[Ryan]

I have an Esab Rebel 235ic. I have an updated review of it in the Product Reviews discussion board. Check it out if you havent yet. So I have had it for about 9 months now. It has pooped out on me. It also has made me look bad to a couple customers. Im the only guy in the county that will do any kind of welding and fabrication on a regular basis. I also have a 4x8 JD2 CNC plasma table that should be running this week. Which means more business. So I will be getting busier very soon.

Monday I have to bring this poorly functioning welder back to the LWS. I am thinking about asking them to buy it back. The guy told me if I dont like it he will buy it back and get me into another machine. I just dont know if that is what I want to do. I definitely want a machine that wont screw me over again in less than nine months. I just dont know what other machine I would want. I do have a Lincoln Wire-Matic 255 and it's a pretty good machine. However it is old and It's given me some tiffs in the past. It also needs a new torch. Nor does it run the dual-shield as nice as the rebel. I use dual-shield everywhere I can. Now I cant get rid of the Lincoln because it's my only back up. Without a backup Im screwed. BUT I kind of have my eye on a Lincoln Precision Tig 225. It's a tried and true transformer machine. Ive used one and really liked it. It would also give me AC tig which could equate into more work. As things are right now Im pretty sore from a basically new machine dying on me. I like all the features and capability of the Rebel but might not ever trust it again. Ya know that feeling when you get out of prison and nobody is there to pick you up? Well, I dont. BUT Im pretty sure thats how I felt when the rebel shot out some fidos butt welds and I had a customer(and neighbor) on the way to pick up that splitter. It's just good they know me well.

So what would you do? If you dumped the rebel, what would you get in it's place? I know it's kind of an open ended question but most folks have way more experience with this stuff than I do. Any particular machine you might spring for instead? Oh yeah dont forget I have a new cnc plasma along with a ht powermax 85. Sooo my wallet is a little on the light side now. To say the least.

[cj737]

The PrecisionTig or a SynchroWave. Budget based recommendation.

[sedanman]

The PT225 is a dinosaur. For the same money you can get an HTP221, a far superior machine. But neither will support a wire feeder.

[Ryan]

I would like to have the HTP Invertig221. However, I priced the PT225 when I bought the Esab and I could get it just under $2K with torch and pedal. The HTP is much more.

As for the PT225 being a dinosaur, maybe that is what I need. I looked at the synchro. I need to test drive one. Other than being a "dinosaur", is there anything bad to say about it? If they do buy it back I dont know if they will write me a check or give me some kind of credit with my LWS.

[MinnesotaDave]

I'm not sure I read you right, you want to replace a wire feed with a precision tig?

Just curious, what stick welder do you use?

[Ryan]

Im actually not sure what I want to do at this point. Im tired of looking at machines and comparing features blah blah blah. I just want to get to work with a machine that flat out runs.

If I can ditch the Rebel for a reliable machine I will. I have a Lincoln Wire-Matic 255 that I keep at another shop where I do occasional repairs and fabrication. I will be fetching it today. I bought the Rebel because I wasnt entirely happy with it. I have been using the Esab for everything. Now I have to use the Bobcat 225 for stick. I have no other tig machine. So I am thinking of getting a tig machine. Dont know. I just have a gut feeling the wire-matic is going to die on me too.

[sedanman]

I would like to have the HTP Invertig221. However, I priced the PT225 when I bought the Esab and I could get it just under $2K with torch and pedal. The HTP is much more.

As for the PT225 being a dinosaur, maybe that is what I need. I looked at the synchro. I need to test drive one. Other than being a "dinosaur", is there anything bad to say about it? If they do buy it back I dont know if they will write me a check or give me some kind of credit with my LWS.

The air cooled 220 volt HTP is 2,495, it's a little more money but a ton more features. It comes with a torch and a pedal. The PT225 has almost no adjustments and the work lead is hard wired.

[tungstendipper]

I'll bet they don't buy it back. I hope not.

[PeteM]

Just my opinion- You can't just run a business on a hobbyist/light duty grade machine. I know people love them for what they are, and they are super cool for a home owner, but they just aren't up to snuff for commercial duty.

That being said, sorry to hear that it happened.

[Ryan]

It isnt considered a light duty/hobbyist machine. That is a pricey hobby.

[PeteM]

I look at duty cycle. It says 40%. Thats light/med. duty. If you look at real commercial duty machines, they rate at 100%.

[tungstendipper]

Just my opinion- You can't just run a business on a hobbyist/light duty grade machine. I know people love them for what they are, and they are super cool for a home owner, but they just aren't up to snuff for commercial duty.

That being said, sorry to hear that it happened.

JD Brewer, Apexish welding, uses a Lincoln MP 210 daily in his business. Just say'n

[Ryan]

I dont really have to have an "industrial" machine. I also didnt purchase the Esab with the intent to be welding around the clock. Sometimes the welder sits in the corner and collects dust. Winters are real slow around here. Especially as of late. I know I cant take a Synchro into a horse stable to install custom CNC cut signs onto stall doors. Yeah this is East KY. Quite a bit of that kind of work here. But I cant take a machine to a multi-million dollar facility to have it poop out on me. Good way to lose some big customers. And I dont need a full blown mobile rig with all the trimmings. Heck, the Bobcat is not mine I just get to use it whenever I need it.

Before I bought the Rebel 235 I talked to Esab about all my needs and they assured me that what I do is exactly what the machine is intended for. Meh. Like I said I just want the thing to do what it is supposed to do. Esab reached out to me and Im supposed to be getting a call from the tech manager at some point. As I think about it more and more, getting into a different machine doesnt really dazzle me either. They are all made with components of Asian origin. Unless I spring for one of the euro machines. Lets see what Esab says about it I guess. Heck, maybe tomorrow the machine will magically start working again

[PeteM]

Heck, maybe tomorrow the machine will magically start working again

I know that tech support doesn't recommend it, but have you tried smacking it?

That is my default maneuver.

I don't mean to come off as coarse. It sounds like you've got a good thing going and hope this works out for you.

[Ryan]

I usually go for the boot stomp

Brought the welder to the LWS today. They wanted to charge me $50 to ship it to their "shop" and $80/hr to diagnose and fix. WTF?? Called Esab tech and he says they are sending me a new machine. So hopefully this works out. Heck, if they told me that to begin with I would have just ordered it off the net. My LWS is only good for bottle exchange. I ordered a 10lbs can of Lincoln Excalibur and got a $10 Hazardous surcharge on top of paying for the rod. Its highway robbery!

[PeteM]

Those guys definitely play hard ball. Once upon a time I worked at a LWS and would try to soften the hit on little guy/one man operations. There's a good bit of room to move on those prices if you find someone who is willing to work with you a little.

[aland]

I ordered a 10lbs can of Lincoln Excalibur and got a $10 Hazardous surcharge on top of paying for the rod. Its highway robbery!

Hazardous surcharge is for gas, so I thought...Lincoln Excalibur is in a sealed tube...

I don't get charged by my LWS for electrodes, but do for gas. Only $5, in one of the highest cost of living areas. Is your LWS an Airgas or Praxair ?

Alan

[pgk]

Hopefully you will have better luck with the replacement machine, I don't don't care what machine you buy none of them are perfect or service free. Some of the old time transformer based monsters were and are pretty darned reliable, inverters don't seem to be as robust has the older gen machines. But some of the bells and whistles sure are nice to have, not to mention their lighter weight and Amperage draw.

[clavius]

No machine that you buy will run forever without failing. Nine months use is not a lot, but it does not mean that every copy of that machine is unreliable junk. Sometimes, you just get unlucky. The real proof is how the manufacturer deal with you and it sounds like EASB tech support is trying to make it right for you.

It also sounds like you LWS stinks. I hope there is another one around.

It may not sound like a good solution, but if your customers are picky enough to look down on you because one of your tools failed on you, the best thing for you to do is to always carry a backup. Sounds expensive, but you gotta have a plan B if you operate in that sort of environment.

I have a friend who is a professional photographer. He gets paid a lot of money to shoot weddings and other such events. He has a $2K camera with lenses and flashes that cost much more than that. He has a complete second setup in his pack when he shows up to work. Pricey, but you can't predict when a piece of gear will fail and sometimes, "failure is not an option".

[Ryan]

Thanks for all the great insight everyone.

My LWS is Scott Gross. I am pretty much done with them. Unfortunately, my only other option is Radnor(AirGas). I turned a torch into them for rebuild and they lost it. But their hazmat fee is $5. So what do ya do?

From now on all my consumables will be ordered elsewhere. I will only use the LWS for gas. Im going to keep extra consumables for everything. Though it is expensive to do with all the different plasma consumables I gotta have. But it's a 30min trip to either place and they have said over the phone they had something and when I get there they dont. That has happened a handful of times with both places. And when you lodge a complaint with them you pretty much just get an "oh well". They dont care to lose my business. Even after buying the Rebel and HT Powermax 85 from Scott Gross they rake me over the coals every time i go there it seems like. Im even thinking about driving further to get better service.

[pgk]

That's to bad, that attitude will catch up with them sooner or later. Good luck!

[aland]

My LWS is Scott Gross. I am pretty much done with them. Unfortunately, my only other option is Radnor(AirGas). I turned a torch into them for rebuild and they lost it. But their hazmat fee is $5. So what do ya do?

My $0.02...just buy your gas from them, buy your consumables online.

Don't cut your nose off despite your face, you will need gas from either Scott Gross or AirGas. For other stuff you can buy most all of it online if you had to.

Even after buying the Rebel and HT Powermax 85 from Scott Gross they rake me over the coals every time i go there it seems like. Im even thinking about driving further to get better service.

Could be worth investigating, but remember, you don't want to be driving too far to get gas, the gas in your car adds up also...

Good luck, we all fight this same battle...I feel your pain, but have a good LWS. Problem is there is only one left, and the rest are AirGas and Praxair...

Alan

[MarkL]

Unfortunately, my only other option is Radnor(AirGas). I turned a torch into them for rebuild and they lost it. But their hazmat fee is $5. So what do ya do?

I know that fee drives me nuts every time I buy something. My Airgas gives me 15% off because I went through the welding program at the local community college. And they're really helpful. But every time I pay that $5 it makes me grit my teeth.

[jerje]

Have you considered a Lincoln 210mp? Jody and his buddy JD Brewer really like it and JD uses it in his business running dual shield almost exclusively. You may have seen it but it is in a number of Jody's videos.

[Antorcha]

I'd send it back and roll out one that will work

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