New to both!

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hello every one, i'm new to welding web site and to welding lol, i got a few question to ask because i am about to purchase a MIG welder and a plasma cutter, what i want to know is which brand should i get? i've red a lot in that forum the best plasma is hypertherm powermax 30xp... i'm not sure which thickness i will be cutting but i want to be sure i have that's enought to cut from the lowest to 1''. for the MIG i want one i can use the spool gun with it. i have a SDMO stick welder that i'm using already. thank you guys.
Reply:Plasma, I feel Hypertherm is the way to go. However the Powermax 30xp won't do 1". Max severance is listed as 5/8". To go to 1" you have to jump up to the powermax 45 instead. It's max rating for severance cuts is 1". Between the two for me it would be a tough call. The PM 45 is 230v only and has more capacity. The PM 30xp though is 110v/230v capable, even if the max thickness is smaller. I'd probably use my plasma more if it was 110v capable for thinner stuff. It's not all that often I really need the max thickness of my PM1000. However when I bought the unit originally, I planed to use it on a CNC based table. There the extra thickness rating equated to faster cut speeds on the table where it made more sense. You'll need to look at what you really plan to use this for and make a decision if the portability and ability to use 110v power is worth the trade off in max thickness.Migs. Go with a 230v mig machine. You mention a spoolgun, so I assume you are thinking possibly about doing alum. Alum is a great heat sink and you will need power. You'll max out a 180 amp class mig on 1/8" alum. A 200 amp class mig would be better since it would give you more room to make adjustments at the top end.Brands, Miller, Lincoln and Hobart in no particular order. Hobart usually has the best priced units in an amp range. Millers and Lincolns tend to have an edge on slightly heavier built parts. Thermal Arc/ Tweeco also seems to have some nice units out there and is gaining popularity. Essab would be another good choice up there with Miller and Lincoln if they are sold in your area. I'd avoid most of the cheaper imports. If you have an issue, you usually will need to treat it as a disposable machine if it's out of warranty.You might take a minute and add your location to your profile so we know where you are at. Many guys browse CL regularly and might pass on a good deal if they know you are looking and are local..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:You never gave us a budget, so I am going to skip the compact MIG units. If your wanting a proven reliable MIG unit that will probably perform trouble free for a good 15 - 20+ years, I 'd go with a Lincoln PowerMIG 256 or a Millermatic 252. If these are a little to steep for your budget, my next step down would be a Hobart Ironman 230.ESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:thank you guys! i'm getting the millermatic 211 auto set and the palsma cutter hypertherm powermax 30xp. i really hope it will helo me out.