Butters 200A AC/DC Tig

[pieman]

are these any good? 2 year warranty and uk base (even tho made in china )

http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/TIG_Welder/tig_welder.html

really want a fairly big amp ac unit as cheap as possible. only occasional use.

Id love the new fusion AC inverter but far too much cash for occasional use. Any other recommendations?

oh and i've got a 32A dedicated 240v supply and not 3 phase.

cheers
simon

 

[matt1978]

Personally I don't rate it, but thats just my opinion. If thats the sort you want compare prices on the Parweld stuff first, its the same machine. See who's is cheapest.

 

[weldequip]

The Parweld version is different Matt, has just the normal 12 month's warranty & no in-house service department like Butters. Love to sell him one of your super duper Lorch sets but, as ever , price dictates.
weldequip

 

[pieman]

yes price certainly does dictate!

Weldequip, sorry didnt buy a portamig, i managed to borrow a friends welder to do the job. Looks like i'm getting more into stainless stuff nowadays hence the need for tig

 

[matt1978]

Yeah, I can see how big a part price pays in this sector.

Didn't realise there was a differance on the machine, but then again I have never seen the Parweld of Butters one to use. One of my customers imports a Switch mig from Czech (Kuhtriber) and they sent him over some of these tigs to evaluate, its the same in appearance.
Do you also sell the Butters range Steve?

 

[pieman]

I borrowed a butters AMT251C Mig (not shown on website??) and put 20Kg of 1mm wire through it for a job i was doing. Quite impressed with it. robust and lovely geared wire feed.

 

[matt1978]

Trouble is Pieman, not any of the product groups are made by the same manufacturer or even in the same country.

I am not knocking them, they do a good job and they have a lot of respect in the industry, but it makes no difference if a Mig was good when talking about these tigs.

The Switch migs are made in Eastern block I think the Inverter migs are Italian and these Tigs are Chinese, Different manufacturers different countries. Same name.

 

[weldequip]

Do you also sell the Butters range Steve?

I've dabbled in some of their MIGs but not the Inverters.
weldequip

 

[matt1978]

There migs are pretty good arn't they? Or so I have been told........

The original Butters (Norman) we're superb bits of kit, really smooth arc.

 

[weldequip]

The original NBC machines were outstanding yes, and got a good reputation in the industry. Their new stuff is... how shall we say... built to a price. But that's what the market now wants so that's what they get!
weldequip

 

[pieman]

The one i used was a small 250A industrial mig with 4 plate rectifier etc and proper wire feed. Was mightily impressed with it. I was laying down 1mm wire for hours without any probs. Shoud imagine the hobby range is much more pared to the bone.

 

[weldequip]

I should add, in Butters favour, that something like their AMT181 is a better quality machine than a Sealey or SIP equivalent in my opinion.
weldequip

 

[matt1978]

Their new stuff is... how shall we say... built to a price.

If the welding dries up, you could always become a politician! :

 

[matt1978]

I need to stop thinking from an Industrial welders point of view, who is used to using machines day in day out........ I keep offering these opinions and maybe I sound a bit harsh. I really don't mean too, at the end of the day if your only going to be using the kit once or twice a week for welding up the odd car sill etc then who am I to argue.

Speak to Weldequip or DIY, they are specialists with this kit and can offer better advice based on experience of selling within the market, so by now they will know, the best of the cheap stuff and the cheap stuff to definitely avoid

 

[weldequip]

If the welding dries up, you could always become a politician!

What do you mean if, more like when!
Politics is the game alright... feathering their own nests all the time. Self first, party second, country third. T****ers
weldequip

 

[EVguru]

My local welding shop sells the Butters Tigs and I went down for a chat. They had one batch of machines that gave trouble, but mostly satisfied customers.

The design seems to be basically sound, but China has no real patent laws or design copyright. Some machines are copies of copies of copies, built by poorly skilled labour and VERY much down to a price (string rather than cable ties!). Not a good choice, even if you live in China and can take it back to the shop.

I recently bought a Jasic WSE200P (like the Butters Tig, but with pulse capability) direct from China via ebay, having researched which companies produced reasonable quality. It cost under £500 shipping and taxes included and I've been quite impressed. I took it to a friend who welds professionally and had trouble getting him to give it back so I could go home.

There is supposed to be a warantee; help with diagnosis and replacement sub assemblies sent from China for you to fit.

I've just ordered a 40amp plasma cutter for the grand total of £164. We'll see how that performs too.



Paul

 

[lexi]

Hey Steve while the Norman Butters thing is on ..............a little birdie told me my Portamig is a copy of an original Butters machine. Is that why it`s so good?..lol.

I think the Jasic machines may be the Riland models. I think a lot of the smaller Chinese companies copied their basic models and added etc. I do think like everything some Chinese is a lot better than others. It`s like Chinese and Spanish slate, most are poor but some are excellent........Mmmm what a pathetic comparison that was...Pass the Glenmorangie....

Alex