Upgrade 130TE to 160TM

[drjim]

Exciting news.

I have a Clarke 130TE that I got for £30, have bought a new torch etc for it, but the wire feed is still pants.

I PMspoke to weldequip about an upgrade, then conveniently a Machine mart VAT free invite appeared.

So Weldy came up with a package/price to beat MM even including his delivery costs.

Money is on way, hopefully welder will be with me next week.

Can't wait! In fact I was prepping bits of metal on my track car today, am tempted to leave them until the new toy arrives!

 

[wallopadonkey]

i've just got one of them very nice indeed far better than anything else i have used before

 

[drjim]

Machine arrived first thing this morning, moved the box to my bit of the workshop, opened the lid, said it looked nice then had to leave.

One trip to John Lewis and spending the price of a Clarke 160TM on a bloody vacuum cleaner later I had lunch then popped back to the workshop for an hour before Wifeys hairdo (I get to look after baby).

I managed to get it assembled pretty quickly, first impressions are that it's a nice bit of kit, much more solid than my old 130, bit surprised the rear axle is only retained at either end by tabbed washers, but I assume that's what they use on the whole range.

Bit of fiddling with the nearly new wire reel out of the 130, got it fitted and ready to go. Attached a 13 amp plug wilfully ignoring the destruction manual which says "This product is not suitable for a 13 amp plug".

Connected up the reg (single dial only, so I might have to get a flowgauge, but at least it doesn't leak at the cylinder connection like the old one did).

Plugged in, Gas on, helmet/gloves fitted. Max 3 and wirespeed of 7, pointed it at some scrap 3mm sheet and action!

Didn't have time to do more than melt that one bit of scrap, hopefully I'll have a better play at the weekend.

 

[wallopadonkey]

what did you think of the new addition?

 

[drjim]

I like it, nice consistent wire feed is great. I seem to be destroying shrouds far more than I did on the old machine for some reason. The reg that came with it has no flowgauge, so I need to buy one (my old reg/gauge is broken).

I used it to weld some box section to a strut brace for my track car (making a battery tray/brace/diff mount triangulation jobby), which seemed OK. Need to have a go on some thin stuff this weekend.

The 130TE is now surplus to requirements, it does work, just not brilliantly. New torch/leads etc worth £60 plus a spare swan neck/liner and a couple of shrouds/tips PM me with offers if anyone wants it.

Jim