New Mig Welder

Hi to all. After some advice like most on here.

Been researching a new mig welder and getting more and more confused.

Basically I have a budget of £500, needs to run off 13amp standard plug. Will be welding body panels and maybe up to 5mm max on chassis work. Should be gas shielded.

Have been looking at the Clarke 175 in machine mart but I don’t think it is suitable for 13amp standard sockets. Have been recommend Cebora pocket mig 130.

Could any one advise me?

hello and welcome. for that kind of budget you have many options! unless you want/ need welding mask, gloves, gas etc etc. the normal agreed figger is 130-140 amps will run fine on 13A plug and if you excede this you will start blowing fuses. and don't be tempted to start bypassing the fuese as some on here have . Clarke have a good reputation as do the portamig that has a lower min setting which is very good for body work

madkayaker said:

hello and welcome. for that kind of budget you have many options! unless you want/ need welding mask, gloves, gas etc etc. the normal agreed figger is 130-140 amps will run fine on 13A plug and if you excede this you will start blowing fuses. and don't be tempted to start bypassing the fuese as some on here have . Clarke have a good reputation as do the portamig that has a lower min setting which is very good for body work

Click to expand...

CheersMadkayaker, have been looking at the Clarke, but have spoken to a supplier for our company who has suggested SWP maybe a 1400 or 1800.

Any thoughts

have never used either of them i'm afraid but have just looked at the spec of the 220 and it seams decent so have no dout that the others will be fine and i dout the supplyer will want to risk giveing out bad info if your work uses them

got a portamig 185 off weldquip here to restore alfas have never even blown a fuse yet using a 30 metre extention on 13 amp plug. for cars the 25a setting is a real bonus on thin metal never gone above 3.5mm on mine and never gone above half on the settings so 5mm should be no problem. with cars you spend a 10 to 1 ratio of p*****g about actually welding any metal.
kilvil

you can do better than clarke or cebora/snapon /boc ....look for 180A-210A...my 180A thermal arc ,doesn't blow fuses either,portamig has a good following here,with so many positive reports can't be ignored,they come up 2nd hand on here sometimes too..

Right here you go. Contact bought in the SWP 180 Redline during the lunch break for me to try. To be honest completely gob smacked by it, specially as I haven’t used a mig welder in anger for at least 5 years. Spec below & link

SWP 9327 Redline 180 Amp with Euro Torch Mig Welder
SWP Redline 180 amp Mig welder

This 180 amp mig welder which is on wheels comes complete with an MB15 Euro Torch and takes up to 15 kg reels which will weld up to 8mm mild steel plus it has a stable output by using a large capacity filter
Features:
• Suitable for workshop use
• Forced air cooling
• Thermal protection with warning light
• Robust steel feed mechanism
• Robust front and rear wheels
• Accepts 5 or full 15kg wire reels
• 0.6-0.8mm welding wire diameter
• Euro professional welding torch connector and stable output using a large capacity filter
Specs
230 v
16amp Fuse
40 – 180A Welding current
6 Voltage Steps
Duty Cycle
30% 180A
60% 90A
100% 70A
Weight 42Kg
Welding Wire 0.6 – 0.8mm in 5 – 15kg Reels
DIA 800 x 460 x 686

http://www.welduk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=693

Below is the results gained in the 15 mins I had on the welder, as I said please bear in mind I haven’t use done in 5 yrs so all comments are welcome.







Seems like a good spec to me and was really impressed with the build quality.

Do you think this will be suitable for car panels as well?

From what i have read on here 40A for car body work is to high
James

Thought that might be the case but some I know say turn it right down and it will be fine.

Really confused now, thought I had a done deal

im only repeating what others have said though

Bottom setting is 40 amps, as in that's the lowest it will go...you CAN'T turn it down.
And yes, as James says, 40A is a bit too high, you'll probably struggle not to blow through thin stuff.

Been put off now by the swp 180 as it won't go low enough. Thinking of the parweld 170 or the smallest portamig if I can scratch the money together. What are people's view of them both.

Personally I'd go for the Portamig. I haven't tried the Parweld so don't know what it is like, but I was using a Clarke 160 at the weekend and decided I would have been a whole lot happier with my Portamig. No point skimping on £100 or whatever it is.