Need help in Welder selection £350 tops

[meltedcheese]

Hello everyone!

I have been thinking of getting my garage setup for welding for a while, done bits and bats over the years but I feel like now is the time to get sorted. My Dad has always been into his welding, he hasn't bought a new welder for years and I think he is a bit out of the loop now for advice. He has informed me though to buy the best I can afford!
I would able to stretch to £300-£350, I would be using the welder for mainly car/motorcycle repair, brackets, nothing to heavy all in the garage at home. Wouldn't have thought I would need anything to weld heavier than 5mm Mild Steel.

The Clarke range seems to be standing out to me as the one to go for, I was thinking along the lines of 151TE or the 160TE?
Can anyone give me a little advice? Am I on the right lines?
Also does anyone know where I can find a good supplier of the chosen welder?

Thanks for you time, first time one the site, it's class!

Chris

 

[keith19]

Hi Melted,

Welcome to the forum.
Both the TE series models you mention are pretty well identical in power spec, and either would be fine up to around 3-4 mm mild steel. These are gas-only models of course, but if all or most of your welding will be in the garage that should be okay.

If you expect to be mending garden gates and fences in situ, or doing other lightweight outside work as well as cars, have a look at the Clarke EN range, which do both gas and gasless. This range come set up for gasless though, so you would have to buy as extras solid wire, gas, and regulator to suit whatever gas you intended using.

As regards suppliers, the weldequip shop at the top of the page has a very helpful guy, Steve, who would be able to help you choose a mig to suit your circumstances.

Another chap I have found very helpful is Ray Williams at the Welding Centre in Surbiton, web site here. He usually has a very good selection of Clarkes welders in, and again is an excellent chap with advice, and very competitive on prices.

That should start you off, no doubt others will be along with further recommendations within the next day or so.

 

[meltedcheese]

Great stuff! thanks for the help, pretty eager to get setup and started. Such a useful skill to have these days!