robertbartsch

Are these any good; apparently, they are re-branded as Sear units?



http://cgi.ebay.com/CLARKE-220V-180-...QQcmdZViewItem

stressfulcar

I bought a 180en a little over a year ago,seems to be a pretty good machine for a budget welder.The only thing i don't like is having 6 "fixed" heat ranges.I do plan to get a miller later this year,but as said for the money it's not a bad little machine.

n2ocamaro

My friends dad has a Clarke 130 we used to put in my 6 point roll bar. It worked pretty good. I have my own Lincoln Electric 3500 now (last years model) and I like it much better.

vette#3

iTrader: (1)

its a 220 amp machine ,which basically means u cant turn up the heat & weld anything thick ,0.25 to 0.35 is pretty small wire ,i run 0.45 & 0.52 ,i weld stuff 3/8 to 1/4 inch thick .but not with the 220 amp,u can weld stuff on your car with it ,just make sure u set your machine up before trying to weld thru a floorboard ,u may be trying to fill it back in ,if it was me ,i would try to find a little tig welding machine about that size ,this process is much cleaner ,& theres no b bs to mess with,unless u dont know what your doing ,u can run 75carbon monoxide 25 % argon on this little blue clarke machine & use innershield which has no flux on it which means its cheaper to use, or u can use hardwire ,or u can get the tig machine & buy argon & learn how to tig weld ,make sure u have plenty of scrap metal & make sure its clean ,argon can get pretty expensive But like i say the tig welding ,most professional race shops that weld & do alot of welding use the heliarc tig rigs , chromoly cages with & they also come with a button on your finger tips,or a foot contorl that u use to control the Heat ,puddle, as your watching it ,so u dont run to hot & undercut your metal or run it to cold & have cold lap in it , Pm me if u wanna know anything about welding ,but to each his own,i have been pipewelding /heliarc/stick/mig since 1991,theres alot to know about Metallurgy, i went to school out in tulsa ok for it

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

to the OP, that looks like a decent welder for the price. i personally bought a lincoln but thats my personal preference.
to vette#3.....hmmm where to start.
#1 its a 220 VOLT machine not 220 AMP. huge difference.
#2 .035 wire is not small its normal.
#3 3/8 to 1/4? surely you mean 1/4 to 3/8 thick.
#4 carbon monoxide? surely you mean carbon dioxide. bc thats what my labels on my bottles say.
#5 AWS(american welding society) set the standard for 75%argon and 25%carbon dioxide for carbon steels not 25 argon and 75 CO2
#6 innershield wire does have flux....hence the name. (it shields itself with its own flux)
#7 buy a tig machine and learn how to tig weld? gee... if it was that easy most welding shops would be out of business. have you priced a good TIG machine lately?
Im sorry but i hate when some people give other bad information, it just confuses everyone. yes i went to school, yes i am currently a certified welder of carbon steel and stainless steel.

vette#3

iTrader: (1)

ya i have gone to tulsa welding school & Ya i do weld pipe for a living in a refinery ,personally i wouldnt Buy it, about your Gases ,i dont have to use a squirt Gun because i know how to tig weld ,so I am sorry if i gave out some misunderstood info ,i also have welded other Exotics ,as far as the Welding machine itself ,220amp ,220 volts ,u know what i run an 8 bank in the middle of a Boiler unit ,so i cant remember all the little bs that u Have seem to detail in your mind If u cant figure out how to hook it up u probably dont need it ,Innershield has no flux ,I wont argue about welding i am 38 & i have allready told u ,that my normal process is arkansas bellhole ,2 in heavywall 70s2 or 3 out or 309 all the way out ,or 90b9,9015,hippy rods , u get my point enuff said

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

more jibber jabber