3 in 1 welders any good?

[neil carnaffin]

hi i have just started getting into welding and have just finished a lvl1 tig welding course, im into my cars and am currently sticking a turbo on one so was learning to tig so i can make my own downpipe exhaust etc and also to see if anything else comes from it

im about to buy my first welder and am struggling to decide which one obviously with learning tig i want one which definatly does dc tig but i have now seen these 3 in 1 welders mig,tig,mma which i think could be ideal as i can make my exhaust with the tig and also dabble with car bodywork with the mig question is are they any good? the ones ive glanced at so far are the rtech,lincoln,thermal arc or would my money be better spent on a tig only machine maybe a ac/dc capable one incase i want to get into welding ali, but then can you do car bodywork with tig or does it have to be low amp mig?

any help appreciated neil

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

I don't know what your budget is, but if you're mostly tigging I'd buy a decent TIG only machine and maybe a 2nd hand MIG.

Trouble is with Jacks of All Trades, they're master of none.

 

[daleyd]

I've got an rtech one, and I'd buy another tomorrow if I had to.

If your not a professional welder (Or even if you are, I know some jobs where this type of machine would be ideal..) then as long as you are prepared to compromise a little they are great little machines.

I use mine for mainly Mig, with a bit of arc welding on heavier stuff and I've dabbled a bit with the TIG.

One limitation is that they are lift tig only (No hf start) but if you are not doing xray standard welds then it works fine. Its not as easy to use as hf start, but its not as bad as some people make out. If you plan on doing mainly tig, and lots of it then I would suggest a dedicated hf start Tig machine, if you are a DIYer with limited space and an occasional user (like me) then I wouldn't hesitate.

See doubleboosts videos on you tube for reviews of the rtech one.

Out of your list above I would be happy with any of those, I've not seen the Lincoln machine but they are renowned for decent kit. Thermal arc have a decent reputation on here, and I've been more than happy with my Rtech unit.

You can do car bodywork with Tig, but it's slow and a bit gas hungry, and tricky to do out of position.

 

[Bill Edwards]

MIG is typically the choice for most bodywork jobs. Mainly for speed and convenience I think, it's easier to weld above your head in a cramped space while laying on your back!

One small point to raise about TIG work - it isn't advisable to use HF start on vehicles with an ECU as it may damage them.
I don't know whether you're talking about stuff that's got no electronics on or not, but it'd be a shame to spend money then find you can't use that feature.

 

[Richard.]

hi i have just started getting into welding and have just finished a lvl1 tig welding course, im into my cars and am currently sticking a turbo on one so was learning to tig so i can make my own downpipe exhaust etc and also to see if anything else comes from it

im about to buy my first welder and am struggling to decide which one obviously with learning tig i want one which definatly does dc tig but i have now seen these 3 in 1 welders mig,tig,mma which i think could be ideal as i can make my exhaust with the tig and also dabble with car bodywork with the mig question is are they any good? the ones ive glanced at so far are the rtech,lincoln,thermal arc or would my money be better spent on a tig only machine maybe a ac/dc capable one incase i want to get into welding ali, but then can you do car bodywork with tig or does it have to be low amp mig?

any help appreciated neil

Tig sounds to me the method your most interested in and unfortunately it's the only process on the 3 in 1's that's limited. It's lift tig ignition so not only is it a case of making contact but it will lack some tig functions. I'd buy a dedicated hf DC tig machine if I was getting involved with exhausts, turbos, manifolds etc.

 

[R33]

TIG Welding with the Lincoln PowerMig 210MP:

Doesn't show the stick or mig side of the machine but i believe he is doing vids on that.

Also mr tig or weld.com and done some vids on the lincon on all process.

 

[rikrobson]

TIG needs to be clean, usually welding on cars involved rust to come degree. I thought about the r-tech 3 in 1 but its a grand and a little more than I couls spend, so i went for the 250 MIG. I'll probably get AC/DC at some point in the future, but it will be a big outlay for the welder and I'll need another gas bottle too.

 

[HughF]

I have this everlast machine, but the r-tech version. Mig is good, stick is good, haven't done any lift tig with it yet, but you do get to put a pedal on it once you've lift started. Jody does a video where he welds some 18 gauge stainless with it, and it sparks up just fine. Ali mig with a Teflon liner works well and it runs cusi3 in the Ali program just fine.

 

[wheresmejumper]

If you're buying a machine to primarily tig with,a 3 in 1 is the last resort.almost all of them are firstly mig welders,secondly arc welders,thirdly kind of tig welders

 

[Kent]

I came close but thought no in the end. I do like the look of the Lincoln though you see its duel voltage compact enough at only 40lb and has a euro torch unlike a lot of portable MIG plants. For mobile repairs or home use I think these plants have a great deal to be said for them.
A lot of jobs I go to take two visits 1, to look at it and asses what I need to take 2. to actually do it. Something like this could really kick in with that sort of stuff especially if its spool gun compatible because it then adds some Ali repair jobs. Something to thick for the MIG? stick weld it or the reverse. With a small bottle of Argon and one of mix and a few wires etc....?
Primarily though yes buy them as a non production MIG that can do other stuff. ( I think small means less tough / smaller duty under real hard stress without facts to back that up btw)
BOC had a deal on the Lincoln BTW but I bet Lincoln dealers will cut equal or better face to face.

 

[daleyd]

^^i think you have it spot on Kent. They are obviously never going to replace every type of machine for the professional welder but they certainly have their uses.

That being said I had an hour this evening trying the lift tig function on mine (first time for about 12 months) and have to say it works a treat (at least for a ham fisted DIY type like myself!) in spite of the rather unwieldy torch that comes with it.

My next project is going to be a trolley for it, time permitting I would like to tig it just to try and get a bit more practice.

 

[Kent]

yes I think they have their uses as a DIY plant also no question. Space for three plants over one, total spend and versatility. This Lincoln set is just over a grand I think they are going to sell a lot! I mean little portable Kempi MIG or the ESAB caddy or for a little more one of these with a euro torch fitting, let also the TIG and MMA functionality I can see that adding up for many DIY welders for sure and a known brand with warranty back-up close enough for all?

 

[daleyd]

Yeah, that Lincoln does look pretty handy!

 

[eddie49]

I agree John, the 3-in-1 welder that you linked to is truly amazing:

"The unit has an output tone up to 1A, which means it can weld up to 1/4″ aluminum, alloyed steel (mild), stainless steel wire rod, cast iron, and copper."

Wow, just wow.