MIG upgrading from Blackline 200

[moleb]

Hi,

I have a Blackline 200 for MIG and have recently been doing some restoration work on an old Mazda that is making me think about upgrading. The Blackline has been great and although it will do a 6cm continuous weld on .5mm steel without burning through (on the bench), when upside down and stitching I have blown a couple of holes and I'm wondering if it's worth upgrading.
I'd prefer a removable torch and .6 wire option in the software as that's my preferred size. I have a bias for metal roller assemblies as the Blackline has one and I had a bad experience years ago with a SIP Migmate (plastic wire feeder) but I could be talked out of that as the SIP was rubbish in every way.
Budget is £1500 inc VAT and here's what I've been looking at:

Parweld XTM201DI, .6/.8, metal 2 roller feed
Bohler Uranos 2000MC, .8/1, plastic 2 roller feed
GYS Multipearl 210, .6, can't find a picture of the feeder.
Stahlwerk Mig Mag 200 double pulse, .8, metal 4 roller feed

I like the software on the Parweld but other than the GYS I can't find much in the way of reviews that concentrate on thin stuff. All the Youtube vids tend to go straight to 3mm+. I can't find much on the Stahlwerk so it's an outsider unless someone has direct experience of it? Parweld 211 is an option as then I could sell the TIG gear (APEX) but really not sure about all the functions in one unit.
What would you recommend for thin car body steel?

 

[willie.macleod]

The Blackline has been great and although it will do a 6cm continuous weld on .5mm steel without burning through (on the bench), when upside down and stitching I have blown a couple of holes and I'm wondering if it's worth upgrading.

You are burning holes because of the heat input, 60mm continuous MIG weld repairs on .5mm steel with no backing will always burn through and no machine is going to sort that for you - tack around the patch and use a stitch technique and your existing machine will do the job. However if you want an upgrade all the machines you have listed there look pretty good.

 

[Onthespotwelding]

Spending a grand on a GYS multi won’t turn you into a welding god!

 

[Kalts]

In the first stage of researching MIG welders I looked for cheap low-power machines as I intend to use it only for sheet metal. Stahlwerk is known name so searched for 135 ST but was not successful, probably not a very popular model. But search for their 200 ST came up with that. Does not inspire any confidence as the guy is using Miller app trying to setup his machine without much success. I am of the opinion that either get something locally from the cheapest end (try before buy only!) or skip right through up to brand-name welders. Anything in between is not rational. You already have satisfactory welder, from what end is left as an exercise for the reader

 

[moleb]

Yes, the Stahlwerk is a bit of a lottery. The Blackline is fine except for the consistency when stitching, it will stitch a whole run quite comfortably then blow a hole on the first tack on the next piece, then fine again. Doesn't seem like the first strike is consistent, if you see what I mean.

 

[Kalts]

Yes, I understand and personally am also in search for a machine which first and foremost will be consistent in tacking. All this car panel work is series tacking and if that is not repeatably consistent the welder is useless. Of course it also has to be fully manually adjustable. After calling around for a week I have got impression that 0.6 mm wire is not something dealers want to talk much about. It is not an easy topic for them, either they simply have no clue or it is technically difficult. Feeding such a thin wire reliably is more difficult than 0.8 for example.

 

[mtt.tr]

If you are up side down you'll need less heat as heat rises.

Sound like poor technique, my blackline 250 is a brilliant welder

 

[Tangledfeet]

I don't think Stahlwerk are available in the UK since, well, you know what.

 

[moleb]

After calling around for a week I have got impression that 0.6 mm wire is not something dealers want to talk much about.

Yes, I did an exhaust flange recently with .8 and it was great, just prefer the .6 for the thinner stuff. As you say, it's consistency I'm after and it would be nice to see some reviews of this gear on thinner sheet. It could well be poor technique but I can't see why on a given sheet a random tack in the series results in a hole. The settings, gas are all the same but the initial strike sometimes is too brutal and it could be the first, last or any one in the middle so it's not the sheet temp change that's doing it.

 

[eddie49]

I don't think Stahlwerk are available in the UK since, well, you know what.

They are back:

Items for sale by stahlwerkweldingmachines | eBay

Shop eBay for great deals from stahlwerkweldingmachines!

www.ebay.co.uk

However:
"Note for our UK customers: Please note that import duties apply to goods valued at £135 or more."
They have a good reputation and an amazing 7-year warranty!

I would be tempted to check out their low-end "fully synergic" machines, to determine if any of them provide manual "trimming" of the voltage, allowing fine tuning of the pre-programmed setting and optimisation of the results - as available in some of the cheap machines discussed in this thread:

Choosing between these 2 welders for car repairs (thin sheet metal)

Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to welding in general. I'm interested in purchasing a MIG inverter welder that would mostly be used for car repairs (thin sheet metal...) and other occasional tasks around home. I would use argon+CO2 gas as well. For the welder, I'd say my budget is roughly...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Tangledfeet]

They are back:

Items for sale by stahlwerkweldingmachines | eBay

Shop eBay for great deals from stahlwerkweldingmachines!

www.ebay.co.uk

However:
"Note for our UK customers: Please note that import duties apply to goods valued at £135 or more."
They have a good reputation and an amazing 7-year warranty!

I would be tempted to check out their low-end "fully synergic" machines, to determine if any of them provide manual "trimming" of the voltage, allowing fine tuning of the pre-programmed setting and optimisation of the results - as available in some of the cheap machines in this thread:

Choosing between these 2 welders for car repairs (thin sheet metal)

Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to welding in general. I'm interested in purchasing a MIG inverter welder that would mostly be used for car repairs (thin sheet metal...) and other occasional tasks around home. I would use argon+CO2 gas as well. For the welder, I'd say my budget is roughly...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Aah, that's interesting! I bought a Stahlwerk plasma cutter a few years ago, soon after the 'B' word they stopped dealing with the UK - looks like that has changed now.

 

[Kalts]

To be honest after watching all of the forementioned videos, the Dutch guy was using wrong (inductivity) knob to set wire speed. He confessed that in 4-th video. Mea culpa.
I am tempted as well but will better save the money for a nice Lorch watercooled TIG torch.