Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello I am looking to purchase my first welding machine but I am not sure which direction to go,I am wanting to use it for practice and for small projects to make a little money on the side, I am a welder who has been welding for about 10 years I have decided to pursue my degree in welding technology to obtain my pipe and structural certifications I love to tig weld but I can do mig and stick as well any insight would be appreciated thanks

Hey,

For the vast majority of home projects and cashies, I would buy a mig. Something like a Lincoln 180 C If you are already a welder.

Mick

I will also move this topic. to general shop talk.

Mick

I would like to have a multi-process machine that allows me to do aluminum welding as well do you know of a reasonably priced one I have a budget of 2500$

Hi,
I have also been looking for a good multiprocess machine also and I have a very tight budget. I hear a lot of people talking about the Everlast PowerPro 256. It does AC/DC tig and stick along with plasma cutting. I believe the price was around $1500.
Hope this helps,
Matt

Hey,

I have moved it to the tig thread , as matt said, everlast power pro is a good thing for ac tig/ plasma stick, and the everlast mts will do dc tig stick mig. you could run Alum wire through this machine for small jobs.

Mick

I have been speaking with my welding supply guy and he told me that the everlast machine he would not trust it but needless to say he is a miller rep as well. I have considered the everlast machine because ive seen jody use it I may go with that machine because it is everything in one. Now the plasma cutting is that efficient for fabrication

Hey,

Plasmas are very efficent for fab because you can cut almost ANY metal very quickly.

Mick

I love plasma cutting. If I have to choose between cutting with a torch or a plasma cutter, I would choose plasma hands down. Since you were just interested in a multi process machine to weld aluminum if you go with the everlast then the plasma would be a perk and it is a great one in my opinion. They are great for small projects and precise work but they make a quick clean cut when you need it.
Matt

Now if I purchase the everlast machine my next roadblock would be a power source now I would be working out of my garage I was thinking of buying a generator so I could use that instead of hiring an electrician to come in as and modify a plug to accommodate the power supply and prevent my light bill from.increasing what do you guys think

How much would a sparky charge, is it really worth the trouble of running a genie everytime you want to arc up. The new welders are particularly energy efficient , and unless you are building battleships in your backyard, probably wouldnt send the bills up to far.

Everlast PowerPro 205 has a decent duty cycle and you won't need to rewire the garage.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/Power ... 79-pd.html

dmckoy wrote:I would like to have a multi-process machine that allows me to do aluminum welding as well do you know of a reasonably priced one I have a budget of 2500$

From my personal experience, a generator should be a last resort. I find that they don't provide enough constant current to run a welder to it's maximum potential. If it was a larger generator specifically for welding or a gas powered welder then that is a possibility, but if you are trying to save money I think that the money you would spend on a big enough generator would almost cover wiring in the outlet. As far as your bill, I think the money you would spend on fuel to run the generator added with the noise of the engine would more than cover the hike in bill price. This is just personal opinion and experience.
Matt

The first thing you have to decide is if you want to weld aluminum with GTAW. That will pretty much eliminate GMAW welding all on the same machine. Your combination choices are SMAW,GTAW and PAC on one machine or GMAW, FCAW and Spool Gun for aluminum on another machine. With your budget you will have to pick one or the other but not both if you are shopping new. A friend of mine just picked up a Dynasty 200 and a Millermatic 210 with bottles, consumables, cooler for $1500.00. I went over to check the machines to make sure they worked and offered him 2 grand and he just laughed.

Hey'

I hope you had gloves on when you checked those machines..... That price wouldnt even cover the mig let alone the rest.

Mick

dmckoy wrote:I have been speaking with my welding supply guy and he told me that the everlast machine he would not trust it but needless to say he is a miller rep as well.

What do you think Miller reps are for?
I was talking to one the other day....
John

lazerbeam wrote:The first thing you have to decide is if you want to weld aluminum with GTAW. That will pretty much eliminate GMAW welding all on the same machine. Your combination choices are SMAW,GTAW and PAC on one machine or GMAW, FCAW and Spool Gun for aluminum on another machine. With your budget you will have to pick one or the other but not both if you are shopping new. A friend of mine just picked up a Dynasty 200 and a Millermatic 210 with bottles, consumables, cooler for $1500.00. I went over to check the machines to make sure they worked and offered him 2 grand and he just laughed.

WOW

dmckoy wrote:Now if I purchase the everlast machine my next roadblock would be a power source now I would be working out of my garage I was thinking of buying a generator so I could use that instead of hiring an electrician to come in as and modify a plug to accommodate the power supply and prevent my light bill from.increasing what do you guys think

Hi,
Its great thought. For buying a generator, its very much helpful for you and also you have saved your money towards electrician. I am very much appreciate you about your thought.

Hey I was the one who recommended the Everlast machine and I am with drawing that recommendations. I ordered an Everlast machine and just got it first thing I saw was the plasma torch. The tip was burnt and scratched up. I hooked everything up according to what the very vague instructions showed. I plugged the machine in and it was very loud when I pushed the button on the plasma, which is the main reason I wanted the machine, I had zero air pressure and it wouldn't arc. The pressure gauge wouldn't register any pressure so something inside the machine is blocked or not hooked up. I took the tip off of the torch left the electrode hooked up and managed to get an arc but it wouldn't with the tip on. I called Everlast and got no answer. Needless to say I packed the machine up and we are sending it back for our money to buy a name brand reliable machine. I am sorry for even recommending the machine to you I had no experience until now. Hope this reaches you before you consider buying an Everlast.
Matt

Ouch, Matt, that's gotta hurt!!!
I would try and get on the Everlast Forum....
And talk to some of those guys....
Everlast should be responsive and help you out....
Good luck,
John

Which model did you buy??

I paid for the Super Ultra 205, what I got was the super dud for 705 dollars I ran a few beads with stick and it did decent other than the fact that after lighting up the first time it tripped the breaker on 120v. After I reset the breaker it ran some decent beads stick but the plasma which is what we were wanting didn't work at all.

mcoe wrote:I paid for the Super Ultra 205, what I got was the super dud for 705 dollars I ran a few beads with stick and it did decent other than the fact that after lighting up the first time it tripped the breaker on 120v. After I reset the breaker it ran some decent beads stick but the plasma which is what we were wanting didn't work at all.

Where did you purchase this welder....?

The only place I found if was Amazon. The shipped it in 2 days for free and it was a great deal so we thought.

I bought a 160 sth of amazon and they do a pretty good job, you should have good customer support....
Seems funny, as in Everlast "supposedly" checks and operates every machine before shipping....
I would go to the Everlast forum and talk to one of the guys....

http://www.amazon.com/Everlast-SuperUlt ... ower+ultra

Is this the one you bought????

John