Clarke Welders

Are they any good?? I'm looking for something that runs off 220 and is under 500. This one looks like a decent deal since it has the cart/gas conversion kit and a helmet with it. Plus having a northern tool down the road so I dont have to pay shipping is a big plus.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...?storeId=6970&productId=200311890&R=200311890

 

anyone??? no one here has used one or own one??

 

I know a dude named Clark who's a welder.
Does that count?

 

Ive saw one sell for 125 , Im not sure what that means though. But to be fair I saw the same guy trade it for a 67 GTO so :?: . I do know that the small lincon welders are junk , Millers is the best Ive ever used followed by hobart.

 

Hobart is made by Miller. What is wrong with the Lincolns? Are you talking about the little 100amp units?

 

Never used one, but I took a look at one up close before I bought my hobart 180. Looked like cheap junk. I wouldn't buy one unless you can try it out first.

 

Yeah I had one that was the same size as my miller 135 and there was NO comparison. The miller had alot smoother flow of current and wire. I always thought I had a defunked unit but My uncle bought the same lincoln unit and it welded just as bad as my old unit . I like millers they make it look like I know how to weld R)

 

I've got a Hobart 175 (the 180 replaced it) and i absolutely LOVE it!

Only problems i've had with it since i bought it 2 years ago is the wire sometimes jams inside the gun.....nothing major, just grab the wire with some side cutters, pull it out about an inch and good to go.

Other than that, it's been awesome R)

 

All of them will do that , if it does it alot try speed up the wire a hair or giving your weld more room HTH

Jason if I was you I would be temped to get this one and a good arc welder

 

Not trying to pick a fight or argument BUT, my Lincoln gun never jams. My Miller and the cheap MIG units I have do though....

 

More than likely i need to leave more room for the weld.....i have this tendency to try to get right "on" the weld surface for some reason

Funny thing is, it doesn't do that when i "mig" weld.....only with flux core wire.......

 

to each their own

BUT.....i'll only run a Lincoln arc welder......the older the better too R)

 

I've got a Clarke 130EN (I think that's the model). I'm really just getting started at welding, but the couple of times I've used it so far (with flux core) it worked great. I'm looking forward to switching to gas as everyone says it makes nicer looking welds. I'm not the best judge of it's quality as it's the only one I've used so far. It's fan cooled so hopefully it will last. My wife bought it for me at the local Mills Fleet Farm. I think it was right at $300 and included the cart, gas conversion kit (no bottle), a couple of spools of flux core wire, helmet, hand held shield, and a couple of tools. I'm happy so far.

 

Jason if I remember correctly the Clarke is made in England.
I just bought my Hobart 140 the largest of the 110v units. I have not hooked it up to gas yet but it works great. I welded some 3/16" plate with it the other day and it did fine even with the flux core wire, the welds looked great. Its suppose to be able to weld up to 1/4" in a single pass, thicker with multiple passes. While I'm no expert not do I play one on TV, I think that for anything you would want to build for a Jeep the 135/140 amp units would be all you need.
I'll let you know next week how good they are, the welds were on the frame to a home built 12 ton hydraulic press.