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

[andymdavey82]

Well had a thoroughly good chat with @Jim Davey and @andymdavey82 this evening. Who were brilliant and very knowledgeable of thier products and much more besides. Great guys and it was very kind of them to entertain me that far past thier closing time. The pico mig is an impressive machine in person, use to welders looking rather flimsy but the thing is built like a tank. Having looked at it's a good margin ahead of the competition I'd say.

I think the only thing possibly that will contest it will be the lorch matt said is coming out later in the year so will wait and see as I cant really justify doing anything before I get back anyway. The gys is a brilliant looking machine and while one would be great in many ways I think its down fall for me is the portability angle which is the highest thing on the priority list. I must admit the standard ewm mig gun also compliments it well and is very ergonomic. Few other things are just the little details that id say put the ewm out in front.

Hi Robbie,
Pleasure to meet you, thanks for coming in!

Andy

 

[Brad93]

The PicoMig 300 is a well made machine but when I compared it to the Lorch S3 you really see the limitations of the Pico range. You really need to step up to the Phoenix range to get the full functionality of a pulse machine.

ForceArc I think is like Lorch SpeedArc and that is best for fillets. It’s a modified spray transfer process that gives deeper root fusion and thicker throat thickness.

probably not a huge benefit on aluminium.

 

[Robbie260]

The PicoMig 300 is a well made machine but when I compared it to the Lorch S3 you really see the limitations of the Pico range. You really need to step up to the Phoenix range to get the full functionality of a pulse machine.

ForceArc I think is like Lorch SpeedArc and that is best for fillets. It’s a modified spray transfer process that gives deeper root fusion and thicker throat thickness.

probably not a huge benefit on aluminium.

Thanks Brad appreciate that i was wondering what they were for.

Unfortunatly single phase is the way to go for me just now. So I'd say the 180 or 185 are looking like the best options just now.

 

[Robbie260]

I forgot to mention the other day that I had dropped in on Highland industrial supplies to see how they were doing with fixing the swp, apparently a bigger board than the one they thought was the problem has gone pop so they are having to send it back to swp to be fixed.

 

[Robbie260]

Right to update this thread. Got my swp back from highland industrial supplies. Apparently it returned not long after I went away. I got it home played with it, all seemed OK. Went to visit a mate down near Southampton to help him with his bike project. Took it down and he ended up buying it from me. Two weeks later its gone pop again on him. Switch on fan runs but screen won't come on. luck I got shot when I did but don't want to leave my mate stranded. Any ideas what may be wrong.

@Jim Davey / @andymdavey82 do you guys run a repair service for SWP welders. Not got much faith in SWP themselves as its obviously not been fixed properly.

 

[Brad93]

Is it a SWP/stealth thing?

 

[Robbie260]

Is it a SWP/stealth thing?

Yes it is.

 

[Brad93]

Yes it is.

Oh god. Sorry mate but those stealth's are dire. Give me a dam I'll put you in touch with someone.

 

[Robbie260]

Oh god. Sorry mate but those stealth's are dire. Give me a dam I'll put you in touch with someone.

They seem to be good enough welders when they work (when they work being the optimum phrasing there)

 

[addjunkie]

They seem to be good enough welders when they work (when they work being the optimum phrasing there)

Thats any electronic box of jiggery pokery!

 

[Mma man]

My lorch mpro 252 control Pro has been really good. Best 240v mig I've used. Bullet proof transformer based machine