what mig welder to get?

[Landy-Novice]

hello, im just having a look round for a new welder after a dispute with my old one.. and cant decide what to get. and was after some advice and some reviews/experiences.

after all my research, I've narrowed it down to 3 with the clarke160tm being favorite.

Clarke 160TM- due to the good reviews and parts are easily available.

SWP Redline Mig 170- comes with euro torch as standard and is within budget but never heard of the make? but has 2yrs warranty.

sealey mightymig 170 is a "branded" product and also comes with a euro torch.

budget is £250-300, £350 tops!

cant be 3-phrase

must be a "quality" machine

and i dont want sip, draper, silverline, wolf or any cheap aldi £40 welders.

please discuss.

thanks.

[JeffR]

Recently (last summer) bought an Eastwood 175 from Frost restoration, to say I was impressed is an understatement, cost about £350, comes spool gun for aluminium and takes 5kg rolls of wire. Will also use gaseless wire. Over the past 6 months it has put up with a hell of a lot of abuse....

[mat2495]

I've heard lots of good things about the clarke 160, but personally I would be looking for a second hand high quality machine, I ended up getting an 180A Eland mig, set me back about £250 including new euro torch and earth lead etc. It must be 10-15 years old, as the company doesn't exist anymore so far as I know but its well built and performs very nicely. obviously this can involve a lot of waiting around to find the right machine which may be no good If you are in a hurry to finish something!

[Aragorn]

I've got a Clarke 160EN, which appears to be the gasless version of the one you linked to. I bought the gas conversion for it though, so its likely essentially the same thing. Works well enough, but there are a few upgrades they benefit from, like upgrading the weedy earth lead. I've also seen people doing Eurotorch conversions on them.

I got mine from ebay, looked like it had been used once, and got it for a good bit cheaper than new.

The sealey one you linked to looks good though, given the euro torch, similar price point and 20 more amps.

[landroversforever]

You'll be better off buying a second hand industrial machine than buying new. have a look on the mig welding forum .

What's wrong with the current one you have?

[robp]

I have the Clarke 160TM. I got that after loads of research on mig-weldng.co.uk to replace my crappy SIP

Very pleased with it

[Lewis]

Are you dead set on buying new? - as others have said you can get better value from second hand units if you are confident in not buying a lemon. However bargains can be harder to find in used industrial machines as most will be three phase

What is your intended usage? If you're restoring a classic car you'll need a welder with low current, whereas if you're planning on knocking out a few winch bumpers something with high current and a high duty cycle will be more appropriate, the Clarke at 160amp may be a little underpowered for this kind of work.

Do you need to move the welder around? If you wanna chuck it in the boot of the car every weekend then a smaller modern unit with the capability of using small (disposable) bottles would be suitable. However if you're just gonna drag it around your workshop once in a blue moon then a large heavy industrial welder will fit your needs and be more stable with a full size bottle strapped to the back

There is a post in the tech archive where users posted their welder, spec, cost and experiences/reviews, it's not been updated lately but still worth a read

[Landy-Novice]

Recently (last summer) bought an Eastwood 175 from Frost restoration, to say I was impressed is an understatement, cost about £350, comes spool gun for aluminium and takes 5kg rolls of wire. Will also use gaseless wire. Over the past 6 months it has put up with a hell of a lot of abuse....

ahh, with a spool gun, now that is tempting!! it suppose to be a lincon replica so has the quality box ticked. that may be another option.

You'll be better off buying a second hand industrial machine than buying new. have a look on the mig welding forum .

What's wrong with the current one you have?

i've had a look through that forum reading all the "what welder to get" threads. and whats with my current? well after i threw it across the drive, quite alot.. so the new needs to be quite heavy so i cant pick it up and launch it.

Are you dead set on buying new? - as others have said you can get better value from second hand units if you are confident in not buying a lemon. However bargains can be harder to find in used industrial machines as most will be three phase

What is your intended usage? If you're restoring a classic car you'll need a welder with low current, whereas if you're planning on knocking out a few winch bumpers something with high current and a high duty cycle will be more appropriate, the Clarke at 160amp may be a little underpowered for this kind of work.

Do you need to move the welder around? If you wanna chuck it in the boot of the car every weekend then a smaller modern unit with the capability of using small (disposable) bottles would be suitable. However if you're just gonna drag it around your workshop once in a blue moon then a large heavy industrial welder will fit your needs and be more stable with a full size bottle strapped to the back

There is a post in the tech archive where users posted their welder, spec, cost and experiences/reviews, it's not been updated lately but still worth a read

well no but i wanted new so i got a warranty if/when it ever goes wrong. it cant be 3-phase as i dont have the facility for that. but if i did, i'd buy this one. as a mate has got one.

thats the thing, i want the option to make a winch bumper and the weld up a rotten exhaust. lol, 80% of the time it will be welding rotten chassis' and sills.

its not the kind of tool that would leave my property, but occasionally gets wheeled down to the front garden (75+ foot away) which at that point it becomes completely useless as all the current is lost through the the 100ft extension cable.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Clarke and sealey are just branded stuff, I wouldn't waste your money

the middle on don't know

For you budget you not going to get much worth having new, but there is kit, esp if you stretch a bit, or as many have said buy s/h.

Best to buy a decent brand.

Also check for duty cycle bigger the better, nothing more annoying that overheat protectors tripping the dmaned thing out !
Make sure it has a proper Eurotorch

Good makes that are s/h

Murex

ESAB
LORCH
Migatronic

Oxford

Omergon

Miller

Aviod "Gasless" aviod chinese ebay stuff.

www.migtig.arc.co.uk is worth a look through...

MTA 181 Compact Mig Welder - used one of a mates was impressed, a big powerfull simple kick **** bit of kit

Oxford Migmaker 180 Mig Welder baby Version of what I have (330 amp version) lovely welder

and

Thermal Arc / Victor Fabricator 181i Mig Welder - used one of these small and compact but amazingly nice welder

Nige

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Murex-Trades-Mig-165-/111057770179

Best offer ? .............. Had one of these for years

[Lewis]

That would be a great buy, murex stuff always seems really well made

[mikec]

I've got a Clarke 155 or something, its ok not like a pro welder but then its not going to be

[jbs]

I've got a second hand Murex 160 and it's really good-a bit old now and has been repaired a few times-rectifiers etc. but still does what i need it to do, and I've given it some right hammer over the years I've had it, My advice would be to buy a second hand industrial jobby It'll last you a lot longer than half of the branded stuff on the market now

Just my two penneth of course

John

[Landy-Novice]

Clarke and sealey are just branded stuff, I wouldn't waste your money

wow, i thought that was a good thing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Murex-Trades-Mig-165-/111057770179

Best offer ? .............. Had one of these for years

i may give it ago, but it maybe an offensively low offer. as its well out of my budget.

either way, what welder i get, i'll need to install 16/32 amp wiring as 13A just aint up to the job. lol

[CwazyWabbit]

I notice that one sold, was your offer accepted L-N?

[Bowie69]

They don't have anything suitable at the moment, but worth a phone call to these people: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MOBILE-WELDING-SUPPLIES?_rdc=1

In Somerton, so not a million miles from you if you felt the need to collect it.

[Landy-Novice]

I notice that one sold, was your offer accepted L-N?

nope, not me. i only got £330 and i may have to see the chiropractor soon as well as many other things.

[CwazyWabbit]

nope, not me. i only got £330 and i may have to see the chiropractor soon as well as many other things.

Give the chiropracter a miss mate, I found they give relief in the short term but make you worse in the end. A good MIG welder will last you longer than the benefits of a visit to the chiropracter

[heath robinson]

They don't have anything suitable at the moment, but worth a phone call to these people: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MOBILE-WELDING-SUPPLIES?_rdc=1

In Somerton, so not a million miles from you if you felt the need to collect it.

+1 Definitely worth ringing that chap, Owen if I remember rightly. A friend bought a bloody massive 400A 3 phase mig lump from him for about £350!

[landroversforever]

Give the chiropracter a miss mate, I found they give relief in the short term but make you worse in the end. A good MIG welder will last you longer than the benefits of a visit to the chiropracter

I'm afraid Barry I have to disagree. My Chiropractor is worth every penny since I damaged my back ~3 years ago. The same for my Mom since she had my sister.

[CwazyWabbit]

I'm afraid Barry I have to disagree. My Chiropractor is worth every penny since I damaged my back ~3 years ago. The same for my Mom since she had my sister.

Bet you still have to revisit the Chiropracter before you need another Mig though Anyway getting a littl O/T

[bishbosh]

+2 for the Somerton welder chap. Got mine from him years ago and is spot on.

[Landy-Novice]

+2 for the Somerton welder chap. Got mine from him years ago and is spot on.

make and model welder please?

and also read that SWP welders are made by butter and are just relabeled as SWP.

[UdderlyOffroad]

My advice?

Go to your nearest welding factor (not easy I know as they don't tend to be open at the weekend and your transport is in bits in the back garden!), and do a deal - whether new or s/h. The point being that, should you have issues, you can take it back to them and get it sorted! Remember welding factors tend not to stay in business by flogging rubbish machines to the public (they stay in business by flogging spares for the rubbish welders to the public)

Also, remember the first rule of welder club:
Avoid Gasless

And the second rule of welder club:

Avoid Gasless

[Landy-Novice]

There is a post in the tech archive where users posted their welder, spec, cost and experiences/reviews, it's not been updated lately but still worth a read

got the link? i cant find it.