this should get the natives restless!!

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Hey gang new to the site , and well new to welding to be honest . 1/3 of my way thru getting my welding certs. I am looking for a home/shop GMAW welder and for some reason I just cannot seem to find one . I guess you could say that I am caught up in the "Ford, Chevy, Dodge" debate ? All bull-malarky aside I have put a price range of 2000.00 U.S. on my purchase . But I want the best bang for my buck WITHOUT getting "slant~eyed"( you know what I mean) I really am leaning towards a ESAB, with a Miller coming in a close second , as for Lincoln really dont wanna sell a kidney and one of my kids to get one ! From looking at all the spec sheets the Migmaster 275 has all the..... ahem.....ballz to be a great welder , spool gun ready , and for some reason I just cant pull the trigger ??  Somebody please help me spend my money!!!
Reply:For around 2 grand you can get a 250 class machine from either ESAB, Lincoln or Miller. Figure a little more for extra drive rolls and what not. I went with Red.....But thats just me. DaKK
Reply:Lincoln makes welders...Miller makes beers...that is all.If you don't use your head you may as well have been born with two backends.That ain't exactly how Papa used to say it.*Linc'n WeldanPower 200 with a Wis. 2 cyl. w/handcrank*Linc'n AC225 *Linc'n ProMig 180*tiny porta torch...
Reply:[QUOTE=stickdik;364266  Somebody please help me spend my money!!![/QUOTE]i will sell you my nice lincoln sp135, well broke in and debugged...okay, okay only $1200..
Reply:I would go with any of the above mentioned.  Esab is my favorite brand of 250 class wire welder.  I have used all three.  I can say that most won't be able to tell the difference in them.  There are some who can and explain why like Dan.  I can only tell the difference when switching from one to the other but then I can't tell you why it is different.  I can only tell that it is slightly different.I haven't used the 275 yet.  i am saving my pennies for it.  I have run the Esab 250 quite abit and have welded everything from 24 ga  stripping (playing around) to 3 inch thick metal.
Reply:http://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.co...COMPACT/Detailgeez 1800.00dat's cheapEd 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:Miller makes welders.Lincoln makes logs (childrens toys)!"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:haha lol that clears it all up for me ...Scott Young thanks for the feedback !
Reply:Originally Posted by BluesmanLincoln makes welders...Miller makes beers...that is all.
Reply:Had a good chuckle reading the slogans posted so far.  But seriously,  What are you going to weld?  Base your decision on what equipment to buy on the job you intend to do.  If all you're welding is sheet metal, why buy a $2000 machine?  A Miller or Lincoln 140 MIG machine will get the job done....for a lot less than $2000.  Who makes the welder is less important.  Figure out what you need, then buy the Lincoln or MIller machine( or other major player's machine) that fits the bill.  If you don't have a project yet, leave your money in the bank...Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Just to confuse things a bit more... If I was looking at a 250 amp class mig, I'd think hard about a multi function powersource like Millers XMT304 and a feeder. New it's more than you want to spend, but I've seen some nice used units with feeders run $1500-1800 or so. That also gives you a great stick machine, and the option to later add DC tig to the package. I'm keeping my eyes open and trying to save my pennies to upgrade my 200 amp class mig to one some time in the future..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:If you plan on doing allot of welding getting a machine that will accept 33 to 44 lb spools will save big in wire. I pay almost 90$ for a 15 lb spool of dual shield. At work we pay 145$ for 33 lb spool. I wish I had a machine to accept the bigger spools. Also my little red machine doesnt like to feed 15 lb spools
Reply:Adam. I have seen guys make a rear mounted spool holder for some machines. Usually they are set up where the bottle rack normaly is and they drill a hole thru the rear sheetmetal to feed the drive. Mostly this is for feeding medium sized spools into little machines, but I can't see why the same principal wouldn't work with the bigger rolls. You would have to see if your drive has the balls to turn that big a spool. Maybe work would let you borrow one as a test, or you might take your machine in and see if it will feed from the bigger roll..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:thanks for all the feedback , and yes it will be a GMAW machine but it has to be spool gun ready - for down the road.  I really like the looks and performace specs of the ESAB 275 ...decent price for a brand new unit as opposed to a smaller unit from Miller or Lincoln at a MAJOR increase in price ?? At my school all they run is "blue" , not sure if it is a " on the side " thing or not ...but the few old and I mean OLD Aircos's they use still work like champs!!
Reply:DSW,  I have seen that mod before.  One of the men from work modded his Lincoln 175 like that for his home shop.