hi new here need so advice on my welder

[rageakaphil]

hi I have baught a second hand mig welder to weld my car.
I have never welded before but fort I wuld give it a go I don't have clue what power my welder is all I know is it is a (Clarke mini mig mk2) I have been looking for consumables for the torch I bought a mb15 shroud and its to large and also the tips I got are to small I need to know wear I can buy these bits and some advice on the power settings the metal on my car is 1mm thick but I have been practising on 3mm thick any help would be great hears some pics of the welder also a pic of a few try's I have done was only a quick go and I have a auto helmet as well also was looking at changing the torch for a new one off ebay but my welder only has 2 wires going to the machine the ones on ebay have 3 will this work i need help please this is what i am thinging of replacing it with

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-MIG-W...177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item463d617e21

MOD - fixed link

 

[skotl]

Welcome Phil

OK - first things first, why do you want to replace the torch? The torch you linked to seems to be medium/heavy duty (50-260A) but you're going to need a light-duty torch for 1mm steel. Is there anything wrong with your current torch?]

Next - you're looking to weld 1mm steel and your practicing on 3mm steel? Good! That's the best way to start - you would burn through 1mm really easily so it makes sense to start on thicker steel and work your way down.
Your pic of the welding attempts isn't easy to view - can you take a better picture and post that?

Next question is about gas. I'm not sure whether the Clarke model you mention takes gas (CO2 or an argon mix) or whether you're going gasless - can you confirm whether you are using a gas cylinder? If you are then it would be good to know what that gas is, whether it's a "hobby" bottle from somewhere like MachineMart or whether it's from a gas supplier.
If you are not using gas can you let us know what kind of wire you're using?

Thanks!
Scott

 

[rageakaphil]

Hi thanks for the reply and I was thinking of changing the torch because I have been looking for contact tips and shrouds but no body seem to have any that fit so I fort about changing it for one what parts are avalible for and its on hobby gas bottle co2 argon mix and the wire is solid 0.6mm and yes I started on the thicker metal because I was told there's less chance of blowing through i will take a few pic zoomed in it not the best there tuck on my iphone I don't have a camera yet

i will do a few more runs to morrow and see if i can get any better welds and then post on here

 

[cumbriasteve]

Tips will be readily available for that machine, some close up shots of the machine front and/or it's info plate/sticker will help us help you with identifying the exact model.

I suspect it is one of the lower powered models, perhaps the 90amp range., that will be ok for car work but will struggle with thicker material, not penetrating and leaving high welds... a bit like those in the picture.

Your photo shows a disposable gas bottle, is that what you mean by a hobby gas bottle? some of those welds are short of gas coverage.

Perhaps some 2mm sheet may be better to try on, will allow the weld pool to form easier and hopefully still not blow through too easy.

I also suspect you are wandering all over the place, get comfortable, rest your torch arm across the other and practice moving the torch without it switched on...'get the feel'

 

[Cobbler]

Pop into a Machine Mart branch with the tip & shroud, they are the main Clarke suppliers, I think they are part of the same company. I think you will find all the Clarke small migs use the same tips, either 0.6 or 0.8 depending on which wire you are using. No point in changing the torch, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[rageakaphil]

hi lads yes thanks for replying i will try machine mart for the tips and let you know how i get on and as for a info plate or sticker it dose not have one but will get some close ups off the welder later and yes the disposable bottles I mean and ye it is a bit all over as i need to get my self a bench not fun kneeling on the floor out side haha

 

[cumbriasteve]

[/QUOTE]

yes the disposable bottles I mean and ye it is a bit all over as i need to get my self a bench not fun kneeling on the floor out side haha

There are your two main issues, you can sort the kneeling one by using anything that improves the welding position.

The gas is not as easy to solve, if you were working outside there is a good chance your gas coverage was affected by any breeze that was there.

Disposables are terrible, both in quantity and overall cost, they can also be difficult to set up the flow correctly.

Going for a big bottle of gas initially sounds expensive but even on just one car restoration can work out a big saving over the disposables.

I have a large bottle and pay £4.20 a month rent and £30 for a refill, which as I am now only a hobby welder will last me 12 months at least, so it's working out at £1.50 a week all in.

 

[rageakaphil]

Hi thanks for replyig again i have been thinking about a big refillable bottle but dont no wear to get it from in manchester allso i have just orderd myself a work bench that will make things easier will get the pics of my welder on soon

 

[cumbriasteve]

Apart from the usual main suppliers of gas there will be independent suppliers around Manchester I am sure, I found mine by asking at a Calor Gas agents on the local industrial estate, he had the full range of gases and bottle sizes.

 

[rageakaphil]

there's a local bbq gas suppliers not far from me i could ask in there and i am going to do a web search soon see what it puts up and here are the pics of my welder is has no info plate or sticker so i dono what power it is

 

[rageakaphil]

its a what ?

 

[rageakaphil]

oh right haha I am new on this forum so didn't understand what your abbreviation was supposed to say lol and it seems to feed ok I have heard the sip one's are not to good

 

[Cobbler]

One thing that would be worth checking, see if the torch liner is like plastic screen wash tubing or has been replaced for a steel liner similar to curtain wire. The plastic liners they were supplied with give feed problems, the wire binds up inside & causes resistance. A steel one costs about a fiver & will make a world of difference. If you unclip the feed roller & release the friction on the centre of the wire spool, then pull the wire from the torch end there should be virtually no resistance. I mended a mates mig & I had to put 12 pounds pull on the wire before it would move, the poor old motor was struggling it guts out trying to work.

I see PGD's comment about the wire feed, the Clarke ones don't seem to give problems, are altogether a better design, I think you will find it a useful tool to learn on.

PS. Someone on here uses curtain wire from the ironmongers for about 50p, & I understand it's the same size, but never tried it

 

[Cobbler]

Sorry about that Mr pdg, I'm not sure the auto correct didn't change it, that's my excuse anyway. The wire feed does look different to what they use now, as to whether it's the same as an SIP I don't know.

EDIT just looked at the torch picture, it looks like a plastic liner, bung it out & get a steel one like I said

 

[rageakaphil]

hi lads thanks for the feed back I already have a metal liner order was only a fiver as I have been told this before so just going to do it for piece of mind so i don't get any problems