Engine driven machine questions

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Hey guys nubee question here so please be gentleI have been saving for a welder for quite some time now and was set on a couple of machines (251 syncro/275 precision tig) however a Trailblazer 302 has come up for about 1/2 the price of one of the other machines I was looking at. It looks like its in new condition and comes with 200ft of leads and its on a licenced trailer. I don't need a portable unit but it seems like a nice option as well as a large gen could come in handy, but really I only need a capable welder.  My questions are1) The unit is a 2007 with 266hrs on it and the owner claims 2 oil changes were done, does this seem like a lot of hours and is that reasonable maintenance?2) Miller claims this unit does many processes but what will I need (and approx cost ) to tig weld SS and Al with this unit?Any other suggestions or recommendations would be welcomed with open eyes.TiaSrLast edited by Sr SQ; 07-28-2008 at 11:51 AM.Reason: speeling
Reply:For years all I had was a portable.  It did everything. Ran my LN-25 wire feeder, tigged, and stick.  Looks like a good idea.Does it have accommodation for a foot pedal or remote control?David.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Well to tig stainless you will need a regulator, bottle of argon, and a torch with a valve on it. (around a couple hundred bucks)  As far as tigging aluminum you will need a high freq box. (can be found used for $300-$600) You could add a foot pedal for a few hundred more.  ofcourse you can run stick with what you have.  To run mig you will need a wire feeder. The trailblazer is a very nice machine but it's not gonna tig like a syncrowave or precision tig.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Originally Posted by David RFor years all I had was a portable.  It did everything. Ran my LN-25 wire feeder, tigged, and stick.  Looks like a good idea.Does it have accommodation for a foot pedal or remote control?David.
Reply:Originally Posted by Sr SQOK thanks HammackSince this is all new to me can you explain why it wont tig as well as a dedicated tig machine? Is it that it wont do some things or just wont do them as efficiently? Miller recommends the Dynasty® 200 Series HF-251D-1 unit for tig welding with the Trailblazer however that unit combined with the Trailblazer costs more than the syncro and it looks like its limited to 140amps. Would that unit make it as capable as the syncro or should I just scrap the trailblazer plan all together.
Reply:It more depends on what you are going to do.  266 hours aint anything.  Oil changes are recommended every 100 hours.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:-The tb is a good machine. I have only used the dc version of it (I put over 300 hours on it in about 4 months, but some was as a generator). I put over 600 hours on my Eagle 10,000 before it was a year old. All of it welding, lol. Two oil changes is right for that amount of hours. It isn't unusual to see these machines with over 4000 hours on them.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:OK guys thanks for the input.I will play this one out and see if it comes thru ( still waiting on a reply from the seller) and if it dosen't, well I guess I will stick to the original planSr
Reply:Go look the machine up on Millers website. Find the owners manual for it and read it. It will answer all of those questions for you. You can even look up the required accessories on their website and see the suggested price for them.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Keep in mind that you're buying 2 machines when you buy the engine drive. When the lights go out that Trailblazer will run a mid sized house.
Reply:You might also consider general energy economy? especially considering gasoline/diesel prices today... weigh your electrical bill with the price per gallon on fuel you'll be burning constantly every time you need to weld. Not to mention the extra noise and exuast fumes coming along with the engine drive. A Syncro is lot more quiet, especially if you are working late at night with neighbors. And better yet, an inverter draws even less electricity to do the job and can be quite portable. It really does come down to what you are doing...If you need to be mobile and in the field, then there is no question, you need an engine. But if you are fabricating indoors in the same place in a shop, I would recommend investing in an inverter. (The Dynasty is a sweet machine.) But if you weigh in cost of the machine, your best bet might be to go back to the original Syncrowave, which is an all around excellent unit for stationary shop use. good luck!
Reply:I have a t b and I love it but I only run stick weld or run wire with an Ln 25 if live in town your neighbors will hate you when your finishing up a project ant midnight though
Reply:Thank you for all the responses they have been a great help.I have decided to go ahead and pick-up this unit and play with it a little, from the people I have talked to locally they seem to think I could resell it for my purchase price if i dont like it. We will see.
Reply:Hey Sr Sq. I just saw a post on craigslist boston for a trailblazer with trailer with 266 hours on it and two oil changes. Is that the same machine you were looking at?
Reply:hey fellows ,hows it going , my problem is that i have an eagle 10,000 engine driven welder.  how could i mount welder on my f350 truck bed dont want to drill through gas tank.  any ideas or pics on how to install on bed of truck . thanks
Reply:The gas tanks aren't that close to the truck bed.  Just don't push the drill through for several more inches after drilling the holes!   Better yet, just measure and check that you're not drilling right over the tank.   It's not that hard to figure out.  I've mounted lots of things in my F350 truck bed without drilling anything underneathI didn't intend to.  If you want to be really safe, make a frame the same size as the welder's footprint and use the bed bolts to mount the frame, then mount the welder to the frame.To the original poster.  I have a mobile machine and shop machines, but I don't run the Bobcat in the shop.  I get tired enough of listening to it out on mobile jobs.  The last thing I want to do is bring it home and listen to it scream some more.   Neither do my neighbors.  Plus, it's alot more efficient to use the shop electricity to run whatever equipment I'm using than burn gas and add hours to the mobile rig.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op