What's a good machine these days?

[Bubba]

Opening up a discussion as to what would be a decent Mig unit these days.
Looking at a bit above 200 Amps but too far above. Thay get pricey quick.
Miller, Lincoln, ESAB seem make decent inverter based machines.
The chinese/HFT machines seem a bit shaky as I read the reviews on those.
So whaddaya think?

[digger doug]

1. What doo you want to doo with it ?
2. Where will it reside ?

[digr]

I can't tellya, all my machines are old, one of each, Lincoln, Hobart and a Miller. But from what I have read I think I would look at a Miller.

[mccutter]

I would say it depends on your budget. For what you would pay for a slightly used MillerMatic, you can get a brand-new import Multi-MIG that also has DC stick and TIG along with a gas cylinder.

[toprecycler]

Business I did some freelancing with couple years ago, picked up a Esab rebel machine. I believe it does mig, tig, and stick. And I believe AC tig. He picked it up after I worked and built an aluminum handrail, where we needed (wanted) alum tig capabilities in the field, ( owner bought a Eastwood three in one for that job, but in his haste ordered only the DC tig machine, so we ended up using alum mig for the field joints. We could have used a bit more practice, but made it work.)

Anyways, the shop owner is very impressed with the esab. Says it would be all machine an home hobby shop would need. But I think he does have about $3000 into it, with the cart, and 25’ mig whip, etc.


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[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Bubba

Opening up a discussion as to what would be a decent Mig unit these days.
Looking at a bit above 200 Amps but too far above. Thay get pricey quick.
Miller, Lincoln, ESAB seem make decent inverter based machines.
The chinese/HFT machines seem a bit shaky as I read the reviews on those.
So whaddaya think?

Did the mig you have crap out?

[Bubba]

Nah, my rig is okay. A neighbor is looking for an all around farm/ranch welder
and do not like stick. Mainly fixing up broken feeders, gates so light gauge stuff.
Stick he has but don't like it. No production or structural kind of welding.
I'd rather not have him looking at cheap chinese crap.

[Matt Shade]

I think Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart are still your best bet as far as getting a good machine that also has parts and service available (at least based on my local welding supply stores,with hobart coming in behind the other 2).

It sounds like he needs something portable, so I would look into one of the dual voltage machines to get the best of both worlds in terms of power and portability.

My lincoln 210MP does all the jobs you listed while still having enough power to do structural stuff and can be carried around easy enough, but there is no reason for him to pay extra for stick and tig capability if he only wants a mig.

I just went through the lincoln website and I'm a little disappointed in their product line at the moment, they pretty much have made everything a multi process welder now and there's no reason to pay extra for stick if you don't like to use it.
They do have this guy, which is MIG only and dual voltage, hopefully the street price is a lot lower than MSRP
https://www.lincolnelectric.com/en/Products/k3018-2

Millermatic 211 is pretty much neck and neck with the lincoln on specs and price:
https://www.millerwelds.com/equipmen...-welder-m30024

Hobart only has one option with dual voltage and it doesn't look bad while coming in about 2/3 the price of the other 2:
https://www.hobartwelders.com/equipm...-welder-m00229

Stepping down to 120V only machines saves a bit of money but in my experience people buy them and say they will only see light duty and then they want to use them for all kinds of jobs they aren't fit to do.

[midmosandblasting]

My son bought the next size down . I think a 187 . He has built a couple of trailers with it .It will burn through 1/4 inch pipe we used for cross braces and corners for 1900 foot of farm fence . Hobart it is 220 only .

[m98rifle]

Check out the CK WORLDWIDE MT 200 on Weldmongerstore.com. 200 amps multi-process.
I don't think this is cheap Chinese sh!t. AC/DC, MIG, TIG, STICK. It would do anything you ask it to do up to 1/4" in one pass. 120/240 input.
I've been looking around too, that's the one I'm going with. $2000