China welding machines

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Steve welder

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After I got home from the Sunday morning cruise in, I was obliged to take my bride to Kohls, as she had some Kohls dollars
I dropped her off and went across the street to the HF store to waste some time.
HF is selling these stick and multi use welding machines. They have a two brands, one better than the other. The prices are a good amount cheaper than a Lincoln or Miller
I know a guy who just bought a machine named "Everlast". The company is based in the USA but the machine is made overseas. Ive read good reviews and this guy says it welds pretty good. Inverter technology has come far and is now more cheaply produced.
I think Lincoln and Miller sales will suffer. I think they will lose a part of the market that goes to the home enthusiast. I would think its foolish to buy one of these machines for commercial use but I'm now seeing for home garage use they may be adequate.
I recently bought a Miller 211 Mig welder for strictly garage home use. I like it and its a great machine, well made.
I also have a Miller XMT which is a 220/440 industrial CV/CC machine and I have the suitcase mig drive. Now its a 1990's model, manual controls. It welds perfectly and ive run 5/32, 7018 all day, rod after rod. Ive also run 3/16, 7018 and this machine never miss's a beat
Thats American technology made in the USA. Sadly I think American welders will have to resort more and more to making machines overseas to compete with these new brands
 
I bought a hf $89 flux wire about 7 years ago and I have no tool that has paid for itself more....
I've made every manner of bracket, gig for truck cabs, to my snowmobile sled deck...
LOVE IT....
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Oh ya.. tons of exhaust....
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I have a Miller 140 with Autoset. Wouldn't trade it for anything. On sheet metal Autoset makes this hack look like he knows what he's doing.
 
I bought a hf $89 flux wire about 7 years ago and I have no tool that has paid for itself more....
I've made every manner of bracket, gig for truck cabs, to my snowmobile sled deck...
LOVE IT....View attachment 1715970607
View attachment 1715970608View attachment 1715970611 View attachment 1715970610View attachment 1715970614 View attachment 1715970615 View attachment 1715970616 View attachment 1715970617
Oh ya.. tons of exhaust....
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You inspire me! I used to do a lot of stick welding when I was working. Now I have a MIG welder and I'm just getting used to it. Hoping to make some projects happen with it. I really enjoy welding.
 
I bought a YES Welder. Amazing machine. Does MIG, Stick, Lift Tig and has auto set features. I used both on 110v and 220v and pleased with both. Welded in subframe connectors and floor pans with ease.
 
I bought a YES Welder. Amazing machine. Does MIG, Stick, Lift Tig and has auto set features. I used both on 110v and 220v and pleased with both. Welded in subframe connectors and floor pans with ease.
Oh yeah I welded in my homemade subframe connectors on my duster...
Yet another time when I made my money back buying that welder... The steel I needed was $40 again the harbor freight welder was 89 and the helmet was 35 and the gloves were $5... 4 and 1/2 in harbor freight grinder with cut off wheel flap dish and grinder was about 20 bucks.... If you do the math here that's cheaper than buying the bolt-on ones that you end up having to weld anyways to make stiff...
 
After I got home from the Sunday morning cruise in, I was obliged to take my bride to Kohls, as she had some Kohls dollars
I dropped her off and went across the street to the HF store to waste some time.
HF is selling these stick and multi use welding machines. They have a two brands, one better than the other. The prices are a good amount cheaper than a Lincoln or Miller
I know a guy who just bought a machine named "Everlast". The company is based in the USA but the machine is made overseas. Ive read good reviews and this guy says it welds pretty good. Inverter technology has come far and is now more cheaply produced.
I think Lincoln and Miller sales will suffer. I think they will lose a part of the market that goes to the home enthusiast. I would think its foolish to buy one of these machines for commercial use but I'm now seeing for home garage use they may be adequate.
I recently bought a Miller 211 Mig welder for strictly garage home use. I like it and its a great machine, well made.
I also have a Miller XMT which is a 220/440 industrial CV/CC machine and I have the suitcase mig drive. Now its a 1990's model, manual controls. It welds perfectly and ive run 5/32, 7018 all day, rod after rod. Ive also run 3/16, 7018 and this machine never miss's a beat
Thats American technology made in the USA. Sadly I think American welders will have to resort more and more to making machines overseas to compete with these new brands

Can’t say I disagree with you, but I do think the American products are still a better choice if you can afford it. I bought a Miller 211 on sale mainly for the purpose of restoring my ‘65 Dart. The welder and the project will likely still be here when I’m gone. I also have a small Lincoln tig which I haven’t used much, but seems like a good, well, made unit. I also have a Lincoln 225 stick welder (AC only) that’s at least 50 years old and still works like a champ. However, I must admit that the Chinese stuff is very attractive due to its’ price. I have an Eastwood plasma cutter, and it appears well-made even though I haven’t used it much. A lot of the new units use aluminum in their transformers and won’t have the duty cycle of a copper wound unit, or the lifespan, in my opinion. That said, you need to buy what you can afford. Read the reviews online, and compare warranties and factory support. I’d also recommend that you look around for used stuff. I recently picked about $6,000worth of weling equipment at an estate sale for $1500. It was all new or barely used. I got a complete Miller welding table with all the accessories, a 130 Miller tig i intend to use for light stuff, and at our cabin, a plasma cutter that will cut over an inch of steel, several nice helmets, a really nice welding jacket, and a bunch of nice accessories. I see this stuff all the time in the local sale sheets and online sites. If you’re not sure what you’re buying, try to take a friend who is knowledgeable. Oh yeah, and if any of you need a 300A P&H with a water-cooled torch, I’ll make you a smokin’ deal. You pick it up.
 
I have a HF Flux core welder, but would like a Miller Mig welder...maybe someday...:) I see cars all the time that need floors or trunks and quarters/extensions...these cars sell cheap no one wants to do the metal work.
 
I have had some really nice Italian welders. So no doubt anything coming out of China is going to be as good if not better.
 
I looked at the Miller 211. It has a 40% duty cycle at 150 amp. That ain’t much. And it looks like it’s 1900 bucks.
 
I have a miller 175. a real workhorse. I have one of those everlast TIG/Stick machines that I aspire to try. Ive owned it for years. The mig is just my go to because I know it. Need to branch out. I had a dash job to weld the key hole shut and didnt even think of the tig. 20/20 should have tried it. its just that whole thing about keeping the tungsten sharp and clean.
 
After I got home from the Sunday morning cruise in, I was obliged to take my bride to Kohls, as she had some Kohls dollars
I dropped her off and went across the street to the HF store to waste some time.
HF is selling these stick and multi use welding machines. They have a two brands, one better than the other. The prices are a good amount cheaper than a Lincoln or Miller
I know a guy who just bought a machine named "Everlast". The company is based in the USA but the machine is made overseas. Ive read good reviews and this guy says it welds pretty good. Inverter technology has come far and is now more cheaply produced.
I think Lincoln and Miller sales will suffer. I think they will lose a part of the market that goes to the home enthusiast. I would think its foolish to buy one of these machines for commercial use but I'm now seeing for home garage use they may be adequate.
I recently bought a Miller 211 Mig welder for strictly garage home use. I like it and its a great machine, well made.
I also have a Miller XMT which is a 220/440 industrial CV/CC machine and I have the suitcase mig drive. Now its a 1990's model, manual controls. It welds perfectly and ive run 5/32, 7018 all day, rod after rod. Ive also run 3/16, 7018 and this machine never miss's a beat
Thats American technology made in the USA. Sadly I think American welders will have to resort more and more to making machines overseas to compete with these new brands
The Cheap chinese machines flooded the Australian market but thet found no service companies would touch them a lot of people have gone back to the name brand machines. Try to claim warranty on a Chinese machine ,a distributor friend bought some in & took 1 home to try out when he plugged it in he woke up up on the floor after recieving a serious electric shock they dont pass the same safety standard tests as the US & UK built machines .We only buy from the US or UK as they support their products through training & service centres throu-out Australia
 
I have had some really nice Italian welders. So no doubt anything coming out of China is going to be as good if not better.
I sold a lot of those Italian Astro welders. They were quite inexpensive and worked quite well for the price and power level.
 
The Cheap chinese machines flooded the Australian market but thet found no service companies would touch them a lot of people have gone back to the name brand machines. Try to claim warranty on a Chinese machine ,a distributor friend bought some in & took 1 home to try out when he plugged it in he woke up up on the floor after recieving a serious electric shock they dont pass the same safety standard tests as the US & UK built machines .We only buy from the US or UK as they support their products through training & service centres throu-out Australia
At $89 I consider it a throwaway...
But 7 years and still good to go...
 
Had an Amazon plasma explode and catch fire. It was exciting like a heart attack
Bought another one and it is awesome. Used it to cut 3/8" mild without a hitch.

People that can afford the good US made equipment do. The cheap chinese stuff is for those people that can't afford a syncrowave or have the tommy lift to pick it up
 
Had an Amazon plasma explode and catch fire. It was exciting like a heart attack
Bought another one and it is awesome. Used it to cut 3/8" mild without a hitch.

People that can afford the good US made equipment do. The cheap chinese stuff is for those people that can't afford a syncrowave or have the tommy lift to pick it up



That’s not true. Has nothing to do with not being able to afford something. I’m not paying THREE TIMES more for something that a bunch of fools think is USA made.

They may be assembled here but you can bet your *** not one part of any of the electronics is USA made. Not one.

Keep telling yourself this **** is made here. Big difference between made is USA and assembled in USA.
 
150 amps!!! Good Lord, what are you welding, structural steel for bridges?


All kinds of things. Plus, I want to be able to weld aluminum and not TIG it. I’m over that. And who knows…I have some stuff planned for this winter I may want to spray arc.

I overbuy so I’m not caught with my pants down.
 
That’s not true. Has nothing to do with not being able to afford something. I’m not paying THREE TIMES more for something that a bunch of fools think is USA made.

They may be assembled here but you can bet your *** not one part of any of the electronics is USA made. Not one.

Keep telling yourself this **** is made here. Big difference between made is USA and assembled in USA.
Thats the issue I have with inverter machines.
 
Thought i was getting quality when i bought my esab multi-process. Chinese. And the auto-set doesent work worth a ****.
 
Thats not a lot of amperage. The Miller 211 is what was being referred to.

I know the 211 was the topic. I'm no real welder, just a hack, but after decades of using 3/32 7018 I doubt if I ever used more than 100 amps. Hence the comment.
 
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