Welder want 2 be
Plastic
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2017
- Location
- Madison Virginia
I recently purchased a Miller CP-200 on an auction sight unseen, came with two Millermatic 10a wire feeders. Was a gamble and I think I am OK. Reading the SN and what I can read online the machine was made in 1974. Is a 230/460 3 phase input unit. It appears that the machine was left set in disuse for some time. When it was used, they welded aluminum as it also came with a very worn out spool gun as well as a regular MIG gun. The regular MIG gun with it is in such bad shape that I don’t see that it can be used, further the feed cable from the feeder to the gun it'self is missing. When I powered up the machine the fan runs nice and quiet, all appears to be working but I have no real way to test it. The trigger on the very worn out MIG gun when closed elicited a click in the wire feeder that I believe was the gas valve opening and the roller gears on the feeder turned without any hesitation and the variable speed feed clearly works. I know I will need to buy a MIG gun, a gas regulator, a ground clamp, and feed rollers for the Millermatic 10 a feeder that came with it before I can weld. Larry Gruner of Weldmart.com says he has what I need to get the machine working. That is going to be an outlay of about $400, a lot more than the $115 I paid for the machine. At $515 not a bargain but I doubt I can buy a Miller MIG cheeper.
I am a hobby welder, welding is my way to be creative and help friends. This machine will likely not get more than 10 hours a year of actual weld time. Just from time to time I wanted a MIG and I had chance to get this machine for what I felt was a good price. I am primarily a stick welder, partly a point of pride, I feel it takes more skill to use a stick welder, also a 6010 on my old Lincoln AC 300/DC 250 Idealarc will burn through any rust and dirt or a 7014 will lay a nice bead on clean metal.
I am thinking since I have two feeders why not mount the two wire feeders side by side on top of it, one set up for stainless and the other for mild steel. I like the convenience of not having to stop and change wire if I want to weld one material or another.
Several questions.
1. Any words of wisdom how to test the machine further before I spend $400 only to find out that the machine does not work?
2. Any experience or advised to share on an old Miller CP-200?
3. Has anyone tried attaching two wire feeders to one machine, granted use only one at a time but would call for an additional outlay of about $300 for the luxury of not having to change wire for the job?
4. What expertise would you offer as far as using a homemade rotary phase converter as opposed to changing the machine to single phase 240? I already have the phase converter for my monster old drill press and a 16X60 Pratt & Whitney lathe.
I am a hobby welder, welding is my way to be creative and help friends. This machine will likely not get more than 10 hours a year of actual weld time. Just from time to time I wanted a MIG and I had chance to get this machine for what I felt was a good price. I am primarily a stick welder, partly a point of pride, I feel it takes more skill to use a stick welder, also a 6010 on my old Lincoln AC 300/DC 250 Idealarc will burn through any rust and dirt or a 7014 will lay a nice bead on clean metal.
I am thinking since I have two feeders why not mount the two wire feeders side by side on top of it, one set up for stainless and the other for mild steel. I like the convenience of not having to stop and change wire if I want to weld one material or another.
Several questions.
1. Any words of wisdom how to test the machine further before I spend $400 only to find out that the machine does not work?
2. Any experience or advised to share on an old Miller CP-200?
3. Has anyone tried attaching two wire feeders to one machine, granted use only one at a time but would call for an additional outlay of about $300 for the luxury of not having to change wire for the job?
4. What expertise would you offer as far as using a homemade rotary phase converter as opposed to changing the machine to single phase 240? I already have the phase converter for my monster old drill press and a 16X60 Pratt & Whitney lathe.
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