What engine driven welder should I buy?

Hotshot01 · Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:41 pm

I've been debating which welder to go with to start my "Small" (part-time) welding business with for weeks and every time i go with one i find something else that seems better. Im trying to stay under 4400.00 (trying to keep in mind this isnt my full time gig). I want to be able to Stick/TIG with great arc quality for an engine drive, eventually Aluminum but thats not an immediate need knowing i can get an inverter to run off of. that being said i'd like to be able to run a feeder off it too. I just want something that has a great arc quality for the money. im debating between these BRAND NEW machines:

High End $$$:

Miller Trailblazer 275 or Lincoln ranger 305G

Low End $$$

Lincoln Ranger 250 GXT or Miller Bobcat 250

Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:31 pm

I moved this to "shop talk."

I'm going to have to come up with a better explanation for "product reviews", since it's frequent people will ask for information on products that have not been reviewed. This clutters up the list of reviewed products very quickly.

"Shop talk" is a better place to ask questions like this.

Thanks,

Steve S

Boomer63 · Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:29 am

The last portable I owned was a Bobcat 250. I could power my Miller 251 wire feed off of that, and it had the functions necessary to power the inverters for TIG. Never had a problem with it, ever. It was relatively inexpensive, or at least I thought it was inexpensive. I had a small jib crane on the truck for taking it off an on, and had it bolted and locked in three different places to help prevent theft. It would have been easier to steal the entire truck than try to get that welder off! I did sell it when I went out of business; I asked $2200 on craigslist, and it was gone within an hour. Shoot, I would have paid that! Anyway, my feeling is that you want the most powerful welder you can afford. But if you ain't heading to the oil fields to get rich as a rig welder, my opinion would be that the Bobcat would do what need to do.
Gary

Hotshot01 · Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:25 pm

I'm nervous about a bobcat that when I buy it I won't be happy with the arc quality. And the no remote option. Plus miller told me it has very poor TIG welding capabilities

nickn372 · Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:55 am

The best ones are a miller trailblazer 301g or 302g or a lincoln ranger 250gxt. These provide the best bang for your dollar and are multiprocess machines and have 10k watts generating power too. If you want to get more complicated than that you can get into some pricy machines. I don't know what your wanting to get into but I rarely get into a place where I need to tig something but scratch starting on the stick side is as reliable as finding anything with lift arc features for tig. I used to scratch start off of an old lincoln SA200 once in a while. If you want to get a feeder to pair with the welder get a lincoln ln25. I have the set up now the you are trying to build up to. Just do your research, be patient and watch closely for deals through craigslist and ebay.

Boomer63 · Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:26 am

Hotshot01 wrote:I'm nervous about a bobcat that when I buy it I won't be happy with the arc quality. And the no remote option. Plus miller told me it has very poor TIG welding capabilities

I didn't find any difference between my Bobcat and my friends Trailbazer. I don't know about TIG capability. My opinion would be that you buy the most welder that you can; which would be the TrailBlazer

GFS · Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:34 pm

I understand your budget, but we just bought a Trail Blazer 325 and it is very capable of all the tasks you are looking for. Our's is the EFI gas unit, and not kidding, very good on fuel. I wanted another diesel, but they said try it, if you don't like full refund. It has been in the truck since last May. Watch for sales, we paid 5400.00, I think. It was close to that.