Which Clarke mig for someone who can't weld after 10 years of trying

[Dave S]

I've had a SIP 130 for about 10 years (bought second hand) and despite various modifications and tons of practice I still can't do decent welds. After a particularly embarrassing attempt the other day I'm now convinced the machine is crap/faulty (bad workman and all that). Rather than change liners or some other bit again I've decided to buy a decent new machine. If that doesn't help then I'm going to sadly give up welding.

Think I've decided on a Clarke and one of the ones with 150 in the name but it's a bit confusing which I should get.

- Needs to run on house electric supply
- Generally weld around 3mm (brackets and the like)
- Would be handy to weld thicker at a push (4-5mm?) and maybe thinner (car bodywork) if it turns out I can actually weld
- I have a full size gas bottle and regulator (and a kit that attached the big hose to the little thin plastic thing that used to run throwaway bottles on the SIP)
- Don't care about gasless

I think I can use my gas bottle on one of the marginally cheaper models which will save a few quid. Is that right?

Looking at spending up to £300 but as this is make or break if I need to spend a bit more I'm willing to.

Please help or there will soon be one less diy welding enthusiast in the world!

 

[rikrobson]

he you considered the alternatives? the new bread if Inverter Migs are becoming increasingly populat on this site. There is the CWS Best Mig 160i for £280 plus VAT. These give you a stable arc, are lighter and they also do Stick welding to, which is great if you need to weld some thicker stuff.

 

[daleyd]

^^as pdg and rikrobson said, although the clarkes are decent machines they are still quite basic. If you can stretch a bit further for an inverter one you get some more fancy features which may help your welding. They really do help with making the process easier.

The facility to do a bit of stick welding is a bonus too.

CWS has decent reviews by a few people who have tried/bought them on here and are a really good price, as does the rtech 180 amp machine, though that's a bit more than £300. (£440)

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Mig_Welder/Mig_Welder_R-Tech_IMIG180

http://www.weldingdirect.co.uk/cws-best-mig-160i-9211-p.asp

 

[rikrobson]

I got the r-tech 250pro, a wee bit above your budget, but a hell of a machine. there are a few machines in the £300-£400 price range. Thats the same as the "retail" price the clarks are

 

[Dave S]

Cheers guys, pdg I follow your logic and usually I go for higher end used tools than cheaper new stuff. In this case though, if I did that and I still couldn't manage it I'd still be unsure if it was me. At least with a new one I could rule out the machine. That said, hadn't thought about trying someone elses. I have a friend of a friend who has a portamig or something - I'll try to have a go on his before spending any cash.

No idea what an inverter is. Last time I looked at welders was about 10 years ago. Guess I should have a bit of a look before going any further. £440 is a bit too much but I might manage £300-£400 range. Another hundred quid is well worth it if I can weld with confidence and it last a few years.

 

[rikrobson]

Inverters make the low voltage high amps with transistors. Igbt to be exact. These are high power transistors. The older ones use a transformer and diodes to make the low voltage high current.
The new tech gives a flatter dc current which gives a more stable arc.

 

[Dave S]

Cheers! Just been watching some video reviews of the R-Tech 180. Looks really good. My sip currently kinda surges - the wire speed fluctuates between slow and fast every second or so. The R-tech looks a lot more stable.

Plus, looks like it can tig weld as well if I ever get that good?

Very tempted despite the price tag

 

[Kent]

Get a lesson or two it will take you much further than a new plant I think. Its like a rifle that wont shoot put it in the hands of a good shot and they mostly shoot just fine

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Cheers! Just been watching some video reviews of the R-Tech 180. Looks really good. My sip currently kinda surges - the wire speed fluctuates between slow and fast every second or so. The R-tech looks a lot more stable.

Plus, looks like it can tig weld as well if I ever get that good?

Very tempted despite the price tag

Oddly enough, I'm in pretty much the same boat [although I did have a Clarke 151TE some years ago and could melt metal, but could by no means call myself #welder..... ].

I've just this week ordered an R-Tech 180 [based in large measure to doubleboost's [thanks, John] UTube reviews and general good reports of the company's service standards, and am waiting for it to arrive. Need to get gas and wire sorted. It was that or the IFL-170, but given the price differential and the 'hobby' use it'll be put to, decided on the R-Tech.

Good luck whichever you decide, Dave.

 

[gaz1]

I would actually try with another persons machine or take it with you so they can try from your machine

or better still if they could come to you instead

however i had the 130 that worked and is posted on here by another poster but they did some massive changes and made it dual + and - on there system even quoted that they may have been a fault with it at the time

i still have the 150 gas and gasless and use it and the clarke 150 te

my advice before buying try someone elses machine see if you can weld enough with that before buying another new one

 

[cumbriasteve]

I hate reading that someone has battled for 10 years and got nowhere:

Your machine will certainly not have helped that predicament, although there is a very faint chance you are one of those people who will never make a welder...notice the word very, I have only met one person like that and the fact he can't tie shoelaces says a lot about his lack of skills.

Don't spend any money until you have got some help from a mate to at least do a few decent runs and feel confident you can progress.

Shame you are not closer, you would be welcome to call in and I am sure we would soon have you doing some basic welding.

 

[AdrianH]

What part of Manchester, it is a big town?

I just sold a Cosmo 135, same as sip, I had to fit a dedicated PSU to drive the wire feed, fit a Euro torch adapter and Euro-torch, gas valve etc. before I could get decent welds, (for me) out of it, enough to build my car chassis anyway. The surging or speeding up and slowing down of the wire feed was the main issue and one you will not sort with out spending more money.

I am now learning to use an R-Tech I-mig 180, initial results are good feed and arc seem steady, now I hope to progress, running from 13 Amp plug so not pushing the upper limit's of the machine. If you do consider the R-Tech do not for get the cost of delivery adds around £15 on top.

It will do MMA as an extra, not sure on TIG but I guess scratch start may be possible, The CWS also sounds good. also look for reviews on the GYS SmartMig 162 as sold by Weld-Equip.

In fact look in this section 9of the forum:- http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forums/welders-and-welding-machines.15/

and go through posts for each of the different makes and see if they give any ideas.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[ukracer]

Cheers guys, pdg I follow your logic and usually I go for higher end used tools than cheaper new stuff. In this case though, if I did that and I still couldn't manage it I'd still be unsure if it was me. At least with a new one I could rule out the machine. That said, hadn't thought about trying someone elses. I have a friend of a friend who has a portamig or something - I'll try to have a go on his before spending any cash.

No idea what an inverter is. Last time I looked at welders was about 10 years ago. Guess I should have a bit of a look before going any further. £440 is a bit too much but I might manage £300-£400 range. Another hundred quid is well worth it if I can weld with confidence and it last a few years.

If you cant weld with an R-tech inverter you wont weld at all...They are night and day different to the clarkes. Try applying for the interest free as you WILL find the extra well spent...

Ask on here for an R-tech user close to you and go and have a play with it....You are welcome here but its a trek from Manchester..

 

[ukracer]

Get a lesson or two it will take you much further than a new plant I think. Its like a rifle that wont shoot put it in the hands of a good shot and they mostly shoot just fine

Its rare I disagree but I find the opposite lol

 

[Dave S]

Thanks massively for the replies everyone. I should mention that I have managed to stick quite a few bits of metal together with the SIP, so it's not been a complete disaster. But it's never been pretty and I wouldn't trust it on anything structural. It just seems massively time consuming and frustrating. I managed to cut a sump down and weld it to get it watertight but it look hours and hours and hours of welding, grinding, rewelding and grinding. I've not run the engine with the sump yet so we'll see how long it holds oil for...

In retrospect, I think the problems with the SIP have been getting worse. Last time I used it, it basically deposited a blob on he work and then the wire welded itself to the tip. This happened repeatedly, regardless of settings and I got through about 3 tips before I gave up. It's always had a tendency to do that but this time was particularly bad.

Everyone's advice has been taken on board. I'm going to in touch with the guy I know with the portamig and have a go on that, and assuming it isn't a total disaster I'm going to go for the R-Tech I-mig 180 after watching doubleboosts videos, or possibly save a few quid and go for the CWS. I'll need to read a few reviews on that though. Don't want to end up with the wrong machine for the sake of £100

On the plus side, I've managed to do a few bits with the Migmate, so I might actually find that I can weld quite well with decent equipment!

Thanks again everyone. Feeling more enthusiastic and less wound up with it now!

 

[AdrianH]

I managed to cut a sump down and weld it to get it watertight but it look hours and hours and hours of welding, grinding, rewelding and grinding. I've not run the engine with the sump yet so we'll see how long it holds oil for...

Another Kit car builder perhaps? You are welcome to have a try with my R-Tech, but depends if you are close enough.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[Richard.]

£300 is a decent budget for a used machine. Search long and hard and a good example of a 180 amp Lincoln or Esab smash weld could be yours for around that money. Buying new is always nice regarding its new boxed with warranty but you get a lot less for the cash. Should the day come (and I hope it doesn't) that you can't get on with it then you won't lose any thing as your Lincoln or Esab (provided you look after it) will return all your money back and possibly more if you struck a blinder in the first place.

 

[Dave S]

Another Kit car builder perhaps? You are welcome to have a try with my R-Tech, but depends if you are close enough.

Cheers

Adrian

Cheers Adrian. I've had a couple of kit cars over the years. Currently swapping the engine in a robin hood from a pinto to a zetec which means welding up the sump, various brackets, cutting and rewelding a chassis crossmember, making an exhuast manifold and making engine mounts. Some of the bits I could bodge up with the SIP but the chassis, mounts etc wouldn't have proper penetration so it's either pay a bit for someone to weld them for me or pay a bit more for a new welder and finally master it.

Thanks very much for the offer of trying yours (and everyone else who kindly offered too). I'm in south manchester so it's a bit of a trek but if I can't get a go on this portamig for any reason I might take you up on that

£300 is a decent budget for a used machine. Search long and hard and a good example of a 180 amp Lincoln or Esab smash weld could be yours for around that money. Buying new is always nice regarding its new boxed with warranty but you get a lot less for the cash. Should the day come (and I hope it doesn't) that you can't get on with it then you won't lose any thing as your Lincoln or Esab (provided you look after it) will return all your money back and possibly more if you struck a blinder in the first place.

Thanks Richard, I usually buy high quality used tools instead of cheaper new ones, but after my experiences with the SIP I think I'd rather just have something new. After my current project it will probably only get used a couple of times a year for stuff like making little brackets or welding nuts to stuff, so I don't really need a great welder. Just something that works properly without too much messing around

 

[Kent]

£300 is a decent budget for a used machine. Search long and hard and a good example of a 180 amp Lincoln or Esab smash weld could be yours for around that money. Buying new is always nice regarding its new boxed with warranty but you get a lot less for the cash. Should the day come (and I hope it doesn't) that you can't get on with it then you won't lose any thing as your Lincoln or Esab (provided you look after it) will return all your money back and possibly more if you struck a blinder in the first place.

I used to use a Smash weld when they first came out, blooming good sets

 

[Kent]

Its rare I disagree but I find the opposite lol

My FIL bought perhaps the worst MIG in history of welder production on impulse coz it was for nothing. Frankly it was little better than using nothing. So a fully except there are duff sets, thing is though you don't go changing out parts without doing proper fault finding.

Tel you what Dave S if you want to drive out to the Ribble valley some time we will see if its you on my Kempi, if nobody closer can help