Swapping my welder. Will I notice the difference?

[MikeBs]

I’ve had a Clarke 196Turbo for a little over 3 years. I’m just a hobby welder so don’t get a lot of torch time. Probably a few days every month.
What generally seems to happen is that when I start making something the welding is functional but ugly. If I spend a couple of days putting stuff together, jiggling the controls and trying to get consistent with my weld angle, torch height and speed, then by the end it starts to get neater, but by this time I’ve normally finished. Usually my welding is horizontal and pushing. Pulling the weld I am normally erratic and struggle to see the pool.
I now want to get a better welder. Tempted by an RTech 181 which seems to remove a lot of the guesswork with the settings and I am sure if I can shorten the time to get a bit neater, I’ll be more inclined to do more welding.
RTech are not far from me, so it seems the way to go, I suppose I am a bit concerned that I may just be a bad welder and better kit will just be wasted on me. Anyone updated their kit and just got the same results, but just a left a hole in the bank account where money used to be?
Mike

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Anyone updated their kit and just got the same results, but just a left a hole in the bank account where money used to be?

I upgraded from a mig mate to a Kempi...night and day

I'm also an infrequent welder....when I have time I just want it to weld from the first pull of the trigger!

The Kempi is a synergetic welder...all I do is enter the material and thickness....point and pull the trigger! It welds consistently EVERY time I use it. I'm so confident it'll work I don't bother with test pieces!

Big hole in the bank though...but that was 10 years ago and I only wish I had bought it sooner!

 

[MikeBs]

I'm also an infrequent welder....when I have time I just want it to weld from the first pull of the trigger!

Thanks PD2,
I think that until I change it will just get on my nerves every time I get the Clarke out.
I will probably be putting it on eBay soon and if it sells, RTech is about 20mins from me, I’ll just drive out and pick one up.
It’s a good feeling knowing that I won’t have the unanticipated expense of tools and PPE this time.

 

[iNf]

Thanks PD2,
I think that until I change it will just get on my nerves every time I get the Clarke out.
I will probably be putting it on eBay soon and if it sells, RTech is about 20mins from me, I’ll just drive out and pick one up.
It’s a good feeling knowing that I won’t have the unanticipated expense of tools and PPE this time.

I think you can book a demo with them, if you want to try before you buy.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

think that until I change it will just get on my nerves every time I get the Clarke out.

Think the rtec 251 is synergetic...maybe worth a try...but it's more money of course!

I really like the auto setup on mine...it's usually 99% spot on and I rarely have to tweak it.

 

[bourbon]

It's all about practice.

 

[GRW]

I’ve had a Clarke 196Turbo for a little over 3 years. I’m just a hobby welder so don’t get a lot of torch time. Probably a few days every month.
What generally seems to happen is that when I start making something the welding is functional but ugly. If I spend a couple of days putting stuff together, jiggling the controls and trying to get consistent with my weld angle, torch height and speed, then by the end it starts to get neater, but by this time I’ve normally finished. Usually my welding is horizontal and pushing. Pulling the weld I am normally erratic and struggle to see the pool.
I now want to get a better welder. Tempted by an RTech 181 which seems to remove a lot of the guesswork with the settings and I am sure if I can shorten the time to get a bit neater, I’ll be more inclined to do more welding.
RTech are not far from me, so it seems the way to go, I suppose I am a bit concerned that I may just be a bad welder and better kit will just be wasted on me. Anyone updated their kit and just got the same results, but just a left a hole in the bank account where money used to be?
Mike

This is me to a tee (except my welding is even more occasional).
"Functional but ugly" (Fugly ) - yup that's my welding!

 

[George A2Y]

If you're keen on an R Tec, they have deals on at the moment so probably a good time to purchase and ideally get a chance of a demo.

 

[eddie49]

If you're keen on an R Tec, they have deals on at the moment so probably a good time to purchase and ideally get a chance of a demo.

You could check with @doubleboost for any special Forum deals on R-Tech MIGs.

 

[Ed.]

Years ago my brother tried welding an internal cage/storage for his land cruiser and was using a cheapo Ozito 120 or 140A unit , can't remember which one it was but I suspect it was the 140A, anyway he said to me that he had a lot of trouble with it and couldn't weld properly with it. He was spending more time grinding out the crap welds than actually welding something usefull. So I convinced him to get a better machine as trying to weld with the cheapest welder out there was not helping. I found him an inverter type 3in1 Proweld 200 on E-Bay, MIG, MMA, DC TIG, and bought it for him. Gave me his top budget of $400 but I managed to get it for $217 at auction on E-Bay

When he tried it out he was rapped, it actually improved his welding dramatically so don't just assume that it is just you. If R-Tech offer to demo it, take them up on the offer and I think you may be surprised. One thing you should consider is upgrading your GPO to 15A instead of a 10A unit, and a synergic type will also make the welding easier to setup if your not familier with what setting to use. Lastly if you don't already have one, get an auto darkening helmet.

 

[bricol]

I spent 20 yrs with a modified SIP machine - it worked, the welds were good, but not necessarily always neat, thin metal was always a pain in the bum.

I bought a synergic GYC . . . night and day. I'd finish what I was doing and then look for other things to weld, it was so nice to use. You have to have half a clue, but a good consistent machine is just so much easier to use.

A decent mask so you can see what you are doing also helps a lot.

 

[MikeBs]

It’s finally been sold, got a decent price for it. I included all my spare bits that I won’t need anymore along with my first mask that I never got on with.
As soon as I get some mobility back, I’ll organise a demo with RTech with their 181 MIG and probably pull the trigger. There is a 10% discount at the moment so I don’t think it will be too much longer.