Help me decide

[oldhippy]

Should you decide to go with a plasma cutter you might consider a Parker plasma cutter. I bought one last week and it cuts better than the high dollar plasma cutters that we have at work. I pretty much don't have a stick welder but could hook up cables to my TIG and use it. Stick welders have been used forever and work great. I would say go for both.
big dan

 

[jaquetarr]

I vote for the welder. In most cases it's already broke & you need to put it back together. Or you're making something & need to join all that flatbar.
The Plasma cutter is nice, but You'll use the welder 10:1
I got both. When you need the plasma cutter, nothing else will do, but the welder will get more day to day use.

Rgds,
tim

 

[Steve C]

I posted this same thread over at WeldingWeb so I could get a broader opinion base. I'm trying to make a decision on what I want for Christmas this year and have a tough choice to make. I already have a Harbor Freight 110Amp MIG (the 94164 model) and a Harbor Freight oxy/acetylene rig.

My choices are a used Miller Thunderbolt 225 AC/DC arc welder or a new Harbor Freight Inverter Plasma Cutter. The Miller I can get for $350. The plasma cutter I can get on sale for $650 and then I have another 20% off coupon...

If you had to choose what would you get and why?

I would get the ac/dc welder. I bought a used Montgomery Ward 250 amp AC/DC machine 30 years ago and it is one of the best tools I have ever owned. I have built wood stoves, trailer hitches and trailers with it. I have just recently purchased a lightly used 295 Amp AC version of the same welder for $75. It is a very nice running machine. Now I have a welder for every barn. When you have to put down a lot of metal with good penetration, nothing beats a stick welder!

I think the thunderbolt is priced a little high....unless it is very new...

 

[NBstunter]

right now i have a 300 amp arc welder and a flux core mig. i SOOO want a plasma cutter! id go for the plasma cutter but you do already have a torch. i had the arc welder a year before i got the mig i have had the mig 2 months and havent used the arc for welding 1 thing since. mig is the best all around welder if you ask me. the arc is only good if you plan to be welding something an inch thick or more.

 

[BrentD]

I think the thunderbolt is priced a little high....unless it is very new...

It's a 2003 model, has never been outside the shop and comes with 2 100 foot welding cables

 

[Steve C]

It's a 2003 model, has never been outside the shop and comes with 2 100 foot welding cables

The cables are worth half the price of the welder! It is a good deal if you have a use for such long cables.

local craigs list ad

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/tls/1501427924.html

Miller Thunderbolt Welder - $150 (Bay City)

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Date: 2009-12-08, 8:13PM EST
Reply to: sale-5gpsq-1501427924@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

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Nice stick Welder, some extra rods, nice xmas present 989 686 0601


•Location: Bay City
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

 

[bobodu]

the arc is only good if you plan to be welding something an inch thick or more.

Oh that's funny!!!
I guess the door panels on my truck must weigh 8400 lbs. each....

 

[jenkinsph]

Get the stick welder, of your choices it is the better quality tool and with long leads you will be satisfied with this purchase.

The best way to setup a good shop is to buy good tools as you can afford them, and stay away from cheap tools.

 

[JB4310]

I said get the stick cause the mig you have is incapable of heavy work, if you already had a 200 amp mig then you could probably get away without a stick.

That thunderbolt is an excellent all around machine, I have the same thing I just bought off GL, I had the ac only version of it for 30+ years so when I saw the dc version I figured I couldn't go wrong.

Came with the little 8 ft leads which are worthless to me, I already had 25 footers. 100 footers are almost to much, cut em in half and make 2 sets, sell one and get some money back.

 

[NBstunter]

Oh that's funny!!!
I guess the door panels on my truck must weigh 8400 lbs. each....

ok let me ref-raze that a stick welder is only not a pain in the *** on metal close to an inch thick. for normal little jobs its so much easier to use a mig instead of changing rods and dealing with the stick of an arc welder on welding something thin.