It may be new welder time, esab, kemppi, ewm, fronius

[a111r]

Thanks I will have to have a look into that if swp can't fix my digi mig, though I'm sure if I could get the part I could fix it my self if swp are less than successful.

Think it was Eddie who posted this repair service up recently?

Inverter Welder Repair | eBay

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[Robbie260]

There are some new machines coming out later this year, some of which will be inverter based 1ph multi process. But they won’t be available until around the end of the latter stages of this year

If that is the case I may hang on to then, in no great rush. It will be interesting to see what lorch is offering. Probably won't get one until I get back from my next trip to sea which will be closer to the end of the year anyway.

 

[a111r]

It looks as though it has a 5 year warranty from their catalogue. So if they can't fix it, ask them for a replacement.
You paid for the warranty, after all.

02 MACHINES.pdf - 02 MACHINES

view.pagetiger.com

 

[Robbie260]

It looks as though it has a 5 year warranty from their catalogue. So if they can't fix it, ask them for a replacement.
You paid for the warranty, after all.

02 MACHINES.pdf - 02 MACHINES

view.pagetiger.com

I think mines one of the earlier ones so only a 3 year warranty but it was bought at end of summer 2018 so should be in date. Will definitely be chasing them if they say they can't do anything i will be chasing them for a replacement. Though I'm not too hopeful about as a few people I have been told buy them to sling thier hook, hence considering my options just in case.

 

[a111r]

Good luck. They are a big enough outfit that they should be able to resolve customer problem.
If not, you've got consumers rights under the sale of goods act, plus credit card payments protection on your side.

 

[finyuk2005]

Cheers I'll send you over a pm as I may take you up on that offer at somepoint.

no worries dude!

 

[Robbie260]

Good luck. They are a big enough outfit that they should be able to resolve customer problem.
If not, you've got consumers rights under the sale of goods act, plus credit card payments protection on your side.

Minus card payment protection payed in cash last time I do that.

 

[Robbie260]

Forgot to add to last post: My main reason for looking at other options is it took swp 4 months to come up with a 0.6/0.8 size wire feed roller. Rather simple task that should have been completed far faster. Having heard a few story's from others with swp welders there hasn't been any feed back to bost my confidence in thier after sales support.

Right so having done a bit more looking into things and research, came across a thread about the bholer Uranus 2000 smc and watched welding supplies directs video. Its an impressive machine, would say its comparable size wise with the kemppi which is impressive for a multi process. So that maybe changes things a bit. The esab is definitely out I'd say.

Wish list:
1. Transteel 2200 or the new lorch matt refers too
2. Kemppi or Uranus
3. Ewm

More practical head screwed on list:
1. Kemppi or Uranus
2. Lorch
3. But only just transteel
4. Ewm (if you could get a 200amp version it would be level pegging with the Uranus and Kemppi but I'd say that is its only draw back)

All subject to change depending on what is available through different suppliers and what my local can offer. I think though it will be worth waiting to make a final decision at somepoint after seeing what lorch comes out with later this year, the micor tig is that impressive and i think it will definitely be worth looking at first to take it into cocideration properly.

 

[Robbie260]

Well having chatted to the guys at HIS it looks as though they themselves have gotten into the welder repair game properly of late and think they know what's wrong with my machine so they are gonna try fixing it in house. Have to admit this is a bit more comforting in the sense they might actually get it done.

Can I ask a very nieve question guys. When welding aluminium what features would you say is more important, hot start and crater fill or pulse? Asking as I'm considering eventually making a custom canopy for my pickup and feel it might be a bit much to try tigging the whole thing.

 

[Hood]

Pulse without a doubt, make it possible to weld sheet material under 3mm.
With a conventional Mig I would avoid doing less than 4mm sheet if at all possible and 3mm was the absolute minimum I would attempt as under that you could not get into spray without melting the sheet. Sections were different for a few reasons, main one being that it tended to be short welds you were doing but even then much less than 3mm and you had to be extremely careful.

Hot start and crater fill are things I would hate to be without nowadays but I welded Alu for 25-30 years with a standard Mig and never had them so...

 

[Robbie260]

Pulse without a doubt, make it possible to weld sheet material under 3mm.
With a conventional Mig I would avoid doing less than 4mm sheet if at all possible and 3mm was the absolute minimum I would attempt as under that you could not get into spray without melting the sheet. Sections were different for a few reasons, main one being that it tended to be short welds you were doing but even then much less than 3mm and you had to be extremely careful.

Hot start and crater fill are things I would hate to be without nowadays but I welded Alu for 25-30 years with a standard Mig and never had them so...

Cheers @Hood that makes choice a little harder and a bit different. Would probably be made out of 2 or 3 mm cheque plate so im hovering right on that limit.

 

[Hood]

One thing I would also hate to be without nowadays is a spool gun or a push-pull torch, even back in my standard Mig days I had a spool gun.
That may be not be an issue if your work will mainly be bench work but for what I do it is a must that I am not constantly having to haul a welder or even a wire feeder around with me.
The reason I mention this is because a lot of the smaller pulse migs do not have the capability if using a push-pull.

 

[Robbie260]

One thing I would also hate to be without nowadays is a spool gun or a push-pull torch, even back in my standard Mig days I had a spool gun.
That may be not be an issue if your work will mainly be bench work but for what I do it is a must that I am not constantly having to haul a welder or even a wire feeder around with me.
The reason I mention this is because a lot of the smaller pulse migs do not have the capability if using a push-pull.

Hauling the welder around for 1 project shouldn't be to much of an issue but I can see your point of it being a pain if you were doing it more often. But a spool gun with a long lead may be beneficial. So spool gun compatibility is probably something I should add to the lists of musts.

 

[Hood]

Spool gun and pulse is probably even more rare if there is even such a thing.
I did use the TecArc spool gun on the wee cebora when I was testing it out but it wasn't really the best and was quite difficult to get results.

 

[Robbie260]

Spool gun and pulse is probably even more rare if there is even such a thing.
I did use the TecArc spool gun on the wee cebora when I was testing it out but it wasn't really the best and was quite difficult to get results.

Yeah was meaning just for a standard synergic machine no pulse.

I think in terms of pulse your limited to the Miller mpi 220p, the ewm pico mig 180 and the inverter fusion rebranded mig. I have heard some say the transteels synergic lines are so good you can get away with out pulse down too 1.5mm on Aluminium but haven't seen it personally so can't really assess if it's true or not. Miller can be gotten locally.

 

[finyuk2005]

I recently had a play welding alu with my kemppi, i was quite impressed how well it did, and that was about 3mm checkerplate,
turned out looking good enough, but i was quite out of practice, not migged alu for years,
no issues with it feeding wire, but then again, its not that long a torch lead.
With some more practice im sure i could make it loo a bit better, but if looks aren't too important, its a hell of a lot quicker than tig!!

 

[Hood]

There are a few others about, the wee pocket pulse I tried out was nice but it was let down by the two roll wire feed which meant a 3m torch was really your max and even then you had to take care not to bend it too much.

Regarding a standard Mig and under 3mm, can't see it myself. Yes you can weld thin stuff but you are using dip transfer and in my opinion it is not a strong aluminium weld. Maybe Fronius have some tricks up their sleeve though so...

 

[Hood]

Oh and regarding the Millers, was looking at them a few years back, about the same time as I was trialling the Cebora. Got put off by a few people saying reliability and backup was an issue but how true that was I am not sure, ended up going with another Phoenix and don't regret it one bit but obviously not what you are looking for.

 

[finyuk2005]

I'd say your right about under 3mm not really working, and at only 200amps much above 3mm wont really be happening either, so not a huge window of usefulness, but handy for some things,
i was thinking things like repairs to ifor williams stock box floors etc

 

[finyuk2005]

i have a big boy mig in the workshop at home (lincoln v350) with a suitcase feeder that would do bigger stuff if i ever needed too