c300 or powermig 350?

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Hi everyone,    I am purchasing a new welder at the end of the week.   A lincoln rep is coming down with a c300 to demo.   I have a lot of good experience with the powermig 300 and am also looking at the powermig 350 (based on previous experience).we are building mini excavator buckets using materials between .188 and 1" and i need a welder that will do that very well.  I want an multi process pulse wire machine that i can also tig with (I own a waterjet that periodically springs a leak in one of the tubes somewhere and instead of taking the line out to take to another shop to get it welded, i want to be able to wheel the welder over to the waterjet and fix the line (temporarily).I basically want to know if the c300 is worth the extra $1700 for what i'll mainly use it for?Thank you for the timeMatt
Reply:I demo'ed the C300 and it seemed far to complex for what i was doing.   not very user friendly with the pulse modes and settings.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:I have the PowerMig350MP. Sweet Machine.It can do DC Tig, but only LiftStart with no HF. I don't care for LiftStart, so that was not something I would use. But if you like LiftStart, it would be ok. It seems like when you get a multiprocess machine that you don't get the best of both worlds.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:And the C300 was sitting there on the Lab floor when I demo'd the PowerMig350MP. I had already decided on the PM350MP, so I didn't even give the C300 a spin. I just looked at Lincoln's website. unless I am missing it, I don't see HighFreq start as a feature. What would sway you one way or the other? the only real benefit I see so far is that the C300 has pulsed dc tig. Would you use the advanced process features?Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Originally Posted by Joker11And the C300 was sitting there on the Lab floor when I demo'd the PowerMig350MP. I had already decided on the PM350MP, so I didn't even give the C300 a spin. I just looked at Lincoln's website. unless I am missing it, I don't see HighFreq start as a feature. What would sway you one way or the other? the only real benefit I see so far is that the C300 has pulsed dc tig. Would you use the advanced process features?
Reply:Originally Posted by Brand XI had a Powermig 300, and used a few Powermig 350's. I happen to like my C-300 a lot better. They weld different, and on DC tig, the C-300 is way smoother. (true inverter) Still, unless you have a need for the extra programming,(Rapid-arc is fantastic to use) and potability, then maybe the powermig will be all you will need. The controls are way more user friendly on the C-300. Mine was about $1000 difference at the time( deal) and I traded a HH-210, and a loaded Esab 260 in on the C-300. Does what those two machines did together. The ethernet downloads are real easy to do on the C-300.
Reply:Well, if you want the C300, get it. I can't see how you can be disappointed with either machine. They are both Lincolns. I can't give you the perspective you want because I have a PowerMig350MP push/pull package AND a PrecisionTig275. I just couldn't live with the compromise, so I got both.  They are parked side by side in the garage like two setsy beetches.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:The powermig 300 and the powermig 350mp are basically the same machine. The main difference is the software that runs them. In fact you can turn  a powermig 300 into a 350 by installing new updated software. The powermig 350 is a proven design. The C300 Is the new current design. We have a chopper and a inverter. The chopper is a fixed line voltage and the C300 is a autoline boost inverter. Runs on a wide range of voltages. They both run on similar switching speeds and use similar software. Weld with both and decide for you self which one you like the best.
Reply:I do not doubt that the c300 is a great machine, but for what is turning into being a production shop, I'd just like to know everybodys opinion if the c300 is worth the extra, or should i just stay with a proven welder
Reply:Another C300 user here- It is indeed a fine machine, and if you are a "pulse man" you will certainly dig it. A couple of points however: if you are joining 1/2" to 1" steel, you're really more in the territory of flux core than pulse MIG.   Secondly, while I have never used the TIG modes on the C300, I am guessing that the waterjet tube you are referring to is thin-wall stainless and for that I would rather use something like a Dynasty 200 or a V205-T which have high-frequency start and more adjustable pulse modes, etc.   Just my 2 cents worth, do the demo and see how it works for you.John
Reply:Silicon, Thank you for the input,  I was planning on using dual shield wire for the thick material and the stainless tube for the waterjet is 3/8 x .125 wall tube, so its plenty thick.
Reply:Please let us know which route you go and how you like it. And in regards to the Autoconnect that these companies are trying to push, I say crap. crap. crap.What's the big deal? so you can plug it into 220 or 110v? So you don't have to reconnect on the panel? You still have to change the cord or the end of the cord because your 115v plug is not going to fit into your dryer outlet in your garage.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Actually, the ability to run on different voltages means little to me since both of the places I work have 230V. However, one "side effect" of the technology that allows the machines to run on multiple voltages without reconnection, "Auto-Line" or whatever they call it, is that they draw less current for a given output power level.   This aspect is more important to me since one of my locations has only a 100A single-phase service, on which we run MIG and TIG machines, a plasma cutter and a 3HP air compressor.   This, and the smaller size and lighter weight compared to machines of similar specs, is what led me to choose the C300.   If I had a fixed location with a larger electrical service, the 350MP or the Miller 350P would have been strong contenders also.John
Reply:hi everyone,I demo'd both of the welders today.  I've used a pm 300 for a couple of years at the truck shop that i used to work at, so i knew of its capabilities.we were prepared to spend the money for the c300 and was kind of planning on just going with that, since its the latest and greatest.  it is an amazing machine, however, so is the 350.  after welding with both, hard wire and aluminum through a python gun, I decided to be conservative and kept the 350.  It can handle every bit of everything we are doing right now.someday, if we get to the point of automation (over 20 years of welding and i'm getting a little burnt out on the subject), then a powerwave will be in the mix.  theres good deals out there on robots right now.  but for the time being, I'm going to stay with the 350's.  If we get too much busier, we will need another one and another body.both machines in the pulse on pulse mode weld fantastic on aluminum.  it is a day and night difference between either of these machines and the miller 210 that we have.  My business partner welded with the 350 (he's not really a welder) and the only word out of his mouth when he was done was "wow".  He doesn't really know anything about welding and so naturally, his thoughts were "whats the difference, a welder is a welder isn't it?"   I really didn't say much since i set the demo up and decided just to let him see for himself.thank you all for your input, in the end, I really couldn't justify the 300, but am more than pleased with the 350.