He offered to take one inside and fire it up.
He told me this is a heavy duty welder for THEIR needs.... meaning, they take (I have no idea of exactly what they're doing but based on a picture I saw of what I think is one of their projects....)
They take sheet metal (aluminum?) and do LONG line welds on it.... essentially making metal studs, maybe I-beams or something. None the less, he said they use these welders because it lets them.... dang... my lack of knowledge again.... it lets them do more "service weld" with them... meaning, they can take a single weld down the metal for (let's say) 40 feet WITHOUT giving the welder a rest. If they used a smaller welder, then they'd have to give it a break more often.
Sorry that I don't know all the terms but I freely admit my ignorance!!
Anyway, they are doing thin metal welds. I think he said they have them plugged into 30 amp circuits. On the lid, it will go down to (I forget) thickness and up to 1/2" thickness. They use it for the thinner stuff.
I don't really know why they pulled the leads off of them. I didn't ask. If I had to speculate, I'd wonder if those are wear items (??) and if so, maybe they're just keeping them because they know they'll need them (??)
He told me that the motor drive that pulls/pushes the MIG wire is the main thing to look at.... the lessor expensive units, that drive unit was pretty worn... he showed me one unit telling me that the drive unit on this was essentially brand new. Slap the leads on it power it up and you'd have essentially a brand new machine for about 50% of new cost. (I have no idea how accurate or reasonable that may be..... he might have viewed me as shark bait to push something on since I know so little)
Called my brother in law (he's done underwater welding after Katrina according to my wife) anyway, he said I should stay away... just get a DC stick welder and as it happens their OTHER brother has a Miller "Big Blue 400" diesel powered welder. I think it has something like 5,200 hours on meter. He's trying to sell it for $5,000 but said he'd sell it to me for $2,500.
I've had this welder at my house and my other friend used it for me. My friend loved it, said it was a fantastic machine AND, I can use it as a backup generator....which I like the idea of.
My wife thinks it's "redneck clutter" to have that parked out here.....so I'm still working that angle.
Since I know nothing about welders, I'll put it here...
What are your thoughts?
One of these Lincolns, call it $900, plus leads, plus populating it with wire verses my brother in laws trailer mounted Miller 400 for $2,500?
The Miller starts up "right now" and runs smooth as a kittens purr. Came from the rental place, Action? that uses green as their main color scheme. It has been painted OVER the green to go back to the blue.
