adrianreeve
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 05:43 PM |
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Would you buy a 1 year old Clarke 151te or a 22 year old Migatronic Rally 166?
Your opinions please!
As above, would you go for an almost new Clarke 151te, or an old but working well Migatronic?
As far as I can see, Clarke is a very good DIY kit, but the Migatronic is a well made pro bit of kit. Both are 150 amp, but the Migatronic unit has a
decent wire feed motor.
Just worried about buying such an old machine.
Cheers guys and Gals!
Adrian
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sdh2903
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 05:56 PM |
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I would go for the clarke, i've got one and its not put a foot wrong. No probs with the wire feed either.
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RichardK
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 06:15 PM |
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I'd go for the old one so thats 50/50 so far!
Rich
Gallery updated 11/01/2011
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daviep
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 06:20 PM |
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Just to add confusion, if you have seen the Migatronic and it's in good condition then I'd choose that. I've got a Migaronic automig
180 which I inherited 10 years ago, it's been 100% reliable.
Davie
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 06:24 PM |
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Id go for the Clarke. Had mine now 4 years and still going strong
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 06:32 PM |
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I have a 23 year old Clarke 140E which is still going strong and has seen a LOT of use, but I would seriously look at the migatronic, especially if it
has a euro torch.
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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mookaloid
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 06:52 PM |
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if it's ok condition I would go for the migatronic - not because I know anything about it but because the migatronic is a professional machine
and probably better made initially whereas the clark is mainly aimed at DIYers and probably not quite as well made.
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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motorcycle_mayhem
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 07:24 PM |
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My Migatronic Auto 180 (the one with the old fashioned circular flange fitting for the torch) was something I bought to celebrate ex-studentship, so
the date sticks - 1988.
I have changed the inner 2-3 times, but no other replacement has been carried out on the machine. It's used every day, but gets pampered, not
abused. The main torch line sheath has begun to perish, but there'd no other evidence of trauma.
Solid, dependable.
Unrelated, but the guy in the Unit next door threw away a small DIY-level Clarke Mig (not a great machine). The arc was unstable, welds not so
good.
....I've not had a great experience with Chinese-derived Mig Wire recently, it's getting difficult to avoid buying it though. I hope the
Chinese welders themselves are a better.
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fazerruss
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 08:40 PM |
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I bought my maigatronic 20 years ago and it was second hand then! had a few minor probs, worn out rotary switch and potentiometers total cost over the
years about 10 quid. And all parts were available from maplins.
Also you can still get the parts from migatronic, even the main pcb.
"if assholes could fly this place would be an airport"
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zilspeed
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 08:50 PM |
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I bought a million year olf Clarke 160E.
Doesn't have fan on it, so that's 160 real amps.
Has never broken down.
Completely analogue with a hand assemble PCB with discrete compnents on it.
Any electronic part in it available from Maplins.
I like old but pukka stuff like this.
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fazerruss
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 08:54 PM |
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I think the moral of this story is old tools are good where ever they are made but new stuff is sh1te.
"if assholes could fly this place would be an airport"
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Strontium Dog
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 08:57 PM |
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I've got an old BOC Autolynx (made by Murex) which must be nearly 30 years old now and it's a superb bit of kit. I've had it almost
20 years and all I've ever done is stuck reels of wire on it (many) and changed the torch for a Euro one with a new connector which was a very
easy conversion.
Get the old and well built bit of kit!
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x319/zephyr2000/General%20forum%20uploads/?action=view¤t=3DEngine.mp4
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fazerruss
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| posted on 24/8/11 at 09:08 PM |
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My brother has a boc tig which is about 5 foot tall and weighs about 1/4 ton!
He also has big 450 amp mig. I think it may be an Arctec or sommat. It had load of abuse and still going strong after 20+ years.
<<<<<<< heres my litttle baby!
[Edited on 24/8/11 by fazerruss]
"if assholes could fly this place would be an airport"
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