Help with welder purchase

Post by **Jack-the-Bug** » 10 Nov 2007, 21:13

Gonna treat myself to a welder for christmas

After looking thru the threads and links from here, thinking about the Clarke 151te from Machinemart.
But I've just received a VAT free offer so could go to a slightly more expensive one.
Is it worth saving the VAT and my pennies or getting the next one up which is in the Auto/Industrial range rather than the Hobby range?

The spec looks the same, (151te and 160te) just wondered what the real difference between hobby range and auto/ind range was?

Or should I save even more pennies up and go for a more expensive one like 195te.

We got 2 bugs, a wedge and a buggy all need bits of repairs of course, everything from cab steps to panels etc.

What do you people use?

Thanks for your help .

Post by **wibble** » 10 Nov 2007, 22:38

Just bought a mig welder myself so have done a bit of reseach about them. Very basically, the higher the price the higher the max amperage so the thicker the metal you can weld. Also you get a higher duty cycle i.e you can weld at full power for longer before the unit has to stop to cool down for few mins before you can weld again.

Hobby MIGs usually go up to around 130A max so can do 2-3 mm mild steel, industrial obviously more.

Hope this helps

Post by **mininut** » 10 Nov 2007, 23:30

Like wibble says really.
Buy the best that you can afford.
I'd say 130amp minimum, go for nearer 200amp if you can afford. There is a lot of difference in quality between the hobby migs and the light automotive/industrial units.
You'll also get a 'full' size standard torch with the bigger sets which are far superior to the hobby torches.
You can always make do with a smaller set but, while you're buying, buy the best you can.
I've got a 'Cebora' 195amp which takes a full size bottle and a 15Kg wire reel, £175 from the classifieds

Post by **pugvan** » 11 Nov 2007, 01:09

depends how your garage wiring is set up if you only have a 13 amp suply then a 150 amp mig welder will be about as big as you should run on a 13amp suply my welder is a 150amp and it says on it to plug into a 16amp suply.

Post by **DiscoDave** » 11 Nov 2007, 01:53

i've got a 151te, it's fantastic, like folk say buy the best you can aford an the biggest amps cos you can always turn the power down, but to be perfectly honest, i have never found a need for welding anything thicker than 6mm, other than when i can't find any other bits of metal to weld with! it is certianly more than capable of managing car repairs and the like!

if you are new to the sport have a look here http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php very helpfull and has grown considerably in the last year or so! always lots of folk offering advise!

Post by **Jack-the-Bug** » 11 Nov 2007, 16:16

Thanks for the advice, the mig welding forum is good.
I am having a 30amp circuit put in the garage cos I am getting a compressor as well and the sparky firm I use said I'd need something a bit better than what's in there.
Thanks for the help
I'll go for something like 165te from Auto/Ind range I think.