Welders

[Zorack]

Do any of you guys use welders to fix your machines? What models do you use,miller,lincoln,hobart?

 

[skidsteer.ca]

My shop has alot of blue welding equipment, 210 Mig, Suitcase feeder, Trailblazer 280, \But nothing wrong with the brands you mention.
Ken

 

[Tazza]

I have an Aussie made MIG welder, 190 amp, can't remember the brand.
I also use a Telwin 160 amp stick welder, i LOVE my stick welder. His name is “Mr Sparky” for obvious reasons DC and works great with low hydrogen rods.
Plus i do have an oxy torch, and a plasma cutter.
Couldn't live without any of them.

 

[Luthor]

I have an Aussie made MIG welder, 190 amp, can't remember the brand.
I also use a Telwin 160 amp stick welder, i LOVE my stick welder. His name is “Mr Sparky” for obvious reasons DC and works great with low hydrogen rods.
Plus i do have an oxy torch, and a plasma cutter.
Couldn't live without any of them.

I have had good results from my Lincoln Redi-Mig 205 when doing repairs. I also use a CIG Transarc 230 arc welder.
Tazza, that little buzz box “Mr Sparky”, is unusual being DC, most are AC.

 

[Tazza]

I have had good results from my Lincoln Redi-Mig 205 when doing repairs. I also use a CIG Transarc 230 arc welder.
Tazza, that little buzz box “Mr Sparky”, is unusual being DC, most are AC.

Luthor, its an inverter. I believe most inverters are DC. The old one i had would pull your shoulder out of its socket, this one pick it up by the strap and throw it over your shoulder, its so light! i LOVE that welder. The duty cycle isn't so great, but i don't need to lay more than 1 full 3.25mm rod at full power all the time. Lay one down, give it a little bit to rest and its good to go again.

 

[jeffco]

Luthor, its an inverter. I believe most inverters are DC. The old one i had would pull your shoulder out of its socket, this one pick it up by the strap and throw it over your shoulder, its so light! i LOVE that welder. The duty cycle isn't so great, but i don't need to lay more than 1 full 3.25mm rod at full power all the time. Lay one down, give it a little bit to rest and its good to go again.

As far as mig welders are concerned I recommend 200 amp and would not advise anything 120 volt. I have owned Millermatic 200's and Lincoln Powermig 225's, currently I own an HTP 200. It is every bit as good as Miller or Lincoln but was under 1000.00. Came from HTP america in Chicago. Came with a tweco gun which eliminates the usual problem of where do I get consumables for the gun on an off name mig. Be careful, some cheap migs are little more than a cheap battery charger. HTP is built very tough on the inside, in my opinion. I have run about 100 lbs of wire through it and am happy with its performance. I weld everything from sheet metal to bucket edges that can be an inch or thicker in multiple passes. You just can't get that flexibility with a 120v powered mig which peaks at 140 amps output with a 20 percent duty cycle. Duty cycle is important so be sure to look at it, in my case it is 80 percent at 120 amps, or weld 8 minutes and rest 2 minutes as opposed to weld one or two minutes and wait 8 minutes. The cheaper its made, the less duty cycle. You exceed the limit and if you are lucky the thermal protector will protect and shut the welder down till it cools. If not you will do damage that will shorten the life or can burn it up on the spot. Not that you will want a stick welder but they are available in Inverter models and are priced reasonable, Lincoln also has an IdealArc AC/DC 200 amp transformer stick welder in the 300.00 range. Good basic machine but really outdated as far as weld quality as compared to a mig. Remember to check duty cycle on any welder you consider, buy a welder with the duty cycle you can live with, I can tell you from experience, it sneaks up on you quick when you don't have enough. However to be fair, I rarely weld for 8 straight minutes with my mig, nice to know that I can though. Let me know if I can help. jeffco

 

[Fabricator]

As far as mig welders are concerned I recommend 200 amp and would not advise anything 120 volt. I have owned Millermatic 200's and Lincoln Powermig 225's, currently I own an HTP 200. It is every bit as good as Miller or Lincoln but was under 1000.00. Came from HTP america in Chicago. Came with a tweco gun which eliminates the usual problem of where do I get consumables for the gun on an off name mig. Be careful, some cheap migs are little more than a cheap battery charger. HTP is built very tough on the inside, in my opinion. I have run about 100 lbs of wire through it and am happy with its performance. I weld everything from sheet metal to bucket edges that can be an inch or thicker in multiple passes. You just can't get that flexibility with a 120v powered mig which peaks at 140 amps output with a 20 percent duty cycle. Duty cycle is important so be sure to look at it, in my case it is 80 percent at 120 amps, or weld 8 minutes and rest 2 minutes as opposed to weld one or two minutes and wait 8 minutes. The cheaper its made, the less duty cycle. You exceed the limit and if you are lucky the thermal protector will protect and shut the welder down till it cools. If not you will do damage that will shorten the life or can burn it up on the spot. Not that you will want a stick welder but they are available in Inverter models and are priced reasonable, Lincoln also has an IdealArc AC/DC 200 amp transformer stick welder in the 300.00 range. Good basic machine but really outdated as far as weld quality as compared to a mig. Remember to check duty cycle on any welder you consider, buy a welder with the duty cycle you can live with, I can tell you from experience, it sneaks up on you quick when you don't have enough. However to be fair, I rarely weld for 8 straight minutes with my mig, nice to know that I can though. Let me know if I can help. jeffco

Miller MM250X MIG, Syncrowave 250DX TIG, and Hypertherm 1100 plasma here. Have owned red in the past. Just happened that I was able to find these used, in good shape, and for the right price.

I agree on sticking to the name brands and going 220V if you're serious.

 

[Tazza]

Miller MM250X MIG, Syncrowave 250DX TIG, and Hypertherm 1100 plasma here. Have owned red in the past. Just happened that I was able to find these used, in good shape, and for the right price.

I agree on sticking to the name brands and going 220V if you're serious.

The beauty of Australia, we have 240v as standard, 3 phase is 415v
We can suck so much more power from our standard outlets that way.

 

[Jeffscarstrucks]

The beauty of Australia, we have 240v as standard, 3 phase is 415v
We can suck so much more power from our standard outlets that way.

You are getting great advice here! I have Miller and have always enjoyed good customer service from them (on my junk auction buys, They have rescued me!). You can look at Millerwelds.com and go to their discusion page for a good forum and lots of info. Buy more machine than you think you need because you WILL grow into it, but stick with major brands for long term servicability. Parts are still available for Lincoln and Miller units that are 30+ years old. JEFF

 

[Zorack]

You are getting great advice here! I have Miller and have always enjoyed good customer service from them (on my junk auction buys, They have rescued me!). You can look at Millerwelds.com and go to their discusion page for a good forum and lots of info. Buy more machine than you think you need because you WILL grow into it, but stick with major brands for long term servicability. Parts are still available for Lincoln and Miller units that are 30+ years old. JEFF

Yea I was just curious since I have been considering getting a Miller myself(looking for a used trailblazer or bobcat). I have a sort of old mig welder a KARC-100 that I got very cheap(that is still serviced by HTPWeld).Great that you all have name brands and I'm a member of the miller and weldingweb forum as well as the hobart forum,just been looking for the right Miller at the right price

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Yea I was just curious since I have been considering getting a Miller myself(looking for a used trailblazer or bobcat). I have a sort of old mig welder a KARC-100 that I got very cheap(that is still serviced by HTPWeld).Great that you all have name brands and I'm a member of the miller and weldingweb forum as well as the hobart forum,just been looking for the right Miller at the right price

I love my trailblazer, only 600 lbs (give or take) but still does a decent job of CAC gouging.
I'm a pretty die hard Miller fan too. When my first trailblazer had @ 100 hours on it, 10 days old, the Miller company (not the dealer) calls me says my serial # range had a problem with the armature coming loose on the crank.
They ask and I told them the hours to which they replied, it should have failed by now if it was going to. But they still wanted me to return it to have it checked.
I was right in the the middle of my spring welding contract, a month long blitz, rebuilding site prep drags for the paper company that we pull for them, and I told them “I need that machine, we are using it daily.” That's why we bought it, (our old 200 amp Canox, which is build by miller was still running well, its a 1986, wish it had a meter) good but we needed a second machine.
So they told me keep running it, there is a new one on a truck, when you get it up and running, then ship us the other one back. Which I did with 147 hours on it. I'll be long time forgetting that level of service.
Not sure where they sell the recalled ones, but that would have been a good welder for someone. The old welder has a Onan, which has been a good motor, I bought a Kohler this time just to get the OHV. If it runs a many years as that onan has I'll still be a loyal customer.
Ken