- Thread starter ken110
- Start date
cheers for the reply's 
started playing with it yesterday, and considering how cheap they're supposed to be i was really impressed. The tuning of it is a bit of a fiddle but found that I was using the wrong wire for the sheet...oh and the wrong voltage..ah well.
I'll post some pic later
started playing with it yesterday, and considering how cheap they're supposed to be i was really impressed. The tuning of it is a bit of a fiddle but found that I was using the wrong wire for the sheet...oh and the wrong voltage..ah well.
I'll post some pic later
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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Clarkes seem to be the best of the bunch for low price welders. It's odd, as I don't really hold Clarke in high esteem for a lot of their other tools. Like any low end MIG finding a good wire speed takes quite a fine adjustment, and it's worth noting down good wire speeds to go with each setting to save setting up time later.
Using the wrong wire? I use 0.6 for everything up to 3mm. (Very rarely do anything thicker than that, but have a giant reel of 0.8 for those occasions.) Which wire was wrong?
Look forward to the pics. Post some of your practice welds before you get to doing car work.
Using the wrong wire? I use 0.6 for everything up to 3mm. (Very rarely do anything thicker than that, but have a giant reel of 0.8 for those occasions.) Which wire was wrong?
Look forward to the pics. Post some of your practice welds before you get to doing car work.
shenion
Tool Pack Rat
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The Clarke will do fine. I found with CO2 the wire speed has less acceptable range than for Ar/CO2 mix.
Malcom is right, I have a notebook on the wall, I write down metal thickness, wire size, current setting and wire speed range.
i.e: 1mm steel, 0.030 wire, Power: 1, wire speed 2.5 to 3
I am real happy with my 130EN, a solid unit and has worked flawlessly, but do wish I had gone for the 180.
I found I had to add some grease to the wire hub as the reels tend to drag a bit. Other than that the wire feed has worked fine.
I use 0.030 (0.8mm) wire here, is a bit difficult on thin metal, will get some 0.023 if (0.6mm) if I need do do any thin stuff.
Malcom is right, I have a notebook on the wall, I write down metal thickness, wire size, current setting and wire speed range.
i.e: 1mm steel, 0.030 wire, Power: 1, wire speed 2.5 to 3
I am real happy with my 130EN, a solid unit and has worked flawlessly, but do wish I had gone for the 180.
I found I had to add some grease to the wire hub as the reels tend to drag a bit. Other than that the wire feed has worked fine.
I use 0.030 (0.8mm) wire here, is a bit difficult on thin metal, will get some 0.023 if (0.6mm) if I need do do any thin stuff.
certainly is mate, hows things
small world eh!? i'm also known as...well wont say it here 
you have a PMcaptaindoc
Member
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- 2
Hi there i've just baught myself A CLARKE 120e mark2 and i was wondering if i can use no gas wire ont this machine...
Thank's
Thank's
captaindoc
Member
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- 2
Thank's mate 
Hi sorry to re open an old thread. I too have just got a Clarke 120E and kinda little out of me depth. i know i need a CO2 canaster. i have a little pipe out the back for the gas but no regulator is this normal? also i would also like to start off with setting it up for a large industrial sized refillable canster so i know i need the adapter and pipe at about £50. Thing is im in gosport in hampshire and dammed if i can find anyone who will talk to me to help me getting going, they just want to sell me a new welder 
Oh i should say im in IT so im a computer bod whos been let loose with a welder to fix my own car! (landrover discovery hence the large gas co2 bottle!!!) thx in advance for your advise.
jamie
Oh i should say im in IT so im a computer bod whos been let loose with a welder to fix my own car! (landrover discovery hence the large gas co2 bottle!!!) thx in advance for your advise.jamie
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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Another landy? Is there a link going on from there at the moment?
Welding is much nicer with an argon/CO2 mix rather than straight CO2. But CO2 will work if you can put up with the poor arc.
For a large CO2 bottle (or an argon/CO2 mix bottle - did I mention those are nicer?) you just need a regulator that screws in the top of the bottle and an adapter hose from the plastic pipe to the regulator. Both are very much cheaper to buy than a whole new welder.
£50 is way too much for the adapter and regulator. But I'm refusing to advertise weldequip any more tonight. Someone else can post the link.
Do we get to see photos of your project? We like photos on here. Cool if you could post some. And excuse my manners, welcome to the forum. We can help you with your welding on here too if you want. Though I've probably blown it already.
Welding is much nicer with an argon/CO2 mix rather than straight CO2. But CO2 will work if you can put up with the poor arc.
For a large CO2 bottle (or an argon/CO2 mix bottle - did I mention those are nicer?) you just need a regulator that screws in the top of the bottle and an adapter hose from the plastic pipe to the regulator. Both are very much cheaper to buy than a whole new welder.
£50 is way too much for the adapter and regulator. But I'm refusing to advertise weldequip any more tonight. Someone else can post the link.
Do we get to see photos of your project? We like photos on here. Cool if you could post some. And excuse my manners, welcome to the forum. We can help you with your welding on here too if you want. Though I've probably blown it already.
hehe thx for the welcome. not sure of other lawn rover guys on here but im from PLCUK & to be honest i found you by Googleing "Clarke 120E" any this place is top link so!
at the moment its more of repairs i got rusty arches and think the sils going to need doing at there is what looks like a bad patch so! cars not for offroading but considering fuel prices... right back to welding....! look forward to a post for weldequip is there a website i can go to. i know weldequip can do a valve for big bottles for approx £40 (saw on other post) will take some pics and post up. we did already try welding it up by a mate of mine but its eaten through the 1 mil steel already despite 2 undercoats and a top coat
other than than need to re weld my roofrack.. sadly its never ending.
I have another Q. i pluged the welder in tonight just to check it actually works as i only got it for £20. On light comes on and the wire feeds through ok as does the wire speed. the question is would i get an arc with out the gas? I know its gas only with gas only wire but i just want to make sure it works before i go blowing money if you know what i mean.
thx in advance
at the moment its more of repairs i got rusty arches and think the sils going to need doing at there is what looks like a bad patch so! cars not for offroading but considering fuel prices... right back to welding....! look forward to a post for weldequip is there a website i can go to. i know weldequip can do a valve for big bottles for approx £40 (saw on other post) will take some pics and post up. we did already try welding it up by a mate of mine but its eaten through the 1 mil steel already despite 2 undercoats and a top coat
other than than need to re weld my roofrack.. sadly its never ending.I have another Q. i pluged the welder in tonight just to check it actually works as i only got it for £20. On light comes on and the wire feeds through ok as does the wire speed. the question is would i get an arc with out the gas? I know its gas only with gas only wire but i just want to make sure it works before i go blowing money if you know what i mean.
thx in advance
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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- Bedford UK
Without gas the welder should work, though the welds will be a bubbly spattery mess. If no spattering occurs the welder either needs setting up better or throwing away. Is yours not spattering OK under those conditions?
Weldequip doesn't have a website and that's a bone of contention, though you can contact him via private messaging on this forum by seeking him out ion the member list under "W"
Weldequip doesn't have a website and that's a bone of contention, though you can contact him via private messaging on this forum by seeking him out ion the member list under "W"
not getting a spark but then not really had time to sit and play. if it dont spark then where would you suggest i start looking? would there be anything connecting live on the wire? as i said its physically poor condition with a broekn wheel and due to the weight it kinda got semi wheeled for about 3/4 of a mile! will go have a play and come back with photo's!
