Red, Burgundy, and Yellow questions

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I never see too much on here about red, burgundy, and yellow welders, so I'm going to ask some questions.  Have any of you heard anything good or bad about the Lincoln Power Mig 350MP, Lincoln Power Mig 255C, Thermal Arc 251 Fabricator, ESAB Migmaster 250, or the ESAB Multimaster 260?Patrick
Reply:buy me a powermig 350 and id be more than happy to review it for you = }http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...ight=power-mighttp://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...light=powermighttp://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...light=powermighttp://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...light=powermignot exactly reviews, but some posts here that include power migsI <3 search = }
Reply:what should the color of anything have to do with anything.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:i used to have a power Mig255 at work it is a great machine wish i had it were i work nowChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterwhat should the color of anything have to do with anything.. ...zap!
Reply:I've used just about all of them, Lincoln, Hobart, Airco, Linde, ThermalArc, etc.  I'm not going to trash talk any of them.  All the brands will function in terms of making a good weld, provided theres a good hand holding the torch, they all just have little differences that after using brand after brand you find one that has the least amount of "quirks".  And for me, thats "Team Miller", as you put it.  When I had Lincolns, I used to have to dress the arc gaps on a weekly basis.  With Millers, I only dress them 2x a year, whether they need them or not.  (And they usually don't)  That's the one little thing that pulled me from Lincoln, which is a fine machine, to Miller.  With Hobart, it was a great machine, but the expense prevented me from making that my benchmark machine as I expanded.  Etc., etc., etc......Test drive as many as you can, most welding supply shops have demo models set up that you can run to your hearts content, and then take a look in their service area to see what color the majority of the broken down ones are.  Then make your own choice.Good LuckI r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Originally Posted by Patrick_76As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't.  Just that anytime you bring up a welder that's not blue, Team Miller shows up and bashes you.  Nothing against Miller, just wanted an honest opinion on some other brands.  We're talking about welders here, not tractors or trucks  .Patrick
Reply:The Migmaster 250 is a real nice performing unit, that is quite user friendly to dial a solid arc in on.Prior to owning the ESAB, I had a MM 251 for 1.5+ years, and after running a Migmaster 250 at an ESAB show, the 251 wasn't for me. So the 251 was sold, and the Migmaster replaced it.
Reply:I guess I'm team blue .Miller had a DC engine drive in my price range, Lincoln and Hobart didn't (Rangers and the 10k Champions are both nice looking machines). I'm not true blue though, I have a beige 120v HF invertor .Last edited by Aric; 07-28-2006 at 10:50 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Patrick_76I never see too much on here about red, burgundy, and yellow welders, so I'm going to ask some questions.  Have any of you heard anything good or bad about the Lincoln Power Mig 350MP, Lincoln Power Mig 255C, Thermal Arc 251 Fabricator, ESAB Migmaster 250, or the ESAB Multimaster 260?Patrick
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott V 2They are all good units but I have not used a 350PM (owned a 300 PM)I also have not used the Thermal 251. I have heard lots of good thingsabout them though. I used or owned the rest. They are all really goodmachines but some do some things better then the others. What do youwant to weld??? There is not a bad unit in the bunch.Right now I decided the 260 mutimaster is the unit I like the bestfor personal type reasons not because it is best welder I have everused.( Way better then I thought it was) If I was doing thin mig production aluminum, I would probably go with a PM-350 or a MM-350P. I prefer the 260 Esab on mig mild steel over those units though. The Esab's are overall pretty simple and easy to dial in machines.
Reply:Lots of machines will fill the bill for you.Depending on your budget, spool-gun options etc...This is about as far as you can go with this machine, Push/Pull, DC tig with foot control, Spool-gun, Stick leads,Pulse. I am into it a little less then a stripper PM-350 or MM350P. I had some of the stuff like the foot control,torch,pull unit though.  I did like the red 255c unit pretty well andit had a similar type arc quality. This is unit has a lot morerange in adjustments to the arc, but not too many either.Right for me. Attached ImagesLast edited by Scott V 2; 07-28-2006 at 02:01 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Patrick_76Most of what I had heard about the T/A machines was in reference to their tig machines.  I looked at the inside of a T/A 251 last week and was impressed.  I didn't run it though, probably should have.  You asked what I want to weld, the answer is simple, everything .  Seriously, due to not wanting to spend a fortune on multiple machines, I want a welder that will do as much as possible - aluminum sheet (.100 up to 3/16") for boat work, steel sheet for body work on an old truck, steel truck frame work, and building a couple of trailers, barbecue cookers, and a well drilling rig.  Starting thinking about the 200 to 210 amp mig machines, but now I'm leaning heavily to the 250 amp mig machines, but the thought of a multi-use unit sounds good too.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott V 2Lots of machines will fill the bill for you.Depending on your budget, spool-gun options etc...This is about as far as you can go with this machine, Push/Pull, DC tig with foot control, Spool-gun, Stick leads,Pulse. I am into it a little less then a stripper PM-350 or MM350P. I had some of the stuff like the foot control,torch,pull unit though.  I did like the red 255c unit pretty well andit had a similar type arc quality. This is unit has a lot morerange in adjustments to the arc, but not too many either.Right for me.
Reply:Most of my MIG experience was some time ago on a very old three phase unit of unknown parenting.    More recent experience has been with the smaller Lincolns.    In any event if you are seriouos about wanting to do any thing with it you really need to think multiprocess.    That is MIG is excellent for somethings but stick support is very usefull.   Tig even better.    The Lincoln 350MP is the all in one that pulls this off the best from what I can see.     Not that I've ran one but it does have a wide assorment of features and capabilities.    There are likely to be other opinions here in this regard.You other option is to go the more professional route and get a multiprocess power source with the correct attachments.    This is so far above my price range that I don't even entertain the tought.    So best to ask others.In the end I think the best bet is to buy two welders one good all in one Mig that meets your needs and one inverter machine.     The inverter being a stick/TIG capable machine.    I jsut don't see the Wisdom in trying to squeeze to much functionality out of one machine, not to mention the expense of some of these multiprocess wonder machines.Dave
Reply:I jsut don't see the Wisdom in trying to squeeze to much functionality out of one machine, not to mention the expense of some of these multiprocess wonder machines.I always get a deal on my Esab stuff and since I had all the othercontrols for it, I like having it outfitted for a back up. As longas you have fast change over between processes, it's nota bad way to go. I was suprized how stable the tig arc was.It will go down to 1 amp and below on the meter. Yes, I justas soon use my other tig machines, but it is there if I need it.Stick is right there and handy. I have a plus model 250 migmasterbut I will grab the 260 everytime if given the option. The Esabis missing the lift-arc of the Powermig, but the powermig tigarc is no where as smooth as the Esab. Everything about apowermig says it is better the a 260 easb but when you useone it seems otherwise. It still depends what you are doingas to if the Lincoln is better. Some of the programming onLincoln is really good stuff but if you don't use it, then itmeans diddly squat.Like I said before, there are many options out there. Almostall are good ones too.Dan,you might as well use the one you have for one reason.It keeps your horses well, if you do not think of upgrading.
Reply:Dan,you might as well use the one you have for one reason.It keeps your horses well, if you do not think of upgrading.
Reply:(I mainly run an ER70S-6, which has a fairly fluid puddle. So for vertical welds I may switch to an ER70S-2, which has a slightly sluggish puddle in comparison to an ER70S-6.)I know you would just love pulse and ER70S-2. Bob down your way, says it's the ticket.Barbara has a colt that ran into some wire, and she has about the same problem. She isjust waiting on that one to see if he is going to work out. She also traded two in fora couple of different units. WTF is that about??? They are worse then we are with weldingmachines!!!Last edited by Scott V 2; 07-29-2006 at 05:49 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott V 2(I mainly run an ER70S-6, which has a fairly fluid puddle. So for vertical welds I may switch to an ER70S-2, which has a slightly sluggish puddle in comparison to an ER70S-6.)I know you would just love pulse and ER70S-2. Bob down your way, says it's the ticket.Barbara has a colt that ran into some wire, and she has about the same problem. She isjust waiting on that one to see if he is going to work out. She also traded two in fora couple of different units. WTF is that about??? They are worse then we are with weldingmachines!!!
Reply:So, the ESAB 250, MM 210, and possibly something else would have to be sold for me to be able to afford the 260, and I just don't know if it's worth it.It is to me that is for sure. The machine has been better than expected.I am not sure if you could find one for 2k. Maybe one that was sitting onthe floor and bought a while back. Esab has had price increases justlike everyone else. When you start looking at the price of a MM-251and the red 255c, the Esab is a bargain.  Mine came with the ST23 spool-gun package and that wouldcost a extra $1,000.00 easy. $900.00 + for the gun and youwould need a spool module/ dinse adapter to hook it up.Fits right on the 250/250 plus machine too.$2716.00 with the Spool-gun and that was because it wasunder old pricing.I bought the tig remote module for $32.00Inductance control for $30.00Pulse control for $335.00I keep my foot control, gas reg, tig torch, stick leadswhen I traded the 350 mpi in. So the total packagewas 3,113.00It will be a really good unit down at the ranch.Single phase and 325 amps at 33 volts limited use.What interests me is it will pulse or spray at a higher outputthen the 350 mpi will on single phase power. (600 amps) It's reallya nice a simple machine too.  That was the attraction for me.Pretty simple non inverter, with a inverter type arc.It also is way less finicky about what type/size wire it runswell. Better then the inverters like a Thermal/powermig 300 (chopper)/ (MK 2000a. could match it) I spend a couple days running the MM-350p in the short-arc and I would pick the esab 260 over that unit. I would not without the inductance control though. I kind of have a feel for what you likeby the wire and machines you use. There is no doubt you would fallin love with the 350 MPI arc and would understand how nice a jobEsab did with the inductance equipted 260. Enough for now. Attached Images
Reply:Thanks for the comments on the different machines.  I've never looked at ESAB much until lately.  At the rate I'm going, I'm at least six months from buying one anyway.  buying a house right now, that's gonna take a chunk.  When I bought my truck last summer, the wife said you can buy a truck this year and a boat next year, or vice versa.  Went with the truck.  Got transferred and now I have to get a house, so I guess the boat is pushed off until next year.  Might have to fly the welder under radar  .BTW, where are ESAB machines made?Patrick
Reply:Originally Posted by Patrick_76BTW, where are ESAB machines made?
Reply:BTW, where are ESAB machines made?
Reply:The 250, 260, 350 mpi, 353, 453, 460 machines are made in the USA.Aristo type machines are made in Sweden. Some other machines aremade in Italy (mutimaster 160) and Eastern Europe (173/203/253 migs). Small tigs are generally Sweden or Italy.