Any opinions on this welder?
 

Just a quick post to ask for any opinions on these welders? Are they as bad as the price suggests?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

hopefully the link works but iff not the item number is 320456566654

Cheers

Russ

For £90 i really wouldnt take the risk. A mig welder isnt just for christmas...Its for life :D :p. And you know sods law will mean if u buy cheap ull buy twice.

Id recommend getting Clarke gas MIG welder, i managed to buy mine for £95 (used) and the rest of the bits for it meant that in total its cost me £200 including a pub sized gas bottle, co2 regulator, 5kg of wire, co2 refill, new tips, shrouds and gas valve.

I have to admit that normally is true. Just saw it and thought it'd be worth an ask.

Cheers tatey

Easy question first, can you weld? If the answer to that is no then a cheap welder will not help one bit, it will be frustraiting to use and the results will be poor at best. The wire feed motor will basicly be on or off with not alot of wire speed.
At 130amps its alittle under powdered for the larger plate 3-5mm that you'll need to weld, how ever if you use 'argo sheild' or simular 15-20% argon in Co2instead of just Co2 you'll get better penatration at lower amps. The heavier plate can be 'weld preped' by putting a 2mm 45' on 3mm plate and 3mm camfer around all the edges on 5mm plate and welding completly.
Welding is not just about getting nice pretty lines of steel that lays on the top it needs to have a good root with penetration.
The other thing to bare in mind is that thin gauge steel espesh stuff under 2mm distorts and pulls when it's tacked and welded, you need to know in what order you need to tack it and the seqence you'll need to weld it fully with out it becoming twisted.

I have been using a friends clarke 100e welder and have my chassis tack welded together with most of the chassis plates also tacked on and have had no real problems so in my opinion I seem to be able to weld fairly well. Thanks for the info, i'll take it all on board

Cheers

Hi Russ...

as you are fairly local to me then if you wish you can borrow my mig to complete your chassis, i,m sure if i need to use it we could sort something out.

its a Clarke 150amp gas mig, i also have a large gas (pub style 3ft) cylinder with new regulator, new wire liner installed about 3 months ago.

let me know if you want to borrow it.

cheers
andy

See, I keep saying he's a very nice man !!!!!:D

Barmy as a sack of puppies, but nice......:p

Cheers Andy,

Following our chat i'd be glad to take you up on your kind offer. Look forward to speaking to you in the near future.

Russ

No prob Russ, be in touch in next few days :)

cheers
andy