Shopping: Mig welder comparison

[jack707]

Miller

 

[Big Barn]

Sorry all. The ESAB Victor concoction was a bad deal for a few hundred Victor Thermadyne folks that were let go 10 days before Christmas a couple years ago. ESAB managers made the call. Very nice for the families just before Christmas. Many were old friends.

Interesting to keep in mind. Stuff like that matters to me.

Terry

 

[coherent]

I have a small millermatic and love it. It's portable which does come in handy on accasion. A good friend is a welder by trade and has a welding business in my area. He's owned or used most every brand and swears by his miller machines. I also have a import TIG made by AHP that performs well and has never had any issues. For the price I have no complaints.

 

[johncanfield]

I have a Hobart Ironman 250 MIG, it will weld up to 1/2" in a single pass. Great machine and priced right, good support. I prefer dedicated boxes and not an all-in-one. Unfortunately a spool gun is really expen$ive.

 

[OkieDave]

I love my MM252. It's a far better welder than I am.

(Those who know me might call that "damning by faint praise," but seriously, it's great. Hasn't given me a lick of trouble.)

 

[Cord]

I think I might pick up a Lincoln 300mp I found over the weekend. Comes with a 25' cobra push-pull gun and a 12' mig gun. If I changed the gun liner, that long gun would certainly make up for the machine being less mobile than an inverter based unit. It's really intended to MIG aluminum, but it'll do steel. Plus I could TIG steel and it'll do stick as well. I don't need tig right now, but the ability to stick is important so I don't need a second machine for that occasional cast iron or hard facing project.

I agree with you on buying a machine that is better than you are. Makes it pretty easy to identify the source of the problem.

 

[Big Barn]

I find a cart for the welder and 15 foot mig gun makes it mobile enough for me. I like to keep the 25 Cobra set up for aluminum.


Here's one of mine (prior to paint) that would probably be suitable for your Lincoln.
Edit. Maybe your Lincoln is already on wheels.

Terry

 

[dragoneggs]

How are you punching all those pretty holes, Terry?

 

[Shield Arc]

Man oh man, that Terry is quite the craftsman! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Big Barn]

How are you punching all those pretty holes, Terry?

Hi Mark.

I use either annular cutters or a Whitney sheet metal punch for the holes. They are then flared with dimple dies. (on material up to 1/8" thick). These dies strengthen panels with lightening holes.

Dimple dies:




Panel I recently made:

Terry