Any good?

[Davek0974]

Looking for another welder, fed up with my sip pro 170, anyone tried one of these?

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/Mig_Welder/240V_Mig_Welders/Mig_Welder_R-Tech_IMIG160

I have one of there little plasma cutters and it's a very well built unit that punches way above its weight, I was wondering if their migs were as good?

I mainly work steel 1.5 - 6mm thick, I have argon mix gas and generally use 0.8mm wire.

Any views?

 

[StickNtig]

Supposed to be a decent budget brand, it'll be okay

 

[Davek0974]

Good, they're supposed to have very good wire feed units in them too.

Dave

 

[markjabber]

I got one great bit of kit no probs ata all from mine, everything from car body to wrought iron raillings

 

[Davek0974]

I got one great bit of kit no probs ata all from mine, everything from car body to wrought iron raillings

Excellent.

Thanks

 

[cumbriasteve]

Perhaps also worth considering the Portamig, same price - more power and lower amps settings.

Not as modern looking but built to last.

 

[oilcooled :)]

Perhaps also worth considering the Portamig, same price - more power and lower amps settings.

Not as modern looking but built to last.

although theres more amps in a portamig, the r tech would have thicker capablilitys with having mma function, be more portable and modern, but it would not take abuse as well as its not traditional transformer technology, but the warranty is a good selling point, i like the look of it, and id never buy a multiprocess machine, but the spec is good,

 

[Davek0974]

although theres more amps in a portamig, the r tech would have thicker capablilitys with having mma function, be more portable and modern, but it would not take abuse as well as its not traditional transformer technology, but the warranty is a good selling point, i like the look of it, and id never buy a multiprocess machine, but the spec is good,

That was my thinking as well, in this price point which i consider to be top-end hobby, low-end professional, what is the benefit of getting a standard type as opposed to inverter.

Yes one has lower bottom end, but the other has infinitely variable power and also variable choke too, its lighter, very similar duty cycles, and although made outside the UK, its made to UK specs and judging by their plasma cutter its made very well too.

I still have the Sip unit, so this purchase is not based on a direct need but a new project I am starting has a lot of visible weld on it and the Sip struggles to pull a consistent bead. I know there are fixes for it but its not even my machine, it was on (permanent) loan from work So I don't want to start spending on it, thats what is making me think its time to get my own unit.

 

[Davek0974]

The new inverter mig came Friday, still learning the quirks and new control ability,but first tests are very impressive, much more heat input than the old unit. The wire feed is amazing and very stable.

Been messing about on some 1mm sheet with 0.8 wire, finding it pretty easy to get a good weld without burn through, also tried joining 1mm to 3mm, again very easy, even a prepped joint on some 10mm plate with root gap seemed to give excellent results despite being above capacity, cut samples show good penetration and I falied to destroy the joint using bench tools.

I'm impressed.

Haven't tried the MMA facility yet as I never was much good with a stick, but useful to have, goes up to 130a in MMA mode.