Thoughts on cheap Clarke MIG?

[Sporin]

In my random Craigslist used welder search I found one of these so went online to look it up and realized a new one was about the same price. ($200ish)

Thoughts?

I wants something cheap and easy to weld in floor patches and other basic stuff, nothing too heavy or too light.

Worth it? I really need to stick to 110 as I don't have 220 in the garage.

WeldingDepot -- Clarke® 095 Mig 110 Volt 95 Amp (No Gas) Mig Welder 10/2 Year Warranty

 

[Sporin]

hmmmm more digging online, sounds like borderline junk.

I'll stick to shopping Miller, Lincoln and Hobart.

 

[hydrogeo]

I almost bought the same welder but at the last minute went with a Hobart Handler 140 from Northern Tool. They periodically run specials on these that include a free cart and free shipping. I've had mine for over a year and have been really happy with it. Having even a 110 welder is really nice and you will not know how you ever worked on your junk without it.

 

[Wildman]

I had one of those, sold it for $50. You are getting what you pay for with a mig (just like any too) you cant expect a $400+ welder to preform the same as a $50 one

 

["N8"]

I know this is an old post dave, but ive been welding with a little 110 flux core welder for a long time, and have just recently upgraded at work to a real machine, and I gotta say its like night and day. I will never go back to the little 110 wanna be. Granted the unit I work with is really nice and expensive to boot, but if I were to suggest anything for you it would be to rig up your garage for 220 and get a little lincoln 175 hp. they list new for just over 200$. If you absolutely gotta go 110 get something rigged up for real metal inert gas welding, not flux core. (has an argon cylinder) The difference is astonishing.

 

[Sporin]

Thanks Nate, good advice.

I make this "maybe I should get a stick welder" post about once every 6-8 months but each time I re-convince myself to hold out for something better.

 

[JJS]

I would really look into wiring up 220V. It's the way to go. Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, etc. on the side of the box.

 

[Sporin]

Yeah, now that my f-i-l is back from Florida I'm going to look, into the 220v.

 

[JJS]

I wired up a 30A dryer plug myself a while back to run a 220V machine. It's pretty simple as long as you have space in the panel. I have a 110 Lincoln. It's a decent machine, but it won't do thicker steel.

 

[Sporin]

No panel in my un-attached garage is the problem.

 

[vtcruiser60]

REnt a nice MIG for a weekend or 4 hours adn see how you like it. My sense of purchasing more specialized tools is that they hold there value. If you ever needed to get out of a 3-400 MIG you wouldn't lose much money.

 

[fogblanket]

Dave have you thought of a ready welder? seems like it would do and be exactly what you are looking for in a welder

https://forum.ih8mud.com/camping-gear-recovery/129542-ready-welder.html

Jason

 

["N8"]

Dono about the ready welder a bit, but spool guns are great. Sure your restricted to buying 2 lb spools of wire, but you can weld stainless, aluminum, and mild steel all with the same machine. Took a little bit to get use to using mine, but now I love the thing.

 

[Sporin]

interesting, I'll look into that some more.