welds improvement!!

[johnakay]

I've got a Clarke 150 turbo welder and for years I've all ways used co2 pub bottle gas and the cheapest wire that I could find.
these type of consumables are OK for wrought iron etc .
but for motorcycle grab rails etc well let say I wanted some improvements.
on heavier stuff I needed to get heat into the job for it to penetrate and consequently got a built up off welds .
which I had to grind the surplus off.
I got told by Gordon(forum member from Skelton) to try Lincoln wire so I did.
got a hell of a improvement ..better welds and less spatter.
I then ran out of co2 gas at the time I had a lot of work to get out.
anyway ask around to where I can get it refilled ..no luck at this point.
then a guy in the bike shop said he has a large bottle of argon/co2 mix that I can have for £30 and it was full.
connected that up and started welding WOW I could not believe it!
my welds are so smooth/neat and a good penetration to .
you can see the penetration from the other side of the plate(the scale was lifting of which I never got before)
you would've thought I should have known this after more than 35 years of welding,not time served mind.(well I did but it didn't occur to me that this would be better for my DIY stuff to)
and I thought I was a ****ty welder at home but good welder at work
now I know why.
mmm do I really need that portamig??
I'm going to get it any way(portamig) after reading good write up on it.
I'm not very good at this waiting game Hurry Up weldquipe!

 

[shenion]

The Clarkes are good machines for light use. I liked mine and had no complaints other than i wanted more power.

Yes, the wire is critical. The Chinese stuff is horrid. the wire diameter veries and I think the makeup is inconsistent. I had a roll I could not get any good welds out of. Bought some Lincoln L-56 and it was a world fo difference. The Chinese wire corroded in a pattern every 3" inches or so. Inconsistent plating. My Lincoln rolls still look new after years.

The Clarles on CO2 with good wire work well enough. CO2 more sensitive to wire speed as it has a smaller usable range. A good wire feeder is needed. That is one reason the SIP's have such a problem, there wire speed varies too much.

I did move up to something better. I do miss the CLarke for portability though.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Hi, John,
I knew you would love the Lincoln wire right from the first strike, Congratulations on the forthcoming portamig, My son has had a couple of their mig anf tigs built to his specs,very heavy but o so smooooth, I'v seen him do continuous runs with 1mm wire on patching unimog diesel tanks,
Enjoy John, pleased for you,