Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Who makes a good multi-process welder?

Who makes a good multi-process welder (TIG/MIG/Pulse/ and Plasma Cutter) that doesn't break the bank? I have a Harbor Freight Titanium and its dead.

What is your budget?

What duty cycle is required?

At what amp rating?

Not sure on duty cycle. I'm just a hobbyist. 200 AMP/220 volt switchable to 110?

I would think that Miller and Lincoln get this right and charge for it. I've seen a lot of serious hobby guys using Esab lately too for whatever reason. I'm not a welder, just saying what I've seen talking to guys in the area. Lots of farms, late model racers etc. They seem to have used/older Miller/Lincoln or an Esab as the most likely #3?

Agree, and maybe Hobart in the mix.

Not HF.

George Floyd Industries.

what they said!... i live in "Miller" town (Appleton, Wi) so we went with their 211 MVP (multi voltage plug), love it... seriously considered Lincoln & Esab though!...

I will power it with a Honda eu7000is generator with a 30 amp receptacle, which powers my 220-volt Titanium just fine.

Just got off the phone with Everlast. I like what I'm seeing. For what I want a Miller is $4k, whereas the Everlast is $2.4k. The $300-$400 welders on Amazon are tempting but offer very little by way of warranty and support. My Harbor Freight Titanium fits into that category and it crashed. The Everlast rep pointed out that their welder weighs 50 lbs, whereas the ones on Amazon for $300-400, weigh only 25-27 lbs. In other words, much lighter duty components on the Amazon product.

They are well respected by people who know. I only know people who know and don't need everything I want!

I am not familiar with the product you speak of. But often the difference in weight is Copper vs Aluminum windings. Copper is much preferable.

Duty cycle refers to the percentage of time you can actually weld with the machine. A machine may have a 100% duty cycle at fifty amps. But at 80 amps it might be 60% duty cycle. While at 120 amps it might be 10% duty cycle.

What that means is: at 120 amps you have to let the machine rest and cool for 18 minutes after welding for two minutes. That is where many machines get burned up.

I am used to a machine I could run on DC with 5/32 6011 rod or 1/8 7018 as fast as I could slip a new rod into the holder for two hours at a time. That requires a good duty cycle, and better than a 30 amp power supply.

I usually worked with a Lincoln Ideal Arc 250 AC-DC machine. We often added a TIG torch and a gas bottle for fine work. Though I never saw the machines set up with a wire feed.

We had a separate machine for plasma cutting.

I have a Miller 250, with high frequency. It has lasted 43 years.

I have a Lincoln MP 210. MIG, TIG, and stick. It works great for me around the shop and is fairly portable. The ability to run off 110or 220 is also very convenient.

On the cheap YesWelder can't be beat