Which welder? Multi-process machines.

I have the Lincoln 210 MP and I am not satisfied with it. I was going to buy the Miller but got a better deal on this one.
 
For the money, the Eastwood is a lot of machine. They have a good warranty and the service center is in PA, not HK. The Everlast has some neat features, but it's still not got a high-frequency start.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
Why not?
Click to expand...

I hate to say details in open.

Too many failures too early. Inverters are cheap and similar to those from overseas.

The quality is in a huge decline while the price and marketing keep the brand current.

If there is 5 identical machines, they will all weld very different. I would hate to get a "bad" one as a consumer and be stuck with it, when it's a lottery to get a "good" one.

The "good" ones are very good. But I would hate to try to chance it and buy a good one as a single purchase consumer, when 20% are the "good" ones.

If you buy blue, you do get preferential service before other brands at a repair facility. So that's good.

Research into inverter life span and price and you'll see that machine are build to last shorter life cycles, yet price is still increasing.

A lot of inverters on the market have a 10yr expected life time. A lot of that has to do with cheap solder complying with ROHS.

Look for inverters out of Europe to bring more money bc they are higher quality.

Why should you spend 3-5x to get a machine that has similar inverter, but has nice blue paint on the case.

If I were buying right now, it would be esab, lincoln, or everlast.

Everlast, longevity, lotos, Eastwood, are all out of same plant in China. Buy a container full and spec out your own options, logo, color scheme etc....

if buying that lineup, get the one with friendliest staff in US, best warranty, and potentially buy two, so you can ship one back to be fixed and still weld with the other.

Short version, blue welders are junk that still bring top price.

If I didn't have access to 10 identical machines and have used them since day 1, as well as talk to others about my personal experience,

I wouldn't have believed my words either.

If I had to have an AC/DC pulse tig right now, it would be everlast.

If I had to have a MP welder right now, it would be esab no doubt.

Once you start comparing and welding with the new round of (mig) machines that read arc voltage and vary output to keep output current constant despite stick out and gun angle changes, esab is king.

For a home hobbyist that does cage/bumper and out of position work without needing 80-100% duty cycle,

These machines make welding that stuff much more fun, and gets a way better result for those not welding everyday.

That's the value, you can pick one up, dial it in following instructions, and the machine helps make better welds.
 
Mac5005 said:
I hate to say details in open.

Too many failures too early. Inverters are cheap and similar to those from overseas.

The quality is in a huge decline while the price and marketing keep the brand current.

If there is 5 identical machines, they will all weld very different. I would hate to get a "bad" one as a consumer and be stuck with it, when it's a lottery to get a "good" one.

The "good" ones are very good. But I would hate to try to chance it and buy a good one as a single purchase consumer, when 20% are the "good" ones.

If you buy blue, you do get preferential service before other brands at a repair facility. So that's good.

Research into inverter life span and price and you'll see that machine are build to last shorter life cycles, yet price is still increasing.

A lot of inverters on the market have a 10yr expected life time. A lot of that has to do with cheap solder complying with ROHS.

Look for inverters out of Europe to bring more money bc they are higher quality.

Why should you spend 3-5x to get a machine that has similar inverter, but has nice blue paint on the case.

If I were buying right now, it would be esab, lincoln, or everlast.

Everlast, longevity, lotos, Eastwood, are all out of same plant in China. Buy a container full and spec out your own options, logo, color scheme etc....

if buying that lineup, get the one with friendliest staff in US, best warranty, and potentially buy two, so you can ship one back to be fixed and still weld with the other.

Short version, blue welders are junk that still bring top price.

If I didn't have access to 10 identical machines and have used them since day 1, as well as talk to others about my personal experience,

I wouldn't have believed my words either.

If I had to have an AC/DC pulse tig right now, it would be everlast.

If I had to have a MP welder right now, it would be esab no doubt.

Once you start comparing and welding with the new round of (mig) machines that read arc voltage and vary output to keep output current constant despite stick out and gun angle changes, esab is king.

For a home hobbyist that does cage/bumper and out of position work without needing 80-100% duty cycle,

These machines make welding that stuff much more fun, and gets a way better result for those not welding everyday.

That's the value, you can pick one up, dial it in following instructions, and the machine helps make better welds.
Click to expand...
Thank you that's good info. My newest welder is a millermatic 250 so probably 20 years old. I've been looking recently at multi process machines and an AC/DC tig machine.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
My newest welder is a millermatic 250 so probably 20 years old.
Click to expand...

Then you have one of the good ones. Never let it go.

I regularly look for that generation 210 and up machines but there is a reason they are priced the same as a new machine if you are lucky enough to find one for sale.

I don't have much need for anything beyond a MIG at the moment, which we have a Hobart 187 at the office that does what we need. With the added use of aluminum structure in our booths and labor/client uncanny ability to fuck shit up, I have been eyeballing a few Multiprocess machines for a while for the day we need one. It would be nice to be able to stick some stuff back together and make a better margin with quicker turnaround on the repair than just ordering new parts. Everlast PowerMTS211SI is probably the machine I would go with for most of the reasons @Mac5005 talked about.
 
Last edited:
@Mac5005 I was getting ready to pull the trigger on a Miller 350P for alum only. Best price I have got so far is $4262 and $1733 for the 25' Aluma Pro. This will be used at our in-house alum fab for our Grow Tables. Do you have a comparable ESAB sku so I could do some comparing? I have only had positive past experiences w/ Miller so your post got my attention!
 
So since we're on the topic of multi-process machines, is there a single machine that can do MIG, TIG, and plasma cutting?
 
Mac5005 said:
Why are you not satisfied with the lincoln?
Click to expand...
I am a novice welder at best so it's probably me but when using mig it just doesn't lay a good bead. I have used a few other older machines and did very well with them. It's all digital and is supposed to be automatic but I am forever having to adjust settings, and the display and how you set it is similar to a smart phone! lol. The guy I bought it from said the stick is sweet so I used it some and my old 225 arc machine is much more comfortable to use.
 
Mac5005 said:
I hate to say details in open.

Too many failures too early. Inverters are cheap and similar to those from overseas.

The quality is in a huge decline while the price and marketing keep the brand current.

If there is 5 identical machines, they will all weld very different. I would hate to get a "bad" one as a consumer and be stuck with it, when it's a lottery to get a "good" one.

The "good" ones are very good. But I would hate to try to chance it and buy a good one as a single purchase consumer, when 20% are the "good" ones.

If you buy blue, you do get preferential service before other brands at a repair facility. So that's good.

Research into inverter life span and price and you'll see that machine are build to last shorter life cycles, yet price is still increasing.

A lot of inverters on the market have a 10yr expected life time. A lot of that has to do with cheap solder complying with ROHS.

Look for inverters out of Europe to bring more money bc they are higher quality.

Why should you spend 3-5x to get a machine that has similar inverter, but has nice blue paint on the case.

If I were buying right now, it would be esab, lincoln, or everlast.

Everlast, longevity, lotos, Eastwood, are all out of same plant in China. Buy a container full and spec out your own options, logo, color scheme etc....

if buying that lineup, get the one with friendliest staff in US, best warranty, and potentially buy two, so you can ship one back to be fixed and still weld with the other.

Short version, blue welders are junk that still bring top price.

If I didn't have access to 10 identical machines and have used them since day 1, as well as talk to others about my personal experience,

I wouldn't have believed my words either.

If I had to have an AC/DC pulse tig right now, it would be everlast.

If I had to have a MP welder right now, it would be esab no doubt.

Once you start comparing and welding with the new round of (mig) machines that read arc voltage and vary output to keep output current constant despite stick out and gun angle changes, esab is king.

For a home hobbyist that does cage/bumper and out of position work without needing 80-100% duty cycle,

These machines make welding that stuff much more fun, and gets a way better result for those not welding everyday.

That's the value, you can pick one up, dial it in following instructions, and the machine helps make better welds.
Click to expand...
I know of someone who had similar experience with the new blue plasmas too. Service center couldn't get it right and customer service was sub-par. This wasnt a small machine either.
 
jeepinmatt said:
So since we're on the topic of multi-process machines, is there a single machine that can do MIG, TIG, and plasma cutting?
Click to expand...
The only plasma welder I have seen is the tig, stick, plasma. I have read and heard good things on the Esab and plan on getting one some day.....
 
Franklin said:
@Mac5005 I was getting ready to pull the trigger on a Miller 350P for alum only. Best price I have got so far is $4262 and $1733 for the 25' Aluma Pro. This will be used at our in-house alum fab for our Grow Tables. Do you have a comparable ESAB sku so I could do some comparing? I have only had positive past experiences w/ Miller so your post got my attention!
Click to expand...


No I can't. I haven't met any local sales guys that want to sell esab over Miller and then lincoln.

But I would buy esab>lincoln>Miller.

And I still wouldn't buy Miller again. Used older machine yes, new stuff No way
 
Back
Top