Best thing to get as a first MIG

[Newbievwwelder]

I am wanting to learn to mig weld so I can do car repairs at home and cant make my mind up whether to try and get a used welder to start with and save a bit of money or go for something new.
All that seems to come up used within travelling distance of me are things like old Clarkes and SIPS or higher end, more professional units that are out of my budget and more than I need.

A lot of the new stuff between £150-£250 seems to be of questionable quality nowadays and I get the impression these welders can make learning harder and more frustrating. Is that the case?

Would a used welder like a Clarke 120-150 amp be worth getting for now or would I really benefit/notice the difference from spending more and going for something like the Rtech Imig180 or the CWS Best MIG 160i? Or anything else for that matter?

I am going to be welding outside on my drive but plan on using screens or something to block any wind as much as possible so I can go for rent free, larger co2/argon gas because from what I've read here this would give me the best results.

Any help greatly appreciated and if anyone can recommend a good welding supplies shop in Lincolnshire/Peterborough area that would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Jim Davey]

It's pot luck with second hand DIY welders, most are barely used but the conditions they are stored in (damp etc) can have a very detrimental effect on thier general health as it were.
Me, I'd look to buy new, something that's not been neglected or bashed to bits and is covered by a warranty.
GYS do a small Smartmig which I can heartily reccommend, others will have good things to say about Clarkes and TechArcs but my main advice would be to buy new and use the sale to your advantage by squeezing the dealer for a good price on a package deal, you can lump your buying power together for gloves, gas, wire, helmet etc and you might even get some setup training on the demo if they'll do one.
It will save money in the long run getting it all in one place and you'll have a place to turn to if you encounter difficulties with the machine or your accessories.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum:

Obviously the more you spend means you 'should' get a better machine, however there is nothing at all wrong with the original Clarkes, I consider them one of the best hobby machines and more than capable of producing excellent welds.

There is a new range of cheaper Clarkes which have not yet had much feed back and most have a high low end setting making it less thin metal friendly.

They are cheap to run, spares are easy to get and they can put up with a fair bit of abuse.

The R-Tech are also first class machines, I am unsure if the extra money would mean they are easier to learn on though.

Keep clear of the old SIP's and the Ebay imported cheapies, Wolf are another machine I found not very good to use.

There are however many users who have SIP's and have got them sorted and are able to do what they want with them, but they can take a bit of sorting to get right.

Second hand is ok as long as you can see it working, Machine Mart have VAT free days and that can save a fair bit on a new machine.

 

[J.F]

A lot of the new stuff between £150-£250 seems to be of questionable quality nowadays and I get the impression these welders can make learning harder and more frustrating. Is that the case?

Yes, a lot of the cheap machines have very very poor duty cycles, and have a very erratic wire feed at max power setting.

I have an R-tec 180 which is a million times better than the Clarke 135 TE I had. Or if you go for a traditional machine then a MIGMAKER 200-1
http://www.oxfordwelders.co.uk/singlephasemig.html

 

[Newbievwwelder]

Thanks for the help.
I am finding that a lot of the used ones do look a bit worse for wear which makes you question how they've been used/stored. The ones that look good and that haven't had a lot of use seem to be the cheaper less reliable brands that I would like to steer clear of if possible.
The Clarke machines do seem good value but looking at the new models it makes me wonder if they're going to have lost a bit of the quality they did have and now just be more like any other budget welder.
Thanks for the info, it's helped confirm what I was thinking.
I think the Rtech, CWS, or GYS welders are looking the best bet at the minute for what I want and though there is limited information on some of these the after sales support on them seems to be quite good too.

 

[Bill Edwards]

You can certainly get a good deal on a S/H MIG, but yes, you might end up with a piece of junk. Buying new should be far safer, but with an obvious cost!

I'd be looking at the GYS SmartMig. I have never used on myself, but good things have been said on them on this forum and I'd be quite tempted to get one myself.