Time to upgrade my mig

[Benny]

Evening all just looking for some advice.

I currently have a sip 130 turbo but looking for something a bit bigger and better. It will be for general use mainly car bodywork/ chassis work, will see a bit of use for welding trailers, gates etc and also some fab work like bumpers for 4x4s for offroad.

Im thinking something around 200 amps would be ideal? Budget is £450 max. Second hand machines don't seem to come up to often in northern Ireland so been having a look at a few machines.

Any thoughts or suggestions much appreciated.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=231381749508&alt=web or http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=170992490562&alt=web

P.s. I also have a stick welder which I can use for heavier jobs.

 

[Istayinalot]

Hello, might be worth looking at this one, I have just bought the 250 amp version, good machine, good warranty, nice people to deal with, http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Mig_Welder/Mig_Welder_R-Tech_IMIG180

 

[Benny]

That looks like a nice machine now. Just wondering would i be better to go with that or would i be short on power?

 

[Istayinalot]

That looks like a nice machine now. Just wondering would i be better to go with that or would i be short on power?

180 amp should do everything you mention, have a look at the video reviews on the r-etch site http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/tig_mig_arc_welding_plasma_cutting_videos.aspx,

 

[Benny]

I've been looking for the last few days now. I've decided I am going to up my budget a bit to get a nice machine and one that I wont b looking to upgrade in a year or twos time. I have narrowed it down to an rtec 220 as in the link, a portamig 215 or an swp 220. Any thoughts appriciated.

 

[BrokenBiker]

the added benefit of the r tech unti is the built in MMA inverter too, with a 180a mig and a stick welder too there wont be much you cant weld

 

[Benny]

Yeah i liked the sounds of that myself but i also have a big old mma machine. Only thing thats putting me off the rtec is that there dosnt seem to be as much info about them on the web.

 

[BrokenBiker]

have you watched the reviews that doubleboost has done? they are very informative and show what the machines are capable of. I am saving for the 250amp mig myself, shouldn't be too far off it now either.

 

[Benny]

Now that does look very good. Anyone have any first hand experience of what customer service and aftersales is like?

 

[daleyd]

I have never had to use the aftersales but everyone on here who has rates it highly.

I have the MTS210 machine and I really like it - though they don't seem to sell that model any more only the 250 amp version (I'm a hobbyist so it doesn't get hammered, but I like the ability to bits of everything if I need to in one box).

I like the ability to switch to stick if I run out of gas/weld outside/need to do thicker stuff etc. I don't have huge amounts of welding experience but it flatters my welds, compared with how difficult I found using buzzbox welders a few years (20!!) back at least (Anti stick, arc force etc all seem to help the inexperienced ham fisted welder like me immensely).

 

[Benny]

I will defo be giving them a wee call in the next day or 2 then. See what postage to ni is gonna be like and that. Also just seen a second had murex tradesmig 303 has just come up for sale locally only problem is its a 3phase and i only have single. Just gonna have a look into wether i could run it on single phase as its not a bad price either.

 

[oddbob]

Another thumbs up for R-Tech. I've had a 160 DC tig for about three years and it hasn't missed a beat. It doesn't get a lot of use, maybe a couple of times a week on average, but I love it. Stick welding is a joy with an inverter as well ...smooth as you like.

 

[Benny]

Anybody know anything about an eland 240?? One has come up for sale locally at a very good price but cant get any spec on it. Really looking to see what the welding amps range is.

 

[stevieturbo]

If you're looking to buy local, Simon at Wilsons in Glenavy has a sale on at the minute with some very good prices for Sealey machines

http://reallymeansounds.com/forum/threads/welder-new-year-sale.176743/

I was tempted myself, but I just cant help thinking that a 200A machine with only 6 power settings....just isnt enough when my old Murex 140A machine has 8 power levels.

The 180A R-Tech looks fairly good though. I have one of their TIG machines and it's worked well for me ( I'm a terrible welder though, and dont use it that often )
I'm considering a change to a more powerful MIG, just havent found one tempting enough to make me spend !

Also, dont forget to mention the Volkzone deal at BOC if you go down that route for gas. It makes it actually affordable !

I havent priced welders at WeldPro, but any accessories I bought from them down at Sydenham road, were actually very good prices, so it would be worth trying some local shops, but most seem to only carry high end units.

 

[ford34/2]

Hello, might be worth looking at this one, I have just bought the 250 amp version, good machine, good warranty, nice people to deal with, http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Mig_Welder/Mig_Welder_R-Tech_IMIG180

Check out John review as well. ( 5 Parts I believe)

 

[Zbro7863]

Cws best mig 160

 

[pondy]

Portamig 215 in classifieds for £400?

 

[daleyd]

^^ that Portamig looks a bargain!

 

[oddbob]

Cws best mig 160

Have you any experience of these? I'm thinking about getting an inverter mig, and was probably going to go for the R-Tech, but stumbled on the Noz-Alls website ...the 'Best Mig' seems like a bargain.

 

[Zbro7863]

Have you any experience of these? I'm thinking about getting an inverter mig, and was probably going to go for the R-Tech, but stumbled on the Noz-Alls website ...the 'Best Mig' seems like a bargain.

No but there is a thread about it the cws us worth it and they jus put the price up on it