Rig welder suggestions

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Hi all new to the forum my name is Jeff and from Alberta Canada, have been welding for 5 years now in a fab shop and am staring to pick up some side work in my own shop. I curantly have a 253 esab mig machiane and a old lincoln sparkler . So I am looking to get a rig welder, have an connection on getting a Ranger 250-10 from a family freind but am not sure if that will be sufficent enough for starting up a full time rig and eventually doing preasure work. What would you guys say bigger?, Lincoln?, Miller? Theirs just so much out there!
Reply:The Lincoln Ranger 250 is an excellent welder. I'm not familiar with the -10  though. I ran SA 200's for a lot of years which used to be the Cadillac of portable welders. I bought a Ranger 250 and used it for the last four years that I worked. It will do anything The SA 200 will on about half the gasoline. 100 % duty cycle, 1.8 quarts of oil for a change, no anti-freeze, don't have to clean the commutator, three year warranty, and it is cheap compared to the SA 200's replacement machine. Set it on pipe mode and it welds exactly like an SA 200 and nothing beats the SA 200's arc.How is it going to be considered in the pressure welding world? I don't know. I used it for gas wells (5,000# operating pressure) testing equipment and production equipment, and compressor systems but my customers knew me and my capabilities so the machine wasn't in question.
Reply:Get the cheapest Bobcat or Ranger you can find used and see if you got what it takes to be a business owner. Then after a year or two get what you need.
Reply:Those are great machines. Unless youre trying to burn 1/4 all day, it will server you well.
Reply:My Ranger will run 3/16 all day long, but I seldom ever need to do that. The Rangers are great. Mine is a 275 and is the best welding machine I have ever used (and I learned to weld on sa200s and those are about all you see in the oilfield). I wouldn't give you a nickel for a Bobcat (trailblazer is a different story though I like my Lincoln better than the tb I used to use) and about half of my welding gear is blue.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Jolly I have the TB 302 (2007) and an old 4000hour Ranger 8 (that spent all its life on the deck of a Bristol Bay fishing boat before I got it)I must say the TB has the Range beat hands down in overall power (genset side) and voltage on the welder side and I love the fact the genset is not connected with the welder side (helper grinding has no affect on the welder current) But then god made Doges and Chevys because not everybody can afford a Porsche.
Reply:Ok, so you like your TB. I said they are good machines. I used to use a TB DC and I liked it. I didn't buy the Ranger for a generator. I bought it to weld. I considered the TB but once I welded with the Ranger there was no decision to be made. I just said I never used a Bobcat that I liked the way it welded. He wanted to know if the Ranger 250 is a good machine. I've welded with Oldtimer's Ranger 250 and to tell the truth I'd take it over the TB as well. It welds just like an SA 200 and that's still the standard by which all others are judged. I'm in the oilfield, no boats anywhere around, and 99 of every 100 welding rigs you see have Lincolns on the back.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.