Headux MIG 180 Syn Pro Welder Opinions

[Jungleaddict]

Hello all,

I have no experience of MIG welding but it is a skill I have been eager to learn. I am now in a position to start investing in my first welder and the one listed in the link below has caught my eye:

Headux MIG 180 Synergic Pro PFC MIG Welder 110V & 230V

Headux MIG 180 Syn Pro PFC MIG Welder 110V & 230V this is a compact multi-process welder very simple to set with a very low 20 amp setting for thin steel

www.weldingdirect.co.uk

From my research this seems to tick quite a few boxes for what I plan to use it for which is mainly car bodywork but also some light structural fabrication using 3mm mild steel box section.
It has some nice features but I have yet to find any reviews for this particular model. If there is anybody out there who could give me an honest opinion on the performance of this welder that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Nick

 

[Parm]

Welcome to the forum, someone will be along soon to help out

 

[Mark 2]

Having the word pro included always gives piece of mind.

 

[Richiew]

It's got a Euro torch and a decent wire feed by the looks of things. It will be Chinese but I reckon it'll do alright.

I particularly like the honest description of the TIG function by the vendor.

You might have to bite the bullet and give us a review.

 

[Jungleaddict]

I agree, the honesty is definitely a plus point.
Is there anybody else that would like to intervene before I pull the trigger on this purchase?

 

[eddie49]

I have dealt with this Seller and I believe them to be honest and fair.
The welder accepts 5kg 8-inch reels of MIG wire, which are more economical than the small 1kg reels.
The all-metal wirefeed assembly does have gears between the drive roll and the pressure roll, which provides a more positive feed, and the motor is 40W rather than the usual 25w.

The welder has a 110v input option and it is generator-friendly - which you may not need.
What is the length of the warranty?
This machine costs about twice as much as similar imported 150 - 200A inverter MIGs, such as BlackLine, Uptime, StaticArc, and Rohr. This may be because it comes from a more-professional supplier, from whom you may get better support. It is also a more modern machine, with a better wirefeed assembly, and it is synergic. There is only one control, which adjusts both voltage and wirespeed simultaneously, in accordance with a pre-programmed ratio, table, or map. Crucially, it also has the ability to fine-tune these preset values. This option is often missing on entry-level synergic machines, and so they rely on the preset values being spot-on, which may not be true for every application.
However, if you have never MIG-welded before, it is debatable whether the "click & weld" advantage of a synergic machine outweighs the experience learned by manually adjusting voltage and wirespeed with simple rotary controls.....

 

[500e]

The wire feed looks all metal def a + point, setting instructions seem simpleish

 

[Jungleaddict]

Thankyou all for your input.
My other consideration was the Clarke MIG120Multi. This is another machine that seems to tick all the boxes.
I understand that Clarke is a well established brand but this particular model seems very cheap and I am concerned the performance will not match the Headux Welder.
I am definitely leaning towards the Headux welder but if there is anybody that would suggest the Clarke welder is a favourable option, please let me know.

Clarke MIG120 Multi 120A MIG / MMA / TIG Inverter Welder (230V) - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

 

[addjunkie]

Paton StandardMIG 160 Pulse MIG Welder - 230V

Key Features 5MM maximum weld thickness on mild steel Perfect on thin material <1MM Pulse MIG, TIG & MMA 5KG maximum wire reel capacity Made in Europe Very easy to use 5 year warranty

www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk

this is similar money from a more known brand, sold by our forum sponsor so a little bit discount.

But you wont know what it welds like unless you buy one….warranty and support are key!

 

[Mark 2]

Give the Clarke a miss. No euro torch and I suspect the polarity is not changeable.

 

[eddie49]

It is true that Clarke is an established brand, but as far as inverter welders are concerned they sell middle-of-the-road machines at far higher prices than the online box-shifters charge for very similar imported products.
Again, the MIG120 is a synergic machine, so there is only one control, but it does not have any "fine tuning" or manual options to trim voltage or wirespeed. Therefore I would advise against it.
At the level of this Clarke, you can get many similar synergic machines, with gas/gasless MIG, MMA ( Arc ) and "TIG" functionality, but for half that price - e.g. the Lidl/Parkside PIFDS 120.
This one has both a variable "trim" and a fully-manual override of the synergic function:

Pardon our interruption...

Have you firmly decided that you want a MIG welder that is an inverter, synergic, and new? The other options would be: transformer, manual control, and secondhand.

 

[Robert Weaver]

And don't forget about gas bottle and regulator.

 

[Jungleaddict]

Inverter, synergic and new are favourable but I would not discount other alternatives. I was almost set on the Headux but I have now found the Cros-Arc 160 MF. The Cros-Arc is identical to the Headux, however it has slightly reduced Max output. 160A max should still be enough and at nearly £80 less I think this is what I am going to settle on.

 

[eddie49]

The Cros-Arc 160MF spec says:
"Additionally, the digital display also allows you to fine tune the Wire Feed Speed and Trim the Voltage off the factory Pre-Sets to suit individual welding jobs and circumstances."

So that's alright then.
However, for a beginner, I still think it's like learning to drive on an automatic.

 

[addjunkie]

Inverter, synergic and new are favourable but I would not discount other alternatives. I was almost set on the Headux but I have now found the Cros-Arc 160 MF. The Cros-Arc is identical to the Headux, however it has slightly reduced Max output. 160A max should still be enough and at nearly £80 less I think this is what I am going to settle on.

It only has a 2 year warranty, the R tec has a 3 year, the paton a 5 year ………these are an electronic box that sometimes produce that magic electronic smoke………..