$1,000 for a welder, what would you buy?

DSM Turbos

DSM Turbos

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Location
Raleigh, NC
If you had budgeted 1,000, what welder would you go with for normal home fab stuff? I have plenty of 220V outlets.

I found an ESAB caddy mig for 979 which they have been running a lot more expensive lately

Also looking at stuff like a Hobart 190 or a similar

Any recommendations?
 
I would buy the Esab caddy mig in a heartbeat.

I sold my Hobart with plans to buy an Esab and the one I had my eye on nearly doubled in price. So now I'm ill because I have no mig welder anymore. :(
 
No tank yet. Honestly no clue what one even costs. Somebody educate me on how much they cost? My old lincoln 135 bit the dust a while ago and I only flux cored with it, but I want a true mig.
 
Miller 210 in misc for sale in the fabrication package thread. Don't know what he wants for it separate. I love mine.
 
I wonder why esab's stuff had jumped in price so much. I thought they were in the process of phasing out the older versions for the rebel lines.

Go with the esab

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
That's a tough budget. Sort of. I love my Esab 161 to death for what I do. Stick for any material and the occasional Tig.

For about $1600 or so you could buy the Esab 252 Fabricator. I get an erection just thinking about owning one of them sumguns. :smokin:
 
I'd buy @WARRIORWELDING

Oh wait you don't mean that kind of welder
and I don't think he'd be that cheap anyway
 
I've been using the Eastwood Mig250 for about 4 months now, burned through 3-10lb spools of wire, so far no issues.

I did upgrade to a better regulator, and already had the 150cf tank. Minus the wire, plus the regulator, plus catching a promo code from Eastwood, and I am still under $825.
 
If you can find a caddymig, get it.
Otherwise they are discontinued and are being replaced by the rebel.

There are several different models of the rebel, one with mig only( caddy replacement) mig/stick, and mig/tig/stick.

All are different pricing but get you the inverter with Esab's programming for reading arc voltage and keeping output constant. To me, that programming is what makes the esab superior to others.

That said, if you are getting a welder that doesn't read arc voltage, and doesn't change to keep output consistent, don't compare those welders to the Sean caddymig/rebel line. This wouldn't be an apples to apples comparison.

Ex: can't compare an Eastwood/longevity/everlast/Lotos/Chang-shin to the esab. And can't compare the esab to a Miller/Hobart or lincoln 180. The machines do very different things.

That said. If you are going with a traditional machine that doesn't read arc voltage, I prefer Lincoln to Miller. But you could potential save a lot by going with the China made stuff. The everlast/longevity/lotos/Eastwood/northern tool etc are all made in same Chinese factory. Heck if we want to order a container we can get custom colors with NC4x4 logos on them.

Miller and lincoln have released inverter machines that read the arc voltage similar to esab but I haven't welded with either.

If you can afford to get one that reads arc voltage, do it. You will be much happier.

I would buy esab>Lincoln>Miller.
 
Only thing I'll add is I cut my teeth on older solid state stuff. Like 15 year old stuff 20 yrs ago. Any solid state machine imo will perform and possibly out last the invertors. Invertors best out do solid state in weight, power demand, and the latest arc technology. I am partial to old school, but invertors are going to replace it all. So they are getting better.


So breaks over, going to go weld now for the college. On a shinny new Lincoln invertor.
 
Mac5005 said:
If you can find a caddymig, get it.
Otherwise they are discontinued and are being replaced by the rebel.

There are several different models of the rebel, one with mig only( caddy replacement) mig/stick, and mig/tig/stick.

All are different pricing but get you the inverter with Esab's programming for reading arc voltage and keeping output constant. To me, that programming is what makes the esab superior to others.

That said, if you are getting a welder that doesn't read arc voltage, and doesn't change to keep output consistent, don't compare those welders to the Sean caddymig/rebel line. This wouldn't be an apples to apples comparison.

Ex: can't compare an Eastwood/longevity/everlast/Lotos/Chang-shin to the esab. And can't compare the esab to a Miller/Hobart or lincoln 180. The machines do very different things.

That said. If you are going with a traditional machine that doesn't read arc voltage, I prefer Lincoln to Miller. But you could potential save a lot by going with the China made stuff. The everlast/longevity/lotos/Eastwood/northern tool etc are all made in same Chinese factory. Heck if we want to order a container we can get custom colors with NC4x4 logos on them.

Miller and lincoln have released inverter machines that read the arc voltage similar to esab but I haven't welded with either.

If you can afford to get one that reads arc voltage, do it. You will be much happier.

I would buy esab>Lincoln>Miller.
Click to expand...

X2. For 200 bucks more than the caddymig, you can get the new rebel mig only.

ESAB Rebel EM 215ic 120V/230V MIG Welder - 0558102436

Alot more top end and 110 capability.
 
My Cheng-Shin plasma cutter set itself on fire a few months back. You can buy the boards on Alibaba, but I haven't found wiring harnesses. I would steer clear of them for that reason. If you buy one, just understand that you're going to get a machine that works for a while, maybe works forever. But if anything goes wrong, it's probably garbage.
 
shawn said:
My Cheng-Shin plasma cutter set itself on fire a few months back. You can buy the boards on Alibaba, but I haven't found wiring harnesses. I would steer clear of them for that reason. If you buy one, just understand that you're going to get a machine that works for a while, maybe works forever. But if anything goes wrong, it's probably garbage.
Click to expand...

That's why if you go that route, buy from everlast or longevity etc, at least there is an English speaking service Rep located in the US.

I could buy 3 of their top tig machines for a comparable dynasty. The China stuff has 5 year warranty over the 3 for Miller.

I like lincolns new inverter tig machines better than the dynasty's
 
I love everything about my caddymig so far. Weldingmart hooked me up as I have told you before..

Only thing is I wish I could run it on 110v.

I would eat out less for a couple weeks, and sell a few things you need a welder more than, and get the rebel.
 
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