My first MIG - a few teething problems

[Can'tWeld]

Hi all,

I have just been given (on a 'if you can get it working and you like it, you can buy it' basis) a rather rusty old Clarke 150TE MIG welder.

A couple of things with it -

- He says that the regulator used to leak gas slightly. Does this mean a new regulator is required or can something be done to repair it? I will squirt some soapy water on it when I get it hooked up tonight and see where exactly it's leaking from.
- The wire has gone rusty. I wound it off the reel slightly and underneath it looks OK, is it worth using? (Bear in mind budget is limited and while new wire is not expensive I'd rather not buy it if I don't have to, especially when I don't know if the welder works yet). Is this likely to have sodded up the liner as well?

Also, I've just realised this should probably have gone in "welders and welding machines", sorry

Cheers

Rowan

 

[rtbcomp]

You should be OK if you've wound back to clean wire, but the liner may have become contaminated with rust, so it's best to get a new one.

 

[astro_al]

Doesn't sound like a great deal - 'you do the work getting my welder working and then I'll sell it to you for what I would have got if I'd bothered to do it myself'... (?)

Anyway, I guess its unlikely to be the actual reg that leaks - more likely to be the gas pipes / fittings en route to the torch. I guess.

Wire should be fine. Try it with the current liner. If the wire went rusty after the previous owner stopped using the machine then no rusty wire will have gone through the current liner. It might be fine, if you start having wire feed problems, replace it.

Al.

 

[Can'tWeld]

Right, I've had a proper look at it tonight.

Everything seems to work OK (there is voltage at the torch when pressing the button and the wirefeed motor works) but it definitely needs:

- A new tip
- A new liner (the old wire has rusted into the tip and liner)
- Probably new wire
- Most likely a new earth clamp as the wire is coming out

Also, can you get a new 'wire guide tube' (the bit that goes between the spool and the wire feed)? As it is missing. Is it actually needed?

Think it's worth it? Are they a good machine? He'll probably let me have it for 50 quid or so, is it worth this?

Picture attached...

 

[Can'tWeld]

Well, I bought everything except the liner from a local trade counter today. Bought the liner from Weldequip. (SHould probably have just bought the whole lot from him as I've just realised he is about 10 minute's drive away! D'oh! )

I'm quite excited - Can't wait to play with it!

 

[Can'tWeld]

Well, got my liner from Weldequip today (fantastic service), put it in, hooked up the gas and the wire and it welds great!

Already welding better than I ever could with my arc welder. MIG is a bit of a revelation to me!

Will get some more practice in at the weekend and maybe even start tacking together the sofabed frame for my camper.