MIG welder recommendations to buy £5k budget

[henry Kadzielski]

My two cents worth. There has been a mention or two regarding Fronius. Stop right there, can you get a Fronius TPSi for that coin?. I had at one stage a EWM 350 about 6 years ago. Couldn't get any support for it so returned it to get my coin back. I don't think there was anything wrong with the machine, just the local support (there was no local support) I had questions but never got any answers. So I got Fronius TPS 320i. At the time it was SERIOUS CASH , three times the EWM and only 320amps. I have now three Fronius's machines (2 TPS320i's and an older TPS270. There is nothing that I have come across that are anywhere near the cost of a Fronius. Do they work, well this is why I have three, enough said. I also have two Essetti 350 machines, probably now about 20 years old. Those machine go to 380amps flat out and produce a very nice weld, however I couldn't get a good weld in alluminium or stainless steel, that's why I got the Fronius'ssssss.

 

[Munkul]

wow the prices of machines have gone up! I hadn't realised by how much.

Fronius seems better value than Lorch in the UK right now, you can buy a 400amp watercooled package with seperate feeder for the same price as a compact 320 amp gas cooled Lorch. Not sure what programs are included on the Fronius though.

If you call up dealers they may give you better discount though.

 

[GaryS65]

I wouldn't have a Transteel. Pulse or not.

It's a pain in the ass, the spool holder always comes undone. The synergic programs are crap. Locked into their torch with very expensive consumables.

 

[GaryS65]

Even when you put it in manual mode the machine is still interfering.

 

[oilcooled :)]

I wouldn't have a Transteel. Pulse or not.

It's a pain in the ass, the spool holder always comes undone. The synergic programs are crap. Locked into their torch with very expensive consumables.

I bought a tps 270 pulse compact here second hand but clean for 2000 euro. Its small and not that heavy I put it up on a swinging gantry rail I used agri door track for sliding it in and out i ran power out gas out and I ran a right heavy earth back from the welder in the rail and I fixed it to an upright on the shed, I have a dinse connection on the pillar of the shed for my earth. No separate wire feed no issues unbelievable welder

 

[chip]

But my understanding is that Migatronic burned their reputation in the UK by

Great insight, Jelly. I’ve often wondered why they barely get a mention these days amongst the big names. They were the backbone of big fab shops here in the '90s and onwards. I’m not sure if Migatronic were in Hinckley or Loughborough—so fairly local—but there were chaps that would come from out that way charged with servicing and fixing.

The last big fab shop I worked at had a handful of old Migatronics, but mostly EWM MIG machines were used, as well as EWM TIGs and a Fronius strictly for aluminum MIG. In the last couple of years, they did get some brand-new Migatronic robot welders. I did rate the Migatronics!

 

[trigger3]

I wouldn't have a Transteel. Pulse or not.

It's a pain in the ass, the spool holder always comes undone. The synergic programs are crap. Locked into their torch with very expensive consumables.

transteel isnt the correct machine for what the op is wanting so why bother putting it in the conversation but since we're talking about it , ill put in my .02 and set the record straight as ive had a transteel 3yr now and find it fantastic..

most machines now days use plastic spool holder. theyll handle alot more torq than you think. in the begining mine was loose a time or two because i didnt tighten it enough. once i realized the plastic is much stronger than i first thought , i tightened more and it hasnt loosened again.
while ive not tried all its synergic programs ,some of them work well. the self sheild fluxcore works great. been a while since i used the solid wire settings and cant recall but maybe ill give it a go soon and see if what you say has any truth to it.
i find the fronius 320 gun to be excellent. even if it were possible to swap to a different brand , it would be a down grade and make no sense at all.
the only part i consider a true consumable is contact tips and the fronius are no more expensive than other big name brands. chinese tips cost less but theyre crap in comparison. my original transteel tip was still fine after nearly 27kg wire. probly could go another 27kg or more.
another thing worth mentioning about the transteel and other fronius machines in general , theyre quiet and efficient.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

My two cents worth again. Only thing that I have done much of (not recently) was build a couple of boats in aluminium, and that is the correct spelling. I ran a water cooled gun on my TPS320i welding 5mm and 6mm alloy. I put 6 spools (6kg spools) through one tip without drama. No other machine I have had has been able to do the same, so are tips for the Fronius expensive, absolutely not at that rate. I changed the tip as a precaution not that it was giving trouble, after 6 spools again tip change, cost not even considered. Two tips one boat built. Also that is with the pull motor pulling the wire off the spool and only stop feeding when the wire leaves the pull rollers. Do I like my TPS320i you betcha

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Great insight, Jelly. I’ve often wondered why they barely get a mention these days amongst the big names. They were the backbone of big fab shops here in the '90s and onwards. I’m not sure if Migatronic were in Hinckley or Loughborough—so fairly local—but there were chaps that would come from out that way charged with servicing and fixing.

The last big fab shop I worked at had a handful of old Migatronics, but mostly EWM MIG machines were used, as well as EWM TIGs and a Fronius strictly for aluminum MIG. In the last couple of years, they did get some brand-new Migatronic robot welders. I did rate the Migatronics!

I also get the impression that they have put themselves in an awkward middle position with their marketing strategy...

They want to sell the kind of welders that a purchasing department buys 50 of, so they're coming in cheaper than comparable brands (but still expensive in the grand scheme of things).

But by doing that, they create a perception of lower quality to non-corporate clients... Despite their all in-house european manufacturing, which is (theoretically) "better" than their competitors.

 

[trigger3]

when those companies sell out to compete with the chinese it all goes down the toilet. look at lincoln. probly just a glorified china machine assembled in mexico. i wouldnt want a free one. miller probly isnt much better. india esab , no thanks. thats why i went straight to fronius.

 

[Erie Fred]

when those companies sell out to compete with the chinese it all goes down the toilet. look at lincoln. probly just a glorified china machine assembled in mexico. i wouldnt want a free one. miller probly isnt much better. india esab , no thanks. thats why i went straight to fronius.

I toured the Lincoln plant pre-covid, they make most of them right there on east 185th & Euclid.

 

[Munkul]

I toured the Lincoln plant pre-covid, they make most of them right there on east 185th & Euclid.

The UK market ones are made in Poland, Italy and Turkey, mostly. We get different ranges to you guys. Powertec range - Polish.
Some of the highest spec welders might still be made in America, I'm not sure.

 

[trigger3]

I toured the Lincoln plant pre-covid, they make most of them right there on east 185th & Euclid.

thats strange. ive never seen one that wasnt from mexico

 

[Erie Fred]

thats strange. ive never seen one that wasnt from mexico

I can't fathom just why you would not be getting the ones from Cleveland.....

 

[trigger3]

Some of the highest spec welders might still be made in America, I'm not sure.

to be labeled made in usa they have to have a high percentage of usa parts. im not aware of any welder with such high percentage of usa parts. millers in recent years are now just assembled in usa as that only requires a smaller amount of usa parts. then again , assembled label may not require any usa parts. thus is why i wont buy lincoln , miller or esab. theyre a hodge podge of unknown components. most people want the least expensive machine possible. for the big names to stay afloat they had to sell out.

 

[Erie Fred]

to be labeled made in usa they have to have a high percentage of usa parts. im not aware of any welder with such high percentage of usa parts. millers in recent years are now just assembled in usa as that only requires a smaller amount of usa parts. then again , assembled label may not require any usa parts. thus is why i wont buy lincoln , miller or esab. theyre a hodge podge of unknown components. most people want the least expensive machine possible. for the big names to stay afloat they had to sell out.

I have seen Miller welders with a Mexico badge, some even have spanish labels.
My LWS told me that Miller pulled out of Mexico (or at least these older machines) and
Profax is building them now.

https://profax-lenco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MC2526PXLN.pdf

IIRC Miller has dropped most all Non inverter machines.
While Profax, is building the rugged older xformer machines, including the Deltaweld models.