Got my welder!!! Happy

[bob_CBR]

Just gone and bought a Clark 160T for £200.
It has had no use and is brand new. :-)

Right i want to start welding but i am missing a couple of bits.

Face mask. I only have a crappy plastic one that came with it. Any advice here would be ace.

Wire: need some of that. Want to do lots of practice, then apply my hand to some car body work. Best place to purchase from??

gloves etc.. I want to to make sure i am looking after my hands. Again where to buy from?

I think i have the gas sorted as i have been reading the shield gas section of this forum alot.

So excited. Is that sad.

 

[Alistair]

see mr weldequip at the shop at the top your best bet for all your needs and is happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

[bradsarcher]

hi

where did you manage to get ur welder from so cheap

thanks

 

[Iain Westland]

evilbay maybe?

 

[pedrobedro]

Buy a head mount shield with a shade 10 glass to get started. I use tig gloves a lot of the time as they are nice and thin for handling tools but a pair of rigger gloves will cover you. Buy a small reel of .6 and .8 and try them out to see if you have a preference. I use .8 for everything and have no problems but some use .6 for thinner work. Get some overalls and a hat as well if you are going to work on cars.

 

[Iain Westland]

a hat as well if you are going to work on cars.

If its gonna be regular work on cars then do not waste money on the fire proof overalls, they will get filthy and the retardant washes out with cleaning. Look for the old style heavy cotton ones, much nicer and warm

0.6 is nice in a clarke for body work. Look for your local welding supply shop for the wire, half the price of machine mart!!

iain

 

[bob_CBR]

My new welder.

So, I have spent many many hours on evilbay looking for a welder at the right price. I had seen a couple in good condition and close by but they went for well over what I had to spend. Went for a pizza yesterday and while waiting, the shop had a copy of the Ad mag for customers to look at. It was in the tool section under Clark. Next day I own a Mig welder and feel more skint and fat.
:-)

 

[bob_CBR]

Soon will be welding

Thank you pedrobedro will take your advice on the equipment. The first place i looked for welding wire was machine mart and it was £40 for a 15Kg spool. Not cheap.


Alistair, saw your post on the BOC gas offer was going to look into that this week. Was a good read that thread.


So where is the best place to look for old style heavy cotton stuff then, autocare? sounds like you are a man in the know.

 

[BillJ]

The first place i looked for welding wire was machine mart and it was £40 for a 15Kg spool.

Will that Clarke take a 15Kg spool? I thought most hobby welders only took the small reels or the 5Kg ones.

[Edit] I take that back. Looking at the spec it accepts only the 5Kg and 15Kg.

 

[Iain Westland]

foundry style overalls

I get 15Kg 0.8 for £20 approx from a local welding supplies firm and about £10 for 5kg.

I also found the reels from MM not very well wound.

iain

 

[bob_CBR]

just ordered my bottle.

Just taken advantage of the offer from BOC. Nice person on the end of the phone and all for £60. Ace.

They sell wire and safety equipment, are they priced OK.

 

[Alistair]

its a cracking offer isnt it bob, my clarke is so much better for running proper gas.

 

[bob_CBR]

bottle

Picking the bottle up today.

:-)


Just need some wire and gloves etc... and I will be making my first

 

[bob_CBR]

picked bottle up.

Picked my gas bottle up today. Very nice man from BOC sorted it all out. I placed the bottle on the back of the welder, and plumbed it all in. Have some very silly questions though:

1. I am using the standard Reg that comes with the Clark 160T and it only has 1 dial on it. It looks like it is displaying pressure. Howdto I set the correct flow rate?

2. I can hear a leak where the small white pipe from the welder joins to the regulator. Well i think that is where it is coming from. any tips with that. it is a push fit connection.

3. On the side of the regulator there is another THING hole with a thread in it. there is a blank plastic nut thing with a spring under it. What is this for?


Bed time, too much excitement for one day.

 

[malcolm]

The single gauge regulators measure bottle pressure. For measuring flow rate you'd need either a twin gauge regulator, a bolt on flow measuring device, or a "peashooter" that you stick on the end of the torch when you want to know flow rate. Personally I like the twin gauge regs, but an inline flow meter is more accurate.

For the pipe leak try turning off bottle and releasing the pressure from the torch, then remove the pipe by pressing the metal ring away from the pipe, cut a bit off the end and push it back in again.

No idea what the thing is. Possibly an emergency pressure relief?

 

[bob_CBR]

What a div.

LoL Thats why I could not get the silly pipe back out of the regulator. I needed to release the pressure.

Nice one. Will give that a go tonight.

Going to the welding shop after work to by some wire and gloves and apron.

Might do my first weld tonight.

So, how do I get the correct flow rate with what I have? What is the correct flow rate 10LPM?? I have read that somewhere.

 

[Bsmith]

You could check first with soapy water to find exactly where the leak is. Just some water with dish washing liquid in, splash it over the pipe connections with a rag or sponge.
Why don't I read properly before advising, you know where the leak is. As Malcolm says then to rectify.

 

[bob_CBR]

Fix and moan.

So, I took the silly pipe out of the regulator, cut the end of, and refitted and this seams to have sorted 99% of the problem. I put the other 1% down to cheep regulator that comes with the welder.

The only equipment I lack before making my first welds where some wire and gloves/apron. Finished work at 4pm yesterday and rushed over to the welding shop. Turned up and they where closed. Gutted. Their web site said 5pm and I was there for 4:30. Not a happy man. So I am going to try another place tonight. With some luck I will be posting pics on Monday of my first beads.

So looking forward to it.

 

[Iain Westland]

you big kid ....

 

[Iain Westland]

see the difference between 0.8 and 0.6 prices for the wire, on cars I find 0.6 nicer (It keeps the amps down so tends to burn through a lot less often) but it can cost more as its less popular.

Start with the welder on its lowest power and the speed on about 5, thin metal on an over lap rather than butt to start with and play with the wire speed till it welds nice.

have fun n keep warm, you dont notice your cold till you gotta move quick and your 3 parts seized.

iain