- Thread starter doogz
- Start date
oilcooled :)
Pipe Welder, Mechanical engineer
- Messages
- 993
- Location
- Ireland
if i was you, id definately get a 250 amp machine, keep your head down till you find a good second hand one for around 400 pound, there must be lots in england, i was going to buy a 180amp mig, and i kept saving and went for a 210 amp, and if i was buying again id definately buy a 250 amp, even if you dont use the amps your gaining on duty cycle 
i have an oil cooled arc welder and i do all the heavy work with that, your talking about using 150 amp clarkes on trailers and stuff, in my opinion you will curse buying a small machine due to duty cycle being so poor on them when at heavy work. thats my 2 cents, someone may tell you im talking crap tho 
i have an oil cooled arc welder and i do all the heavy work with that, your talking about using 150 amp clarkes on trailers and stuff, in my opinion you will curse buying a small machine due to duty cycle being so poor on them when at heavy work. thats my 2 cents, someone may tell you im talking crap tho Machine Mart are really digging their heels in about this 20% off malarkey!
I e-mailed their customer services to ask, and at first, i was told i'd need to be registered online, a previous customer, and on their mailing list.
So when i pointed out i was all of the above, they told me they had been e-mailing me, and are basically avoiding answering the question of whether or not the deal will apply to me, as basically, i'll buy from them at 20% off, but not at full price.
Nuisance!
I e-mailed their customer services to ask, and at first, i was told i'd need to be registered online, a previous customer, and on their mailing list.
So when i pointed out i was all of the above, they told me they had been e-mailing me, and are basically avoiding answering the question of whether or not the deal will apply to me, as basically, i'll buy from them at 20% off, but not at full price.
Nuisance!
So who knew that my Googlemail had an "Important" folder, and stuck emails in there without telling me? Anyway, turns out machine mart have sent me a 20% off voucher.
So i'll pop by tomorrow or Friday and pick some stuff up.
Thanks to everyone that replied, very useful, i also received a PM full of advice from someone.
I should probably clarify, that i have a 9-5 as a contract engineer, i live on a farm, but it's not a working farm, so it's not like i'll be using a welder on a daily basis or anything like that. We keep horses, and run a small livery yard, so it'll really mostly be DIY, and little projects out in the barn, and working on my cars/quad in my garage. There'll no doubt be the other odd jobs that pop up needing attention, and having the appropriate kit will make it very handy, and i understand the benefits of buying better, 2nd hand kit over cheaper new stuff, but i think the welder i've settled on will suffice for now, comes with a warranty, and if i decide to upgrade, should be easy enough to sell on.
So thanks again, and this seems like a cracking website, full of knowledge, so i'll be sticking around, brushing up on my theory and technique.
Cheers
Doug
So i'll pop by tomorrow or Friday and pick some stuff up.
Thanks to everyone that replied, very useful, i also received a PM full of advice from someone.
I should probably clarify, that i have a 9-5 as a contract engineer, i live on a farm, but it's not a working farm, so it's not like i'll be using a welder on a daily basis or anything like that. We keep horses, and run a small livery yard, so it'll really mostly be DIY, and little projects out in the barn, and working on my cars/quad in my garage. There'll no doubt be the other odd jobs that pop up needing attention, and having the appropriate kit will make it very handy, and i understand the benefits of buying better, 2nd hand kit over cheaper new stuff, but i think the welder i've settled on will suffice for now, comes with a warranty, and if i decide to upgrade, should be easy enough to sell on.
So thanks again, and this seems like a cracking website, full of knowledge, so i'll be sticking around, brushing up on my theory and technique.
Cheers
Doug
dont buy the clarke trolley
they put the welder on top which makes it unstable and hard to get at stuff stored underneath on the shelves
if you find you are blowing fuses just wire a 16 amp plug onto the end of the wire then make up a short lenght of wire with a 13 amp plug on one end and a 16 amp plug on the other which you can use if you ever have to take youre welder away from your main power supply
they put the welder on top which makes it unstable and hard to get at stuff stored underneath on the shelves
if you find you are blowing fuses just wire a 16 amp plug onto the end of the wire then make up a short lenght of wire with a 13 amp plug on one end and a 16 amp plug on the other which you can use if you ever have to take youre welder away from your main power supply
