- Thread starter flatmajor
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Charred fingers
Member
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just googled it and found an ebay listing showing a machine with Spark logo on the side if it's the same I think the're chinese.
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I did the same, I think you're right, Chinese. 
Spec is not too bad, 35-80a, duty cycle's not brilliant but it's ok. The Euro torch is a nice feature.
Let us know what you think of it FM, pics of the inside and wire feed mech would be great please.
Spec is not too bad, 35-80a, duty cycle's not brilliant but it's ok. The Euro torch is a nice feature.
Let us know what you think of it FM, pics of the inside and wire feed mech would be great please.
flatmajor
Going profesional
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mig200 como pics
right here we go wozz, some pics of the wire feeder and some others. ill take the side cover off it tomorrow. i have had a look insde before and seems quite tidy. i also took some pics of a t fillet that i did today too. the mig como surprisingly welds realy nice, it also has the spot and stitch timer too. the euro torch that came with it is a type 15, realy it should be a 25 as the welder it self is 200 amp. but i reckon its a good buy
m
right here we go wozz, some pics of the wire feeder and some others. ill take the side cover off it tomorrow. i have had a look insde before and seems quite tidy. i also took some pics of a t fillet that i did today too. the mig como surprisingly welds realy nice, it also has the spot and stitch timer too. the euro torch that came with it is a type 15, realy it should be a 25 as the welder it self is 200 amp. but i reckon its a good buy
m
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No reason why not but I doubt there'll be many looking for it.
The wire feed looks pretty decent, shame the motor's a bit weeny but it's bigger than some.
It actually looks a decent enough machine and being transformer based it ought to be pretty reliable.
The wire feed looks pretty decent, shame the motor's a bit weeny but it's bigger than some.
It actually looks a decent enough machine and being transformer based it ought to be pretty reliable.
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I wouldn't have thought it was an easy upgrade, you'd have to somehow get a different motor to drive the existing rollers or swap the entire drive unit (including motor) for a better one which wouldn't be cost effective.
I'd say leave it as it is, if it works and you're happy with it then that's more than good enough.
I'd say leave it as it is, if it works and you're happy with it then that's more than good enough.
shenion
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The size of the motor means nothing.
I have seen some that small deliver near 1HP. Its more on the quality of the motor and the drive electronics.
Looks like a good machine. The motor feed looks like it uses a commercial gearbox like i used on the feeder I made. Probably has metal gears also.
I have seen some that small deliver near 1HP. Its more on the quality of the motor and the drive electronics.
Looks like a good machine. The motor feed looks like it uses a commercial gearbox like i used on the feeder I made. Probably has metal gears also.
Are you seeing any problems due to shortcomings in the motor? The welds look pretty good to me.
flatmajor
Going profesional
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ill have a look tomorrow as ive got to take the side cover off anyway to take some pics. thanks for your reply.
m
Como 200
A new one of these has caught my eye on ebay as it is within my budget of aprox £250 and the spec looks quite good. I want a machine for occasional classic car hobby work to replace my old gasless mig. What are they like on car bodywork? Is 35A too high for thin bodywork?
A new one of these has caught my eye on ebay as it is within my budget of aprox £250 and the spec looks quite good. I want a machine for occasional classic car hobby work to replace my old gasless mig. What are they like on car bodywork? Is 35A too high for thin bodywork?
Can't advise about the welder, maybe FM will see your post and update us on how it worked out.
So far as 35A is concerned, a lot depends on the quality of the welder. A good-class Pro m/c will do bodywork at 35A without too much problem, especially if it has a stitch facility, which turns the current on and off very quickly as you weld, thus making the weld line cooler, and less chance of blowthru'.
But doing 35A purely by hand on a hobby or 'semi-pro' m/c is harder, and takes more getting used to. Sometimes you have to use cooling dodges like copper or alloy strips behind the job to take part of the heat away, or have lots of 'on-off' tacking practice. One place I worked had a so-called 'pro' Sealey with a low of 35A, and we got used to it and did passable work, but any FNG always blew holes until he learned better how to use it.
So far as 35A is concerned, a lot depends on the quality of the welder. A good-class Pro m/c will do bodywork at 35A without too much problem, especially if it has a stitch facility, which turns the current on and off very quickly as you weld, thus making the weld line cooler, and less chance of blowthru'.
But doing 35A purely by hand on a hobby or 'semi-pro' m/c is harder, and takes more getting used to. Sometimes you have to use cooling dodges like copper or alloy strips behind the job to take part of the heat away, or have lots of 'on-off' tacking practice. One place I worked had a so-called 'pro' Sealey with a low of 35A, and we got used to it and did passable work, but any FNG always blew holes until he learned better how to use it.
