Just bought a Maxtron

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Ok guys at the advice of many on here I have been shopping around for a Maxtron 450 and finally found the deal I was looking for.  Have not gotten the welder in hand yet but bought it from reputable source and with money back guarantee and secured with paypal.  Looking forward to getting this thing set up and rolling some beads.  99% of my welds are Mig so I need to get a good wire feeder for it--any feeders out there to stay AWAY from as well as mig guns.  (anyone got one they want to sell right) I dont TIG much, if any right now but I want to set this up and get back in practice for when I need to TIG so will be looking for a good tig setup as well.  So if ya got advise or items lets hear it.Will definately be shooting Steve on here a PM as he was great help in getting me this far.
Reply:Steve's who I would have suggested to talk to about a feeder and gun..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:Miller S-21E, was not a very good attempt at an entry level 400amp feeder.I like Binzel Alpha torches.Matt
Reply:should I look for a 400 amp gun.  I am going to be running off single phase so I think I remeber you guys saying I was gonna max out around 300 which is still more amps than I need.  what about like a 400 amp Bernard with center Fire consumables.  I dont want a BIG bulky torch
Reply:hmmmm that is a nice looking unit, might be a little out of my price range right now but ya never know shoot me a pm with what ya have available with some pics if ya would.  I would much rather buy from someone like you that I know where to find tomorrow if I have a problem with anything.
Reply:thats what I like to hear man.  PM awayHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Miller does make a good feeder. I have a S52 that I've had for thirty years and it has never had a glitch, working perfectly all these years. I have a Bernard gun on it that is just as old and just as good.
Reply:well got my Maxtron today so far so good.  machine looks very clean.  Popped the sides off to take  look inside, it was in need of a blow job but really was not that bad at all.  a fair mount of gray powder stuff in it kinda looked and smelled like concrete dust so ???  but anyway spent about a half hour blowing it all out and she looks great inside.  Have not got to power it up yet gonna put it on a designated 60AMP breaker for now which should do fine I will rarely run it over 220 amps but will be great having that 100% duty cycle.  Now I just gotta get me a feeder.  Got a line on one so hopefully it will pan out this week and I will be up and going with it.  Steve never did get a pm from ya bud.  The story on the welder i got was it was bought new by a Semi Trailer Manufacturer that had replaced most of their welders and then a short time after that went Belly up, so it had been sitting for a few years waiting for all the paper work to settle and then auctioned to the guy I bought it from who bought 4 of the machines Kept one sold the rest.  Said he loves his with no porblems at all so we shall see.  is there much difference between a S-52E and a S-52A feederLast edited by rbmedic75; 08-09-2010 at 11:06 PM.Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:well guys went today and met with the guy to pick up the rest of the stuff I needed to get the maxtron up and going.  Very straight up guy (member on here) ill get his screen name here in a bit.  I will be buying some more stuff from him, odds and ends but anyway.  Went and got the S-52A series feeder that he included 2 Tweco mig guns with plus all the cables needed to hook it up I think.  Also got a Electric operated regulator/flow meter, and a nice tig pedal all ready to go and hook up to the MAX. Found one of my other tig torches not sure if it will work on the MAX or not but we will see it has the gas control knob on the handle.  The Mig torches I got with the feeder are No 4's so a little bigger than I like but we will see may have to get a smaller handled one for some of the stuff I do/comfort for long welds.  So gonna go out to the shop and take the covers off of the feeder and stuff to blow it all out and clean it up a bit little dusty but in good shape, then time to wire the designated Breaker for the Maxtron and see how everything fires up.  Steve I may have to take you up on the phone call to make sure I have every thing setup right so be prepared  All in all if everything fires up well this has definately been the way to go definately the most bang for my Buck.  I could not have picked up a used 250 series off ebay for what I have in this whole setup.Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Just wanted to let you guys know that 7A749 (AKA Steve) is an awesome guy, hooked me up and on friday night even though he was leaving for vacation Saturday morning (today) he took the time to get me a MUCH needed cable rounded up to hook my feeder up to the welder.  as well as some wire rollers.  He could have said well bud ill get ya fixed up soon as I get back from vacation but he didnt he took the time got me a cable boxed up and got it all ready to ship out to me so I could get it up and going and get the work done I needed to.  Even though I didnt get the welder and feeder from him he went out of his way to help me out.  Great guy and very trusting, definately know where to go for future stuff.  A lot of you guys already know this about 7A749 but for those that dont definately a guy to do buisness with.Thanks again SteveHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Holly crap man yeah compared to that mine looked BRAND new just a little dust but nothing caked to it.  If I were to take a paper towel even now and wipe them off probably do both with one paper towel and not be black.  Wow that one is BAD i could have put all the dust in mine in a small measuring cup liike 1/3 cup or less.  I will try and get some pics of it posted up.  but it was spotless compared to that one.  Looks like I could use a piece off tubing and drill/tap a couple bolts for the wire spool retainerHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:the little ring that has the 2 bolts in it that goes over the end of the 2" shaft the spool slides on was missing I took a piece of 2.5" OD dom tubing slid up over the end of the spindle perfect cut it same with and drilled and tapped 2 holes and put bolts in her fit like a gloves and works good so all set up.  I burnt about 20' of weld with it this afternoon and once I get the setting dialed in I think I am golden.  gotta say this thing has a MUCH softer arc then my hobart does.  The feeder has a setting on it for slow start and fast start gotta figure which one I like better seems when I first strike the arc it burns the wire clear back to the tip and will stick of course but after it does it the first time its good to go so gottat get her dialed in and should be good.Welding 3/16 mild steel this evening i was running preset of voltage at 17 and wire speed and 34 on the dial wire feed seems slow but if I dial it up anymore it start to spit and sputter.  I am used to the preset taps so its gonna spoil me having infinite adjustment of the voltage now.  Definately gonna get a new mig gun, dam that Tweco 4 is heavy but I love the posistional neck on the torch, does the bernard have a positional neck.Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:good deal thanks steve got everything up and going with it welded about 20' of bead on 3/16 again with it seem to be having some issue with gas flow the feeder is putting it out fine but not sure its making it all the way to the tip of the gun because I am getting lots of porosity at times so gonna check the o-rings for this week and get a new Bernard for it.  Missed a dang foot pedal today of flea bay, was out in the shop and the auction ended on it and a bernard 400 amp but there will be more.  So ill be calling ya soon as I get the pedal to help me wire up the tig torch on it.  Thanks again man you have been a lot of help with this all.Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:yeah pretty sure its the gun I can pull the hose off at the feeder and click the trigger and it opens and blows fine.  GOnna change out the regulator to another one also the one I had lying around seems to need calibrated.  Just doesnt seem right I have to tunr it up to mid to high 20 to get the gas to flow out of the gun so either that or like you said the difusser is all buggered upHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Guys I gotta say this was DEFINATELY the way to go, for me anyway.  I have less money in this whole setup than what I could have gotten a nice used 250 class machine and i have a 325 AMP 100% duty cycle machine that I can MIG, DC TIG which is all I need, STICK, and carbon ARC with.  Couldnt be happier.  there were a few bumps in the road and I had to do a little shopping around but no WAY i could have gotten a machine of this caliber/versatility for the same money.  The Arc is GREAT very soft barely an splatter at all and I mean BARELY less than a dozen spalls that stuck to the parent material in over 45 feet of welding 3/16" plate.  Very happy gonna put a new mig torch on it but other than that 100% money well spent.  I think Steve 7A749 may have aquired a few machine he had his eyes one so if you guys read this and are in need of a Solid High Output Versitile Welder give him a hollar and he will take care of ya.  Thanks to all of those that have offered and gave advise and help during this project.  If the time ever arrises I can expand it more with pulsed mig and/or High Freq box for allum TIG Miller Maxtron 450--325 on single phase with a S-52A feeder KICK BUTTHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Oh...Here's a couple pix of a dirty Maxtron.....  (Two different machines)Notice the mold? The outside panels holding all the caps & power modules were spotless. Simply cleaning the outsides is not good enough, as we discussed on the phone. Usually, the DRO boxes & boards are filthy too. I have a cheap solution for tightening that up too. I can post it if you're interested. Haven't seen too many worse than this that were actually still working.
Reply:Hey guys thought i would chime back in here and follow up with this thread.Guys I LOVE this machine.  I bought this one after recomendations from several guys on here (steve to be included) and I am glad I listened.  This machine is a BEAST and welds with a very nice LOW splatter bead that I can fine tune and even adjust the arc inductance to suite my needs and likes.  I did end up getting a Bernard Q3 gun on it and have run a few hundred pounds of .030 wire and love it.  I was used to reaching the duty cycle on my other machines commonly making me sit idle for them to cool off.  Not on this thing!  The only duty cycle to be maxed out is Mine LOL. it will weld 3/8 plate non stop all day long.  A couple times this winter I think it was heating my garage more than my heaters but NEVER missed a lick.  I am getting ready to venture into my next step with it, which is TIG.  Just got a new profax pedal so gonna bug Steve for help wiring up the tig torch lol.  more to follow im sureLast edited by rbmedic75; 04-05-2011 at 07:37 PM.Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator