FTG-05
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
- Messages
- 2,588
- Location
- TN
- Tractor
- Kubota L4330 GST w/FEL, Kubota RTV-XG850, Kubota ZD326S
As if we didn't need another "what to buy" welder, but unfortunately - I need your advice.
My Lincoln SP-175Plus MIG welder just bit the dust. I turned it on this afternoon and all I got out of it was a mild groan, then... nothing. I've had it since mid-1999, so I got my use out of it.
Hence, as I see it, I have three options:
A. Do without a welder (assumes I can't find a welder fixer or the Lincoln can't be fixed)
B. Find a half decent cheapy welder and use it as a bridge-gap welder until the Lincoln is fixed (assumes the Lincoln can and will be fixed at some point)
C. Upgrade to above a +SP-175 Plus-class welder i.e. something with quite a bit more capability.
Option A ain't happenin', sorry I won't live without a welder.
Option B is a HF special (Titanium?) or equivalent, something that will keep me welding until the Lincoln is back up and running. Obviously, this option is betting that the Lincoln can be fixed. If so, the cheapy becomes the Low End welder, while the Lincoln becomes the High End (read thicker) welder. Another problem is while I'm ok with a cheapy 120 VAC welder, I really don't want a 120 VAC Flux Core-only welder.
Option C is an upgrade over the Lincoln; if the Lincoln gets fixed, great it now becomes the .25" welding wire Low End welder; while the new one takes over the High End .35" duties.
Option B welders include the various HF products, although most of them are on back order, sort of defeating the purpose here. Everlast is an option, but their bottom of the line is more than I want to spend on a BOL welder.
Option C is looking better and better: I'm thinking a Miller 211 for $1500 or so. I wish I could spring for a Miller 255 but +$3K isn't in the cards.
So bottom line, two questions:
- Are there other options I'm missing?
- Alternatives to the mentioned Low End and High End welders and limits discussed above?
Thanks!
My Lincoln SP-175Plus MIG welder just bit the dust. I turned it on this afternoon and all I got out of it was a mild groan, then... nothing. I've had it since mid-1999, so I got my use out of it.
Hence, as I see it, I have three options:
A. Do without a welder (assumes I can't find a welder fixer or the Lincoln can't be fixed)
B. Find a half decent cheapy welder and use it as a bridge-gap welder until the Lincoln is fixed (assumes the Lincoln can and will be fixed at some point)
C. Upgrade to above a +SP-175 Plus-class welder i.e. something with quite a bit more capability.
Option A ain't happenin', sorry I won't live without a welder.
Option B is a HF special (Titanium?) or equivalent, something that will keep me welding until the Lincoln is back up and running. Obviously, this option is betting that the Lincoln can be fixed. If so, the cheapy becomes the Low End welder, while the Lincoln becomes the High End (read thicker) welder. Another problem is while I'm ok with a cheapy 120 VAC welder, I really don't want a 120 VAC Flux Core-only welder.
Option C is an upgrade over the Lincoln; if the Lincoln gets fixed, great it now becomes the .25" welding wire Low End welder; while the new one takes over the High End .35" duties.
Option B welders include the various HF products, although most of them are on back order, sort of defeating the purpose here. Everlast is an option, but their bottom of the line is more than I want to spend on a BOL welder.
Option C is looking better and better: I'm thinking a Miller 211 for $1500 or so. I wish I could spring for a Miller 255 but +$3K isn't in the cards.
So bottom line, two questions:
- Are there other options I'm missing?
- Alternatives to the mentioned Low End and High End welders and limits discussed above?
Thanks!