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I'm thinking of thinning down my herd and purchasing another engine drive to run a wire feeder from. I'll keep the GB-318 as it's rapidly becoming my favorite. All three of my Hobart machines are DC/CC only which I'm told is not the best to run a feeder from. I'm wanting to run quite a bit of dual shield wire both out of doors, and inside the shop on T1 steel and 80KSI and heavier truck frames. I'm comfortable with 8018 rod in most positions but would like to speed the process up quite a bit. After running a bit of Hobart wire in the application through a Millermatic 200, I'd really like to investigate the possibility. I'm not particular on diesel or gas powered, don't mind either truck mount or on running gear, so choices are wide. I wouldn't mind something that will generate enough AC power to run my PM-85 plasma too if possible. What is a good machine suiting most of the criteria?If I sold off my G-213,(difficult) and G-258, along with my Onan genset, I could probably justify a purchase new. Otherwise I'll probably research the used market quite extensively first.Thanks for any assist.Last edited by 7A749; 07-26-2015 at 11:14 AM.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:I think you are somewhat mistaken. You want a CC-CV DC machine. CV to run wire. The Miller trailblazer 325 would be my choice if buying new .
Reply:Originally Posted by M J DI think you are somewhat mistaken. You want a CC-CV DC machine. CV to run wire. The Miller trailblazer 325 would be my choice if buying new .
Reply:Yeah, I have used a few old engine drive hobarts, great stick welder. I think you should have no problem running the 85 at reduced capacity. Probably want a gas compressor tho to not have that electric draw on the generator.
Reply:Then i would highly recommend a Trailblazer and if you get one with the smart power output you will save quite a bit on fuel costsCouple that with a 12 VS feeder and you have FCAW-G and FCAW-S along with MIG in the fieldall that you need from there is a good compressor then you have plasma and CAC..Air Arc  capabilityAnd DC tig is just around the corner from there ....I still say miller made a mistake in removing AC mode off the New TB's but that's just my opinion  there is still enough power output to run a AC capable tig machine like a dynasty off the TB or a spool gun if you would ever want to do aluminum in the field They really are a swiss army knifeBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:A buddy of mine owns a Lincoln 305G. With the Chopper Technology it will run SMAW every bit as nice as an SA-200. I set him up with an LN-25 to run wire. It has a beautiful arc with Mig. I haven’t run any dual shield with it, so I can’t comment on that.I use to own a Trailblazer 55D. It ran wire really nice. The vast majority of wire I ran with it was self shielded wire on the job site. SMAW was nothing to write home about! Lets just say it ran it. I haven’t run any of the new Trailblazer, so I can’t comment on them either. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...olnElectric%29http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00345Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:On the theory that any thing worth doing is worth over doing......Miller's Big Blue Air Pak 600http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/spec_sheets/ED10-5.pdf
Reply:That is no longer listed http://www.millerwelds.com/products/enginedriven/this is listed http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00495I'm going to need a bigger truckand the price ...NevermindBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:I think I'm losing my marbles, or ability to type accurately after reading my original post..... I meant to address "CV ", and simply referred to it as "DC". I also referred to "8011" rod, meaning 8018. It think most everything else is correct. Maybe the post after the 400+ mile drive yesterday to the next job had something to do with it.......Anyway, thanks for the help so far. Although I've not searched Craigslist, I do see a lot of Lincoln "Vantage 500" machines on ebay as example. How are these machines for usefulness? Any shortcomings with them? I seen an older one w/low hours: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...ntage&_sacat=0 still sporting a warranty, (if any value) but it's just a cursory glance. This is the wire a buddy uses through his older Millermatic 200 mig machine out of doors: http://www.hobartbrothers.com/produc...E%26reg%3B+120 and it really lays down nice in almost any position using straight CO2 gas. I'd like to emulate closely with a package not adapted, or a compromise to work. I'm rapidly learning to take a dislike to this new Samsung tablet computer my wife purchased for my travels. I can only hit the correct key about 75% or the time and am constantly hitting the "screen lock" key requiring a code to unlock. The damned keys are about 2/3 the size of an average laptop but I guess it beats nothing......If I truck mount this new setup it would be mounted to my old Mack I'll get to finish someday. Thanks again.Last edited by Slob; 07-26-2015 at 10:25 AM.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:I looked at that Hobart wire, it shows 1/16" diameter. You would need a decent size machine for that. 400 amps would be nice. If smaller diameter a 250-300 amp engine drive would be fine.
Reply:Originally Posted by M J DI looked at that Hobart wire, it shows 1/16" diameter. You would need a decent size machine for that. 400 amps would be nice. If smaller diameter a 250-300 amp engine drive would be fine.
Reply:Yeah, .045 would be plenty for most stuff. Esab makes a nice dual shield wire also, the ultra series.
Reply:I fixed the text in your original,post to reflect what you meant.If you don't need big amps, like Al said, the trailblazer is a great choice for a compact, air cooled lower cost machine. In comparison to a Diesel engine drive anyways. The TB is small enough to fit in a variety of vehicles and can be easily moved between them if you need to. You'll get a solid 300 amps out of it and enough power to run your plasma to a useable degree.They're about $5K new. I would seriously consider that route in favor of a retired rental fleet diesel with a million hours on it. Anything like that is going to be insanely expensive to repair if it takes a crap on you.Just a thought, but my money would be on a new TB 325IMHO of courseExpert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by killdozerd11That is no longer listed http://www.millerwelds.com/products/enginedriven/this is listed http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00495I'm going to need a bigger truckand the price ...Nevermind
Reply:I grabbed the incorrect link earlier from the Hobart site for what was in the gun. A quick phone call straightened it out. Here is the correct one: http://www.hobartbrothers.com/produc...eg%3B+1101K3-C My buddy uses a 500amp shop welder for the larger stuff but it's not really portable, nor easily moved. I appreciate you pointing it out and keeping me straight. We were talking about oil patch equipment, semi trailers, trucks, other machinery, and filler materials to get me off of stick reliance, along with overall solving of the world's problems and I probably recorded some notes incorrectly. I obviously wouldn't be much of a secretary..... I'd ran down to assist and guide in the rebuild of a Mack Camelback suspension on a dump truck that was placed out of service..... $$$. Thanks,SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:new tb 325 or the previous 302. i have run both through all processes except cutting and they work fine. the 240v 50amp plug is plenty for just about anything you would want to plug in. the 302 spent a few weeks on the roof of a hospital pinned at high idle for 6-10s running me and another guy plugged into it without struggling at all.a structural steel company i work with sometimes that has an army of guys with ln-25s i have noticed to only use big vantages or commanders. they had one trailblazer on the last job i saw them on and it was the diesel. . . . . .whatever you do, dont buy that one! loudest, most annoying rattling pos i ever heard!i could be wrong, but seems when you use a vs wire feeder on an engine drive, its stuck at high idle as long as you are "clipped on". with that in mind, pay extra attention to the decible output of the machine you choose.the 325 i run now is the quietest overall machine i have ever run. sound little unit with no rattles or goofy stuff. . . . .yetbosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:Got to use a 600 Big Blue Air Pak on a haul truck bed rebuild / reline at a mine in Neveda a while back.   And boy howdy if it wasn't brand spanky new when it showed up for me to put to work.    It's a beast of a machine.   If you were packing one of those around on your personal rig you could step up and keep up in a big way.
Reply:My vote goes for a Vantage 400..... Run a LN-25 wire feeder w/ 1/16" bare wire .....Personally I got a 350 Pro....AC/DC runs stick, mig or tig (AC or DC)....... Unfortunately Miller discontinued it.....And before that used Lincoln Ranger D-10 Pro's.....
Reply:If I were going to run 1/16“, .068“, 5/64“, or 3/32“ wire all day I would look long and hard at the Vantage 500, or the 520. I wouldn’t even look at a gas engine welder.I ran this old Trailblazer 55D at 500 + amps 10 to 12-hour days for months at a time. Not one ounce of trouble. Someone would have to do a lot of talking to convince me a gas engine welder could do that!  http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...s/vantage.aspx Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:I don't imagine the OPs needs are going to be anything near thatBut, since were helping Slob spend his money, yeah buy a diesel!Vantage 500. Can't go wrong there Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:I see a lot of Lincoln Vantage 300 machines on jobsites often. Never have ran one myself so was wondering if they were popular or not. One thing I do like about the Vantage 500 is that it has three phase ancillary power output available at 22kw. I know that is a lot more available than most jobsites would ever require, but I'm looking to sell off my 40kw Onan set which I never use to capacity anyways and downsize in actual equipment. I have a gas driven Quincy compressor w/30 gallon horizontal tank to mount up on the truck if I go that route, (325 pump) and thinking it should run air arcing without problems if the welder will supply the juice.My even longer train of thought is pulling a small camper to stay in while on jobsites behind this truck to save on motel bills, or flatbed to haul stock. I should have about 8.5 feet of clear deck between the welder and compressor which I think will be at least four feet wide. The 12' bed I'm using is a "Leland Roughneck" oilfield bed with winch, headrack, full width roller tail, and 9' gin poles stored in pockets along the outer sides of the bed. These poles are readily extendable if needed also. I'm drawn to the idea of a truck mounted unit with the welder on one side up front behind tank storage racks, (just behind cab) the compressor and additional tank racks up front on the other side, and toolboxes/drawers hanging from the underside of the bed sides in front of the drive tires with large drop door tool storage in boxes under the drawer units. I've spaced the drive axle as far rearward as possible to gain underside clearance for this setup. I should be able to rig the poles easily and stow them with little effort or beating anything up.I'm thinking this setup will probably work for me but am open to suggestions. I keep everything inside the shop when not being used so decreasing the piece count of equipment while broadening it's abilities is gaining in popularity.Thanks,SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749I don't imagine the OPs needs are going to be anything near that
Reply:I would think that if you want to run large amounts of wire or larger dia. you would want a diesel driven machine. There have been days that I have used a 60lb coil in 10 hrs. More days than I care to remember. Most of it being 1/16 dia. I have a Miller Airpak that is a 1998 version that is on the truck now. It has been a very dependable machine and if needed which hasn't been but one or two times I have had parts in a day or two. It currently has 4700 hrs. on it and is on the truck now. I also have a Lincoln Air-Vantage 500 that I bought brand new in 2006 when I bought the new truck. It has 1800 hrs and some change and is total junk. I has been in the shop 5 times since I have owned it and it currently has burnt the inverter out of it. I am not very impressed with the machine or Lincoln in general. It seems to take seeral days to get parts when Miller seems to have them here in a couple of days. All the front sheet metal has been replaced on the Lincoln after 4 years as it had holes rusted in it. I repaired the main frame when I put the sheet metal on as it was about to break in two. I like the setup with the Cummins diesel and the gear driven screw compressor but dependability is a major issue. I haven't decided yet whether to rebuild the Lincoln of just buy a used Miller air-pack and rebuild it for a spare machine. It is a shame for that Cummins motor to go to waste.  Just my opinion