Uptime 160 vs Paton 160

[DRW]

Can anyone help me to choose between the cheap-and-cheerful Uptime 160 at £170 and the Paton 160 at £500?

I'd set my mind on spending up to £500, but after seaing positive reviews of each, I'm struggling to see where I'd personally benefit from the higher-priced machine.

I already have an ancient stick welder (which I rarely use, and have no need to replace) and a lousy SIP 130 thing, which I've struggled with for years. I don't intend to try TIG or gasless or anything fancy - I just want to weld with MIG as easily and neatly as possible. Most of my welding will be cars, although I do have a Land Rover Defender, which needs help every now and again. Eventually, I'd like to stitch-weld the bodyshells, so that's why I'd like it to be strong and tidy.

Will the more expensive machine give me a better-looking weld? Will it be easier to set up? I want to concentrate on the quality of my own welding, without having to stop all the time because the SIP is jamming or whatever.

 

[addjunkie]

In my experience the better machine will be more reliable and nicer to use. But the 5 year warranty would make the decision for me.

As you will be less frustrated because the better machine works, any welding issues will be down to you

 

[ChrisBailey]

Was it the uptime 160 where they fit a fuse which had a wire soldered across it, from the factory?

While I think people have been able to weld successfully with the uptime, and they look OK. I wouldnt want one if I was being paid to weld. I wouldnt trust it to work when I needed it.
It will have been built with maximum cost reduction.

The paton will have warranty and somebody you can call if it goes bang. Good chance you will get spares for it too for a while.

 

[tom2207]

lots of a land rover is alloy ,, if your heading for chassis work it needs a bit of power behind it , but not a place to start learning on , the bulkhead is steel and fairly thin it takes a steady hand and something with a fair amount of control. Buy the warranty would be my advise .

 

[AVI_8]

I can’t advise you on the Uptime machine, but I’ve just recently bought a Paton PSI 200, I’d like to give you un update on how it works but I’m a couple of weeks away from getting my garage electrics sorted out so I can’t.
I did lots of research when buying a welder …… It’s a big purchase, and you want it to last a while.
Do yourself a favour and get the Paton welder, it’s got a long warranty, the Uptime comes from where?
Where do you send it to when it goes tets up after 6 months or a year?

You want a welder which will last for a long time, my experience of buying Chinese, it’ll either last many years or a few days, or something in between, from your initial post it appears that you can afford the Paton welder and you’re asking if you can get an equivalent for a fraction of the price.
Your choice, I bought the Paton welder purely from the positive reviews on this website, and mainly because of a couple of reviews from very experienced guys who knoW that they are talking about, because I am a complete novice, and that was enough to convince me.
Do lots of research and make a sensible decision is my advice.

 

[DRW]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. It’s food for thought.

One of the things I’m trying to work out is whether the extra money accounts for features I don’t need, or may even be too advanced. As an analogy, I’m pretty handy with a professional DSLR camera and can make use of all the functions; but most people will get decent results with a good phone camera. That’s the sort of welder I want.

Or, as another example, I have loads of Lidl Parkside battery tools, which are great. But I also have DeWalt and Makita mains-powered tools for heavier/longer work.

So I’m not looking for a cut-price Paton. I just wonder whether it’s better than I need.

Oh, and with regards to the Land Rover, it’s the chassis that sometimes needs welding. I’ve generally found it on the limits of my MIG’s power.

 

[a111r]

If I was buying the Paton, I'd like a demo of the menus' usability first, as I prefer simple intuitive controls (which the Uptime looks to have).

Also, as Tom says, the Uptime might be a bit marginal at the top end if it's not really putting out 160 Amps.
@eddie49 has one, maybe he has measured the real range with a clamp meter?

 

[Richiew]

I've got the Paton, the 250 model. The menu system is fairly easy to navigate, but in general I find dials and knobs are easier to adjust than pressing buttons on a MIG.

You are probably paying a hefty chunk of the 500 quid for the TIG function. Are you going to use it? You'll need extra gas and a TIG torch if you do.
I've not found any use for the pulse function yet on MIG or stick. In fact, I'm yet to find anyone demonstrating use of the MIG pulse function on the Paton or divulging the settings to use it successfully. I think it's used during spray transfer so possibly limited use for messing about in the shed or for a 160 amp MIG for that matter.

 

[Porkypine]

I in the end got the paton 160 and had a similar decision process between it an other cheaper units, I went for the paton largely on the basis of a percieved robust build quality, a uk supported 5 yr warranty and the fact it's not a generic chinesium thing which would likely be something of a crapshoot/lottery .
I have no interest in TIG and have an excellent ARC inverter set already so only wanted the paton as a MIG set. In many ways I'd rather it had basic knobs instead of digital button menu type malarkey ( and I'm unlikely to use much of the more involved options) but it is what it is and I figured it to be on balance a good machine all things considered.
If you contacted Tom Orrow on here he'd no doubt do you a good forum member's deal on a Paton to save a few quid, always handy !

 

[Richiew]

@Porkypine pine

How do you find it welds?

 

[Porkypine]

@Porkypine pine

How do you find it welds?

Only just got it and getting the ancillary bits and bobs together, gas etc, so not tried it yet ! That said I don't envisage any problems with it, overall build quality looks decent and they seem to have a good rep !

 

[Brad93]

Paton is a league different from Chinese garbage.

 

[davidjohnperry]

I'd get the paton

 

[DRW]

Thanks again, folks.

The main thing putting me off the Paton is all the extra functionality that I'll never need (such as TIG) and may simply make it more complicated.

Apologies for another analogy, but I used to have a BMW M135 without any optional extras. It was good quality, had a relatively powerful motor, and was very easy to drive. That's the sort of welder I want.

 

[Porkypine]

I'm also in the keep it simple brigade, like i said, I'm only going to be using it as a mig set, I've no intention of using tig or any of the deep menu malarkey, but.. I did want a good quality piece of kit with a decent reputation and a workable warranty rather than take a gamble on a "bargain" hence I went for a Paton.
I did the same many years ago and got a Fronius arc inverter, which is a top piece of kit and still going strong, I'm glad I made that investment in a top quality tool.

 

[AVI_8]

More power, can weld thicker metal, if all you weld is thinner stuff there’s no advantage other than future proofing in case some day you want to.

That was my excuse anyway

 

[DRW]

More power, can weld thicker metal, if all you weld is thinner stuff there’s no advantage other than future proofing in case some day you want to.

That was my excuse anyway

Ta, that's perfect, then. I only want it for work on cars, so have no need for thicker stuff.

 

[davidjohnperry]

The paton had all 3 but the tig mode doesn't ever need to be used the mig side is only a mig side u select mig adjust the volts adjust the wire correct gas and weld the 160 for car repairs is good enough if you don't need all the bells don't use em but having a machine which is capable may come in use one day

 

[a111r]

Ta, that's perfect, then. I only want it for work on cars, so have no need for thicker stuff.

There's always related automotive jobs, not just bodywork (like bearing extraction and making special tools) where having the extra power comes in handy.
Good to have a bit in reserve, just in case.... but 160 amps should be OK.