Flippinheck

[Flippinheck]

Hi Everyone.

Obviously I am a newby. I could really do with some help. I make decorative garden objects i.e. bird feeders baskets etc normally riveted. I use 5mm mild steel maximum. I would like to make gates, chairs and feel they would be best welded. I have been looking at the 'Clarke160TM' I can see 5mm is it's top range at best. I don't need to be doing long runs of weld, nor do I think my welds will be under a lot of stress I could be wrong ( as I have been once before ) on that.
I have a limited budget as it is dead money till I can make it pay. I only have a domestic electricity supply.
So welding short lengths of 5mm mild steel.Will this machine cope. Is my question.
Thanks in advance, sorry it took a lot of words to say so little

Pete

 

[keith19]

It will cope if you prepare the metal carefully beforehand, weld in short runs with plenty of time between, and don't mind blowing a 13A fuse every now and then. You will be working the m/c at the top of its range, and the duty cycle there is very poor. It may actually weld for about 1 - 1.5 minutes in every 10 minutes. If you are doing this as a hobby, and have bags of time, it will just about cope.

But if you are hoping to make money at it, or even as a paying hobby, get something rather more powerful. Either an inverter mig if you want to stay with your 13A supply, or a bigger transformer type of about 180 Amps, with a 16 or 20 Amp supply.

Oh, and welcome to the forum
Plenty of good help on here, so stay around...

 

[oilcooled :)]

or a mma inverter

 

[cumbriasteve]

Good advice so far and there is another option that could get you started, a cheap arc welder...known as a buzz box, they can be picked up for as little as £25 to £50 for a new one.

Not as nice as a MIG or MMA and a bit of practice required but they do the job.

I used one for many years making gates, railings etc, it would allow you to build up your sales and hopefully budget for the right machine.

Your welds may be under a lot more stress than you think, kids swinging on gates etc.

To use a MIG for what you have planned you want to be around the 200amp range and a little more if possible, I use a Portamig 235 and it coped with everything I wanted when I was doing it full time, there are of course other good machines and some good secondhand machines crop up occasionaly but I think a realistic budget is between £400 and £700.

I also have a 140amp MMA, they are great machines and run off the 13 amp supply but of course there is a bit more cleaning up of the weld area to do, my MIG also runs off the 13 amp supply...but I think I am one of the lucky one's there, many people have problems once you get around the 150amp range.

You have picked the right time of year for the venture, I am starting to get pestered for garden related stuff, gates etc and you may be surprised how many orders you get once your work is out there....soon paying for that nice shiny machine.

Good luck and don't forget some pictures of your work.

 

[cumbriasteve]

May be worth considering for a starter machine?
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=31633

 

[Drains]

I used a 185A Clarke for years that would bang away all day on anything except a 6mm (that was on no 6 on the dial) weld. Would do anything you want to do; would only blow a 13A plug once in a bluey.

The only thing is, I bought that in 1998, and I think they were better than the current equivalent sets.

Bear in mind re duty cycle, you'll probably spend more time setting up the welds and moving from one weld to another than you will welding. Even if you're moving fast from one 20mm weld to another, you'll still only need a 75% duty cycle, max.

 

[Flippinheck]

Re-Clarke 160TM

Thanks very much men for all your inputs. I have looked at each piece of your advice, then researched each and learned ( which is the point right ) a lot of knew stuff. I pretty much new my electrics would be the stumbling block.
I do like what folk say about the 'Portamig' and not one for buying twice, it looked the animal for me. Any dissenters out there However looking at my consumer unit it looks pretty much full unless I can share it with a shower.
So back to what I do best for now.
Thanks again. Very much appreciated.
Pete

 

[Punx0r]

If my experience is anything to go by, you should be fine with a ~150A machine on a 13A plug. Newer consumer units are more finicky (I sometimes trip the 16A breaker on arc strike on max power, never blown a plug fuse). Older fuse types are much more tolerant to surges.

The weldequip shop seems pretty honest and realistic with their specs, so if they say 5mm, then it should do 5mm. Manufacturer's and retailers are often a bit optimistic with their ratings (like saying a 110A machine will do 6mm).

If you prep the ends of the metal with a Vee then you can weld pretty thick stuff. You can always run multiple beads.

 

[l4urence]

I have the 160TM and it's a great machine for the money. It'll do what you ask on 5mm... however and it's a big however!

Power supply MUST be 16A - the thing will work fine on 13A on low volts / current.
prep your welds well - that means grinding a profile and clean... really clean!
Duty cycle... let the thing cool down and don't weld for too long.
Gas... disposable bottles will last 6 mins at £15 each - consider a larger gas bottle.

 

[Flippinheck]

Re-Clarke50TM

Thanks Guys
Still looking at all the options, so all information is appreciated.

Cheers Pete