suggestions please under £500 (approx ) mig welder

[kier]

about that money, for 1/4 plate 13amp 230v preferred , new or used/nearly new ,for occasional use . I have a older tig my current mig has given up ,
there is a clarke 160en almost new near me on ebay any good?
I would prefer not to put in a 16amp socket unless I have to

 

[Al237]

R-Tech 180

 

[kier]

at the moment the lincoln Bester because it will take 1mm wire but has only 2 year warranty

 

[8ob]

at the moment the lincoln Bester because it will take 1mm wire but has only 2 year warranty

I don't think you will be using 1mm wire on a welder with a 13amp plug on it, you may even struggle getting decent penetration on 6mm plate with a set using a 13amp supply.

Bob

 

[hotponyshoes]

As said above, the 13amp plug is going to be pushing it on 1/4" plate.

Plenty of SIP250's about and that sort of thing.
My money would be £350 on a used tecarc or something and £150 left over to add a 32a socket

 

[kier]

I didn't realise I would need so much power , when I read the manufactures spec it seemed that as long as I only used 150 amp I would get away with a 13amp socket , so in practice its not true?

 

[tom2207]

save up a wee bit more and buy an oxford , as long as you dont have to lift it.

 

[Ian hall]

Tec arc are great machineshttps://www.arc-rite.co.uk/tec-arc-prof-mig-181-compact-230v-mig-welder-10571-p

 

[tom2207]

Tec arc are great machineshttps://www.arc-rite.co.uk/tec-arc-prof-mig-181-compact-230v-mig-welder-10571-p

same as the oxford , except Im told the Oxford has extra smoothing capacitors in it ,,, either way they are grand to weld with.

 

[Ian hall]

I think the tec arc updated to smoothing capacitors in 2019 and yes they are I am a complete novice and went from a Clarke en130 to the tec arc 251 they are much forgiving and they are just really well built

 

[Olderisbetter]

The oxford or R-tech 180 are both good and easy to use and if you look around you might get a 7.5% discount code form someone here the Oxford i have is very smooth even for an idiot like me and it takes the 15 kg wire roll, but my mate has the R-tech 180 and it takes the 5kg wire roll but has the advantage of being light and also being a stick welder as well.