I'm looking for a MIG welder, mostly for car work (Toyota Landcruiser BJ42). Most of my work will be 1mm (body) to 3mm (chassis) and exceptional 6mm for some heavy duty stuff.
So I should be OK with an 150A machine.
So I have the following options:
- Lincoln powertec 300c, 3 years old for 850 euro. Second hand, and a bit too big for what I really need. (space is an issue, weight not really)
- Chinese machine with local support: invertor based, will cost 800 euro(VAT incl), 2 years waranty. Light, compact, in the end cheaper as the lincoln as I can deduct VAT. (specs: 20A-200A, 155A/100%)
- new lincoln 161c, 800€, weights twice as much as the chinese (specs on paper are worse than chinese machine)
I've been looking around, and if needed I could stretch the budget to a bigger lincoln (I have 3ph, 400v)
But does this have an advantage? I'm only going to weld during weekends and evenings. If I can't weld for a couple of weeks (due to a breakdown) no problem.
So does the lincoln even have an advantage? Does it really weld that much better?
Is 400V better to weld? Or is it just urban legend?
Or in one phrase, is bigger better? Should I go for the Lincoln 300c? And I won't be bothered by its max 300A?
Thanks in advance for any insight,
Bart
PS1. first post, so I hope I don't break any rules
PS2. I have been looking around already some time in the forum. I was going for a TIG first. AC DC so I could do alu jobs also. But the forum is convinced a MIG is better for car work so I changed plans.
So I should be OK with an 150A machine.
So I have the following options:
- Lincoln powertec 300c, 3 years old for 850 euro. Second hand, and a bit too big for what I really need. (space is an issue, weight not really)
- Chinese machine with local support: invertor based, will cost 800 euro(VAT incl), 2 years waranty. Light, compact, in the end cheaper as the lincoln as I can deduct VAT. (specs: 20A-200A, 155A/100%)
- new lincoln 161c, 800€, weights twice as much as the chinese (specs on paper are worse than chinese machine)
I've been looking around, and if needed I could stretch the budget to a bigger lincoln (I have 3ph, 400v)
But does this have an advantage? I'm only going to weld during weekends and evenings. If I can't weld for a couple of weeks (due to a breakdown) no problem.
So does the lincoln even have an advantage? Does it really weld that much better?
Is 400V better to weld? Or is it just urban legend?
Or in one phrase, is bigger better? Should I go for the Lincoln 300c? And I won't be bothered by its max 300A?
Thanks in advance for any insight,
Bart
PS1. first post, so I hope I don't break any rules
PS2. I have been looking around already some time in the forum. I was going for a TIG first. AC DC so I could do alu jobs also. But the forum is convinced a MIG is better for car work so I changed plans.