Same Question a diferent person

[side-show-bob]

Hi All

I know this has been asked but the more i read the more confsed i get. Right with all the money i have spent on welders over the past years i could have bought a gold one . I am after a welder for car body work and chassis work,i am looking to spend no more than £600. i do work on-site so it would help if it was easily moved, wheels would be ok, i was looking at the normal ones:

• Portamig MIG

• Parweld XTM 171C

• SWP 170

• SWP MIG 220

Can anyone who has any experiance with these machines please give me some advice on the normal issuies, wire feed, etc.

Many Thanks

Rob

 

[W4yne]

100% Portamig! But there again I could be seen as being biased..... I have one! I can't fault it. Check out the forum on other peoples views on this machine,

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=37

always held in high regard, solidly built.... like a tank!

 

[weldequip]

Car repairs on site or heavier stuff, and how much of the work is on site?

 

[side-show-bob]

What kind of site work & how much of it?

When i say site work it will be on farm plant and gates, railings all with mains power so no need for a generator. This will only be about 10% of the use most will be in the workshop at home..

Rob

 

[weldequip]

Arc would be better on the plant (or a pretty hefty MIG), and I wouldn't fancy lugging a Portamig about much on site. What sets have you had in the past that have died on you?

 

[side-show-bob]

Arc would be better on the plant (or a pretty hefty MIG), and I wouldn't fancy lugging a Portamig about much on site. What sets have you had in the past that have died on you?

Only cheap clarke ones oh and a SIP which got thrown out of the workshop due to the wire feed, i have a Fusion 200 PHF Inverter TIG which i use for Arc, the Mig would rearly go out but i like the option it maybe that i get a large set for the workshop and then later a smaller one if its needed, i have a trailer set-up for work which i can put the welder on its not perfect but it dose save having to lift it around.

 

[cumbriasteve]

The portamig has a decent set of quality wheels/castors so with a good ramp should easily roll into a trailer but as mentioned...they are a hefty bit of kit, broken leg job if it escapes on you.

 

[ChrisJohnsSculpture]

If you're working outside then the facility to use flux cored wire is a big advantage.

 

[Dev]

I have an SWP 220 but mainly because I got a good deal from a local supplier that I can visit IN PERSON if I have any problems. I can't give you a side by side comparison with anything else but I can try and answer any questions you have about it.