Testing some inverter migs next week

[F.J.]

Try express cutting and welding ( finbar is the guy you want) they do esab Miller and lorch though lorch don't do portable MIGs

Based at Walton le dale other end of the m61

I have Finbars number, i totally forgot about Express. Thanks Kent

 

[Brad93]

Using a lincoln at work, its a 3 phase Powertec 305. Okay for light use but i wouldnt say they are industrial machines so god knows what the speedtec is like. I overheat mine all the time, it flashes a **Language**ing light at you and wont weld for 30 seconds if spatter clogs the contact tip, and the knobs dont have enough adjustment. Wire speed is just numbered 1-10 so you have no idea what youre getting roughly. Hard to get them in the sweet spot.
Have a look at a Kemppi RA. Not sure if portable enough for you but a good compact inverter mig.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Tom how do they police that? Does it have a mileage clock or something. Can they plug it in and remove data from the software?

Fronious machines have hour meter built it, and if you press the right controls run time is displayed. Jasic might have the same thing, but I get the feeling if you used one for 8 hours a day, it would give up the ghost a fair while before the 5 year warranty was up?

 

[Chris Stevens]

The Jasic 200 is a very nice machine, can't really fault their MIG sets, although I haven't put them under the strain of professional use personally; we do have around 8 of their MIG sets in a college nearby and they use them for around 4-5 hours each day and they've not had any issues with them.

Chris, you're correct.. The 5 year warranty is based in both of those conditions. It can only be worked for less than 8 hours a day and it has to be serviced yearly by an approved service agent.

The Kemppi minarc EVO is a brilliant machine and imo it's only drawback is its
Wired in torch which isn't all that bad.
The Lincoln speedtec I find very confusing panel wise so it wouldn't be my choice.

The Jasic 200 MIG also has a synergic version which could be worth a look at, it's a hundred or so quid more but might be worth the extra.

Just as a side note.. It's currently the Jasic anniversary according to Wilkinson Star so they've asked distributors to give special pricing on a few of the Jasic machines which the distributor is rewarded by receiving either a free stick set, 2 free stick sets or if enough of them are shifted in the next month or so they get themselves a 42 inch 4K TV.. I've already called dibs on ours :P
The Jasic 200 is in that special pricing band so it might be worth haggling a bit with your local

Wonder if there is any truth in what I was told by Wilkinson Star, that the Jasic machines now outsell everything else combined?

 

[Kent]

Now then all I have spoken to who use jasic actually like them. Most of these places are not 12 hrs a day head down butt up welding shops but still they are far from rubbish. Car guys say they are very good on the low settings
Don't get confused by the chinese thing most plants have Chinese bits in them or are just rebadged Chinese stuff.
Are jasic the top Chinese manufacturer? I have been told so
If that's the case were does that leave all the chinese made plants with western world badging on them?

 

[Richard.]

Now then all I have spoken to who use jasic actually like them. Most of these places are not 12 hrs a day head down butt up welding shops but still they are far from rubbish. Car guys say they are very good on the low settings
Don't get confused by the chinese thing most plants have Chinese bits in them or are just rebadged Chinese stuff.
Are jasic the top Chinese manufacturer? I have been told so
If that's the case were does that leave all the chinese made plants with western world badging on them?

It's a brand I've never used. Seen plenty dotted about mind. Does the 8 hour rule apply to the 3 phase migs with feed units? Most warranties are governed by service intervals which is understandable at a 5 year offering but with the big 3ph industrial migs I'd hope usage limits were not applied?

 

[matt1978]

Wonder if there is any truth in what I was told by Wilkinson Star, that the Jasic machines now outsell everything else combined?

That's pretty huge statement for any sales rep to be coming out with regardless of who they work for and what they sell. To be honest I can't even for the life of me think how he/she would even think they would have the information to come out with such a line

 

[Chris Stevens]

That's pretty huge statement for any sales rep to be coming out with regardless of who they work for and what they sell. To be honest I can't even for the life of me think how he/she would even think they would have the information to come out with such a line

Struck me as complete BS, but I guess some might get taken in by that sort of thing possibly?

 

[Kent]

I mean sales figures are often BS within a single company internally lol. Rubbish rep!

 

[blenkie1]

Carlisle has 3 main welding outlets and each one has Jasic for sale

 

[Tom Orrow L]

I'd be very surprised if that statement from wilkinson star was true.
They'd need access to every other manufacturers sales records to prove that claim which would be nigh on impossible to obtain.

Jasics do sell quite well and it's simply because of the price point for the quality you get. They're a billion times better than the cheap cramp of eBay but not as good as the big names in the welding world which is why they whack their pricing straight in the middle of the park. Not overly cheap but not overly expensive.

 

[matt1978]

Tom is it true that Jasic only give 2 yrs warranty and the 5 yrs is actually provided by Wilkinson Star?

 

[Chris Stevens]

I guess Wilkinson have seen how much RT is selling, and want a slice of that market themselves, so may well have come up with the 5 year guarantee idea?

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Tom is it true that Jasic only give 2 yrs warranty and the 5 yrs is actually provided by Wilkinson Star?

There is the 2 year standard warranty and then you have to register with wilkinson to get the extra 3 years so yeah you're description is probably about right

 

[matt1978]

I guess Wilkinson have seen how much RT is selling, and want a slice of that market themselves, so may well have come up with the 5 year guarantee idea?

The 5 yrs is a good idea. Esp if it differentiates them from the other offerings in the lower end of the market

 

[Chris Stevens]

Unfortunately I very much doubt if many prospective Jasic buyers are aware that the 5 year warranty is conditional, unless they wade through the small print before purchase?

 

[Kent]

Unfortunately I very much doubt if many prospective Jasic buyers are aware that the 5 year warranty is conditional, unless they wade through the small print before purchase?

Even many dealers don't all know about the conditions. I suspect that's the idea but it just gets people's backs up and in days of Internet bad rep spreads faster than ebola

 

[Chris Stevens]

I would guess anyone who actually read the small print would find the 5 year guarantee a lot less attractive?

 

[F.J.]

Well i had a go of the kemppi today and i was sold after a few runs. I know i wanted to play with a few sets but the kemppi fits the bill completely so i cancelled the other tests.

The synergic settings are right on the money but you can still dial it in for the awkward jobs such as steel with mill scale on.

I'll be the first to admit that the case makes it look a bit cheaper than i thought but the torch is super light and the swan neck swivels round for awkward positions which is a big plus.

I tested it on 3mm angle and 8mm flat bar in various positions and i have to say it performed brilliantly. I would even go as far as saying it would weld upto 10mm as the synergic setting was set for 5mm steel when welding the 8mm flat.

I paid more than you get them for on the likes of eBay but the customer service i get from my weld rep is worth the extra £. I paid £1200 and he threw in a new regulator and a full reel of fe wire. I cant wait for the next job on tuesday after easter as it will be getting used for 8hrs staright..

Apologies for calling time on testing the other machines but i have had my eye on the kemppi for some time and was instantly sold the moment it tried it. I suppose i should've tested it last but such is life.

Look outin the 'Sales' section for a 200 Cebora 2020 synergic set soon

 

[arther dailey]

Fair go, if it fits the bill job sorted, let us know how it goes next week, have a good one. Arther