Feeder vs mig off Engine drive?

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Sorry if this has been asked before but i did a search & came up with nothing. I am curious what is the advantage of running a feeder like the $1700.00 12VS off an engine drive vs buying a mig welder at a $500-$1000.00 & just plugging it in to the engine drive. I know the weight savings would be much less & you can have a remote with the feeders, but other that, any advantages to spend the extra $American by birth Southern by the Grace of God
Reply:Question: CC or CC/CV on the engine drive? VS feeders on CC run short circuit mig like cr@p. If you get them up into spray they do ok, but out of position welds are a PITA. In CV they will run just about the same as a dedicated mig will. If your machine is a CC only machine, get a dedicated mig and plug it in. If you have a machine that will run CV then the choice is a bit harder to make..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:The machine is a Miller Trailblazer 302 ThanksAmerican by birth Southern by the Grace of God
Reply:Run a RC off the TB. It is so much better. The VS is nice, but the RC is much better, more like a shop feeder. I run the feeders because I can run full power if needs be. You can't do that with a small plug-in feeder. It just lets me get the most out of the machine. I can run 20ga sheet one day and then run 5/64 FC the next ...all with the same feeder.QamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:It depends on what you do with it. I originally had a Bobcat and so I bought a Super S32P so I could do mig. Then I sold the Bobcat for my Shopmaster. Personally I would only run suitcases. I can take it inside of a dump trailer or practally anywhere with enough cable. It would not be practical to carry a Miller 252 or such where I take my suitcase."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:Great info guys, I am going to research it a little more & I am going to keep an eye out for a feeder to fit my needs, anymore people willing to chime in, Feel Free. ThanksAmerican by birth Southern by the Grace of God
Reply:I have used Miller 12VS and S32P suitcase welders for about 8 years in heavy equipment repair and in that time my partner has burned up one S32P running 5/64 wire.  The big advantage I see about the suitcase welders is durability.  They will take a beating.  They are designed to be outside in the rain, snow, sun, wind, hot, cold it doesnt matter.  I live in Las Vegas, NV but  frequently  work  where it gets -30F and have never had a problem with one.  I saw somebody else mention it but versatility is a huge thing too, you run .035 solid wire one day in the shop and swap out for a roll of 1/16 Innershield for a windy day project outside.  Hope this helps.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Yeppers.It's easy & not too expensive either.I think I'm gonna make me up a suitcase like Duane's. I got all the stuff, just need a Pelican case.Got one lying around??
Reply:The Pelican 1550 (my project) or Storm 2600 series is probably the most appropriate sizes to use.Here's http://www.nalpak.com/Pelican the best place to date that I've found on-line other than the list or eBay.  Problem with the list is it's rare to find the size you need and with eBay, bidders run the price up for used units above that for new from nalpak. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I got my Storm case here.....http://www.adorama.com/  They have just about every size known. Their prices are pretty good..on par with Duane's site from what I could see.QamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:I like using the suitcase's...pull the roll of wire out of them if you need to carry them up ladder into a confined space  makes them lighter to carry...Welding on the top of a grain leg 100+ feet in the air, simply throw a strap in the handle and use the crane to lift it to you. Plus like aready mentioned they'll take a heck of a beating and in dirty nasty enviroments your wire is protected!!Good luck!-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe