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I know when i ask this question i will get lot of responses from die hards on both sides, all opinions are appreciated but i am looking for an honest comparison. When it comes to welders,( ie. Lincoln, Miller, etc.) which one is going to give the best bang for my many many bucks, I personally was looking at a Miller Big Blue 500, a Hipower Solutions HW400A kVA, or a Lincoln Vantage 500. Ive been told by one person that hes had experience with companies not hiring welders if they have anything but a Lincoln, is this true? I've also heard from another source that he owned some Lincoln welders and he couldn't keep them running for more than a month at a time, and that his Miller welders he only had to repair about once every 6 months, does his statement hold any water?Im about to attend Pipeline Welding Classes at a technical school near me and im just trying to find out what would be my best option before i drop some serious dough on a welder.
Reply:I'm a big fan of Lincoln engine drives. I've owned Miller engine drives, and they did not impress me. I ran a Miller Pipe Pro years ago, but can't really remember a lot about it. But over the last several years have heard great things about the Pipe Pro!Dont pay any attention to meIm just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Guys using machines that size are generally doing structural/heavy equipment repair & need the big amps for CAC.
Reply:I know the 500 would be overkill but I was looking at it that its better to have more than enough to get the job done rather than not enough. As far as the brand this will be my first welder to purchase so i can't fairly have an opinion on either yet.
Reply:You are correct that you can't use amps you don't have, but at the same time, you do not want to be spending thousands of dollars you don't need to spend. Put the extra $ into your rig. The 500 has a much lower aux power output than a 350PP at roughly the same price. If you go 500Pro for the aux power, shell out another 10k. Many pipelines have been built on SA200's.Multimatic 200Ellis 1800Haberle S225 9" cold sawMM 300; Spoolmate 30A w/ WC-24TB 302GDynasty 280 DX Tigrunner
Reply:Ok I get what yall are saying, what about the Hipower Systems welder, I know its probably still overkill being 400 amps, but has anyone ever heard of them and if so are they worth looking into, or should i stick with a Miller or a Lincoln? The one thing i can see they have going for them is that they are Tier2 engines.
Reply:I grew up in a family of Boilermakers and Pipefitters (several nukes including Browns Ferry). Other than a tombstone my grandfather got for near free, everything I grew up around was blue and nothing small. For better or worse, I seem to have inherited that by default. I currently have a MM175 and a Sync 351, and I would really like to upgrade that little guy into something capable of going into spray transfer, but realistically it is already just about perfect for my modest structural needs, and I've got serious SMAW options now for when things get heavy. In any case, I've got friends with Lincoln, and they are quite happy too. I think it's probably like Ford vs Chevy, more personal preference and history than any real differentiator. Sure, there are problem children here and there along the way, models you really probably want to avoid, but over all good is good.Once you get into the more budget oriented systems, things seem to change. And over time. Old Hobart was top flight, new Hobart is short changed import built to a price point to "differentiate" from the "premium" Miller (owner). From what I know, ESAB has been great, not so great, and back and forth over the years. Lesser brands, rougher edges and more risk. I'm happy in my blue comfort zone...
Reply:I appreciate all the input! Obviously im not going to be buying a welder until i get done with this class and get my certification, not really sure which side ill choose yet but im sure that will come time.
Reply:Miller and Lincoln are damn fine machines so dont worry about name brand so much. If i were you id match my machine to my work like for pipeline work buy a machine that has a vary controllable arc and a dig function but if you were doing repair work i'd look into a multiprocess machine that is cheap on gas and lightweight. I would also try out a machine before you think about buying it don't be the guy who buys a machine and hates it because he doesn't like how it welds.Lincoln pro core 125 14''chop saw7 inch grinder,2-4.5 inch grinders,electric die grinder.Half inch drillAnd alot of hand tools
Reply:I've owned Miller engine drives, and they did not impress me.
Reply:Ok that makes sense, that's an angle I hadn't thought about! |
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发表于 2021-8-31 23:15:15