MIG for car restoration

[thepurpleblob]

Looking for some advice re. a new MIG.

I'm only interested in using it for welding up rusty cars plus the odd 'make your own special tool' style fabrications.

I'm currently using an old Cebora 130 that I modified to use a Eurotorch. It's been pretty good but it's getting really knackered now.

I do like the Eurotorch... also constantly bashing the huge "sticky out" bit where it connects is mostly why it is knackered!!

I'm an every other weekend and the odd evening type of welder so I can't justify a huge spend. I'm also very much at the "you can always grind it back and do it again" end of the skill level.

What do you guys think would be a good buy at the moment?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

What's your budget? Keep an eye on the "For Sale" thread, good used machines often appear their from trusted Members.

 

[thepurpleblob]

Within the bounds of reason, I don't really have one. But "good value" given that I'm only an occasional welder. I have to justify my hobby to "the management"... :-D

Put it this way - I really like the look of something like an R-Tech 180 but I'm really wondering if I'm more a Clarke 151 type of punter in reality!!

 

[rikrobson]

I'd be going for the r-tech over the Clarke
Its inverter and will do stick too

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I'd be going for the r-tech over the Clarke
Its inverter and will do stick too

And scratch start TIG.

 

[thepurpleblob]

Don't see me getting into TIG

 

[Craig-SM]

I had the Clarke 135 TE until I sold it yesterday and now have the R-Tech 180A. The Clarke machines are very good and for what the OP wants for repairing car body work they are ideal. Even some as cack handed as myself can get some nice welds on thin metal. The downsides though are the disposable bottle, which can’t provide a consistent flow of gas but easily fixed running a standard regulator and gas bottle. The torch length isn’t the most generous but just involves moving the machine about more.
It may not be as adaptable as the R-Tech but it is significantly cheaper and even with a standard regulator it leaves enough left over for a regular bottle deposit. Even moving up to the 151 would leave change too.

 

[thepurpleblob]

I've already got the regulator, big bottle and such... All I need is MIG. No use for any other modes.

 

[Craig-SM]

In that case you have answered your own question

 

[thepurpleblob]

Looks like :-D

 

[thepurpleblob]

Ahh.... what's the difference between the 151en and the 151te? Not interested in no-gas, but the TE is quite a bit more expensive for no obvious reason.

 

[Craig-SM]

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/clarke-differences.31890/

 

[Cobbler]

The en series is gas or gasless, comes set up for no gas, so no regulator supplied. The te series is gas only, so supplied with a regulator. So if you go for the 151en, you will have to price in a reg. I think the 151te is supplied with a reg for disposable bottles, so you may have to get one anyway. On the Machine Mart web site there is a comparison page, have a look at the spec, duty cycle etc, there may be a difference.