New Guy with a Clarke 160T

[onzarob]

Hi all,

I just bought a Clarke 160T on ebay for a just over £100

I was just about to buy a 160TE from weldequip at a stunning price, when this turned up secondhand local to me, at least I know where to get spares from.

I have decided after years of getting my Dad to weld it up for me, its about time to get my hand in, So now I have the equipment I'm going to get a pile of off cuts and con my Dad over (Welding more years than I'm old, I'm past 30 ) to show me the ropes.

Great info on here and hope to be building a Locost/Haynes roadster in the near future.

Rob

 

[onzarob]

Did I do something wrong not one hello

I got one question on the wire which came with it feels rusty would it be best to get a new one or just take a few layers off?

 

[shenion]

Welcome to the forums.

Do not run the rusty wire, it will wear and plug up the liner.

If you use good solid wire, it will not rust. I think the gasless will rust though.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Sorry Rob, occasionally posts get missed, don't take it to heart . Rusty wire will give you allsorts of problems so best to strip of the rusty stuff until it's nice and shiny. Some people clip a piece of scouring pad/scotchbrite to the wire with a clothes peg to clean light surface rust off too, works very well apparently. You did well with that Clarke, it should do you very well.

 

[weldequip]

Did I do something wrong not one hello

Yes, you didn't buy it from me!
HELLOOO
Rusty wire is not good... bin it & replace it. You can get away with stripping back a few layers of slightly rusty stuff but best bet is to get rid (causes loads of feed trouble )
If it's being stored in a damp workshop/not being used for any length of time, take the wire off the machine & store it somewhere warm & dry.
weldequip

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hehe, 3 replies in 1 minute See, we weren't purposely ignoring you Rob

 

[onzarob]

I feel loved again, cheers. (Even if it does turn up like Buses )

I will strip the wire back and see if it improves, if not I will get some more.I was going to buy the welder from you Weldequip as your prices are fantastic No doubt i'll need something soon.

 

[weldequip]

I was going to buy the welder from you Weldequip as your prices are fantastic

Going to is just not good enough... I'm going to have to put the kids in the work-house at this rate!
Spares & advice abound... just PM me
weldequip

 

[onzarob]

Going to is just not good enough... I'm going to have to put the kids in the work-house at this rate!
Spares & advice abound... just PM me
weldequip

Ah yes, but I've kept my childrens shoe money for them instead

 

[onzarob]

I could do with a manual i've looked on the site, are the settings the same as the 151te?

 

[weldequip]

Your's have shoes! Good God, I'm in the wrong job!
weldequip

 

[weldequip]

I could do with a manual i've looked on the site, are the settings the same as the 151te?

Slightly different. You've got the main rotary switch with positions 1,2,3 & them the rocker switch 'Min' & 'Max'.
So...
1 min is your bottom setting
1 max next setting up
2 min
2 max
3 min
3 max being the top setting
Up your wire speed when increasing power, and drop it when decreasing power (I should really be charging for all this free advice! ).
weldequip

 

[onzarob]

Thanks thats great info, on the charging for info front, I suspect giving great info leads to good custom and rightly so (So many companies forget this)

I just nipped in to garage and had a look as the wire and flicked off a couple of layers and the wire is looking good. On the other hand the plug was fitted by a monkey, top not on properly and a wire pinched...scary for such a high amp device, so now it fitted properly

Think I'm ready to have a play tomorrow evening

 

[weldequip]

If you have a compressor just give the torch lead a quick blast of air (from machine end), won't do any harm
weldequip

 

[onzarob]

Unfortunally I don't, I have spray dusters for computer keyboards ;( Small compressor is next on my list

 

[Robotstar5]

See Aldi for Thursday bargains - hobby spec compressor for £70 with 3 year warranty!

 

[onzarob]

I seen those, I'm going to have a look

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/offers_week9thursday08.htm

 

[weldequip]

How the hell they can put all that together for the price of a pair of quality work-boots is beyond me!
weldequip

 

[onzarob]

How the hell they can put all that together for the price of a pair of quality work-boots is beyond me!
weldequip

I know its unbelievable, the impact driver for £14.99 is crazy, but i don;t expect it will last that long in a non DIY environment.

 

[Wozzaaah]

That compressor is only 9.5cfm displacement and with a little receiver like that it will struggle to run those air tools.