looking to upgrade welder need some advice

[Jay1986]

iv got a £79 no gas welder I cant think of the make atm I brought it 10 years ago learnt to do small patches allways passed mots but been told to get a gas one now,

I'm looking at a couple on ebay but I don't know if they will be ok, I'm replacing the wing, half sill, and rear arches on my mk4 escorts and the rear valence on my mk3 fiesta so I need something better now hope its ok to post a link on here as its the only way I can show what I'm looking at,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252781128912?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

thanks for any help

 

[HughF]

What's your budget? Don't ever buy a wolf welder off eBay...

 

[Jay1986]

oh are they not good then ? around 200/250 really I'm not really going to do a lot of work with one just my own cars but I want to be able to replace panels and that

 

[Jay1986]

hmm looking at prices I may take a chance on one, my gasless one I learnt with was from screw fix for about £70 10 years ago and I looked after it bit ocd with my tools cleaning them and that, its done a lot of work but still looks new and works perfectly (for no gas)

 

[Jay1986]

I was just reading that post strangely looked like he was getting on well with it before posting stopped, a big improvement on my no gas one, which I will find out the info on tomorrow

 

[HughF]

I've refurbished a fair few compact migs over the last 18 months, I've seen a fair few brands and always avoid anything modern. The modern cheap stuff is just junk (except for Clarke, but only the older style)...

There's a used fronius 150a machine on eBay for 200 quid at the mo, if I were you, that's where my money would be going.

 

[addjunkie]

Another thing to factor in with gas migs those daft little bottles dont last long...and are an expensive way to buy gas

 

[cumbriasteve]

I bought a Wolf several years back and was not impressed at all, in fairness I did not persevere with it which is what some of the low end of the market machines require, if I had I may have got it working well enough to stick cars back together or I may not have

I now have a Clarke 135, also classed as a budget welding machine but it's a world of difference from the Wolf.

There are loads of Clarkes for sale out there and as long as you can be shown them working you can find some bargains, they often look rough simply because of the environment they have lived in but many are working perfectly after lots of years of use.

Ceboras are worth considering and even the big old Murex sets, great for bodywork and have seen more than one go for the £100 mark.

The one you link to is being sold by a box shifter and I personally would not buy from someone also selling ear wax removers and carrot scrapers, I doubt you will get much common sense with any after sales queries.

 

[RustyCharlie]

I bought a Wolf several years back and was not impressed at all, in fairness I did not persevere with it which is what some of the low end of the market machines require, if I had I may have got it working well enough to stick cars back together or I may not have

I now have a Clarke 135, also classed as a budget welding machine but it's a world of difference from the Wolf.

There are loads of Clarkes for sale out there and as long as you can be shown them working you can find some bargains, they often look rough simply because of the environment they have lived in but many are working perfectly after lots of years of use.

Ceboras are worth considering and even the big old Murex sets, great for bodywork and have seen more than one go for the £100 mark.

The one you link to is being sold by a box shifter and I personally would not buy from someone also selling ear wax removers and carrot scrapers, I doubt you will get much common sense with any after sales queries.

Im no expert, but the gas it comes with will aslo end up being very expensive?

I got a second hand cebora 130 or 140 for less than your budget, was meant to be a tempory thing to learn with whilst I saved for a nice machine. Came with 2 old school masks, 3 reels of wire (2rusty) co2 regulator argon regulator and 3 'pub gas' bottles, 1 full.

 

[pedrobedro]

Came with 2 old school masks, 3 reels of wire (2rusty) co2 regulator argon regulator and 3 'pub gas' bottles, 1 full.

Funny uniform policy your school had, we only had to wear grey socks and a tie. Man it was cold in winter though

 

[RustyCharlie]

Funny uniform policy your school had, we only had to wear grey socks and a tie. Man it was cold in winter though

 

[Jay1986]

ok thanks i will look again into second hand ones last one i looked at the seller wouldn't show it working as he had no gas, i offered to pay for a small bottle and he said he didn't have the time and wanted it gone i felt he was hiding something so that's why i was looking at new cheap ones on ebay, but i will avoid as that's why i joined here to ask instead of throwing money away,

i don't know how to put pics on here atm so here is a link (ebay again) to the welder i brought 10 years ago of screw fix it is a kende 105f no gas so links a bit different but that's what i learnt to weld with

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIG-105-F...MP-NO-GAS-WELDER-w-Cooling-Fans-/200748558994

 

[arther dailey]

Why not sell your no gas model on ebay, it will give you a few more pounds towards replacement, especially if you put in advert ,can be tested/viewed. good luck

 

[Jay1986]

i thought of that but id keep it as a back up at least if i buy one that goes wrong or run out of gas iv always got something i can finish the job with, but ill probably go over my price then once I'm happy with what i have ill sell the old one on

 

[cumbriasteve]

ok thanks i will look again into second hand ones last one i looked at the seller wouldn't show it working as he had no gas, i offered to pay for a small bottle and he said he didn't have the time and wanted it gone i felt he was hiding something so that's why i was looking at new cheap ones on ebay, but i will avoid as that's why i joined here to ask instead of throwing money away,

You made the right decision walking away, if I was selling something I would want to show it working and help the buyer understand the machine, failing to do that always makes me suspicious.

Many members here have made the wrong choice at the start including me, it makes it more expensive in the long run. You end up spending your money and wishing you had spent a little more to get something decent.

Have you considered one of the Machine Mart VAT free vouchers, members often get them and offer them on here for other's to use, it drops the price of something like the Clarke 151 down to a good price, a popular machine owned by many with easy to get cheap consumables.