What cheap MiG welder?

Looking to buy a cheap MiG, for bodywork. I already have a hefty stick welder, so no problems with welding heavy stuff. Getting fed up with having to borrow one all the time.
Looking around the 150-170 mark, not a gasless one, not bothered about wee gas bottles as it won't get a huge lot of useand if needed I can borrow the "big bottle" one.
I have all the other gubbins already so not bothered about the whole "kit", either.
I've been welding bodywork with a stick welder for 10 years, but it's too much effort and time and practice (before every session!) to be bothered with any more.
Reccomendations, gentlemen? (I was going to say "Ladies and Gentlemen", but girls can't weld due to having wombs).

 

Clarke 135 TE - 188 - about as much as you're supposed to put through plug sockets without a hard wire.

PMSL

I hate to to do this :

 

Well she has an excuse, shes a lesbian

 

Lesbian or not, you cant see anything of what you are doing without the goggles.... TSCs statement holds true.
I cant remember the price but a mate of mine has a small SIP thingy for doing his bodywork stuff, works with fluxed wire or gas. Seems to do a decent job but I'm no expert critic of welding....

 

I've got a cebora gas mig welder, 130 I think. It's a few years old now but has always given me good service.

 

yeah i bought a clarke one about 10 years ago, still going strong.

 

So a Clarke it is, then? Won't be using gasless wire, I'll just stick with the wee bottles and use the stick welder for heavier stuff........... any more reccomendations most welcome, I don't imagine I'll need a high-amp one as it'll be bodywork only.

 

for the cash your talking about (170) i picked up a clarke 180 (or was it 185?) super mig secondhand. over 400 worth of welder when new. takes a big gas bottle BOC type and a 5kg wire drum. has the adjustable settings to weld what you want. i had a loan of one of the gasless ones prior to getting my own, the difference was amazing! plus it will save you hassle of borrowing the other one.

 

Sealey do the same bits of kit, have had my 180 with spot weld feature for 14 years now and it is the best 150 i have spent..

 

Have the 180s/185s been hard wired? They should blow fuses on higher settings / thicker metals

 

the only trouble with cheap welding sets id they normaly only have 4 power settings and you will normally need 1 in between if you can id try and get one with a rotary power setting so you can fine tune it to what you need.

 

I bought one on the weekend, was 179.98 ex. VAT 211.48 inc.VAT at MachineMart.



http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/135te-turbo-mig-welder

 

i got the clarke pro 90 , plenty good enough for occaisional use on bodywork

 

I've got a SIP welder, and it's crap.

 

i researched it a bit on the mig welding forum...seems clarkes are trustiest out of the hobby welders

 

Portamig
For you, i'd go for a decent brand second hand mig around 180 amp, hobby welders are great to weld the odd patch on a motor but thats pretty much their limit.
Second hand portamig / kemppi / cebora or something is much more adaptable and controllable.
You'll kill a hobby welder with some of the stuff you get upto!

Edit: Didnt realise this thread was quite so old

 

I have had a full time welder around & borrowed one of the above machines for doing my cage etc & have had great results, he was very happy with it, pretty much why i had one of them for myself.

 

Has anyone had experience with R-Tech welding equipment?

They claim an impressive specification for their MIG welders, and they are inverter MIGs, which means they can be finely controlled down to a low current meaning they are even supposed to do aluminium very well.

I was considering getting either of the following two:

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/Mig_Welder/Mig_Welders_240V

They're not too far from where I'm currently working, so I thought about popping over for a demo.

 

I bought a small one when my big old mig broke, I had a small job that needed doing before the new one came. Ill get the model number off it for you and a very cheap price, think that was the only time it was used. New one was 1650 + VAT but its very good, it even makes my welding look nearly passable

 

Are you replying to me regarding R-Tech welders there...?