Hi All,
tried my new Clarke 135TE mig for the first time last night.
Having been doing a basic MIG welding course, I wanted something of mt own mainly for bodywork and light stuff.
I am well chuffed with the little Clarke machine.
I have bought a large regulator and bottle of Argoshield.
At the lowest setting 1 Min and wire speed about 6-7, with gas on about 14 litres per minute, I was getting a good, stable, reliable arc on 1mm steel panels. The butt welds had excellent penetration without blowing holes in the panels, as long as I didn't hang around too long.
On 3mm steel plate with no prep other than a root gap of about 1mm, highest setting 2 max and wire speed of about 8 - 9, I was again getting excellent penetration. I bet that, with a vee-prepped butt joint and a couple of passes of the gun, I could weld 6mm thick plate.
Our tutor also had a try in the workshop using both thicknesses of metal and was well impressed. Costing just 200ish dabs, he had expected it to be of very low quality. Not so.
I'm grateful for all the advice from members here that has, in my opinion, helped me make a very very good choice for a first machine.
Cheers all,
Si.
tried my new Clarke 135TE mig for the first time last night.
Having been doing a basic MIG welding course, I wanted something of mt own mainly for bodywork and light stuff.
I am well chuffed with the little Clarke machine.
I have bought a large regulator and bottle of Argoshield.
At the lowest setting 1 Min and wire speed about 6-7, with gas on about 14 litres per minute, I was getting a good, stable, reliable arc on 1mm steel panels. The butt welds had excellent penetration without blowing holes in the panels, as long as I didn't hang around too long.
On 3mm steel plate with no prep other than a root gap of about 1mm, highest setting 2 max and wire speed of about 8 - 9, I was again getting excellent penetration. I bet that, with a vee-prepped butt joint and a couple of passes of the gun, I could weld 6mm thick plate.
Our tutor also had a try in the workshop using both thicknesses of metal and was well impressed. Costing just 200ish dabs, he had expected it to be of very low quality. Not so.
I'm grateful for all the advice from members here that has, in my opinion, helped me make a very very good choice for a first machine.
Cheers all,
Si.