I was gifted a Clark WE6441 Fluxcore/MIG welder by a neighbor. From what I can find out about it, if I find an argon bottle and regulator I can use it for shielded gas welding?
I think I have a regulator in a corner somewhere. I'm mildly hopeful it doesn't suck, as it says you can weld aluminum with it in MIG mode.
I see an 800 number on there if all else fails. It doesn't look that old so you may be in luck.
Aluminum wire will wad up. Maybe if you can score a gun with the spool at the torch.
Still, great scare fir steel, flux or on the bottle.
wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) (Forum Supporter) said:Aluminum wire will wad up. Maybe if you can score a gun with the spool at the torch.
yup. They will say that you can do aluminum with a normal wirefeed setup, but it will jamb up constantly. Aluminum is too soft to push from the machine to the welding gun so they usually use a "spool gun" made for aluminum. It keeps the spool of aluminum at the end in your hand so it only feeds a few inches instead of 6' or so.
its probably a good budget welder. Looks to be a 110/120 volt welder so it will be ok for steel as long as its not too thick.
Based on the writing on it and the diameter of the wires coming out it is already a spool gun setup.
I don't have any answer on your specific question, but since I had never heard of Clarke welders I did a little digging and came up with what looks like the manufacturers site:
https://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/product_manuals/mig_welders.shtml
They had a strange disclaimer at the bottom of one of the pages:
Due to restrictions laid down by our Insurance Company we are unable to supply North America.
Hopefully some of this will prove useful to you, it sounds like a decent welder.
Probably not UL approved, or FCC approved, etc.
Looks like it has a 40% duty cycle. Hope the thermal protection kicks in before the transformer shorts out.
wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) (Forum Supporter) said:Aluminum wire will wad up. Maybe if you can score a gun with the spool at the torch.
Still, great scare fir steel, flux or on the bottle.
It came with a spool gun
Great Goobly Globbers! You call that chicken scratch welding?
Flux core welding is for farmers out in the field.
Just say NO!
I have been told more than once you can run a different alloy filler wire that is more rigid and will work in a wire feed.
Reminds me I was given a new spool gun, I need to get it out and see if I can make a passable weld.
bentwrench said:I have been told more than once you can run a different alloy filler wire that is more rigid and will work in a wire feed.
You have been mislead.
There are only two readily available aluminum MIG wires. ER4043 and ER5356. 5356 is ever so slightly less flexible than the 4043 but at 0.030" it is within the realm of "in theory"
ER4043 wire is for aluminum 43, 356, 3003, 3004, 5052, 6061, and 6063.
ER5356, wire for aluminum 5050, 5052, 5083, 5454, 5456, 5457, and 5458.
https://www.amazon.com/Clarke-WE6441-135SG-Fluxcore-Welder/dp/B000RH6JBA
I think I remember Northern Tool selling them also.
when I was much younger and much poorer, say 25 years ago or so now, I scraped together my sofa coins to buy a welder. Clarke was all I could afford at the local welding shop. I figured I'd buy it and learn with it and when it E36 M3 the bed I'd buy a lincoln or miller. Im sitting here 25 years later still using that Clarke and its never let me down. It just wont die. And its not like Im easy on it, its seen a lot of hard use.
Spool gun will weld aluminum no sweat make sure you have the right gas and practice practice practice. And make sure it is clean use a stainless steel brush that has never been used for anything but aluminum and clean the hell out of it use a Scotch-Brite after that that has been used on nothing but aluminum that will help prevent the hot shortness
4 hot shortness is when the aluminum has not been cleaned to get rid of the aluminum oxide Allure oxide melts at roughly 3600 Fahrenheit whereas bare aluminum melts at 1200 Fahrenheit therefore you don't got the oxide off you have a big old puddle molten aluminum held by the oxide on either side for the oxide gives way you got a big old puddle known as hot shortness
I need to proofread better when I use the voice text
That is one thing I need to look into, I thought you just used whatever inert gas you wanted.
Oh man.
100% need to figure out the settings to make a good bead, but god damn do I love my free welder. So much better than that damn Chicago Electric Fluxcore one I've been screwing with for the past couple years. I'm gonna weld so much E36 M3.
Also, protip: Gas welding does not mean spatter-free welding. I put on actual shoes after this.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
Wuss. That just means you didn't flick the ember away fast enough.
In reply to Stampie (FS) :
See the little burn at about 11 o'clock on the toe? That's where it hit. Then it melted into my sandal and gave me the other one. No flicking it away then.
In reply to JThw8 :
Same here - bought a Clarke stick welder way back when I could barely afford one. Welded up patch panels to the floor of my 912 project, fabricated a subframe to turn a 3 wheeler frame into a 4 wheeler, created a subframe/body lift/rock rail assembly and new floorpans for my '71 Bronco, double shear track bar mount for a front Dana 44 axle, etc, etc. Had to replace the power switch years ago, but the welder itself still hums and buzzes happily away while burning through 3/8" steel plate.
I picked up one of those new-fangled "all in one" (mig/tig/stick) welders from the local offshore tool outlet just to try my hand at other ways to stick metal together, but the Clarke still has a place on the 'ol welding cart.
Kind of hijacking the thread, but is anyone familiar with Hobart 125 or 140 mig welders? Local TSC has them on sale right now. If this has been discussed before, please point me in the right direction. Thanks
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