What machine to use for structural or pipe???

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Any ideas on the BEST... machine for structural steel or pipe???AWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:Man, you really have to give more detail. Are you talking about for building stuff in a shop? Welding out in the field? Pipe as in handrail pipe? Beams and columns? Could be a nice mig machine for the shopMaybe an engine driven gen/welder with an LNEven a 110v wire feed welder has its place at jobsites
Reply:Are you just trying to start a war?  I'm first assuming you mean out in the field from a welding truck?  There's still a lot more to know about what you want to do with it, but you're probably looking at a Lincoln generator as most people's favorite for that kind of work.
Reply:In my part of the world all the trucks rigged for serious work have big Lincolns sitting on them. Some of the fence and barn builders use air cooled Miller and Lincoln.
Reply:this  is a nice machine for a good priceON SALE @ Northern ToolOnly $3899.99FREE SHIPPING — Lincoln Electric Ranger GXT 250 Amp Generator/Welder — 125 Volt, 250 Amp, Model# K2382-3Why settle for less, when you can get more? The Ranger GXT has all of the Xtras you need for construction and maintenance work. This Ranger delivers XTra welding performance with 250 amps for AC or DC stick and wire welding. And, its remote-ready for extended amperage control or AC TIG welding on aluminum with Lincolns optional TIG module. The GXT generates XTra power, up to 11,000 watts peak, for lights, grinders and high amperage equipment such as Lincolns Pro-Cut 55 plasma cutter. With the exclusive Lincoln enclosed case, you get XTra protection and XTra quiet operation. With the Ranger GXT, you get XTra value, without paying more. 3-year limited warranty. Truck ship. U.S.A.
Reply:Yup, startin a war. I really love it when people tell me my work isn't serious since I run a Miller Trailblazer. Last I checked, 20,000#+ precast panels were fairly serious as are the large beams and such we set. Pipe guys love down playing everyone's machines that aren't Linc generators.
Reply:im talking about field work...I have a Trailblazer 250G so i dont know if i need something bigger...i want to start doing some structural work such as beams and such....never done any work like that....i really want to try it....or bridge work....any help would be great guys.....and not trying to start a war i have welded with lots of different machines...and everyone of them had their pros and cons....thanks guys...AWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:I did structural work for a few years with a Miller AEAD 200LE on the truck, then a few with a Miller Blue Star 2E, then a Bobcat 225G untill a year and a half ago. Rarely had the machine over 180a. Now I have a TB302. That is a much bigger machine than what I had before. I got it mainly for the wire capabilities. 325a goes a long way with wire.
Reply:Originally Posted by redcoupeim talking about field work...I have a Trailblazer 250G so i dont know if i need something bigger...i want to start doing some structural work such as beams and such....never done any work like that....i really want to try it....or bridge work....any help would be great guys.....and not trying to start a war i have welded with lots of different machines...and everyone of them had their pros and cons....thanks guys...
Reply:Here it goes again. This is what I mean by the "war". qaqc, that statement is absolutley wrong. Red does not dominate the structural world. They may want to, but they do not by any means. Everywhere I have been, it has been a very close 50/50 mix. Here it is a little more blue than red...say 60/40. That, and you will be hard pressed to find one single LN-25 on a structural job here. 95% are still using stick only.
Reply:DD, look at ya. there are no absolutes. In your area maybe they are not the dominate machine. I work out west. We have more stringent requirements that this machine handles nicely. If there are 95% of you local welders using stick on structural they are as outdated as the vacuum tube. How can you be competitive? If 95% of the welders you've seen are using stick then your statement "Everywhere I have been, it has been a very close 50/50 mix. Here it is a little more blue than red...say 60/40" means nothing to me. You need to get out and see more. I'm not trying to start something with you. But when you jump down my throat with this ignorance it's hard not to. If you want to see how the other half thrives come out west. Please no more silliness. I'm not trying to start a war, your the one that wants one not me. I'm only trying to give an educated opinion, unlike others who need drama
Reply:Hey, I didn't jump down anyone's throat. I was civil. I am more than capable of such, however. I simply pointed out you were not correct. You called me ignorant and say I need to get out more...and yet I am the one starting the drama and silliness????? Someone needs to look in the mirror.I have run structural in 4 states, one of which is bigger than 5 or 6 put together. The world does NOT revolve around the west coast by any means. Structural field work is competitive here and everywhere I have been, regardless of your opinion. We do not get the luxury of dictating the codes we work by most times. If they say stick, they we do not argue. How does that make us backwards?
Reply:[QUOTE=welderguy; I don't know if I could find that machine for that price up here in Ontario..[/QUOTE]Just for the record $3899.99 (+ tax) isn't much of a deal on a GXT.  I picked up a new one today with the stainless covers for a bit less than $3600 tax included.  You could buy a trailblazer or 305 for that kind of money.  Most of the structural work I have done has been in the field with stick.  In fact I don't think I've ever seen anyone in my area that ran wire, but our area usually doesn't have a large number of structural work.  I've run bobcats, and GXT's with no problem.  I'm with DDA, as very seldom have I run much over 180 amps on any structural I've done.  So I'm not sure why you would need a machine much larger than 250amps.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Just for the record.....I do run wire on jobs all the time, but no red machines.
Reply:Oh this is easy... The best would be Big Blue with the air. But do you have $25k? Me!
Reply:I worked on all the handrail on the new light rail project in charlotte nc....the new light train system...some guys were doing some structural work on a bridge and were fabbing the overheads on the yard in the flat with wire....basically splicing curved pieces of 4x6 rect. tubing.with fluxcored....and then  setting and installing braces with stick....i would want  a machine that welded matbe 120 amps or less at idle and had cc/cv capabilities....also ac/dc for some in the field tig...i know im expecting alot from one machine but my trailblazer has all that now i just dont think 250 amps is enough for big fluxcore....AWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:Up here in nebraska mostly blue. i run two trailblazers, and like them, wouldn't trade them for nothing. As far as this goes, it is like comparing Ford to Chevy. Here is my .02 worth. If it starts on a moring when it is -40 to weld up a tractor to move some hay for the cows, then you have a good machine. If you can weld all day on shipping containers when it is 110 out and not over heat, then you have a good machine. The day that machine leaves you sit in front of a customer, doesn't matter if it is blue, red, or pink.....You have a big piece of ****. You asking what kind of machine to buy or use, You tell me, you said you have welded with them all. Go with the one that is in your area and what you can afford. Here I go with blue, because i can get blue parts in an hour or a day. Red doesn't offern nothing here. So i am not use to red, that is why i don't have red, but bottom line is red vs blue is just like ford vs chevy. What matters is you can weld with it and get paid. When the time comes for the thing to start, it starts.
Reply:I have done structural, the spec said 70,000 tensile and of low hydrogen type.  If it wasn't windy, I ran bare wire with Co2 155 ipm .045 18 to 19 volts (150 to 165 amps).  If I couldn't block the wind, I used 7018.  It was allowed and I got paid by the piece.  The welds all had a visual AWS inspection.  Most of it was vertical up 3/4" gussets to 3/8" tower.    The machine was red, but I could have made the same money with a blue one.  The biggest job I have done was a lap weld on 1/2" piling 16' long.  I think I made 3 passes.  I turned the ranger 250 all the way up and ran .045 dualshield 500 ipm 28 volts.  Anything else has been less than 200 amps.I find synthetic oil makes em start when its too cold to be welding.  There is no best machine for everyone.  That Stainless GXT sure is purdy.David edit, here is a pic of one of those towershttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=9340Last edited by David R; 05-13-2008 at 08:30 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI have done structural, the spec said 70,000 tensile and of low hydrogen type.  If it wasn't windy, I ran bare wire with Co2 155 ipm .045 18 to 19 volts (150 to 165 amps).  If I couldn't block the wind, I used 7018.  It was allowed and I got paid by the piece.  The welds all had a visual AWS inspection.  Most of it was vertical up 3/4" gussets to 3/8" tower.    The machine was red, but I could have made the same money with a blue one.  The biggest job I have done was a lap weld on 1/2" piling 16' long.  I think I made 3 passes.  I turned the ranger 250 all the way up and ran .045 dualshield 500 ipm 28 volts.  Anything else has been less than 200 amps.I find synthetic oil makes em start when its too cold to be welding.  There is no best machine for everyone.  That Stainless GXT sure is purdy.David edit, here is a pic of one of those towershttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=9340
Reply:anyone ever used one of these...http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tab%3DWatchingAWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:DD, I figure the comment about your work not being serious was directed at me. Notice I said "In my part of the world" and that is exacty what I was referring to and no where else. Serious around here is high pressure pipeing structral, drilling rigs, pump jacks and so on. I have no idea what people in other areas prefer to weld with. All I did was state what is done in this area. No war, just a simple fact.
Reply:Not directed to you..just in general. I hear that all the time and it just is not correct. I have been told that on jobs we were finishing up by the pipe heads. I just tell them they better hope they are wrong since that panel we are setting weighs x amount of tons and would make a pretty good stain out of anyone underneath it.
Reply:Originally Posted by redcoupeanyone ever used one of these...http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tab%3DWatching
Reply:I would be more concerned with local support. TA support here is sketchy at best.
Reply:Glad we got that cleared up. In my book any thing that is heavy or has to take a lot of stress is serious business, I don't care what it's purpose is.After welding with a Bobcat a little and owning a Ranger 250 for 5 years and putting a lot of hours on it I wonder about the economic sense of putting a lot of dollars in the big really expensive welders. Buy one of the air cooled jobs that does every thing the big ones do and trade it in when the warrenty expires. Operating expenses are less and when you trade it in you are getting the very latest technology which seems to be changing almost as fast as in computers. Just my two cents.Originally Posted by DDA52I would be more concerned with local support. TA support here is sketchy at best.
Reply:i been looking at the lincoln vantage 400...got enough power for 3/32 wire and 5/16 carbon rods...plus the price isnt as bad as i thought it would beAWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:Well, when I buy welding machines I buy what I like and what works for me and as bad as it sounds don't really care what others think about it. I've used SA200's, Bobcats, Big 40's, Trailblazers, Rangers, even a Hobart (I really liked that machine but it was discontinued and the current offering doesn't meet my needs) and used them all for pipe and structural and they all did what I needed them to do. I currently use a Ranger 275. It has more than enough power for anything I will be getting into and the duty cycle to do it if needed. It has the sharpest most focused arc I have ever seen (a good thing for open roots), but also has the flexibility of arc force which I am finding really nice. In the shop I use an XMT304 basically for all the same reasons. Mainly though I just like the way they both weld. I can't see any reason why your TB250 shouldn't be able to handle almost anything you throw at it in a field environment. It would do anything I do and I mostly do heavy equipment and industrial repair and fabrication.DDA, where is Bulverde at in TX? I grew up in NM but have been all over the Permian Basin. The SA-200 still dominates everything out there. Where I am now the TB's and Bobcats are everywhere. A lot of that came about from all the welding machines being drowned and for a while it was take what you could get.Regarding the LN-25. On the commercial construction jobs I used to work they were all you saw for feeding. Hooked up to Miller six packs and eight banks, lol. That was a few years ago and Millers new models appear to be comparable. The boat yards down here love the Hefty's. I have one and it is a workhorse in a crappy case. It's not quite as sophisticated as my LN-25 but it welds just as well. I also have a Miller XR-A but haven't used it due to lack of a gun and boy are they proud of those, lol. I am sure I will be happy with it once it is going.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jolly RogerDDA, where is Bulverde at in TX? I grew up in NM but have been all over the Permian Basin. .
Reply:I don't do pipelines, but my LN-25 from my TB301G did a lot of structural in AZ.  We built several rock grizzlies from scratch for a neighbor in the desert after he found out how expensive they were.  That was a good-paying job for a several weeks.  Made the daily commute from Vegas worth it.
Reply:Originally Posted by redcoupeAny ideas on the BEST... machine for structural steel or pipe???
Reply:Ok, now I got it. I lived in San Angelo for a while and my business partner spent quite a few years in San Antonio.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.