I'll look around.. Always good deals here...

J

 

I have a few Hobart machines
My 210 mvp will run on both
Of course it does better with 220, but it is an easy adjustment to 110 and works great.

 

Detour I like your SOUL! I knew you where brother......... knew it.

 

That hobart is a nice looking machine as well. I have read more on welders today than I have in my whole life.

I like what I have read about the HTP welders. I also see the arguements with staying with the the Big 3 Hobart, Miller or Lincoln. Parts availability is much better for those brands than the HTP.

Customer service from what I have read though is stellar from HTP compared to the others.

Eastwood seems really hit or miss for quality.

I found a couple of nice looking used units on C-list but I think a used one is plan B for me.

 

I'm still just learning about welding, never done it before, but know that I want to. Basically at the, "reading before hands on" phase. I was looking at ESAB, have you considered them?

 

Just say NO to ESAB......Read on if you like or skip rant...




I got about 11 hours of use from my ESAB plasma cutter.......Consider unless it's hooked to a plasma cam or another automated device, it can take some time to reach 11 hours of use......took me 2 years, the $500 circuit board blew inside......They WOULD NOT WARRANTY......of course unhappy, I complained and their sales rep said to me "Ya know, these aren't designed to last forever'..........11 hours is not forever.


When I sent it of for diagnoses and turned down the repair as it was another $125 in labor....They wouldn't tell me which board was bad, came back missing screws & dented....When you send your machine out for repair, this is what can be expected...


I wouldn't give ESAB a nickel, back in the day they were good, no longer.


This is when, like it or not, I switched to Chinese plasma's....disposable, no hard feelings. I can buy '2' for the cost of that ESAB circuit board.

 

Detoured have you done any aluminium welding with these smaller units like the HTP 130 or 140? I don't think I'm going to need to do it but, if it is something the unit is capable of a few interesting projects jump to mind.

 

Thanks for the response. I appreciate the info.

 

I could bore with a story of a hole building doing a sit down because I was in it using one to tack up 5 stories of aluminum hand rail......but I wont.


Don't expect to do anything heavy, 1/8" is even a challenge....they're rarely hot enough, the lead doesn't lend itself as a good source of wire. Typically a spool gun is used for Alum. Mig......A good example is the Miller SP100 gun.
It can be done, don't get me wrong.....but rarely productive.


Tig is the way to roll with aluminum unless your doing production work. For stupid human trick fun, I used to tig weld the tops of 2 beer cans together, ice them down in a cooler & bring to parties.......

 

All right more about it when I get back to the house just left HTP / USA Weld now and I was completely underwhelmed with what I saw and experienced.