Clarke 130EN MIG Welder Product Review

By: Monica Shulz

Do you wish you could weld but are confused by all the welders on the market?

Are you unsure of what welder would be best for you?

It’s your money, so you definitely want to choose the best welder to not only meet your needs but to be reliable, durable, easy to use and will last you many years.

Are you ready to learn about the Clarke 130EN MIG welder?

There are many great welders available on the market today, but the Clarke 130EN is a good welder for the beginning welder and hobbyist alike.

But in order to select the right welder for you, it’s essential to know the basics of welding, and the types of welding you want to do.

In this review you will learn:

The most common welding methods used today.
How the Clarke 130 EN compares to other widely available welders.
The Pros and Con’s of the Clarke 130EN Welder.

Let’s cover the basic types of welding: MIG, TIG, and STICK. Once you know the types of welding you’ll get a better idea of what welder you will want.

MIG welding is the most common type of welding. It uses a gas shielding process and is most commonly used in manufacturing – like an automobile plant.
TIG welding uses gas like MIG welding but requires more skill from the operator. It’s used in airplanes, artwork and when precise, beautiful welds are required.
Stick welding uses a consumable electrode to weld metal together. It’s the easiest to learn but more suited to heavier metal, like structural beams in buildings and high-rises.

But wait, there’s more

Then we have a type of welding that’s similar to MIG but does not use gas – so no bulky tanks to worry about or getting your gas refilled. Flux core welding uses a special and inexpensive core, so shielding gas is not needed in the process. Flux core welding is ideal for home welding situations and is very easy to learn. Now the welds may not be as pretty compared to TIG welding, but they will be structurally sound.

And a weld that is complete and penetrates the metal (that’s a fancy term to describe how the metals melt together and bonds) is important so it is strong and to prevent water damage. An incomplete weld could allow water to leak in, causing your weld to weaken over time. If the weld is really poor is could lead to water damage to your project, structure or home.

The Clarke 130EN is a good basic choice for the beginning welder who wants to learn about mild steel that is not too thick. Comparable flux core welders are on the market, like the Lotos MIG 140 and the Hobart 50059.

The Clarke 130EN welder:

Can weld mild steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum. With all the types of metal, you can weld it would be Ideal for all your home projects.

Weighs 50 lbs, making it a solid machine but still light enough to transport it to a job site.

Can produce a 3/16 weld on a single pass and Produces between 30 to 130 peak amps.

Lastly, the Clarke welder is fan cooled, has 4 power settings, an automatic thermal overload protection and has a safety ON/OFF switch on the gun. This machine has great safety features built in and protects the machine and makes it more durable.

Pros:

Flux core welder – so no need to purchase gas. You can weld right out of the box.
Easily convertible, so you can use gas if you choose and have a fully functioning MIG welder
Multiple power settings – Allowing you to control the speed of your wire. You can choose how thick or small you want to lay your welds.
Best for small projects and metals under ¼ thick to ensure penetration and a solid weld.

Cons:

Great for the hobbyist, home user, and the occasional welder. Would not be the best choice for industrial use or commercial applications
The weight of 53 pounds might be a bit heavy for some people.
Replacement parts are available, but you may have to search the internet a bit.
Welding another above ¼ thick might be an issue; the AMP’s may not be high enough to give good penetration to the metal. You may want to convert to gas for heavier metal and strong welds.

Based on reviews there are two major concerns with this welder: 1) parts may not be easily available since the company went out of business and 2) the machine is not capable of welding anything larger than 1/4 thick metal.

Now if this is a problem for you and you want a machine where parts are easily available and you want to weld larger, heavier metals, then a good choice would be Lotos model MIG 140.

It is slightly more expensive however It is an American company and has many upgrades to the Clarke welder, like a digital readout for wire speed (so you don’t crush your wire) and an aluminum wire feeder which is more durable and delivers your wire smoothly. If you want a name brand welder that is highly reviewed, then a great choice is the Hobart 50059 Mig Welder.

Let’s See What Some Customers Have Said About The Clarke 130EN MIG Welder

This is a great, rugged little welder. I used the wire supplied and that was good, but when I purchased some Lincoln electric wire from Home Depot, wow, what a difference.
Click here to see the original testimonial from richpin

The welder worked well for about 2 years on light materials ( in a motorcycle shop) after 2 years we had some issues with the head and could not find replacement parts. We purchased a Lincoln and are very happy with it.
Click here to see the original testimonial from Edward Wringer

I found the Clarke welder to be great, even compared to my friend’s more expensive welder. You can replace the torch with an upgraded version and parts are widely available – so no worry if something breaks. It’s great for lighter welding jobs, but heavier metals might be an issue. A great welder for the price.
Click here to see the original testimonial from gWiz

Conclusion

If you don’t want to hunt down replacement parts and want some upgraded features the Lotos is highly reviewed and would be a solid choice.

The Clarke 130EN is an entry-level welder that will handle most of your metal projects in and around the home, and isn’t that what you want?

If you’re a beginning welder then this is an inexpensive welder for you to learn the craft of welding – it’s solid, safe and does provide value for your money.

Replacement parts are available from some websites and if your the occasional welder this would be a good choice.