Where would you spend the budget ?

[Mattuk]

I have a mig100 that has worked OK for small stuff, but now joining larger items is stretching it a bit so its time for an upgrade.

I have some 10mm steel rod that needs to become a ladder for plants in the back gardern.
I have an interesting a fiddly project over xmas break involving 6mm aluminium sheet.
The multiprocess beasties look interesting.
I have a BOC account. Dealing with larger bottles would be nice.
I have up to 30amp available on a single phase in both places the machine would be used.
I would rather not have to use a trailer and a team of men to cart the thing around ( does this mean the new inverter based stuff would make sense ? )
I would like to be able to dial the power down to work with smaller sheet without blowing holes in it.
I have largeish ( not a word, I know ) compressors at both places the machine would be used.
Plasma cutting would be a cool option
I hope to be alive for the next 40 years or so. Would be nice to have something decent to work with ( however I know I shall outlive it )

There are many folk visiting here who will have already forgotten more than I will ever know regarding this welding lark. Seams to make sense to ask you the following:

With a net budget of £700 ish where abouts would you spend please ?

Many thanks
Matt

 

[Tom Orrow L]

It'll be nigh on impossible to find a MIG, TIG, MMA plant that will also plasma cut.. In fact I don't know of one manufacturer that produces one. Unless Lorch could cook something up in one of their super duper high tech Germanic kitchens.

For 10MM, i'd say around 250A would be sufficient with MIG. For around your budget I'd be looking at the maybe the Parweld XTM 252i (a little stretch), also not the lightest of machines (read as you couldn't lift it on your own unless you've had your weetabix).

 

[cumbriasteve]

Nice to see all the information to help others make suggestions.

With a budget of that amount I would see if I could get a bit of discount on a joint buy of a R tech 180 MIG and a plasma, the MIG will do lift tig and MMA so you have a few options for both thin and thicker materials.

Lots of other good machines out there of course so I am sure other valid suggestions will follow.

 

[Mee]

For that budget you could get the R Tech 250 as they have reduced the price and you can haggle with them, this would give you 250 amps for MIG and 200 amps for stick, it is an inverter and requires an incoming supply of 22 amps which is below your supply. you would have to save up for the plasma.