Would like input about "Eastwood Brand" MIG welder

[iamaumnbn]

I'm going to purchase a 240v Mig in the not too distant future and am doing diligence into all product lines. The further into the process the more confused I am. The competitions from China and elsewhere offer similar models as the all the big brands and the prices are similar until you get into the professional/production models which does not apply to me. I am a novice looking to spend as little as possible but will spend more for a better product. My research so far tells me I need a 240v model for use on 1/8 - 5/16+ steel.

If you have or know about the "Eastwood Brand" MIG welders I'd value your input.
Thanks in advance

 

[Nightforce]

I found a reply in regard Eastwood welders on a welding site that might help you.

Hi guys,

I wanted to clear up a few of the concerns on our new Eastwood welders that I've seen mentioned here and on a handful of other forums.

1.These are NOT rebadged or rebranded welders made by another large company for us with our name on it.
-These welders we designed and tested in house here at Eastwood. They were designed to be EQUIVALENT to the Lincoln Mig Pak 10 (our 135) and the Mig Pak 15 (our 175). We oversaw every step of the production process to make sure these were designed to our specs and expectations. Our main concern is to give you a welder that is built to the same specs and quality as a industrial welder, but priced towards a serious hobbyist.

-We go so far as to back our welders with a 3 year warranty. That is backed by Eastwood Company, not by a 3rd party company, like people seemed to be confused about. We didn't begin offering these for a "quick buck", in fact we are working on designing further products to add to our welding product line (can you say affordable TIG and Plasma cutters?)

2. Consumables- Our welders are made with a Tweco style gun (the same as most major companies including Lincoln use). Therefore all consumable parts (nozzle, tips, etc) are available at any local welding supply store. We are enthusiasts here ourselves, and we know the frustration of needing a part or supplies halfway through the job and not being able to get it! (for me this past weekend it was running out of mig wire at 5:30PM on a Sunday and realizing the only local "Farm" store that would have wire closed at 5 )

3.These welders were not the ones you may have seen on Ebay a year ago for sale. Those were simply another company's welder we were retailing under their name. These welders are brand new welders that we designed from step 1. Any other welders you may have seen previously were before we began manufacturing our welders.

If you guys have any other questions or concerns feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to answer them!

Hope that cleared up a few questions and concerns.

-Matt/EW

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

In regards to #1. This is not correct and it appears to be several years old and I think I have read it before. It may be a marketing gimmick but not based in actual fact. No less than 3 companies in the US are building the same basic welder in the same factory. In regards to the MIG, there are more than that building on the same line...The thing with Eastwood (at least initially when they brought this out) was that they were using mosfets. At least one of the other companies have gone in and worked with the factory to build more robust IGBT units.

 

[ThomasH]

I'm going to purchase a 240v Mig in the not too distant future and am doing diligence into all product lines. The further into the process the more confused I am. The competitions from China and elsewhere offer similar models as the all the big brands and the prices are similar until you get into the professional/production models which does not apply to me. I am a novice looking to spend as little as possible but will spend more for a better product. My research so far tells me I need a 240v model for use on 1/8 - 5/16+ steel.

If you have or know about the "Eastwood Brand" MIG welders I'd value your input.
Thanks in advance

I looked at these about a year ago for a friend that was thinking about one, and found out that they were MOSFET based. If that has changed to IGBT, then they merit a closer look. If not, it is simply not reliable technology from what little experience I have had wtih one (a neighbor's LOTOS brand unit). He went through 3 of MOSFET based units, the third time the MOSFETS blew up was not under warranty (1 year) and they wanted more to repair it than the unit cost. He bought it because he wanted to "learn to do welding" but didn't have much success with them...

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I don't think thaey have gone to igbt yet. In 2012 at the SEMA show they told me that they weren't hoing to stock major parts or repair them. They would send out a replacement unit. While that may sound good to the customer in the short term, that means the unit is disposable after three years IF ajything goes wrong. NOW, I would hope they have changed this...but it has not been that long ago that I think I read where a customer had an issue and they received a new unit.