Thinking about purchasing a used Murex Autolynx 4i - advice needed

[Gerula]

Hi, I started a topic in the Murex section but it didn't got much attention and I have to make a decision by tomorrow. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/...what-to-look-for-if-buying-a-used-unit.60797/

Basically I'm looking for a bit of advice from those familiar with the model, particularly about the obvious weak points of this particular model (if any). Seller went down to about 230 quid including a Fronius regulator and some spare tips for the torch and it doesn't look like I can drag him lower then that.

 

[Gerula]

No one is familiar with this model?

 

[Bigjoe]

I've never used one but I believe that they are quite well thought of,I don't think they're very common here to be honest.

 

[PTvor]

Do a search on the forum on autolynx. As BigJoe says, they don't appear to be very common.

I think they were sold 20-30 years ago. Being Murex they would be intended for serious use. You may have a problem with some spares.

I think I'd regard is as £230 which could be spent on an inverter mig, or a Portamig or something such as from here

http://www.weldequip.com/mig-welders.htm

Maybe not designed to be such high quality, but far fewer problems if anything goes wrong in terms of getting support and spares. But maybe that's just me.

It also depends on what the local market is like for new and used MIG sets in the country where you live.

 

[eddie49]

It looks like the Autolynx 4i is a modern machine ( 2001 ), not like the old BOC/Murex Autolynx series. It is an inverter MIG, and apparently goes down to 0.5mm sheet. Some details and a basic service manual available at:
www.hobbielektronika.hu/forum/getfile.php?id=144155
Someone in Google groups thought they were good:
"If you can find one, a Murex Autolynx 4i is very good for car type stuff - it is a compact and light inverter based unit, with a variable 'inductance' control, and handles thin metal very well".

 

[Gerula]

Thanks guys. I also did an extensive online search yesterday but didn't come up with much more then Eddie did. There's another topic on a welding website where a guy mentions the new price for this machine, but that's about it.
Ah, also found a site where someone mentioned being asked an obscene price for fixing the control boad.

I think I'd regard is as £230 which could be spent on an inverter mig, or a Portamig or something such as from here

I had a good look at the Portamig range, as they seem build to last, but there are a two problems:

1. The cheapest Portamig is 619 pounds With the Euro down at the bottom of the pit, where it keeps digging (1.34 euros to the pound) that's 829 euros without shipping.

2. Shipping heavy stuff to my country from the UK is horribly expensive. Last time when I checked it was asked 166 pounds for a 70kg item, using DHL road service (4 working days) and couldn't find anything cheaper.


For occasional usage it doesn't make sense to put well over 1000 euros into a MIG. Maybe if they had a distributor in mainland Europe, that could ship inside the EU for peanut money...

 

[PTvor]

It's difficult to make direct comparisons country to country.

You have to look at what your £230 (or € equivalent) can buy where you are. In the UK, you wouldn't be looking at much of a new MIG for £230, although there would be second hand machines about, maybe Clarke and such, for that much which would do for thinnish metal, such as car body steel and would be pretty good machines. So the other thing you have to ask is what you are going to weld. Then £230 for the machine wouldn't be the whole story - gas, clamps, gloves, mask, grinders, wire.

You'd be taking a risk with this machine since information seems scarce, but there's always a risk with buying a MIG, especially a second hand one.

Then there's always the question of whether you buy something such as an old Stihl chainsaw, which was designed as a quality item in the first place, or a new cheap one, which is expected to be thrown away if it goes wrong. You can succeed and fall down both ways.

What do you make of the bloke selling this machine? Does he seem straight forward? What are his reasons for selling? Is his story convincing? Will he demonstrate it working on the lowest range and a couple of others?

How easy would it be to sell this machine for something like £230 if you wanted to - assuming it didn't develop a horrible fault with a control board which couldn't be fixed or like that?

I'm inclined to say that if it will go down to 30A so you can do car body work if that's what you want, and you can see it working and there appear to be no problems, buy it.

 

[wheresmejumper]

They are good machines and usually command good money

 

[Jim Davey]

Give me a shout if you invest and it fails. Murex are terrible for supporting older machines. They only guarantee to supply spared for 10 years after that you are forced to go via the aftermarket route for spares and repairing.

 

[Gerula]

Thanks everyone for the info.

Jim, hopefully it will provide some service before requiring investments, but it's always good to know there's a source for spares

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Good machines, I had one in the shipyard for small brackets etc. Only thing I'm not keen on is the spool exposed to spatter etc, but otherwise operationally it'll take some abuse. As Jim says you may struggle to find spares

 

[Gerula]

Ended up buying it, after incredible adventures with a so-called courier company. Looks to be in good working condition and included the regulator, a bit of 0.8 wire and lots of consumables for the torch.

Indeed the spool is completely exposed, saw pics of units that had some sort of drum protecting the spool but mine only has the spool support with the tensioner.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Ended up buying it, after incredible adventures with a so-called courier company. Looks to be in good working condition and included the regulator, a bit of 0.8 wire and lots of consumables for the torch.

Indeed the spool is completely exposed, saw pics of units that had some sort of drum protecting the spool but mine only has the spool support with the tensioner.

You'll be able to fabricate one now that you've got a welder.

Welcome to the forum btw , you haven't said where in the EU you are?

 

[Gerula]

Thank you.

I did, but on other topic(s) :-)