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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    South of Adelaide
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    1,225

    Default Mig welder recommendations

    I’m considering getting a new mig in the next few months. 200-250 amps. Doesn’t matter if it is single or 3 phase. Budget is up to $2500. Just wondering what everyone is running? And if anyone can recommend something that is good?
    I’m sick of buying 2nd hand welders that die after 6 months.Mig welder recommendations

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi Snapatap

    Token Tools.

    Ring him and he will not tell you any BS.

    There are a lot of blokes from this forum who have bought from him and not a bad word yet. After sales service is excellent.

    He designs the machines and can repair(rarely necessary) what he sells.

    He has been around for about 15 years and is a brick and mortar business with an online sales arm.

    There will be others along shortly who will tell a similar story. No connection other than a very impressed customer.

    Grahame

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    If you have $2500 to spend and access to 3 phase, then you are in a really good position. I'd be looking for a good second hand industrial machine. Token Tools machines aren't bad by all accounts, but they are still a chinese sourced machine and are expensive compared to other chinese machines. I've known of the good old original WIA fabricators to go for between $500 and $3000. They don't suffer major failures often, usually only a rectifier pops which is easily repaired and not overly expensive and they will outperform and outlast any chinese machine. Another advantage of this path is that you will get a genuine 250A+ machine with a usable duty cycle as opposed to a 250A output with restricted duty cycle.
    Industrial welders are very repairable and in your position, I would pick them over a chinese machine every time.
    In thinking about it, you could almost get into an acceptable brand new 3 phase mig for your $2500, however you would need to be careful as some name brand machines at this end of the scale are not all they are cracked up to be. My vote still goes to a solid industrial machine second hand.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,105

    Default

    As Karl said, WIA fabricator, the older the better in my opinion. I've only used the 400A version and that had the ability to weld all day non stop if need be.

    Though if I had that much to spend on a second hand 3 phase based machine these days i'd be looking at a pulse mig. Though if you plan to only weld steel then stick to the WIA.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Com_VC View Post
    As Karl said, WIA fabricator, the older the better in my opinion. I've only used the 400A version and that had the ability to weld all day non stop if need be.

    Though if I had that much to spend on a second hand 3 phase based machine these days i'd be looking at a pulse mig. Though if you plan to only weld steel then stick to the WIA.
    Fair point regarding pulse mig, I shied away from that given their far greater potential to play up and require more involved repairs. Definitely worth considering if aluminium work is on the cards.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    I've a CIG 250 amp single phase with an 8m remote wire feeder, and a 4 metre torch, the best thing I ever did. No more having to lift a welder to get into place.
    WESS (Welding Equipment Sales and Service) down Lonsdale way can service and supply any of the better brands of machines, should they ever need service.
    Have been dealing with them for about 40 years, no connection apart from an extremely satisfied customer.
    They were Hills Welding Supplies at Braund rd Prospect, then move to South Tce Wingfield, later to their current location, when the 2 brothers sold to WESS.
    Just had a quick look on Gumtree 5 3phase MIGs all under $1,000.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    I've been thinking about a bigger MIG machine - I've been running my humble UniMig 165 at full noise on a few heavier jobs, and while it lays down nice (and quiet) spray transfer welds, the torch clearly can't handle the heat, with the bit behind the nozzle starting to melt.

    I was tossing up getting a machine with pulse, have steel wire in the machine and a spool gun set up with aluminium, meaning I'd only need to change gas and plug in the spool gun to weld aluminium, no messing around with changing liners. Tokentools seemed the best bet.

    Then I spotted a 3ph Migomag 400 on Gumtree for $1,100 which would certainly take care of heavier section welds, but it's a big machine, which could pose a challenge finding shed space for it...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    MigOMag are a good welder, had a few over the years. Sold with businesses, not failures.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    IMHO Migomag are quite under rated, definitely not the rolls royce of welders, but they are good solid performers that will do 99% of anything anyone may want. I've got an old Migomag 300 that can still hold it's own against the newcomers. Transmig 500's (the old ones, not the new ones which are crappy), go quite cheaply too and are a lot of machine for the money, albeit in a bulky package.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,105

    Default

    Yeah those old grey cigwelds are built like a tank, even the old school 350 Pulse wasn't a bad machine.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    If you go here https://wess.com.au/our-products/second-hand/ you may see something that suits (filter for used). There is a WIA fabricator there for example
    As Wess are probably the premier welding equipment place in SA and do repairs, I would expect that any secondhand gear they sell would be up to the mark.

    Michael

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
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    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Com_VC View Post
    Yeah those old grey cigwelds are built like a tank, even the old school 350 Pulse wasn't a bad machine.
    Yep, the 350 pulse is a gem. The 350 Pulse was a product of CIG's association with National Panasonic and is basically one of their welders in a grey case. Later on CIG jumped into bed with Kemppi which many, including myself, felt was a retrograde step.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,105

    Default

    I thought it had similar chartistics to the Panasonic.

    Have you used a S3-C before? If so what did you think of it? Was given one years ago but no 3 phase at the moment so it sits unused.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
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    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Com_VC View Post
    I thought it had similar chartistics to the Panasonic.

    Have you used a S3-C before? If so what did you think of it? Was given one years ago but no 3 phase at the moment so it sits unused.
    I have indeed. They run Aluminium quite nicely and the one we had also spent a bit of time running Stainless. I particularly liked it when running ally on sub 5mm thicknesses as it seemed to run a little nicer than even the Fabricator we had. You often see them for sale for peanuts and if I needed another welder, I would have no hesitation in snaffling one.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,105

    Default

    Might hang on to this one then, doesn't take up a lot of space.

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