What mig to get for aluminum??

[lennyzx11]

Just some random thoughts as if we were sitting here in my garage and drinking beer.

I don’t guess I caught when Mark said bad things about Jim Colt and Hypertherm.

I have a Hypertherm Air30 and love it. Jim took the time to personally answer questions when I emailed him.
I have a Hobart MVP210 and spoolgun which has always worked fine.

So saying that a spoolgun doesn’t work well, Mark attacks others, or Chinese equipment is junk isn’t very beneficial to the conversation.
I bought a used Yeswelder tig last night for 100 bucks. Tested it and it works fine for my wants. Yep. It’s oriental.

I was enrolled in a community college at night in the early 90s. We had a 50% discount on tools from snap on. My tool truck guy complained that we were getting them cheaper than he could.

So the marketing is moving away from brick and mortar and 50-90% margin to sell things and make it up in volume by offering a decent product online with lower overhead. This isn’t an Everlast ploy, it is a top business model that companies are adopting worldwide.

Case in point.
I needed some cheaters for my helmet. I walked into Airgas and trued since they are local.
Not in stock but can get them in 3 days. Ordered, walked out and went right back in on a forgotten item and SAW the guy ordering my cheaters on Amazon for half price of what I’d just paid. And this wasn’t Amazon for business (I’m familiar with that) just plain ol prime account like I have.
So... why would I pay twice as much for the same item?

 

[user.69169]

Yes, Jim Colt is retired from Hypertherm, and now with Maverick where he's become a movie star. Quite a few videos up already and undoubtedly more to come.
Yes, Hypertherm was at one point in time a pimple, so were Hobart Bros, Miller Bros, Lincoln Electric, and others not mentioned. Lincoln holds the distinction of being a continuing empire that once went to war with the Federal Govt over how much Lincoln could pay employees. Hypertherm is continuing in the Lincoln model, built by 1 man and then given to the people who helped him build it.

SnapOn hasn't been a tool company in decades, they are a finance company that sells tools and makes some of them. I know a few men who were truck dealers for both SnapOn and MAC and none left with a good word to say for either company.

Brick and mortar WAS the system until the internet came along and manufacturers learned to use it to screw the Dealers who built the reputation of the brand. It is and will be the way of the future, more profit for the manufacturer and screw you to the dealer as we see with the green tractors. A green tractor from Homer Desperate is NOT the same machine as one with the same model number from a Dealer. That too has been around a long time, going back to the 70s in my personal experience when a typewriter dealer showed me the difference between the Smith Carona and Victor machines he sold and the catalog store machines with the same model number. He also pointed out he set up and tuned every machine he sold, and serviced it if there was an issue.

It's human nature to want the mostest for the leastest, and that ain't gonna change. The problem is knowing what yer gettin and that skill is in the hands and minds of very few buyers. Couple thousand give er take years back the Romans invented the phrase Caveat Emptor. Time was when you bought a TV and the truck from the store brought it, and the service man came along to et it running for you. Dat ended. Then Dealers ended. Today the UPS or FedEx truck brings the TV, driver drops it in the driveway and you get it in de house and good luck getting dat thing that looked so good on the screen runnin. Did you buy the service package?

Local brick & mortar guy has a whole bunch of costs he has to build into every item he sells. Start wid the building he sells from and add on insurance and inventory and he's hurtin in today's world. Airgas & others like dem got economy of scale on der side, to the extent dey are buyin or killin off locals. You think Airgas gives a flat dam about you, how many dollars did you spend der last year? You pay colum 1 price, not column 5, and if you don't the guy sittin on that counter don't care. You a RETAIL pain to him. You know dat HazMat charge, it covers some of the vendor's insurance. How many times you heard "It's Policy" can't do nothin about it. Airgas is pretty sure you ain't smart enough to find another source. They pretty much right too. Only real truth in the wonderful world of compressed gas today is liquid argon is in short supply in flyover country. It comes from taking apart air to make compressed Nitrogen & Oxygen and wid everything closed since February not a lot of need for Nitrogen & Oxygen. Ain't a problem for Airgas, it's a potential profit booster..

Nope, little guy who don't know what's behind de wall ain't got a chance. He just gonna pay or he ain't gonna play. Look de price of a barrel of crude and a gallon of gas or Diesel. Old guys used to speculate where price of gas would go if a barrel of oil ever again went under $100. Funny thing happened, users got used to payin 2 bucks a gallon and dat price point was locked in as the new bottom. How many corner gas stations were there in 1980 and how many are there today?

 

[aczlan]

A green tractor from Homer Desperate is NOT the same machine as one with the same model number from a Dealer. That too has been around a long time, going back to the 70s in my personal experience when a typewriter dealer showed me the difference between the Smith Carona and Victor machines he sold and the catalog store machines with the same model number. He also pointed out he set up and tuned every machine he sold, and serviced it if there was an issue.

Actually, it is. Deere has said that if the model number is the same, the machine is the same.

A L130 is the same no matter if it came from the dealer, or Lowe's.

Now, setup is probably better on a dealer machine and if you have a problem, they will probably put you higher on the priority than one purchased at a big box store, but the mower is the same for both.


Aaron Z

 

[IXLR8]

Actually, it is. Deere has said that if the model number is the same, the machine is the same.

A L130 is the same no matter if it came from the dealer, or Lowe's.

Now, setup is probably better on a dealer machine and if you have a problem, they will probably put you higher on the priority than one purchased at a big box store, but the mower is the same for both.


Aaron Z

Our local JD dealer sets up the machines for our local Lowes, and then puts their sticker on the machine. Based on conversations I have heard at the dealer, you are right come service time, the big box store machine will sit while in store sold machine will get serviced.

 

[Gomer pyle]

I appreciate everyones ideas and thoughts. I did get to use my welder this week and it is working pretty well(every once in a while it will not draw an arc, not even on the ground clamp????). I'm still looking for something to do aluminum but I think I'll try a plastic liner first before I get into a spool gun. After all the comments, I've spent hours reading and researching(brands, options, ideas, etc..). In some ways I understand better and in some I have more questions than ever.

 

[Gomer pyle]

If you can determine that your wire feed motor is 24 volt like nearly every other welder out there, you can buy a spool Gun on e-bay for $149.00 ( same as Miller 150 and ESAB/Tweco ) Snip the wires between your feed motor and feed board and run a toggle switch between the feed motor and the spoolgun motor and to an amphenol or some kind of 2 wire plug. You can switch back and forth. if your welder blows up you can use the same setup and the spool gun on most any other welder with 24v drive motor. I could offer the simple drawing if interested. just another unmentioned option.

I goofed. Looking today, mine is 115 volt not 12. Not sure if that makes a difference on options available?

 

[user.69169]

Which model do you have? I posted the links for the machines Systematics made for SnapOn, and 115 volts to the drive motor makes no sense. That voltage has to be variable.

Second problem is this thread contains too many issues.
You're wanting to frame a hydro lift door with aluminum goes against what everyone in the industry is doing. My money says the additional aluminum structure you'll need will outweigh steel and following industry methods.

Third problem is your MIG ain't workin right. I got no idea what you think a teflon liner is going to help on a machine that ain't triggering.

 

[Gomer pyle]

I have no idea why you attack every single person that you comment on. You seem to have a good knowledge but run everyone off from replying to threads.
1. My Systematics is a MIG300SM, my wire feed is a Miller R-115. I was told it was a 115v, which it is, but after looking thru the owners manual more, it is 115v AC. Power Output is open circuit 18-42, I don't know what that means. It has Hubble plugs.
2. I left info about the door out of this thread on purpose because I didn't want to confuse the issue, but when asked I answered. I am open to opinions but I have done a lot of research on what I want to build which I will be happy to discuss in PM or on another thread. I very seldom follow industry standards or the "normal" way of doing things, sometimes it works out great and sometimes it is an expensive learning experience.
3. I started the thread asked about a whole new machine because mine had some issues, someone, in trying to help, suggested that I try a teflon liner and use the welder I have. That is an inexpensive option to try. While this thread was going on, I got my welder going. My welder seems to be working correctly with a seldom quirk, happened twice in 15 hrs worth of welding. I know that this isn't normal but as I started the thread, I'm looking for a new machine if I can't get mine going.

I would like to hear from you and others with helpful answers. I will gladly answer any questions asked out of a helpful way.

 

[yomax4]

I have no idea why you attack every single person that you comment on. You seem to have a good knowledge but run everyone off from replying to threads.
1. My Systematics is a MIG300SM, my wire feed is a Miller R-115. I was told it was a 115v, which it is, but after looking thru the owners manual more, it is 115v AC. Power Output is open circuit 18-42, I don't know what that means. It has Hubble plugs.
2. I left info about the door out of this thread on purpose because I didn't want to confuse the issue, but when asked I answered. I am open to opinions but I have done a lot of research on what I want to build which I will be happy to discuss in PM or on another thread. I very seldom follow industry standards or the "normal" way of doing things, sometimes it works out great and sometimes it is an expensive learning experience.
3. I started the thread asked about a whole new machine because mine had some issues, someone, in trying to help, suggested that I try a teflon liner and use the welder I have. That is an inexpensive option to try. While this thread was going on, I got my welder going. My welder seems to be working correctly with a seldom quirk, happened twice in 15 hrs worth of welding. I know that this isn't normal but as I started the thread, I'm looking for a new machine if I can't get mine going.

I would like to hear from you and others with helpful answers. I will gladly answer any questions asked out of a helpful way.

Mr. Pyle. If you go to your exploded parts view you'll see that the drive motor is 24v DC. Most are. Your input is 115v. So, back to the spool gun, you have a lot of option under $200.00. If you decide to go this route and are unsure of connections. Just ask. Very easy to install. Good Luck.

 

[Gomer pyle]

That sounds great. Where do I find that information, it's not in the paperwork that I got with my welder, I'm trying to understand how it all works? I assume the spool gun would plug into my wire feeder? Yes, I'm interested in how to connect this.
Thanks for the help