My shortlist

[King Curt]

Hiya

I'm looking to buy either

Butters AMT 181

MTA/Portamig 181 or 211

Thermal Arc Fabricator 2000

Maybe something similar in that price range, any other suggestions welcome.
I intend using it for auto repairs & light fabrication. I've been reading some interesting posts but am still a bit unsure.

Where am I likely to get the best deal for my dosh?

Excellent site/forum by the way.

 

[irondarren]

I have a thermal arc 250, which is effectively the bigger brother to the 200. its about 10yrs, mine was an Austrilian built model, the current version are built in malayasian, so there is a certain amount of questioning current build quality. My 250 is basically now dead but it has with stood 10 yrs commercial use.

The portamig is a UK built machine, which seems to come with no bells or whistles, just a basic solid built mig welder, without spot timer and stich (not really that useful functions), excellent wire feeder unit and with a 20amp bottom setting

Cant give much info about the butters, not sure where they are currently made, but im sure someone can

I believe weldequip sells the butters machines (i might be wrong) and is also an agent for the portamig units, he seems to work on a low profit margin hence can offer welders and equipment at very sensible prices equivlent at almost any prices you can find on the net, with good service as well

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hi King Curt, does your name reflect your music taste at all?
Diywelding sells butters machines, pretty sure weldequip doesn't. I have (and still do) own a Butters and although it's a nice machine, it isn't a patch on a portamig (I have one of those too ) When you say 'light fabrication' what sort of thicknesses will you be welding? It's not so much the best deal for your dosh but the most suitable machine for your needs. It's all too easy to buy on a budget and find it's just not the right machine for you. I made that mistake .

 

[will barker]

I've just got a portamig 235 and am really happy with it, its been running all day today, mainly on fairly high power and not even stuttered once, most unlike my previous SIP welder! I've got no experience of the butters machine, so cant really advise you there.
Will

 

[irondarren]

A portamig and an SIP are worlds apart almost a whole universe i would say. The 235 is designed to be run happy on medium high power almost all day and produce constant results

 

[daf45]

Portamig every time.
All the owners on here really rate them.

Butters are not the same as the old NBC anymore
Or Malaysia you say

Just my 2p I'm not an expert but I spent a long time researching and asked a lot of questions before buying - a portamig.

 

[irondarren]

I must admit knowing full well that my current 250amp machine is dying (it has died currently running on a old sealey 180amp ) I have been looking very closely at new machines and what is available, Something around the 200+ amps range 230volt

Clarke welders - No chance aimed at the DIY market not for professional Use (but very good for what they are)

Sealey/Telwin - To low a duty cycle and not sure it would stand up to professional useage.

Esab - looks OK, reasonable price should be no issues with quality

Kemmpi - Quality will be fine if not excellent, but seem to be the most expensive of the bunch

Butters - not sure about the quality of the butters machines, i get a feeling they contain far to many parts from the far east

Lorch- no issues on quality, or price for that matter. just the biggest they do in single phase is 210amps, was really looking at 230amps

Portamig - Everyone on the forum seems happy with build quality, no problem with required amperage in 240volt versions, price wise they almost seem to good to be true, but they are, no frills, (no spot or stich timer, which i have never used anyway) which probaly explains the price.

Cebora - All models seem to lack duty cycle at upper power end, so little point

other makers like SIP and chinese built units were no even considered, due to major concerns over quality and service back up

 

[Wozzaaah]

Quote:
Originally Posted by irondarren
portamig 350amp with swfu

Quote:
Originally Posted by irondarren
a nice 300amp portamig with swfu

Something around the 200+ amps range 230volt

Dropping 50 amps a day Darren? It'll be a SIP 150 by the end of the week

Told you!

 

[irondarren]

I was thinking a 100 amp sip gasless roflmao

 

[snowcat]

I have a thermal arc fabricator 200 new this year used it on a couple of jobs but nothing massive they do come with 3 years waranty on them and the build quality seem's fairly good dont forget most construction equipment is made in maylasia, TBH I dont quite know why I bought it do, this every few years think I need a S/F unit for the truck buy it dont use it then sell it... It will never get any use in the workshop unless the other machines all die on the same day

Oh Iv found murex to be excellent machines with good back up as well.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I was thinking a 100 amp sip gasless roflmao

Hehe, why not push the boat out a bit??

 

[Mikey D]

so which one are you actually going to go for darren? my requirements are much the same single phase and up to about 10mm thickness steel , a seperate wire feed would be nice although i could get away with a longer torch i guess...

cheers mike

 

[irondarren]

Mikey the best deal in single phase with seperate wire feed unit, is undoubtly the portamig 300 amp or 350amp unit. Weldequip did offer me a very sensible price that i couldnt argue with, just a little short on funds , but would be perfect for my needs and capable of burning 10mm thick steel into next week

 

[Mikey D]

HI Darren, well ive just had the specs and prices back from steve ,ill probably be going for the 300amp swfu machine
i quite fancy it in the sexy blue colour

cheers mike

 

[irondarren]

It does have some good specs on it excellent duty cycle, best ive seen for any machine of its class. mine will have to wait until the new yaer

 

[weldequip]

They are going up by 30% in the New Year Darren... price of copper & all that
weldequip

 

[irondarren]

That wouldnt suprise me the price of copper keeps rising, they say its all being sucked into china, can see why the chinese use aluminium for coils on there machines

 

[King Curt]

Just read my pm from weldequip ...my shiny new yellow 211 is ready & waiting....come on baby.

KC

 

[katluke]

I ordered a 211 last week from Weldequip. Cant wait