Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm beginning a search for a new welder and need a little advice.

Most of my welding is done in a farm shop doing fabrication and repair. Mostly using A36 steels but recently I've had a couple of projects that require welding of AR400. I'm no expert but my skill level is decent for a non school-trained welder.

Right now I'm using an older Miller 250 mig. This particular machine is one my brother purchased new probably 20+ years ago. It gets me by but has been troublesome from the day he got it. In particular, it has always had trouble with terrible weld spatter and nothing we've found helped much. Recently the cooling fan has quit working.....time to upgrade.

So....I'm in search of a new machine with similar amperage rating as the Miller 250. Most of the work I'm doing will be Mig, but I would like to have the capability to stick weld as well for times I"m working outside with a little wind, or for materials that would be best welded with stick. I would also like a machine capable of spray transfer Mig. (although I haven't done it yet)

Should I be looking at multi-process, inverter machines or stand-alone equipment? Currently I don't do Tig but if a mult-process machine has the capability I would probably utilize it.

My work can range from light gauge sheet to my current project which is res-skinning a 10' dozer blade with 5/16" AR400....Probably 50 feet of weld on that job.

What features do you find most useful on newer welders?

Any recommendations to narrow my search would be greatly appreciated.

Most of the higher quality machines for multi process cut off around the 210-220 amp range for optimal portability. I really love the millermatic 252 and the Lincoln power mig 256. No knowledge about spray arc transfer either for you. Look at ever last. I feel like they have a larger multiprocess machine.

Just remember that any machine that can stick weld can also do scratch start TIG. All you need is an air cooled torch with manual gas and an argon tank with a good regulator. You can get an old rectifier machine very cheap and that will give you the stick and tig processes, which I think are far superior to mig in everything but speed. If you aren't fabricating a bunch of parts, you might as well learn how in my opinion. I'd always put short circuit mig at the bottom of my list, but that's just me.

Yeah,

You're in an interesting position, as there's lots of nice 250 amp MIG units. And now there are Pulse MIG units that are affordable too, which I'm a little curious about.

There is one unit that I know of that is both of those things and also does high frequency arc starts for DC TIG too. I think it's the only one around that does that, and it includes all the TIG accessories, including a pedal. Yes, it's an Everlast, which I'm a fan of (sorry if I sound like a paid advertiser, I'm not though). It's the 251Si, which is a fairly compact Pulse MIG unit that's not a rolling floor style. They're priced better at Amazon than through the Everlast website directly, even though Everlast is the sellor via Amazon, so no sales taxes are incurred when purchasing through Amazon outside the CA-zone.

So, the 251Si is $1450, delivered, via Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Everlast-PowerMT ... last+251Si

But, if your welding is on heavy buckets and similar equipment, and you were willing to skip the TIG feature, Everlast also has the 275S ($1350, delivered) and 275P ($1800, delivered) models, which both have a little better duty-cyle at 50% for 275 amps.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... erlast+275

All of the above units Stick weld too. And they'll undoubtely all spray arc transfer on steel with a 90/10 Argon mix, I'm pretty sure.

If I were you I might want to step up in amps (to 275) and add pulse while upgrading your MIG unit. And then just get a low-cost AHP AC/DC TIG for 200 amp DC on mild steel and AC on aluminum, if TIG is desired for some stuff.

But, that 251Si might do it all for you. I'll post that video of the gal rockin' a 251Si with a spoolgun on aluminum, just for fun!!!!

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Mousegun, welcome to the forum.

C. Livingstone,
Thanks for the detailed response. The Everlast machines look like nice units. I'm used to the big transformer machines and it's surprising how compact and powerful the inverter machines are.

90% of the time the 251 Si welder would be great. My only reservation is that if I began using Tig that it's DC only. If I understand right, Tig on aluminum requires AC? Tig welding alum is likely something I would like to do so I may be better off with a separate Tig unit although it looks like thier Ac/Dc tigs start around $850

If I went Mig/Stick only, one of the Powermig 275G's might be the choice. They're getting to the high end of what I'd want to spend but its higher amp and duty cycle would be nice plus it has pulse mig that the 275s model lacks.

With the 230 volt only units like the Powermig 275, is it practical to run them off a generator like the 115/230v units?
(I understand it would require a "clean power" rated generator)

Right,

If you think you'll ultimately want to do DC "AND AC" TIG, a 200 amp, full-featured AHP AC/DC TIG unit is only about $750, delivered, with no sales tax outside of CA. The AHP units are a best-value in-class, in my opinion.

But it sounds like the MIG process is more the priority and what you're already versed in.

So, I'd look closely at the three Everlast MIG units, or others like them, if there are any. And I'd want the new innovation of "Pulse" in a higher amp MIG unit if I was in the market for one, as it reportedly makes welding out of position easier.

The 251Si is a MIG Pulse unit, and might keep you occupied the longest and most cost effectively, since it includes all the DC TIG stuff and has HF DC TIG starts, before the time comes if/when you want to get an AHP or something similar for AC TIG on aluminum.

So, yeah, two units are probably unavoidable, if you want to do high-amperage Pulse MIG welding and also do reasonable amperage (200 amps) "AC" TIG welding on aluminum too.

And I suppose a generator that can supply 230/240 volts on a 50 amp circuit would do it, but you would do well to do your own due diligence on the specs of the particular generator and welding unit first.

You are correct in saying that MIG is most important at this time and I definitely want the pulse option.
Only thing I wonder about the 251si is that if I want to try spray transfer I'd be working at or near the top of the voltage range.

I'm not sure how much I'd use Tig....of course if I have it I might find I'd use it a lot.

In reality, I'd probably get along fine with just a good Mig only machine.....and put any extra money towards a plasma cutter.
Mostly I'd like to have all these toys to play with.

Thanks for the help.

Yeah,

Then I wouldn't try to forcast into the future too much, and just go in a straightforward manner with the 275P, as Everlast has their 100% satisfaction 30-day guarantee that includes free return shipping, which I've utilized and know is real.

You'd undoubtedly have all the power you'll ever want, and it's got the Pulse, the great duty-cycle, a compact design, the nice burn-back and inductance features, and it's marked-down right now to $1800 on Amazon, which makes it a best-value in-class by far, in my opinion. And if you ever want to go big on aluminum you could later spring for the push-pull gun to run larger spools of aluminum wire, or just get a spoolgun for smaller aluminum projects.

But whatever you get, or whenever you get it, please let us all hear back how you like it.