Recommend me a MIG welder

Hi

I am looking for a new MIG welder but i haven't bought one in ages and was wondering if i could get some real world recommendations.

I am getting asked to go off site more and more to weld broken/cracking chassis's on machinery and need a welder with some more amperage. It is mostly plate from 7mm to 9mm.

Things i have to consider:

Weight - I have to take it in and out of the van on my own
Amperage - More the better (Duty cycle not important)
Power supply - It has to 230v as 3phase is not always available to me on site.
Budget - £1500

I understand i could be asking for to much and that is fine i can make compromises, i would have to say the Amperage is the least flexible.

If anyone has some recommendations please share and i will do some research into them.

Thanks

Tom

I'd go something like this

http://m.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Equipment/Pages/product.aspx?product=K4195-2(LincolnElectric)

That Lincoln looks an impressive device. I'm tempted. Amazing to see name brand equipment with manufacturer support reasonably price competitive against unknown imports.

Rapidweld ( Buy Lincoln Speedtec 2C, 2A 5 in 1 Multi-Process Mig / Tig & Arc Welder, with Arc Leads, Mig & Tig Torches and Gas Regulator, 23V - Welding Supplies from Rapid Welding ) have the 200C, which looks pretty much the same, for £1149 + VAT which just gets in under budget. Or a bit less if you don't want the TIG torch Still weighs in at 40+ lb though. Quite enough to be humping in and out of the van. Multi function sounds great but, if the stick welding side is up to scratch, I do wonder how much use the MIG side would get. Might be worth considering staying with the existing MIG and getting a modern, quality, inverter stick welder for the heavier stuff. Lots lighter, smaller and no gas bottles to worry about.

Hafta say that I've pretty much not touched the MIG since I was given my Fronius 1400M inverter stick/TIG box to offset a bad debt about 10 years ago. As I don't do bodywork and other really thin stuff the inverter is sufficiently controllable to manage everything I used to need MIG for. I imagine the current inverters have got better, certainly far cheaper.

Clive

I have mostly Miller's so I'm biased. Mainly miller because it keeps the consumables the same.

I have 2 passports and they work extremely well on field work. But they stopped making them. I don't know how the multimatic 200 works but they took 2 great machines, the maslxstar 150 and passport plus and basically out them together. It has been out for a couple years now so bugs should be out of the works. Also don't use the Bernard guns. They suck ass ever since miller bought them. I have 11 Bernard guns and only like my previous miller ones

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Hi all

Thank you for taking the time to help. I see these inverter, multi process (MIG/TIG/Stick) welders that do suit my needs but are they not a bit gimmicky? surely a dedicated machine would be better?

Though it's been so long since I've bought one i could be completely wrong.

Thanks

DragyBaby said:

Hi all

Thank you for taking the time to help. I see these inverter, multi process (MIG/TIG/Stick) welders that do suit my needs but are they not a bit gimmicky? surely a dedicated machine would be better?

Though it's been so long since I've bought one i could be completely wrong.

Thanks

Click to expand...

These multi-process machines are just normal, single box style, inverter power MIG welders with the extra connections and control capabilities in the power supply to do MMA and DC TIG. A digitally controlled inverter power supply basically just needs a bit of extra programming on the controller for it to drive all three processes and detect relevant faults or changes on the output side e.g. blow back for MIG, anti stick for MMA and scratch start for TIG. The heavy duty output side is the same and just does what the control side tells it to do. So difference is pretty much just plugs and switches on the hardware side.

Quite different on old style machines, especially the pure analogue control variety, where the control part was completely integrated with the output side and circuits were somewhat different for each type of welder.

TIG side on the multi-functions is pretty basic tho'.

Clive.

R-Tech Welding Supplies and Welding Equipment | Plasma Cutters | TIG Welder, MIG Welder are rather less costly and both the 250 Amp (£700) and 180 Amp (£480) MIG machines have MMA plugs provided suggesting that there is very little extra cost to providing MMA (basic?) capability. UK assembled with 2 year warranty and client list suggests quality ought to be reasonable but I don't know anyone who has experience..

Hi Clive

Very informative, Thanks.

I'm liking the look of the ESAB 215ic Rebel

Buy ESAB Rebel EMP 215ic MIG/TIG MMA Package

It's in budget and fit's what i'm after.

Tom

Hi Tom

Nice looking beast. Not sure that I'm in love with the idea of a touch screen control on a piece of industrial kit, especially on site work. Self setting & learning your style capability on the MIG side sounds like a great idea but.... Probably good for learners or guys like me who are comprehensively out of practice but got a nasty feeling that it could turn into a backseat driver and really upset skilled users. Seems a bit off not to include a MMA stick holder and TIG torch in the box.

Really need to try several breeds before you buy methinks.

Wonder how different these £1,500 (ish) multifunction machines really are under the skin. The clever control options all seem to be the same when you translate spec speak into real speak so I'd be unsurprised to discover the smart bit is bought in from the same supplier by all makes.

Be interested to hear how you get on. Had a chat with folk today and right now don't know whether I'm coming or going.

Clive

I've heard good things about the Rebel series, don't know if they had the 215 or the 235