Robbie260
I fix things that others have broken
- Messages
- 2,474
- Location
- Scotland highland
Right guys and girls, after consulting a few people in various fourms and other places it seems that hopes are getting ever slimer of getting my Swp digi mig stealth back in a timely manner or even fixed at all. So with that in mind I'm going to start considering my options for a new mig so I can start saving and have a target to aim for.
Currently I do now have my lorch and sherman tig welders which I like very much, consequently the new machine dosent have to be a multi process so I have the potential for saving my self some cash. Conversely I have learned my lesson and am going to buy ounce cry ounce now and go for a higher end machine. Hopefully aiming for something that will last me 10 years of hobby use maybe a little less if I ever use it in a light industrial application.
Specs I require are, inverter (No space for a transformer) synergic, single phase, 180 amp minimum, reasonably compact/portable, ability to weld aluminium.
Nice to haves, 200 amps, 4 roll wire feed, 3 year warranty where it dosent have to be shipped off each year for service as with my current job that is a bit impractical but not impossible, pulse welding, mig brazing. Seperate mig and tig gas ports if multiprocess, though not essential as I have recently fitted all my gas hoses with quick change fittings.
The short list includes:
ESAB caddy mig c200i
Kemppi miniarcmig evo 200
Ewm pico mig 180 pulse
Fronius transteel 2200
The Fronius and Esab have a leg up at the moment as they can be obtained through my local preferred welding supplier Highland industrial supplies for definite I haven't asked about the other 2 yet. Though I would have to beat them down on the price of the esab as they have it at nearly £2500 and I have seen advertised elsewhere for around a £1000
Features of the the kemppi and Esab from what I have read of them on here are almost identical, and it's more just a simple choice of which brand/colour you prefer. I do like one feature of both of them over the others and that is don't have a euro plug as this makes them a bit easier to store with the torch still attached. You have the kemppi one of those don't you @Pigeon_Droppings2
Kemppi is distributed locally by mcgregor industrial supplies, which do have the down side of when ever I have gone into thier store to talk to them about welders I have never been able to get a hold of a welding department member of staff who knew anything about them.
I have read the rather good and extensive review by @hotponyshoes of the ewm pico mig that's on the fourm and it seems a really good unit ( I believe @gordon stephenson has one too and rates it highly), unfortunately there is no local supplier and would be looking much further afield for one like I had to with my lorch. Something I am willing to do for the right welder. I think @Jim Davey sells them down in Southampton, which may be a bit far for me but went to college there so not the end of the world from where I am.
Fronius transteel would kind of be the ultimate one to have but I'm not entirely sure I can justify the price, for my usage. Nice machine though with the vast majority of features I would like but a bit bigger and bulkier than ther others and space is a concern.
I'm not bothered about having to pay for extra euro torch adaptors etc as a couple of hundred quid extra when you looking at this kind of machine is nothing to sweat over. Not to bothered about having to be locked into a particular brands consumables either as again you get what you are paying for in this price range.
Unless @matt1978 Has wind of a new lorch single phase synergic mig machine that's not been released yet. I think that's pretty much my choices. I'm wanting to say away from miller and Lincoln as I have heard thier support in the UK is patchy.
I suppose another option would be to get a cc suitcase wire feeder like the gys nomad to use with my two tig machines but I'd want to check with matt if the lorch micor tig could manage such a thing, and weather he'd recommend it or not, also would the micor tig manage to run one while running off its battery.
Have you @Brad93, @Hood or @Munkul Got any opinions on the above selection or any other recommendations.
Edit another option is the bholer Uranus, how you finding it @Tangledfeet. Don't know much about it or the specs unfortunately.
Currently I do now have my lorch and sherman tig welders which I like very much, consequently the new machine dosent have to be a multi process so I have the potential for saving my self some cash. Conversely I have learned my lesson and am going to buy ounce cry ounce now and go for a higher end machine. Hopefully aiming for something that will last me 10 years of hobby use maybe a little less if I ever use it in a light industrial application.
Specs I require are, inverter (No space for a transformer) synergic, single phase, 180 amp minimum, reasonably compact/portable, ability to weld aluminium.
Nice to haves, 200 amps, 4 roll wire feed, 3 year warranty where it dosent have to be shipped off each year for service as with my current job that is a bit impractical but not impossible, pulse welding, mig brazing. Seperate mig and tig gas ports if multiprocess, though not essential as I have recently fitted all my gas hoses with quick change fittings.
The short list includes:
ESAB caddy mig c200i
Kemppi miniarcmig evo 200
Ewm pico mig 180 pulse
Fronius transteel 2200
The Fronius and Esab have a leg up at the moment as they can be obtained through my local preferred welding supplier Highland industrial supplies for definite I haven't asked about the other 2 yet. Though I would have to beat them down on the price of the esab as they have it at nearly £2500 and I have seen advertised elsewhere for around a £1000
Features of the the kemppi and Esab from what I have read of them on here are almost identical, and it's more just a simple choice of which brand/colour you prefer. I do like one feature of both of them over the others and that is don't have a euro plug as this makes them a bit easier to store with the torch still attached. You have the kemppi one of those don't you @Pigeon_Droppings2
Kemppi is distributed locally by mcgregor industrial supplies, which do have the down side of when ever I have gone into thier store to talk to them about welders I have never been able to get a hold of a welding department member of staff who knew anything about them.
I have read the rather good and extensive review by @hotponyshoes of the ewm pico mig that's on the fourm and it seems a really good unit ( I believe @gordon stephenson has one too and rates it highly), unfortunately there is no local supplier and would be looking much further afield for one like I had to with my lorch. Something I am willing to do for the right welder. I think @Jim Davey sells them down in Southampton, which may be a bit far for me but went to college there so not the end of the world from where I am.
Fronius transteel would kind of be the ultimate one to have but I'm not entirely sure I can justify the price, for my usage. Nice machine though with the vast majority of features I would like but a bit bigger and bulkier than ther others and space is a concern.
I'm not bothered about having to pay for extra euro torch adaptors etc as a couple of hundred quid extra when you looking at this kind of machine is nothing to sweat over. Not to bothered about having to be locked into a particular brands consumables either as again you get what you are paying for in this price range.
Unless @matt1978 Has wind of a new lorch single phase synergic mig machine that's not been released yet. I think that's pretty much my choices. I'm wanting to say away from miller and Lincoln as I have heard thier support in the UK is patchy.
I suppose another option would be to get a cc suitcase wire feeder like the gys nomad to use with my two tig machines but I'd want to check with matt if the lorch micor tig could manage such a thing, and weather he'd recommend it or not, also would the micor tig manage to run one while running off its battery.
Have you @Brad93, @Hood or @Munkul Got any opinions on the above selection or any other recommendations.
Edit another option is the bholer Uranus, how you finding it @Tangledfeet. Don't know much about it or the specs unfortunately.
The fact that your local doesn't seem to care too much about the Kemppis isn't a great thing, as the Kempi would probably have been my first choice.
