Review EWM 8m PC2 Push-Pull

[Hood]

I really like pistol grip torches. For welding fillets I think it’s the most comfortable method. Not as keen for vertical welds.

I bought the optional pistol grip just in case I didn't like the straight torch, I do like it but for some welds I found it a pain but I think with the 45 degree neck it would have been ok. The pistol grip however is quick to remove/replace so I could actually see me using both on a job if I was struggling with access or getting the correct torch angle.

 

[Jim Davey]

Do the necks rotate?

 

[Hood]

Do the necks rotate?

Aye

 

[Hood]

Or at least the one on the torch does, mine only after some Ibuprofen

 

[Hood]

Took the neck off the Binzel to see what it was like, it has a flat face and a thicker flange but same thread etc.

The liner in the EWM neck protrudes this amount from the face.

And what do you know the Binzel is the same with the EWM liner. Not that that would really matter as I could have made up a new one to suit.

It fits on the torch with 4 turns of threads so ample and it works well.

 

[Munkul]

Useful What consumables does the EWM torch head take? It doesn't look like MB style...

 

[Hood]

Useful What consumables does the EWM torch head take? It doesn't look like MB style...

Aye, it will let me see whether buying a proper EWM 45 degree neck will be worth it.

Regarding the consumables , no idea what exactly they are or whether specific EWM ones (doubtful) but I got an adaptor to use standard Binzel M8 tips as I had loads of them, or so I thought, turns out they are all 1 and 1.2mm but not for Alu, so no use as I will never run 1mm wire again with the pulse mig.

I will see what the cost of the EWM contact tips is compared to the Binzel ones and decide which I go for but I can get the Binzel ones locally no problem so may just stick with them.
The EWM ones however have much more meat to them so should be better for the heat.
Pic below of them with the Binzel for comparison.

 

[Jim Davey]

The EWM ones cope very well with the reflected heat of pulse mig on aluminium.

 

[Hood]

The EWM ones cope very well with the reflected heat of pulse mig on aluminium.

Aye the extra bulk must help. Then again I never have issues with the Binzels so...

 

[Hood]

Messed about this evening , built up some welds on some 5mm plate. Just kept going as the heat built up which meant I had to reduce the current each pass and using the programmes worked well so I am hopeful that it will do all I need but I will have to wait for a real job on varied positions and thicknesses to be sure.

Only down side to using programmes is if I need to alter the voltage offset then it needs to be done in each programme but I suppose I don't need to do that often, mainly just when I change wire brand.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

my two points here, from what I have looked at previously, is that Binzel make the torches for EWM. Just like Jabsco make pumps for Perkins, but you cannot get that same pump form Jabsco. Regarding the bigger tips, Fronius, on the previous model TPS2700 made big ones, basically twice the size of the current ones tips. I have run through 4 rolls of wire on 'Francis' using the same tip, which is about the same size as a MB36 8mm binzel tip but with it's diameter from the the thread

Top one is Binzel and bottom is Fronius. Not much difference in actual size, so there seems to be no reason for a difference in performance. I suspect there is a difference due to the water cooled torch. I haven't used the air cooled torch for this amount of welding, during the boat build, but assume that the water cooled torch has to be much better with tip life. Also Binzel recommend using only copper for alli, however the fronius tips are CrZr, which is supposed to last longer. Anyway just my two cents worth

 

[Hood]

That Binzel one is the same style as I use, m8 thread and large dia body. The EWM ones are more or less the same body dia but the thread is m9 and longer thread and turned section.
I will likely just keep using the Binzel ones as, at most, I use one per reel of wire and that is only because when I run out of wire I am not quick enough to stop the arc and it burns back. Sometimes it doesn't damage the tip but sometimes it does.

 

[Hood]

I was using the EWM again today welding up some 5mm aluminium. I think the programmes are going to do exactly what I need
I wa able to change easily between Jobs which is one of the main reasons I wanted the torch. I also was able to adjust the current via the programmes and it worked well so very happy with the way things worked out and glad I posted up on here as I would never have tried it that way especially as I had it in my mind that 15 programmes were the max that could be set when in reality it is 15 for each job and there are 40 user settable jobs.

I also tried out the 45 degree neck from the binzel and I definitely should have got that instead of the 36 degree one.

Anyway a couple of pics of todays welds.
This is some 10mm 5083 I did as a test, Job 132 set up for 8.5mm to 15.5mm in 0.5mm increments, was probably on programme 3 which would be 9.5mm.

This was some 5mm with Job 131 which is super pulse and programmes range from 1 to 8 in 0.5mm increments.
The welds on the right were job 129 which is single pulse but don't have a close up of them.

 

[Hood]

Neat and tidy mate very clean

Aye that is with the wire I got from R H Davey, it is the stuff supplied by EWM, some French make, can't recall the name at the moment but it seems to be nice.

 

[Hood]

Oh right yeah I remember you saying before the EWM stuff runs nice.

Aye but this is a new maker, seemingly they were having issues with their previous supplier and quality control.