Advice needed

[Brian J]

Hi all new to the forum! I've been arc welding for a while, for work but I want to learn to mig weld. I will be welding box section mainly between 2 and 5mm thickness but may need to weld 10mm plate so looking for recommendations on a decent mig that can do it all but work on 240v! if I can't go as thick as 10mm that's ok I will arcweld the big stuff. My budget is £300 to £500 I was thinking the Clarke 151en may be a good choice but need some advice. thanks in advance

 

[cumbriasteve]

Although I have no problems with Clarke machines and own one myself if you have a budget around the £500 mark I think there are better options than the 151en, 10mm plate capability is highly unlikely to fit into those options.

I used a Portamig for a couple of years and that was a good machine but in fairness I had little to compare it to.

I am sure advice will follow soon

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Welcome aboard, Brian . Do a bit of forum reading as there are endless threads/posts on this very subject, with excellent guidance.

 

[Brian J]

Although I have no problems with Clarke machines and own one myself if you have a budget around the £500 mark I think there are better options than the 151en, 10mm plate capability is highly unlikely to fit into those options.

I used a Portamig for a couple of years and that was a good machine but in fairness I had little to compare it to.

I am sure advice will follow soon

Thanks mate ya I know it's unlikely I'd be able to do the 10mm but that's not a issue I will use arc welder for the bigger stuff the reason I was thinking the Clarke 151en is because it will leave me enough in the budget for gas and consumabales and I've read good reviews but I'm open to any other suggestions

Welcome aboard, Brian . Do a bit of forum reading as there are endless threads/posts on this very subject, with excellent guidance.

Thanks mate I have been reading will do more tonight when I get home from work

 

[Kent]

10mm is going to put you in the biggest class of 240v. Mig plants. 5 mm is OK with say a 160-180 set as long as it's not major production

 

[cumbriasteve]

the reason I was thinking the Clarke 151en is because it will leave me enough in the budget for gas and consumabales and I've read good reviews but I'm open to any other suggestions

Plenty of people with them and a few on here, never hear much negative about them, easy to get spares and consumables so you could certainly do a lot worse.

You could also save a big chunk of cash if you get a Machine Mart VAT free voucher, they crop up quite often and members share them about if they have no need for them.

 

[gaz1]

you would be better with both mig and arc

mig for the 3-5mm and arc for the 10mm stuff as better to use arc after 6mm unless you have an expensive mig welder and the supply to run it

 

[Brian J]

10mm is going to put you in the biggest class of 240v. Mig plants. 5 mm is OK with say a 160-180 set as long as it's not major production

Thanks for the advice mate

Plenty of people with them and a few on here, never hear much negative about them, easy to get spares and consumables so you could certainly do a lot worse.

You could also save a big chunk of cash if you get a Machine Mart VAT free voucher, they crop up quite often and members share them about if they have no need for them.

Ya they seem pretty good for the price and with the discount code they have up until the 8th it's even better

you would be better with both mig and arc

mig for the 3-5mm and arc for the 10mm stuff as better to use arc after 6mm unless you have an expensive mig welder and the supply to run it

Thanks mate I do use arc welders a lot so that won't be a problem Thanks for the advice mate

 

[Brian J]

Ok so now I'm so confused can anyone tell me why these are the same price and which would should I get the 195 looks like it is better on the page but price says different can anyone explain this to me lol thanks

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/010110196/

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/mig151en-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder/

 

[Wozzaaah]

The 195 is Chinese made, the 151 is European, Italian I believe.

 

[gaz1]

i can say via the 151 as i have the gas version of the 150

it also gives you a low medium and high choice of welding comes in handy

 

[Brian J]

Thanks guys that's cleared that up I think

 

[Brian J]

Thanks guys I went for the Clarke 151en between that and my arc welders I should be able to do pretty much everything I need once my workshop is built I can look at a better mig and supply