buying a welder...

[overheadvalve]

Can i have opinions please?

I have wanted to be able to weld for years, as a hobby etc

 

I'm thinking of buying a early 90's Jap shitter, it needs sills and a few patches welding in the boot and floor area.

I thought i might give this a go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clarke-160N-Easi-arc-Welder-4-CARS-WELDING-GARAGES-/220701954014?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3362dc8fde

Am i wasting my time? or would it be ok for me to learn with?

 

If i took the car to get someone else to weld it up i think i'm looking at £5/600 in labour, at 'normal rates' because the elderly gent who used to do any welding i needed doing is riddled with arthritis and had retired.

Thanks

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I bought a welder with the same intention a few months ago. I'd been told to focus on mig (not gasless) because it's easier to learn and better for thin metal (ie: car bodywork), although the cheapest machines are about twice the price of the cheapest arc and physically larger.

 

I got the 'baby Clarke' Pro90 which was £180 inc vat and delivery. I figured two hundred quid doesn't buy much professional welding so it was worth learning. I haven't actually attacked the big hole in my car floor yet - there's no hurry and I'm not going to try until I can reliably join my practice metal well. But I have made some horrific looking jagged metal sculptures

[stuboy]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php

[John F]

^ That mig welding forum is excellent, loads of good advice, tutorials, etc.

 

I'd been using a Clarke 160 EN (and a 130 EN iirc) before I bought my Portamig 185.

 

The Clarke machines are fine for occasional use in pretty much any automotive application (even the 130 managed OK on Land Rover chassis), they're only let down by a fairly short torch and earth strap.

 

EDIT: I've just looked at your link - most people I've spoken to seem to think that the blue Clarke machines are not as good as the red ones... might be worth having a look at the mig welding site to see what they say about this...

[HillmanImp]

Stick welders are a bit too much for bodywork. I use mine on chassis work. I used to find it easier than MIG though. However MIG is easy enough for anyone to pick up with practice (I managed it).

 

I say I found stick easier but I made a fucking mess of my mates truck's chassis leg the other week. Could not get it together at all. Passed its Mot like but it was not pretty.

[HillmanImp]

^ That mig welding forum is excellent, loads of good advice, tutorials, etc.

 

I'd been using a Clarke 160 EN (and a 130 EN iirc) before I bought my Portamig 185.

 

The Clarke machines are fine for occasional use in pretty much any automotive application (even the 130 managed OK on Land Rover chassis), they're only let down by a fairly short torch and earth strap.

 

EDIT: I've just looked at your link - most people I've spoken to seem to think that the blue Clarke machines are not as good as the red ones... might be worth having a look at the mig welding site to see what they say about this...

 

Someone pointed out to me the other week (on here) that the reds should have a higher voltage to work on full pelt, so won't work to their full potential at home. It does say you need a 15 amp fuse in the instructions but I could not find one and run it on 13. I have a red one (a 161 te I think) and like it but suspect a good blue one will be just as good on my mains taking that into account.

[Des]

That doesn't look great value for a stick welder, I learned with a stick job, using 1.6 electrodes and the best thing about it was that once I'd mastered half decent arc welding I could then Mig to perfection while drunk, half asleep and with one hand behind my back. You won't pay a huge amount more for a Mig, and the trick is to use a refillable cylinder, however small, it will way outperform any disposable.

[scaryoldcortina]

^ That mig welding forum is excellent, loads of good advice, tutorials, etc.

 

I'd been using a Clarke 160 EN (and a 130 EN iirc) before I bought my Portamig 185.

 

The Clarke machines are fine for occasional use in pretty much any automotive application (even the 130 managed OK on Land Rover chassis), they're only let down by a fairly short torch and earth strap.

 

EDIT: I've just looked at your link - most people I've spoken to seem to think that the blue Clarke machines are not as good as the red ones... might be worth having a look at the mig welding site to see what they say about this...

 

Someone pointed out to me the other week (on here) that the reds should have a higher voltage to work on full pelt, so won't work to their full potential at home. It does say you need a 15 amp fuse in the instructions but I could not find one and run it on 13. I have a red one (a 161 te I think) and like it but suspect a good blue one will be just as good on my mains taking that into account.

 

I think that might have been me, you can't pull more than 13A through domestic wiring which means that anything bigger than a 150 needs a special socket fitting straight to the consumer board. You can of course run them on domestic as long as you don't need full power, so buying anything much bigger than 150 is a waste of money for DIY folk.

 

ps, the usual way you find out that you drew too much current is when the live pin arcs over to earth, taking the plug casing out with a huge bang. It does this before the 13A fuse has a chance to blow.

[John F]

Yep, I've got my Portamig running on 3-phase.

 

But the Clarke 160 EN was OK at car body / chassis settings on a normal 13 amp plug.

[overheadvalve]

Thankyou all, quality answers / posts!

[jonny69]

You'll really struggle with stick on the thickness of car metal. Go for a Mig and use the disposable gas bottles to get you going. Mine last ages anyway, so I've never bothered renting a refillable bottle.

 

Check out the Clarke 150TE which I bought on recommendation. It's a sterling machine. It'll handle anything you throw at it and it's bulletproof and reliable. Mine is coming up to 10 years old now and has never let me down.

 

[Guest]

If anyone wants spot of tuition on playing the MIG gimme a shout, been welding for years, worked at a car restorers and did welding and panel craft at college.

Oh no gasless though, complete pony and puts more people than I care to think of off welding

[Bren]

My clarke, like the one in the picture, has given good service even purchased secondhand.

 

you can look on websites and read books but there is no substitute for practice. Get hold of some scrap and get practising.

 

Try and get hold of a pub bottle for your gas - the small bottles from machine mart are expensive and don't last very long.

[M'coli]

My best piece of advice is to wear earplugs - weld spatter is HOT and burns skin/flesh/eardrums.