mig welder

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
or a 6mm bolt does the trick too lol but only needed for bigger stuff

6 inch nail does the same :D or some baking foil rapped around a 13amp fuse (usually use this on our 300mm leccy diamond disc cutter ) tends to eat a 13 under heavy load
 
Geoff. I'd steer clear from the cheap **** chinese crap. Wire feed is terrible to say the least which will cause terrible weld and penetration.

You saw my new clarke one the other day. Made in Italy, decent warranty, decent support. And they are available for a decent price second hand. Just make sure it is gas.

My Lincoln one takes a plug straight into the fusebox but that is pro kit. My new little clarke "should" have a 16a caravan type plug on but I have it on a 13a with no problems.

Hold out, coz if you buy something now, a few days later a decent gem will turn up and you'll already have your polished turd ;)
 
a larger general workshop welder will often have better more controlable transformer that will weld thinner sheet that those little welders

My little clarke will weld a biscuit tin up or a tow bar

depends on the thickness of the wire you use.
 
i once bought a chepo halfrauds one years ago to weld some rr seats to disco subframes, i took it back it was crap, i think they use tape recorder motors for the wire feed.
I bought a sealey 195 super and its given years of service with no problems what so ever.
Buy as big as you can afford but make sure its a 240v single phase if your buying second hand, Ideally you would need more than a 13 amp plug, i have a 16A plug on mine but since ive moved and havent built the garage yet i use an extension ive had for years with a solid fuse in the plug and a 16 socket the other end, its not ideal but ive also used it recently through an extension lead without blowing the 13 amp fuse, but only on low power, hope this helps, as for learning... there isno better way than by doing.
Good luck
 
thanks that the sort of answer i was after. not to bothered by the gas options, but what is the problem with valve in trigger and a short lance.

Short lance is a pain in the arse, you would need to fit gas solenoid and wiring to fit a euro torch or similar.

From personal experience the clarke 151 will do most things but the lance torch oxidises the tips as poor heat transfer at max setting.

Overall not bad bit of kit with limitations in mind and price considered.
 
Last edited:
Short lance is a pain in the arse, you would need to fit gas solenoid and wiring to fit a euro torch or similar.

From personal experience the clacke 151 will do most things but the lance torch oxidises the tips as poor heat transfer at max setting.

Overall not bad bit of kit with limitations in mind and price considered.

so the more expensive ones would have a euro torch and gas solenoid already fitted.
 
so the more expensive ones would have a euro torch and gas solenoid already fitted.

Not clarke but others have euro torch, a second hand trade mig or esab in that money.

my clarke 205 is built to a price,contractor expired and replaced and I want to upgrade to euro torch- pays money and takes chance.

the 151 a good "hobby" machine:D
 
we have a small gasless mig. Bought it for about £90 at tools direct. It is ok for small stuff and my intention was that kai would start learning with it and progress onto a bigger and better unit as his skill improves He started with this one when he was ten and although the results will never be perfect my thinking is that if he gets a half decent result with this one then he will develope his skill rather than relying on the machine alone.

It's not man enough for anything over a couple of mm thick, so no way it will do the chassis but it is fine for bodywork and so on.

Thes best investment he thinks he has made is the self darkening helmet. I know this is a source of disagreement on here, some people liking them and some not... but it allows him to position the tip where he wants it and to start welding without worrying about dropping the eye shield into place and that seems to make a great difference to his results and mine too.
 
The 150te is what I got the other week mate. The blue one you saw in the corner. It is fine for home work. I do prefer my Lincoln but it is a pain to drag back from work every other bloody day!

Get the 150te!
 
got a murex autolynx 161 , proper workshop one but only on a 13 amp fuse. I steer clear of using extension leads on it though.

the wife did say the lights dimmed in the house when I was chassis welding the other day :p
 
Back
Top