GYS smartmig or Clarke 151TE...?

[Screech]

Hey guys,

I'm currently looking for my first mig welder, and had pretty much decided on a smart mig 162, after reading up on here, and my dealer stocks them.

Here's the but... I've just been offered a Clarke 151te that's only been used twice, for £150.

I will mainly be used it for car bodywork (crappy old minis!) can't see myself needing it for anything bigger then 6mm..?

Now am I better spending the extra cash on a brand new machine, or will I not really notice any difference.


Cheers

 

[cumbriasteve]

The GYS will probably get the most votes from members, it also has the more professional style torch, the Clarke is however a good machine and has been used for years by car restorers.

£200 difference is a fair bit but not if you spread it over the use you could get for the next 10 years +

Both of them however are pushing it on 6mm.

 

[Richard.]

Yeah 6mm is not going to happen but then that really depends on what you call welding it. My idea of welding is to obtain proper fusion and penetration within the joint and which neither will do on any 6-6 joint.
However 4mm is with in both there range and although I'd chose the gys if both units were new prices, now I'd say go for the Clark at £150 and use your remaining for some nice gas tooling etc.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

However 4mm is with in both there range and although I'd chose the gys if both units were new prices, now I'd say go for the Clark at £150 and use your remaining for some nice gas tooling etc.

100% Agree with what Richard said.

 

[PTvor]

For that price and from what you say, in excellent condition, get the Clarke. If you don't like it, or don't get on with it, you can sell it on for what you bought it for. If you do like it and they've been used for car bodywork for years, you've saved over £200. It's really a shot for nothing.

40A per mm is the rule of thumb for MIG welding steel, so neither machine is going to do a good job on 6mm steel. At the top most power setting, the duty cycle of either is likely to be around 5%, or weld for 30 seconds every ten minutes.

 

[gaz1]

so you say it wont what about a prep of the material say if your welding 2 flat 5mm plates together a v groove on both plates weld one side turn it over then weld the other side

ive done this with the clarke 150en and it welds nice

ive also welded 3mm to 5mm plate usually for the top of wood burning stoves but im welding in between of the 2 metals but this will weld quite nice

 

[Screech]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Tbh, I expected everyone to lean towards the GYS, but thought I'd ask anyway, so glad I did.

I think I'll go with what you said, go with the Clarke and see how I get on, what've I got to lose?!

I only really mentioned no more than 6mm as that's what machine marts description of the 151te says, I couldn't find a max for the GYS.

The biggest stuff I can see me needing it for is a rollover jig that the mini will go on, which I think is 6mm, but if that's the case I'll just have to get a ready assembled kit rather than in kit form.

Cheers

 

[Tom Orrow L]

The GYS's front panel gives settings for 4MM+
I've known guys use it for 5MM and the welds come out fine.

 

[Richard.]

so you say it wont what about a prep of the material say if your welding 2 flat 5mm plates together a v groove on both plates weld one side turn it over then weld the other side

ive done this with the clarke 150en and it welds nice

ive also welded 3mm to 5mm plate usually for the top of wood burning stoves but im welding in between of the 2 metals but this will weld quite nice

Gaz a prep helps a lot regarding it ensures a joint consisting of weld metal right through so you can tick penetration off the list but it doesn't help with fusion depth. The thickness of 6mm is going to suck out the heat of a low powered weld deeming fusion level too low for the joint.
It helps granted but it doesn't change much really. For 6mm you need 200amps imo.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I only really mentioned no more than 6mm as that's what machine marts description of the 151te says, I couldn't find a max for the GYS.

The biggest stuff I can see me needing it for is a rollover jig that the mini will go on, which I think is 6mm, but if that's the case I'll just have to get a ready assembled kit rather than in kit form.

Cheers

They do that all the time and really they should be taken to task for it, it's false or incorrect advertising.

A rollover jigs strength is mostly by design rather than steel weight, it has to be adequate of course but I suspect most of the tubular section will be no more than 3mm wall.

 

[PTvor]

so you say it wont

No I didn't, I said, "40A per mm is the rule of thumb for MIG welding steel, so neither machine is going to do a good job on 6mm steel".

what about a prep of the material say if your welding 2 flat 5mm plates together a v groove on both plates weld one side turn it over then weld the other side

What about it? As pointed out above, probably that still won't give a full strength weld.