Welder generators

Going to be buying a engine driven Arc welder. Not going to be buying the top end, but thinking about the Bobcat 250 or the Lincoln Ranger. Need some opinions on this. Most likely going to go with a new one, but I have not dismissed buying used. gear

Depends on what you want to do with it.
Me, I like trailblazers, as they are easy to mig and tig with, as I do almost no stick welding, but lots and lots of tig welding on jobsites.
I guess the new bobcats have more features, but the old ones I have rented over the years didnt have the plug for plugging in my foot pedal, or mig wire feeder.

Lincoln and Miller are both good. Although Macona, who will no doubt chime in here, and fixes em for a living, seems to prefer Miller.

Gee... My reputation precedes me!

I prefer the Trailblazers as well.

Main difference between the Bobcats/Rangers and Trailblazers is the Trailblazer is designed to give full AC output while welding and without messing around with the fine current adjust to get full output.

The lower end Rangers and the Bobcats all have one set of armature windings and two sets of field windings, one for weld out and one for AC out. Since there is only one set of arm winding the AC output is regulated by the same circuit as the weld output so you have to set the fine adjust at 10 for full ac out on these machines.

I have had a couple of these machines come in from the customer wonder why they were not getting full output of AC. They had the fine adjust knob set low! OOPS!

The trailblazers have essentially two alternators on the same shaft. Two sets of windings and two sets of field windings. This allows the machine to regulate AC output independent of weld output.

Also the TBs come with the options for remotes for wire feeding, tig, etc. They are a really sweet machine.

Also both millers now have the engine completely enclosed which makes it quieter and runs cooler. Cleaner too.

The lincolns are not that bad, but I still wouldnt but one.

Thanks for the help here guys. Would you have any problem with buying a used machine. It seems my little welding here and their for people is starting to take off. I have been taking everything to my garage and welding it up and then delievering it to the person. Don't want to continue this trend, so that's why the question came up. Mainly doing Mig and Tig for people. Mild steel only for right now. So the upper end Bobcat looks good. Trailblazer might be out of reach for me right now.

I have a Lincoln Ranger 10K classic and a big Miller Diesel. I have been happy with both really. I have been running a small mig off the Lincoln with sporatic results. Maybe the Armature winding thing has something to do with that. Next time I'll crank up the Lincoln amps all the way and see if the wire going easier.