utter crap

[320touring]

Possibly two bigger ones for sale here;

 

The bosses mate has a huge three phase, all the bells and whistles jobbie and no supply.

 

I have a 130A Eland which is a great bit of kit if you have a workshop. As I don't and the new house will see me dragging a mig out some distance to the car I need to get something lighter (or find a home for the big one and keep mine there).

I just need something able to be pulled out to weld (in my enclosed unit) then rolled to the back for storage..

 

no objection to 2nd hand machines if the price is right - send me some info re the eland:)

[philibusmo]

My Clarke 135TE has been an excellent rig, highly recommended as its welded up so many of my old crates along with other bits and pieces that it's one tool I could hardly be without. On my Lancia alone it's probably laid down about 4 miles of weld with only a few faults where service parts have worn out.

[fordperv]

I also have a Clarke 135te, iirc I will have had it 10 years next year, it has laid welds on many a motor, it's only needed the basic service parts in that time, it's a great hobby welder

[BavarianRetro]

In my view, your best bet at £200 is something secondhand from one of the more "professional" brands, Miller, Lincoln, Murex, Automig etc. and transformer based rather than an inverter and with a Euro torch rather than the proprietary one.

 

If you can find a second hand Miller Migmatic 171 for near your budget, buy it.

 

SIG in Rutherglen do Hobbygas and Premier Welding in Hillington are excellent for spares, accessories, consumables etc.

 

Anything over 150 amps might need more than a standard 13 amp socket if running full pelt - but you'll not need that for car bodywork. Once you do have a welder though, you'll soon be welding loads of other stuff.

[BavarianRetro]

Possibly two bigger ones for sale here;

 

The bosses mate has a huge three phase, all the bells and whistles jobbie and no supply.

 

 

Any info on make/model?

 

Some of the three phase stuff will run on 240v with jumper settings.

[Tickman]

I have one of these: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro-90-mig-welder

I bought it to do little bits on the car and have also welded stainless with it. 

I looked at the price of it now and couldn't believe how expensive it was but then realised I have had it for about 8 years.

 

It has done bodywork, chassis repair on my old Land Rover 2a and made some gates and railings.

 

Also I have a current Machine Mart code valid until thursday, can do online stuff with the code, if it is any use to you?

If you wanted anything I could also collect and bring it on Sunday.

 

John.

[derskine]

Can't go wrong with a Clarke, new or second hand really.

Do you have 3 phase at your workshop? I've found 3 phase good quality migs are a lot cheaper as demand isn't as high for home use (obviously).

[320touring]

Thanks one and all for the knowledge!

 

alas no 3phase available - but general concensus seems to be either a Clarke or an older "more upmarket" model for similar money.

[BavarianRetro]

You can go wrong with a Clarke. Apparently, there are two ranges, one that's half decent and one that's no better than a cheap SIP - some of the professional SIP stuff is very good, by the way.

 

 

 

If you use a Clarke or a Sealey or any other "hobby" welder and then try a more industrial one, you'll be amazed at the difference and how much better a welder you have become.

 

Bear in mind that in terms of spec, the most important bit for you isn't duty cycle or maximum power, but minimum power and number of steps. Many of the cheaper models won't go lower than 40 amps and while it isn't impossible, you don't want to be learning to weld thin bodywork at 40 amps.

 

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forums/buying-a-welder.19/

 

 

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/best-value-used-new-mig-around-250-at-present.58119/page-2#post-708104

[Taff]

I'm on my second Clarke Mig (it's blue, same as the last one). The first one lasted a mere 16 years or as I like to think of it:-

 

fiat/escort/escort/austin1300/capri/granada/trans am/capri/spitfire/Consul/Cadillac/zephyr/cresta/cresta/cresta/maestro/zodiac/e30/Benz220d/mini/metro/ford pop/xantia/minor/minor/cortina/pug205/zx/model t/A60/capri/Mercedes/A50/Fairlane/austin7/e36

 

This second one is currently 11 years old, or as I like to think of it:-

Cadillac/herald/modelA/cresta/viscount/civic/Passat/E36coupe/C10/astra/model T coupe/polo/golf/chevy210/modelA/Galaxie/mgf/x19

 

my point is, I dread to think what it would have cost to pay someone to weld up all those nails. Money spent on a Mig is seldom wasted, mate

 

here's my current one, a 150E turbo

 

 

 

currently got a disposable bottle on it, and I need to replace the wire as I suspect it's a little rusty and that can damage the liner.

 

Just a thought, nothing wrong with second hand but you may end up replacing the liner, the swan neck and the tips, so budget for those as well (and check availability, I suppose)

[cort16]

I've got a Sealey super mig and it's shite. 

[derskine]

I've got a Sealey super mig and it's shite. 

 

FOAD has one too and I really can't get on with it.

For shielding gas, we use pub CO2 and it's proved to be cheap and effective.

[Bren]

At least with Clarke you can get spare parts.

[DodgyBastard]

My sealey supermig is reasonable and can produce a decent enough weld on sheet metal, it just takes a bit of practice and getting used to manipulating the settings to achieve good results. The welders we use at work are far superior though.

[tooSavvy]

Motley pile of SparklyStick *'red' kit in Aldi today?

 

Didn't clock £££ though

 

TS

 

*Edit 4 shop recognition

[Eddie Honda]

From what I've heard German discounter's Chinese welders tend not to go down very far. 40A Min?

 

Put a wanted advert up in the local shop window. You never know your luck.

[Six-cylinder]

here's my current one, a 150E turbo

Mrs Cyl has owned one of these for 20-something years and has been very pleased with it. It can handle thin metal like letting patches into Alfa Romeo Giulietta wings but is also good for repairing the thick stuff like railway carriage bodywork and Triumph Herald chassis outriggers.

 

We use a big bottle of Argoshield for the gas and it runs a large wire reel. I have replaced the wire feeder liner and torch. Spare parts seem to be easy enough to buy. It is in use currently for the bodywork of my Citroen GS.