Newbie with dilema

[Stevos]

Hi guys forgive me for the same question that everyone asks but I'm struggling a bit here. I have been reading up on welders for beginners but can't decide on one.
I am swaying more to a Clark machine than a sealey as these are in my price range and have read some reviews saying the Cark is a slightly better machine.
I will be using it for installing a new set of inner wings to a peugoet 106 gti (my little project ). Possibly some other little bits on the car if required.
I have a budget of around £300 but that would be mask and regulator for the bigger bottles as I have read the little ones last no time at all.
Will I be looking for a welder that I can have on a low setting as not to blow holes in the thin French metal if that's rite.
Can someone recommend me one.
I hope to start a resto thread on here once I get sorted out.

 

[Burdekin]

I use to have the original 151TE. Did the job surprisingly well and never had any issues with it.

 

[Stevos]

Thanks mate would also prefer it to run off a 13a plug as well.
I don't imagine me doing anything more with it than working on cars.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I have the Clarke 135 and serves me well, no problems at all.

 

[macandmoss]

Does it have to be new ,a lot of good second hand ones about especially from people who have tried to have a go at welding and couldn't get away with it or bought to do a project but got bored. You will find some decent ones cheap and your not losing money if you decide to upgrade at a later date , I have never owned a new one and have four great machines

 

[gaz1]

this one is just as good

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/mig151en-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder/

I have a clarke 151 its done me well over the years but i have used arc before prefer mig to arc but picking up the arc pretty well now the arc one is a 90 amp an old one

you can pick them up pretty well but they do hold there price a bit better than the other machines that are used systems

it all depends on what thickness you intend to weld with prep it just does 5mm as its limit

with practice it can do most metals including the peugeot i had it on a landy other week also tried gasless as well did pretty well within reason

 

[Stevos]

Thanks very much mate will take a look in my local machine mart today. I only intend to use it for doing work on cars so probably will never have to do anything as big as 5mm.
Does any one know if machine mart have a vat free day coming up.

 

[fixerupper]

Yes , I went for the clarke 151... no regrets ... I run it on beer gas and use 0.8 wire ...jeff

 

[Burdekin]

Machine mart voucher - check on here or put a post up on the brew room, someone normally has a voucher you can get.

 

[Stevos]

It says it comes ready set up to use as gasless. Would I just need to buy a regulator or would I also need to buy a new gun as well. Sorry if it's a stupid question.
Being a refrigeration engineer I have ofn oxygen free nitrogen in my van. Would this be OK to use as a shielding gas.

 

[rikrobson]

The gasless migs have polarity reversing on them and use the same torch. you just swap the connections and connect up a regulator, the gas valve sould alteady be there.
you can use CO2 or an argon/CO2 mix 80/20 or 95/5 the less the CO2 the thiner the metal as a rule of thumb. You cant use Nitrogen I'm afraid. The nitrogen will get into the weld making it brittle and porous.
You can use any single phase mig off a 13A plug but the larger ones will not run at full power without poping the fuse. if its french tinplate then you'll only be on the lower settings anyway. I've always uses coogar 5 which is the Air products version 95% Ar 5% CO2 and 2% O2. I've also a backup CO2 pub bottle.

If you can strech the butget then the CWS Best mig 160i would be an option.(£315 + VAT) Its an inverter as opposed to a transformer welder (the latest Tech) so its lighter and you can do stick welding too.

 

[Stevos]

Thanks for the reply mate a lot of helpful information there I wasn't sure on the nitrogen but that's cool I don't mind buying gas. Good to know the different mixes as well.

 

[rikrobson]

Where in Scotland are you?

 

[Stevos]

I'm in Livingston mate.

 

[Stevos]

I have seen a gys smart mig 142 for sale which is 6 months old. Comes with mask and gas bottle.
From what I have read these seem to be quite good machines and it's within budget.

 

[gaz1]

wont do 5mm 3mm or 4mm is its max to weld upon if you dont think that you might not need the extra power then go for it but like everything else its better to have that extra power than have to go out and buy another mig just to have that extra power

my comment would be dont buy anything below 150 you would be surprised how much that extra power comes in handy and ive built a few rocket burners since i got my mig welder and do use it to its max potential if i need to do i swap back to the arc welder for anything over 5mm highest thickness ive done with that 20mm on a sip 90 arc welder