hi all again, im stuck at this point in deciding on new mig wellder to purchase and thought id ask what welders all you aussies are using with great uncomplicated success, i still want a portable welder so i can pick it up and take it where ever i want , put it in my boot, please help me with all your good and bad feedback please, i ring the shops and these guys dont even know where they are made wtf, i ask are they made in china and i get" somewhere overseas" , dumbasses whatever happened to knowing what product your selling???? anyways thanks in advance A-tub
I'm not an Aussie, but I bought and love my Miller Diversion 180 tig Has the MVP 110/220 Volt, portable Choice of welder usually come down to the buyers preference of favorite color, blue or red.
I have a 25 year old Hobart, and I like Miller, but with the shipping involved ; you might look at Eastwood. they have a 220 volt input 175 amp with a spool gun included for $500.
I recently bought a new Millermatic 211. Its 110/220. It does up to 3/8 on 110 and 1/2 on 220. It has an automatic setting that comes very close to being correct. I inherited an entire shop with every kind of welder and go to this one first for many jobs. Bottom line is that I love it.
Look at CIGs range, good support and very few people I know have ever complained about them. Check out this thread on XFalcons, http://www.xfalcon.com/forums/index.php?/topic/18057-are-unimig-or-cig-welders-any-good/ Doc.
I didn't think the thread title said mig on my first post? Hmmm... I have a Miller mig too, it is only 220volt, Love my Miller stuff!
Just spent the day with my old Lincoln Weld Pak 155 mig. It's a 220V unit, but covers a wide range of needs. Ive been really happy with the old unit.
cheers for all your replies, doc i have been checking the cigs, the older ones were great but im told the newer ones and correct me if you know differently , i was told they are chinese now and were sold over a few years ago, my brother and a few mates have older ones and theyve been great welders, and initially this was going to be my root to take until i heard this. i have been checking out millers and lincolns and can get both here, so postage doesnt matter, i like em both and prices are good, the 180 lincoln and the miller (cant remember what amps maybe 180-190) were hand in hand same price wise and pretty similar comparisons as told buy supplies shop, -millers are 100%USA made arnt they??? -are the lincolns?? ive heard different things in their regard to manufacturing, however know some guys with 180s and say theyre the best thing theyve ever had
I didn't know that CIG had sold out, I was basing my comments on my welder an older CIG170 and it was a great machine. Sad that they sold out to china! Judging by what is told here the Miller machines sound quite good, if you have good support they would be my first choice. Once again I think Lincolns have gone the way of CIG, the older machines were always talked up as superb but now? I think sticking with the reputation of miller and support would be the best choice. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Doc.
nothing to be sorry for doc, all i will say is if you own an older cig machine then hold on to it coz you wont get another like it, wish i bought one 5 years ago when i got ripped off into thinking i had bought a beez kneez welder("NOT") , which is why im asking so many questions about em now
okay here we have 10amp, 15 amp plugs and then 3 phase etc, now i know this doesnt sound like much to you guys and im not an electrician but the 15 is the bigger of the 2 and yes my welder will be, and currently is,,, now dont ask me why we have it different to you guys but our standard houses are 240volt here 15 amp is really a 20 amp fuse and my welder has run on that for years, like i said im not an electrician and yes its different to car fuses hahaha
i got a uni mig 172 gas/gasless, beaut little welder does every thing i've ever asked of it. i don't know what they're like on price tho, i got it as payment for a job.
I have had a Weldmaster for about the last 6/7 years,i give it a thrashing 3/4 days a week after work and almost every weekend (i weld for a job)so far it hasn't missed a beat also i think they may be made in australia.I also use WIA welders at work and they seem to be a very good machine.Go for a 220 you can get them on 15 amp you wont regret it.
I've had a CIG Transmig 135 for almost 10 years now - it's only a small hobby welder and may not be up to heavy duty use, but you said small and mobile. It works OK for me, but I'm still a novice welder. Good luck.
Yeh a guy i work with got a 220 amp WIA it's small enough to be portable and he said it works well and was a reasonable price.I think i might get one for my next welder, and as i said the ones at work are great but they are 3 phase.
Hey man, Ive got a lincoln 170 amp really good welder , copper power supply some have ally you can get em through gasweld. Bit pricey but really good Cheers
WIA are good welders, we use them at work with no fault. They're all 3 phase though not sure about the smaller WIA welders but have heard good things. For home i have a Kemppi, it's a Miniarc 180 amp with a digital display. Small and compact and does everything but pull the trigger for you. I know 2 other people who have bought one after i did and we all love them and have had no problems good for light fabrication, a lot of big welders don't like welding sheet metal and welds up to 5mm no probs and i've welded 10mm plate but i wouldn't hold up a house with it it's only 180amp. You need a 15amp plug.
Hi, I have a WIA 150 and it is a top quality welder. I just bought a Kemppi 180 adaptive and the WIA is now gathering dust. With the Kemppi, you set the wire size, material, and thickness, and that's it. Too easy. Rock Lob
The lincoln 180c is a transformer/rectifier, extremely robust and great for use where it will get knocked about, but not as efficient as a newer inverter. Had a lot of failures with cigweld over the last 5 years! Have a couple of uni migs/jasic (cheap chinese) and they have been impressive 3phase ones though! Also have a lite green chinese mig purchased from BOC http://www.bocworldofwelding.com.au/magmate-180p.html which has also been going well, I made a spool and drilled a hole up it's ar.. to take a 15kg spool. currently have about 25 mig's at work and 2 at home, both wia, but are 3phase. The 240v portable stuff is not well covered by the "industrial" suppliers. I'm personally a Lincoln, WIA, Fronius, Kemppi fan and have had a lot of little issues with Miller equipment and although only minor issues another machine has had to be acquired to replace the ones with issues. Still would not buy a Lincoln 240v transformer/rectifier unless it was rolling around in the back of the ute from job to job. Looking at the other posts and personal history with their multi process inverters, I would go for the Kemppi.
yep ive seen your welds mate they are nice, yes i knew gasweld do em, how long you had that welder ???zef?? im very seriously considering a miller right now, but those lincolns are nice as are the wia.s i have a few days to do my reasearch so im going to suss it some more all 3 brands are pretty well on par with each other, im gonna try and get trade on this no matter where i get it ,my boss will help me here haha
I also have a WIA 150 unit and have it for about 10 years now, and it has been easy to use and has yet to cause me any grief. I think it is just as important to have a good power supply to your work area. Michael
WIA, made right where you live. I've had a 220amp single phase WIA for at least 17 years now. Can't fault it.
I have a Thermal Arc Fabricator 200 in 220 volt (30 - 200 Amps output). It has a good quality wire feed and euro-torch and performs really well.
Ive had my lincoln for 8 yrs hasnt missed a beat and I treat it like crap in a dusty shed. So they are pretty robust you could say. Im looking at goin tig eventually. Good to see you are accumulating tools, cant have enuff toys
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