welder/plasma cutter

[GreaseDog]

i'd like to buy myself a welder and a plasma cutter around tax time. looking to spend about $2500-3000 for both.

what would you guys recomend? my shop is currently wired for 220.

[GreaseDog]

kinda leaning towards Miller on both, since my limited experiences with them have been positive ones.

[GreaseDog]

here are the machines im currently looking at...
Miller Spectrum 625 X-treme

•Rated: 5/8 in at 12 IPM*
•1/4" at 60 IPM*
*Inches Per Minute

Input Power

•208 - 230 V 1 Phase
Required Input Pressure/Flow

•6.0 SCFM (170 L/min.) at 90 PSI MIN (621 kPa) 120 PSI MAX (828 kPa)
Rated Output at 104° F (40°C)

•40 A at 140 VDC, 50% duty cycle
Net Weight with torch

•12 ft torch: 21 lb (9.5 kg)
•20 ft torch: 23 lb (10.4 kg)
Comes Complete With
•Plasma cutter
•ICE-40T hand-held torch with 12 ft (3.7 m) or 20 ft (6.1 m) cable
•Heavy-duty work clamp with 12 ft (3.7 m) or 20 ft (6.1 m) cable
•X-CASE™ provides protection in transport and storage
•12 ft (3.7 m) power cord
•Consumables box with 2 standard electrodes, 1 extended electrode, 2 standard tips, 1 extended tip, and deflector
•Shoulder strap








and the Millermatic 212 Auto Set
Specifications
Input Power

•208/230 V, 1-Phase, 60 Hz
Rated Output

•160 Amps at 24.5 VDC, 60% duty cycle
Welding Amperage Range

•30 - 210 Amps
Wire Speed

•50 - 700 IPM (1.3 - 17.8 m/min)
Net Weight

•178 lb (81 kg)
Comes Complete With
•7 ft (2.1 m) power cord and plug (208/230 V model only)
•15 ft (4.6m), 250 amp M-25 MIG gun for .030/.035 in wire
•10 ft (3 m) work cable and clamp
•Argon mix regulator/flow gauge w/hose
•Extra contact tips
•Factory-installed running gear with EZ-Change™ Low Cylinder Rack
•.030/.035 in reversible drive rolls
•Set-up and operation interactive CD
•New! Material thickness gauge (#229 895)



any thoughts?

[nine5yukon]

im shoppin for a 220v myself and a plasma would kick ass. my budget is quiet smaller but you sound like you got it goin on! i was thinkin about one of the plasma/tig/arc combos they have on ebay, good luck with your purchase and if you need anything to test it on, come on over :D

[Grebbler]

I am also a broke bloke and researching a cheaper unit. I just don't weld enough to justify a big Miller. The Chinese units can be a crap shoot but they are maturing into decent hobby units.

The one I am leaning towards is a new unit out from Longevity, the WeldAll 200PI or 250PI (http://www.longevity-inc.com/productdetail_229/WeldAll-200PI.php)

These guys are trying to build a good rep and really try to take care of their customers. I'll probably get one come tax refund time. Log into their forum and talk to the guys that have them. They're a good bunch and will help you along with any questions about them.

Ed

[GreaseDog]

i've made due all these years without a welder, borrowing or farming it out when needed. with my massive increase in garage space, i'm looking to get into demolition derby a little heavier, and start driving more. that coupled with my truck projects, a welder just makes sense to me, and the plasma will come in handy too.

the way i see it, i can spend $1500 on lesser machines, and like you said, take the chance that they wont do what i want to my satisfaction... or i can spend a little more, and get exactly what i need/want out of a machine. the Miller machines will be easier to get parts for too.

i did look at the Longevity machines, and they seem nice, and customer service appears good. that's not going to help me 4 years down the road when they dont make it, and i end up with $1500 worth of machines that i cant use because i cant find parts for them.

[skidmarx15]

My friend has a Hobart 135, which is a 115V mig welder. Works awesome. It was able to weld anything we needed on his Super Stock race car this year, and we already used it to weld in motor mounts and exhaust together on his limited late model. It's a small unit, but packs a lot of power.

Otherwise at school we used Miller 251's which worked awesome. And those were being used by mostly kids who didn't really know how to use them that well for four or five hours a day, four days a week, for years.

Go with Miller/Hobart. You won't be disappointed.

We also had a Miller plasma cutter at school. Worked great. But they take a ton of practice.

[PHATSPEED7X]

Wish I had a mig wilder. I have two older 220V Stick welders. My parent's garage isn't wired for 220V yet.

[dirty_drew]

Wish I had a mig wilder. I have two older 220V Stick welders. My parent's garage isn't wired for 220V yet.

Yup, me too, i've seen very few people who have mastered the jedi ways of the stick welder though:weld::mexsmoke: My welds still look like crap.

[skidmarx15]

I was only good with the really thick 6013's. Don't know why.

[AnexRX7]

I worked on a farm for 2 years that I had used both a Miller MIG and Plasma Cutter. They really work fantastic, and with that machine you're looking at, you can get another bottle of straight aragon and weld aluminum. I've seen my boss weld up a quad frame, like a peg boss and it did great. For making brackets and the like, the combo is fantastic. I remember we broke up the plasma to make some sort of weird shape, don't recall what it was for, but it cuts really clean. I know for a fact, once you get that, you'll be using it a lot! Just buy a few extra tips/shields and you'll be on the roll. Get an auto-darkening mask btw, its literally day and night difference haha.

[iwantoneofthose]

not sure if you've bit the bullet yet, but I've used Miller machines for years. I have a Spectrum 375 that takes a beating (assisted in parting out 4-5 cars) the past few years, and the Miller 135 which was ok for small stuff. Just upgraded from the 135 to the Millermatic 211 Auto Set (I still need it to do 110v sometimes) and love it. You can't go wrong with Miller, or even Lincoln Electric.

[GreaseDog]

no, i havent bit the bullet yet. waiting until tax time, and going to set myself up real nice like. :D

[jaison710]

i dont know if harbor freight tools is a cali only store, they sell cheap brands of tools. i bought the best plasma they offer.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95136
this page says 799, but last week iwas in the store and it was like 650, either a sale or the net has a different price. since its a off brand, i bought the extra, no questions asked, return anytime 3 year warranty, and the thing is awesome. at the end of 3 years i returned it for a new and bought the warranty again. i use it all the time, if you dont have a plasma, get one. i remember when i thought saws-all were the best time saver, forget it. with a plasma, and a welder, if you can draw it, you can make it. for the price, the quality of the harbor freight plasma is a great deal, especially for as much as i use it, im definately happy with it. cuts thick metal easily too, cuts thru 1/4 inch nearly as fast as 18 gauge sheetmetal.