flak monkey
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:15 PM |
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What welder for £300?
On the hunt for a decentish mig. Not used every day, but will get a fair few hours use each month I would say.
I dont have the cash for a Portamig, and I think they may just be overkill for what I am going to do.
What are the Clarke 151TE or 160EN like these days? Thinking the dual polarity of the EN may be useful so I can do gasless if needed.
Also found the Lincoln Handy MIG, ERP Supermig 150 and the SWP 170C all the same sort of price new.
Basically the budget is £300 max, willing to go secondhand for a better machine as long as parts/spares are easily available.
Cheers,
David
[Edited on 28/10/09 by flak monkey]
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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rayward
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:23 PM |
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ive got the clarke 135te turbo, and its been excellent,
does the 150 amp one work off a standard 13amp plug now, i'm sure in the past it needed a 15A supply
hth
Ray
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flak monkey
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:26 PM |
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Yep ideally needs a 16A supply, but thats no problem  as I have a 16A socket in the garage anyway 
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:30 PM |
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I have a 151te. Great welder but i dont really have anything to compare it to.
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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MikeR
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:32 PM |
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I happily weld with the clarke 151 at full power through a standard plug.
Seems like an ok welder to me, but if you can afford it i believe the 160 is an all together better machine.
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turbodisplay
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:32 PM |
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I have the clarke 170A version.
Works well, good wire feed, as I learned from my last welder!Darren
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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paul the 6th
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 01:36 PM |
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151te here, great welder (used one from the bodyshop over the road for 5 minutes once - it was horrific! proper terrible cheap thing). The clarke is
nice, had it for a year & no problems yet
GoDesign.me.uk - Self Adhesive Vinyl Artwork, Wide Format Printed Artwork and Customised Heat
Pressed Clothing...
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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blakep82
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 02:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
I happily weld with the clarke 151 at full power through a standard plug.
mine didn't, kept blowing fuses. guess some are ok, some not, nut the clarke one is a great machine for the price
________________________
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don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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JekRankin
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 02:54 PM |
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I bought a 160 after reading good things about it on www.mig-welding.co.uk/
Been very happy with it so far. Its my first welder though, so I've not got anything to compare it to.
The VAT free days at Machine Mart are a good time to get one.
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 09:20 PM |
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151te and no probs whatsoever.
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Gav
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| posted on 28/10/09 at 10:41 PM |
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160T here and its a cracking bit of kit for the money.
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flak monkey
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| posted on 29/10/09 at 08:18 AM |
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Whats the difference between the 151EN and the 160EN?
The 160 seems to have a lower open circuit voltage which ISTR is better and a slightly higher duty cycle.
Other than that they look virtually the same other than the price?
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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MikeR
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| posted on 29/10/09 at 08:27 AM |
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euro torch.
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Benzine
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| posted on 29/10/09 at 08:32 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
mine didn't, kept blowing fuses.
scottish electricity is more aggressive and drunk than english
The mental gymnastics a landlord will employ to justify immoral actions is clinically fascinating. Just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
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Gav
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| posted on 29/10/09 at 02:50 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Other than that they look virtually the same other than the price?
Yep you right about the OCV and duty cycle, IIRC the other difference is the 160 comes with a shelf on the back for refillable bottles and an
industrial regulator rather than one for disposable bottles, also the torch is a euro fitting.
[Edited on 29/10/09 by Gav]
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flak monkey
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| posted on 29/10/09 at 03:12 PM |
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Are you sure its a euro torch? Looks like all the other std fixed ones to me?
I know you can convert them but didnt think they were as std?
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Gav
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| posted on 30/10/09 at 04:15 PM |
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Actually your right, my bad, its not a euro torch fitting at the welder end but does take the euro torch style shrouds the ie the slip over ones not
hobby style screw on ones.
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T66
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| posted on 30/10/09 at 10:46 PM |
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I have a SIP 150Turbo , before that a Clarke 120 which was much better than the SIP.
Ive recently bought a Clarke 195TEC on wheels, its excellent.
my SIP runs on a 25m extension lead from a socket 13amp in my kitchen...
Without any problems.
However the big Clarke now has a 40amp dedicated supply on a 10mm cable.
Clarkes are good value for the money, SIP I wouldnt have again.
Poor settings options & crap wire feed
other than that they are crap ....
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 31/10/09 at 08:56 PM |
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David,
I have said it before, I have used a Clarke 140E since 1988 and it has been a belter, some professional use for about 10 years.
However I have been lucky, you would be much better off with a second hand industrial unit, from main names like Esab, Lincoln, Migatronic, Kemppi
etc. They are a real joy to weld with, all parts are easily available off the shelf.
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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flak monkey
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| posted on 1/11/09 at 11:49 AM |
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Well I just won myself a Lincoln SP170 on ebay
Should be a reasonable machine, seem to get good reviews. New they are around £700 so.
Interestingly they are also rather useful for MIG brazing... apparently
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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