Welder showdown

[super noob]

Right, time has come to commit to buying one of the big 240V machines but I cant make my mind up hopefully some of you will have some pros and cons for each!

I know I'm going to need a massive power supply etc but other than that they welders seem to be fairly similar! Both are the same price at £500 and both will have the power output for what I do


Choice is the Miller Syncrowave 300 in the sales forum http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=35783

Its miles away from me, needs a new water cooler pump and pulse box may be an easy fix and it is a Miller


Option 2 is a Hobart TR 300HF

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOBART-TR...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


Same price after some haggling, closer to me and the cooler is working plus I like the look of the foot pedal It might not be a miller but its made by the same company.


No idea how easy it is to get spares for either welder but would presume the Miller would be easier although I doubt there'll be a lot to go wrong with either of these big beasts


But which ones the best/best deal ?

 

[shenion]

I don't think Miller made the Hobart. Both machines were made long before Miller bought the remains of Hobart.

You won't be able to get many of the OEM parts for either. However, most if the internals are fairly generic and you can find NOS or used parts.

If you can get a manual on the Hobart with a schematic, then that is what I would choose. Mainly as it is complete and working. Hobart was broken up a long time ago and getting manuals is not easy.

The Miller will have a manual and parts list available online. The pulse probably needs new caps or transistors on the circuit board (boards no longer made.)

 

[super noob]

The Hobart doesn't have a pulse option but in all honesty I don't really need it

I found the Hobart manual or at least one for a similar model with the pic on the cover being someone welding an F15 in a hanger. That is a good point too, the Hobarts stamped Ohio Hobart Bro's instead of ITW who are the owners of Miller/Hobart now


The thing pushing me towards the Syncro is that everyone I can see on forums etc say nothing else welds as smooth as one!

 

[wheresmejumper]

you could have the price of a Miller Dynasty wasted on electricity after a year or two with one of these.

 

[super noob]

True but a transformer based welder just seems more appealing to me

 

[chevy2]

you could have the price of a Miller Dynasty wasted on electricity after a year or two with one of these.

I certainly noticed my electric bills went down after changing my transformer type tig to an inverter model.

 

[super noob]

How much down and would a dynasty or one of the max stars be as nice to weld with as a big transformer ?

 

[chevy2]

A dynasty will run rings around a transformer when on AC.

 

[langy]

Out of the 2 it would be the syncrowave everytime , the Dynasty would be as good and cheaper to run

 

[super noob]

Dynasty would be the answer if they weren't so expensive

 

[wheresmejumper]

miller has 225amps at full power!the cost of even running at half throttle would cripple me

 

[super noob]

Greedy welder may have to get the dynasty or possibly a max star then upgrade at a later date

 

[super noob]

Been doing some reading and it seems the max stars like to break and sent as cheap to fix as the big transformers plus they can't really be weighed in for copper scrap if they're totally ******ed

 

[super noob]

****** just to throw a spanner in the works I've been offered this for £700 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130887108154&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123


Still thinking the Hobart or Miller is the better option though, wire them in at home then buy a small stick welder to bring on site. Although a jack of all trades with potential to use for MIG etc is appealing…………just £200 more than I'd want to spend

 

[Wozzaaah]

415 Volt

Best do some research to see if you can jumper it for 230v before shelling out.

 

[super noob]

It can be look at the PDF link on the ebay ad and it'll run from 208-575

 

[super noob]

http://www.inweldcorp.com/images/ebay/dc18-83.pdf

 

[Wozzaaah]

Buy it then!!

 

[zx9]

****** just to throw a spanner in the works I've been offered this for £700 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130887108154&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123


Still thinking the Hobart or Miller is the better option though, wire them in at home then buy a small stick welder to bring on site. Although a jack of all trades with potential to use for MIG etc is appealing…………just £200 more than I'd want to spend

Is that one not just DC? The first two you were looking at were AC/DC so would be able to TIG aluminium which needs AC.

 

[hotrodder]

As it stands it's not even a TIG... it's a DC only CC/CV powersource supplied with stick welding leads and a carton of rods. To use it as a MIG you need a seperate wire feeder. Plugging in a TIG torch will give scratch/lift start, need another add on box for HF start TIG