MMA advice sought

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Pics of my Paton...pen in the rod holder is for scale. I think they do an MMA only too which is cheaper....this it the MMA/MIG/TIG setup (costs more).

Dunno if anyone has their MMA only box?

Like everything prices have gone up it seems!!!!...this is the top power one they do (for 240v supply)...it's a multi weld power source so you can add MIG later if you want (which is why I bought this one)....5yr warranty I believe (I've no connection with below...just where I bought mine).

Paton Arc Welders | Buy Online | Welding Supplies Direct

www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk

 

[Sool]

Nice one @Pigeon_Droppings2 !

I have just watched a couple of overseas YouTube videos featuring this machine and it clearly welds well.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I'm just a hobby welder and I mainly do MIG...just gave your settings a try.

This is 6013 3.2mm on 105a...this is 1 rod with repeated restarts...no way my Hyundai machine could manage this straight off the bat (restarts). I'm not good with stick so this is basically down to the machine I think...with my old machine it would take ages to get it started...this is all first tap!

 

[Sool]

We have a small 160A jasic at work , and I sincerely don't feel comfortable with.
It does work etc but it's just not a welder it runs 6013 only ,it struggle so much with 7018 .
I felt amazed because of its good reputation but that's it.

Thanks for the heads up on Jasic BTW.

 

[Sool]

I'm just a hobby welder and I mainly do MIG...just gave your settings a try.

This is 6013 3.2mm on 105a...this is 1 rod with repeated restarts...no way my Hyundai machine could manage this straight off the bat (restarts). I'm not good with stick so this is basically down to the machine I think...with my old machine it would take ages to get it started...this is all first tap!

View attachment 363600

Wow - that's incredibly helpful of you. Many thanks indeed!

 

[Mart63]

I have a thermal arc 175 about 7 or 8 years now and it's been a great little welder. I'd say it's fairly honest on the power output, 120 amps on the dial is on the hot side for a 3.2 rod, 110 amps seems spot on for 3.2s.

I have 2 of the those. They've been great. Like you say on both of them you have to set the amps lower than on other machines.

 

[Agroshield]

I have 2 of the those. They've been great. Like you say on both of them you have to set the amps lower than on other machines.

The difficulty is that Thermal Arc seem to have pulled out of the UK market at least two years ago. So recommending a machine to a potential purchaser that is not available might not be the best advice.

I believe the ESAB one is almost identical to the TA one, differing mainly in paint colour.

 

[Mart63]

The difficulty is that Thermal Arc seem to have pulled out of the UK market at least two years ago. So recommending a machine to a potential purchaser that is not available might not be the best advice.

I believe the ESAB one is almost identical to the TA one, differing mainly in paint colour.

I didn't know that they are now not available. The Esab was exactly the same but I think that model may have now been replaced.

 

[Bravheart]

I'm only an occasional welder but bought a rohr a couple of years ago and so far so good, wasn't expecting much but it's well beyond what I'd hoped for. It only gets limited outings usually in slurry coated farmyard Gate repair situations but it's been fine and handy for the job. Haven't measured output like you have but it will easily burn 3.2 rods at a dial setting of 125, not sure what the problem might have been with your one.

How safe is this?

Ok I'm a hobby super glue driver and probably without the "super"bit, never earned a bob from welding and never will, anyway tried a drive with one of those toaster sized inverter stick boxes and out of the box this happened Flux curling up and peeling off whole maybe those Chinese are on to...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Mart63]

When I bought the Thermal Arcs I was also looking at this https://www.weldingdirect.co.uk/GCE-ARC030---GCE-ARControl-Digital-Stick-Welder-200-amps . Not sure if anyone has experience of this machine.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Whichever machine you choose all I can say is make sure it's easy to start and restart...when the rods keep sticking it's just really very annoying especially when you have everything nice and clean and then the stuck rods make a mess of it all.

Both my first 2 stick welders were a pain to get started...I'd often have to start a fresh stick as it just wouldn't want to know...or spend time grinding back the ends....a right faff.

 

[Sool]

The difficulty is that Thermal Arc seem to have pulled out of the UK market at least two years ago. So recommending a machine to a potential purchaser that is not available might not be the best advice.

I believe the ESAB one is almost identical to the TA one, differing mainly in paint colour.

I wondered why I was struggling to find a supplier ;-)

Does anybody have any personal experience of the Esab range?

 

[Sool]

I'm only an occasional welder but bought a rohr a couple of years ago and so far so good, wasn't expecting much but it's well beyond what I'd hoped for. It only gets limited outings usually in slurry coated farmyard Gate repair situations but it's been fine and handy for the job. Haven't measured output like you have but it will easily burn 3.2 rods at a dial setting of 125, not sure what the problem might have been with your one.

How safe is this?

Ok I'm a hobby super glue driver and probably without the "super"bit, never earned a bob from welding and never will, anyway tried a drive with one of those toaster sized inverter stick boxes and out of the box this happened Flux curling up and peeling off whole maybe those Chinese are on to...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

May I enquire which model Röhr you have?

My pal was fully refunded when he retuned his Röhr 250FI, which suggests that they agreed it was faulty.

 

[Bravheart]

Rohr mini 220pl (i?)

eBay

Not a workshop everyday welder but fine for occasional use and not the end of the world if it gets dropped in the s**te. Cables are a bit short and stiff but not changed them yet. Pretty sure you could wind the power up if needed but the moulded on 13a plug would need changed first.

 

[addjunkie]

Arc Welders Input Voltage 230v

Arc Welding, known as MMA (Manual Metal Arc) is a method of welding. The Arc Welders use welding rods or welding electrodes to join the metal. You will see here a wide range of Arc Welder inverters for domestic and industrial use. Get your perfect arc welder from Welding Supplies Direct. Arc...

www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk

Anything on this page will do what you want, he is also a forum sponsor so there is a discount code too.

Then there are other options too like Lorch, Kemmpi, EWM. You will keep looking and looking confusing yourself in the process.

Set your budget and make a decision!

 

[Munkul]

Some of the thermal arc and esab units are simply rebadged parwelds. Some, it's very model dependent

 

[Sool]

I have just stumbled upon the R-Tech website, but note that nobody has yet suggested their machines. Is there perhaps something I should be aware of?