Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello,
First off I have to thank you for this site and all the excellent content.
I am unfortunately greatly undecided. I currently own an old Miller Dialarc 250 that when called upon has not let me down. I also have access to a nice Syncrowave with which I repair those old aluminum gear cases and the like. I am going to buy a new machine; you’ve got me talked into something pulse and frequency adjustable amongst ALL the other features. I am sure a new inverter will use far less power and possibly give me multi-process capabilities.
I should mention I am on the verge of retirement after decades as a machinist, industrial heat treater and mechanic. That’s besides side work repairing and preparing race cars, motorcycles and snowmobiles. I have been tooling up and have the beginnings of a client base for a nice little post retirement home business. I have several nice customers for weld work besides the machine shop stuff.
That being said, I have always been in American manufacturing. For that reason I must admit to being apprehensive in buying a machine from an off shore company. I have done a lot of research; I work in a fab/machine shop so get plenty of direct input. Where I work there have been struggles with the service department at Miller. Actually one of the reasons I bought the Dialarc was accompanying paperwork that it had just been through the service shop at Miller, which was just 45 miles up the road, I say “was” as I am told such a resource no longer exists. I read enough bad reflections, reviews on the red machines to cause equal apprehensions. That’s all besides that I’m told there are Blue and Red machines being built offshore. I’m told this, I haven’t read this. I haven’t found any such verification but really don’t doubt it in this money first manufacturing climate (quite often above product quality, or adequate R&D verification).
I’d like something with 200-250 amps capacity. I’d like a 60% duty cycle of 150-160 amps. I’d like a multi process machine, best including a plasma cutter. So… enter the Everlast 256si. Hell of a price (Everlast web site), loads of features, few complaints.
I’m a start up, I don’t see many equivalent options.
I would be happy to hear any logical alternatives.
Sincerely,
Fastrip

If after sale service is important to you, then Everlast might not be the best choice. Few if any shops are Authorized Repair centers, so all Warranty work requires shipping the machine back to Everlast. And waiting.

Lincoln, Miller, Esab are all top rated machines because of their longevity and service history. Also a strong candidate is HTP. I doubt any of these units will have an integrated Plasma, nor should they really. Mixing welding and plasma into the sam box is a bit "Jack of all trades, master at none" in my book. I do not see multiprocess boxes in the same way.

There is probably no welding machine completely built in the US any more. Components are sourced where they are made in volume. If that means Asia for electronics, then the specification and tolerances of those components is what matters, not their origin. Many machines are still assembled in the US, serviced in the US, and have Repair Centers in the US. This is what matters to me.

IF you want a helluva deal, check out the PrimeWeld 200 and PrimeCut 50. About $1,200 all in, no MIG, no Spoolgun capabilities.

As a garage welder, don't get hung up on Duty Cycle. You can't TIG for 20' straight anyway. Each time you reposition, grab more filler, let a part cool, you're allowing the machine to cool. The fan will likely be on anyway. Heck, my MultiMatic 200 ran Flux Core on a job site for 5 straight weeks, all day outside and never once hit the duty cycle. And that is NOT an industrial machine.

I had a Warranty issue with my MM200 shortly after purchase. Called the folks I bought it from, they put me in touch with Miller directly, assessed the issue over the phone, they sent me a replacement Spoolgun. Done. Took my 14 year old Dynasty to the local Authorized Repair Shop, 3 days later, had it back in my hands with a replacement electronic component. $300 and done. Machine has over 3,000 hours on it. Still welds better than me.

Point being, any manufacturer can have issues with their product, any Repair place can ruin your experience or make the ownership of something worthwhile. It's not the brand, it's the attitude of the people you buy it from. Find a good local welding store, and get to know the people there. Talk to the Repair Service Manager. Ask them what units do they see in for repairs and what faults do they have. You'll get a more comfortable feeling from them then some dolts (like me) across the internet.

I can speak to Everlast customer service. I have a 160STH purchased a couple of years ago. The post flow stopped working. I emailed them, they requested a pic of the info plate and replied with a choice of me sending the unit back at their cost for repair or them sending out a new board for me to replace. The Fabrication Series on Youtube has a video of replacing a board in a larger machine (can't recall which). I followed his advice and it took me about 45 minutes to get it switched out and buttoned back up. The board consisted of almost all the internals with the exception of the gas solenoid. It was a matter of taking good photos before disconnecting anything and then removing screws and disconnecting plugs and wires and swapping them out. No soldering, no knobs, very straightforward. This took about a week and a half total turnaround time. Incidentally, I am quite happy with my Everlast machine.

fastrip wrote:I’d like something with 200-250 amps capacity. I’d like a 60% duty cycle of 150-160 amps. I’d like a multi process machine, best including a plasma cutter.

Ok, so now we're getting somewhere. That's about 10% of the information that is needed. What about:

• What processes will you be primary using? SMAW? GMAW? GTAW?
• What metals will you/want to weld? Only steel? Aluminum? Brazing?
• For the metals you want to weld, what is the minimum and maximum thickness you can see yourself welding?
• Do you want simplicity and/or are intimidated by the settings on modern inverter welders, or do you welcome super high-high tech machines where you can set many parameters that are unavailable to older transformer-based welders?
• forget integrating the plasma cutter

fastrip wrote: So… enter the Everlast 256si. Hell of a price (Everlast web site), loads of features, few complaints.
I’m a start up, I don’t see many equivalent options.
I would be happy to hear any logical alternatives.
Sincerely,
Fastrip
.

Lots of people are happy with their Everlast machines, just as with their Millers/Lincolns/Esabs/HTPs. Sometimes it takes someone else's perspective to see what is not apparent. Not knocking on Everlast, as they have a good following, but look at this video series that someone posted on Youtube: HTP Pro Pulse 220 MTS VS Everlast 253DPi comparison Part 1. Also, if you're never read that welders from red/blue are made with off-shore components, well, now you are. I'd say every single welder currently being sold here in the US is made, in some way, with off-shore components. It's a global market. Just like the computer/laptop/tablet/cell phone that you used to make your posts on this very forum. Like was said, it's all about using the best quality off-shore components that meet certain stringent criteria that will ultimately dictate the final "quality" of the machine.