After completing all the welding courses at the local college I find myself a diehard Miller fan--I fell in love with the Dynasty 200 SMAW/GTAW, yet I sadly still have to make due with a pitiful income due to the lack of welding jobs locally and cannot afford 4k for the stick welder of my dreams. Like you mentioned, the Maxstar and Thunderbolt series welders are still far beyond my current reach and I have resigned myself to living with a Lincoln AC buzzbox which I managed to pick up for $60. AC welding leaves much to be desired when it comes to stick; you don't end up creating welds you'd want to take pictures of and post here..
Having owned a harbor freight 110 mig box.. I can now say I've tried some of the best and worst welders out there, yet HF left me with the idea that one has to buy the best to get a product that is worth anything more than a paperweight. Yet after the comments here, and looking over both everlast and longevity websites I have high hopes.
I would agree with previous comments that 140 amps is more than sufficient for most at home in the stick process. If you aren't currently competent in welding (and it's always best to be honest with ones self in this regard, our lives are on the line at times with the things we build) An introductory welding class at a local college should make you confident in laying multi pass welds and give you an eye for creating equal legs, welding thinner material to thicker, etc.
The only downside for me is the duty cycle; (3.5 minutes in 10 of weld time gives you a lot of cigarette breaks) yet unless you're running a business from your garage it's best not to be in a hurry anyway--gives the metal time to cool, and your chances for heat related defects become less.
And last but not least, if TBN promotes everlast and longevity then I'd imagine they are pretty decent tools indeed. Just the fact that one could buy the 140 smaw welder and a 40 amp plasma cutter for much less than the 150 maxstar alone.. well.. I'm sold! 'nuff said.
