1st welding maching Miller Bobcat 225NT

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I have been interested in welding for some time and might have the opportunity to get a low hour miller bobcat 225NT generator welder for a good price. I will want it for mainly learning how to do fabrication and other automotive welding.  I do not have access to 220v in my current garage so the generator seemed to make sense because it would also be able to power a 220v air compressor. My main questions are is this a capable multi-process machine that can be set up to do good work with mig and tig for fabrication and/or automotive applications? Or is this primarily for stick welding. I know I know practically nothing so any good advice is welcome as I am motivated. Thank you Matthew
Reply:I would recommend to start reading the manual to learn about the machine capabilities.   



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Reply:Bobcat is a good engine drive for general work. It will run a suitcase mig directly off the welder, or a 220v Mig welder of teh power plugs. It will run TIG, AC or DC pretty good with a HF box. Great for field work, not so great for a garage shop in a dense urban area due to the noise. I bought one new in 1995, run it until 2018 with no major issues then sold it for 1500.
Reply:It's good to be motivated to learn, but you're getting ahead of yourself I think. Buying a machine that's meant for a specific purpose like this one isn't a very easy or efficient way to learn. That machine is geared towards professional contractors with mobile rigs who serve medium/heavy construction or shops that have big outdoor projects. It's not a good fit for garages or automotive work and it's overkill for general fabrication in a shop. It also has much higher running and maintenance costs than a machine you plug into the wall. Go look at the recommended maintenance in the user manual for it then compare it with one of the more typical multi-process machines (like a miller multimatic) and see if you still want to get it. That's not a good machine for TIG either and you need to buy extra equipment to use it with MIG. I think you should learn more about the welding processes yourself before you go purchasing a machine.If you want something for automotive work, sheet metal thicknesses or fabricating stuff out of square tubing while you teach yourself to weld buy a 120v multi-process machine and use that to practice. Those machines are aimed at hobbyists, general fabrication and light automotive work so they're a better fit. They often come with all the non-consumables and tell you how to weld with the machine as well which is much more useful to someone starting out.
Reply:Welcome to the forum, gonna be a tough thread

Your limitations on 120v power to your peerage is going to make all of it a wee bit more difficult in your fabrication/auto journey.Tell us more about your place.. as someone else mentioned, running an engine drive for power is not ideal and may cause neighbor problems.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:ive got a trailblazer on the work truck which i think is just a more powerful version of the bobcat. no way could you use it in a neighborhood. people would complain of the noise instantly if you were using it more than once in a blue moon. plus i think they have to be mounted to something like a truck bed or concrete pad or utility trailer. if its a super good price you could buy it for future use as a mobile machine for a truck then buy a better suited machine for home use.  theres a ton of multi voltage multiprocess machines in every price rangeinvertig 221 water cooledhypertherm powermax 30xpfronius transpocket 180fronius transsteel 2200fronius iwave 230i water cooled
Reply:Great news it is a good welder. I agree with Oscar read the manual it will help a lot Most take manual and set on the shelf then call in a tech cry after getting bill😂 .Then read the manual and find the answers for free. Dave

Originally Posted by TheC5Surgeon

I have been interested in welding for some time and might have the opportunity to get a low hour miller bobcat 225NT generator welder for a good price. I will want it for mainly learning how to do fabrication and other automotive welding.  I do not have access to 220v in my current garage so the generator seemed to make sense because it would also be able to power a 220v air compressor. My main questions are is this a capable multi-process machine that can be set up to do good work with mig and tig for fabrication and/or automotive applications? Or is this primarily for stick welding. I know I know practically nothing so any good advice is welcome as I am motivated. Thank you Matthew
Reply:Bobcat, (mine is 2006 Bobcat 250) is built for stick welding. You could run scratch start TIG on steel, or use a suitcase feeder to MIG. It'll also serve as a generator to plug in a MIG, or TIG welder.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:

Originally Posted by cornchip

ive got a trailblazer on the work truck which i think is just a more powerful version of the bobcat. no way could you use it in a neighborhood. people would complain of the noise instantly if you were using it more than once in a blue moon. plus i think they have to be mounted to something like a truck bed or concrete pad or utility trailer. if its a super good price you could buy it for future use as a mobile machine for a truck then buy a better suited machine for home use.  theres a ton of multi voltage multiprocess machines in every price range
Reply:I hope you are not buying it sight unseen on Craig’s list.
Reply:The 18 volt low end mig voltage is not very good for auto body welding. Most people plug a 120 welder into them,just to get Thin metal ability. Nice stick welding unit Having a large generator around sure is handy.Last edited by Brand X; 3 Days Ago at 12:54 AM.Esab/Lorch ET-220iEsab 160i caddyEsab CV353Esab 876Thermal LM-200/ Lincoln feedersThermal 60i- 3phaseThermal Pro Power Engine DrivePak 50Thermal 15cINE 1500
Reply:How good is your 120V service and normally there is 240 available unless underground is a problem.  A Bobcat is a fine machine but its not for you and that type of work and poor sub for line power in a garage.  Costr of fuel would pay for new service quite quick.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:

Originally Posted by 12V71

Trailblazer is a whole different animal, 3phase welding generator and separate aux. power generator for single phase. Also is set up for remote amperage control with an on-off contactor built in. So with a foot pedal or other compatible remote control you can TIG or run a non-voltage sensing wire feeder, add a HF adaptor and you have remote control AC tig for aluminum. The Bobcat has no remote control features.
Reply:

Originally Posted by cornchip

ive got a trailblazer on the work truck which i think is just a more powerful version of the bobcat. no way could you use it in a neighborhood. people would complain of the noise instantly if you were using it more than once in a blue moon. plus i think they have to be mounted to something like a truck bed or concrete pad or utility trailer. if its a super good price you could buy it for future use as a mobile machine for a truck then buy a better suited machine for home use.  theres a ton of multi voltage multiprocess machines in every price range
Reply:

Originally Posted by Broccoli1

Engine drives don't have to mounted on a truck or a trailer. Miller even sells running gear for engines so you can push/tow it around a work site.https://bakersgas.com/products/mille...waAvDpEALw_wcB
Reply:I got a little one that is Bi,,, goes both ways.  Pic really doesnt show it but there is 80cf bottle bracket making it self contained cut grind weld.  I got 4 engine drives and would be better off with 1 smaller 1 I used a little.  If I was to do this again for hobby or maintenance today would find the smallest thing would run that Esab 180.

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Last edited by Sberry; 2 Days Ago at 06:43 PM.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Have you priced out a suitcase yet? Yea not exactly cheap. My opinion is you probably should have simply wired your garage for 240, running this as a generator is going to be really expensive! If you already bought the bobcat I’d recommend learning stick welding with it I’m a firm believer that you should learn stick welding before anything else. Later you can always sell it and get a plug in mig and run some wire to your garage.