Which big MIG?

[JD Andrew]

Hi.

I don't post much on here but I like to read the projects and home made tools bits. I work on a farm doing lots of repairwork and new steel builds. I have a Kempi Miniarcmig 180 that does 80% of my work, and a big 3 phase Synmig for the bigger stuff. However it died the other day, welding a lot of 3/4" steel together.

So what would people recommend to replace it? I quite like the way the Kempi sets itself, are there any big machines like this? The thickest steel I have to weld is 30mm, but it's normally joining it to 10-15mm stuff max.

 

[Jim Davey]

Check out EWM and Force Arc, you won't be disappointed.

 

[matt1978]

Lorch has a few machines with SpeedProcesses specifically for joining thicker material www.masters-of-speed.eu for more info,

As said EWM, ForceArc, Fronius, Lincoln RapidArc, Merkle DeepArc, etc etc all good machines and will all give you a benefit on that sort of thickness.

Depends on what your budget is and what level of tech you want.

 

[JD Andrew]

What are the views on Kemppi? The factory I worked at before used them, which is why I brought the small one. Just seen these, what are your views? 320A should be enough?

 

[julianthegypsy]

My landlords build boats and have three big kemppis going flat out all day. I don't know what they are like to use, but the quality of their work is outstanding. I have a 317 fronius, which does everything I need, mostly six mm but its nowhere near full bore on 10mm and its a joy to use.

 

[Jim Davey]

What are the views on Kemppi? The factory I worked at before used them, which is why I brought the small one. Just seen these, what are your views? 320A should be enough?

320 amp at 35% duty doesn't seem like enough to me if you want to tackle 30mm plate, you'd be better looking at a conventional transformer/rectifier mig if that'sthe budget and power requirement.

Look at an EWM Taurus before you rush down the Kemppi route.

Also a Lincoln Powertec 425 Pro would be a nice piece of kit for not much more than the Kemppi.

 

[Ed.]

My welder is an older, possibly around 2000? model Miller Auto Invision 456, it is an Inverter unit mainly designed for robotic work, however I had it modified by bypassing the robotic contol circuit board and fitted it with a Miller S-62 wirefeeder, it is now a basic welding machine, which can output 450A @ 100% and 560A @ 60%. Cost me about $3k second hand, bought the power source in Australia and the wirefeeder from the States, although I don't use that sort of amperage, I once did about 1.0 hr at about 350A and the cooling on demand fan did come for a couple of minutes and only on two occasions. Incidently they are very cheap to run on 3 phase.

Normally, high amps for me is 250-280 amps and you can't hear it or know that it is even switched on. I only run 1.2mm wire for thick steel but it can handle 1.6mm to possibly 2mm thick wire. The thickest metal I welded with it is 2" steel, but at the amps I generally run it at, the power source doesn't even get warm! As I said 450A @ 100% duty is some serious welding power.

There is a version of it that is designed specifically as a normal MIG welder but can't remember the model name, it is a variation of the 456 and there are several version of wire feeders that can interface with it.

There is a fair few of these in the USA and the prices aren't too bad for a machine of this capabilty and I think that these models have been replaced and so may only be available as used. But new brand name machines of this size are very expensive (8K-20K) hence the reason I bought used.

I have spoken to a few companies that use the larger Kemmpi's and they said that they were good but didn't last too long. The Fronius were much better and the EWM were very good as well, but you are talking some serious bucks for the last two in the big units.

Cheers

Ed.

 

[Hitch]

Whats the budget...?
You could get a much bigger 2nd hand unit for half that, if size or weight isn't a problem.
If its a farm workshop, i'm guessing its damp, dusty, dirty....



Weve got a Kemppi FastMig Basic (inverter) in on trial at the moment.. Its no better than the 15year old Hobart thats pushed in the corner, covered in half inch of grinding dust.

 

[Welderpaul]

Weve got a Kemppi FastMig Basic (inverter) in on trial at the moment.. Its no better than the 15year old Hobart thats pushed in the corner, covered in half inch of grinding dust.

Synergetic fancy pants jobber?