Search found 22 matches

by tRidiot
Mon Apr 08, 2024 8:27 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

Used my Primeweld MIG 285 a few times now - I like it, I think it runs great. Put in a new 50A breaker and ran 6/2 wire to it, also using the 6g extension cord - just to make sure I am not having any kind of voltage drops, etc. I don't THINK that's what 'killed' my Yeswelder, but it never hurts to b...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 27, 2024 8:48 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

Just as an update for anyone here who might be curious, and for those in the future doing research of their own... I purchased the Primeweld 285 yesterday, along with a cover, a 25-foot 6g extension cord and.. oh, a pair of gloves. lol. Came out something under $1200 shipped. I called and spoke with...
by tRidiot
Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:04 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

Those are very good points - and while I'd LOVE to get the HTP 220, I think I have leaned away from it because as much as I'd "like" the pulse capability... for my intended use (really, building smokers, for the most part), I don't think I'd use it much. Having to change out wire, having t...
by tRidiot
Sat Mar 23, 2024 12:10 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Re: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

Ok, I just wanted to revist this. So, my Yeswelder died, and I think it's probably one of the best things that could habe happened to my confidence levels. So I tried out my friend's Esab EM 215I today... jist fired it up and ran some lines on scrap, then a few fillet welds on some scrap. I have to ...
by tRidiot
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:07 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

I appreciate that information. I dont foresee myself needing 6010, I've never done anything with stick, other than just running a bead to see if I could do it... not a bad idea to have the capability to do some stick welding at some point, but it will be likely just an occasional use, if anything. I...
by tRidiot
Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:54 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

Man, I'm just vacillating from one end to the other - seems like every few hours! I watched a ton of videos on the Primeweld, and they have the better warranty between the PW, Lincoln and HTP, but then... if the machine is well-built, I'd like to think I won't NEED the warranty! And have read some s...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 7:13 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

I don’t know anyone who would characterize an Everlasting as “bullet proof”. Mostly they call them “Neverlast” due to reliability issues. Esab is an excellent machine, as are HTP. Don’t discard the PrimeWeld boxes. They are surprisingly good machines and are very inexpensive (not cheap). You can bu...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 7:12 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

I'm also now looking at the HTP Pro Pulse 220 MTS, it definitely looks like a solid machine, and I found a video series on YouTube with this machine compared against the Everlast 25dpi (another machine I'd previously really looked at) which really tore them both down to even look at internal compone...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 4:24 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

I appreciate the information - I know pulse isn't a necessity for what I'm doing now - obviously, as you mentioned, people have gotten away without it for eons. I just thought if it's a feature that is available and I'm buying a machine I plan on using for many years for future projects, having that...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 8:26 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Re: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

Ugh! Just found an Esab 285ic on FB Marketplace for $1600 - but it's 3-phase! <sigh> Would have loved to pick that up, but I'm sure that's why it's lower priced, difficult to sell 3-phase equipment here, I think. Not very many people can use it.
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 8:07 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.
Replies: 15
Views: 3204

Looking for a new 'budget' MIG or MP machine.

I assume this would be the place to ask this question. I used a Yeswelder MIG-250PRO for a little over a year until it died last night. Now I'm shopping. The Chinese unit was just proof-of-concept for me, that this hobby is something I enjoy and will stick with doing. No way I could invest a couple ...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 20, 2024 7:34 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Re: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

Just a quick update - I've been working on the things mentioned above, have had some variable results. But, I'm now on hold, as my Yeswelder MIG-250PRO died yesterday. Yes, I know, everyone's gonna say I should have bought something better to start with and I wouldn't be in this situation. I get tha...
by tRidiot
Sun Mar 10, 2024 9:00 am
Forum: Welding Forum General Shop Talk
Topic: Argon Cylinder Trade In Math
Replies: 4
Views: 2820

Re: Argon Cylinder Trade In Math

My thoughts, too. I have 2 medium cylinders. It's worth paying the rent on them annually, as I got stuck without gas on two separate weekends and couldn't do much of anything. I vowed not to let that happen again. It's the loss of gas that's an issue - you've got a bad connection if you're leaking. ...
by tRidiot
Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:21 am
Forum: Welding Forum General Shop Talk
Topic: We need a "off topic" forum.
Replies: 2
Views: 2273

Re: We need a "off topic" forum.

It's truly heartbreaking to see some of the things going on in our world today... this sort of thing has always happened, though technology has opened up whole new methods and whole new levels of scam. I can tell you multiple people from direct personal experience who have lost their entire liveliho...
by tRidiot
Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:00 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Chinese MIG Wire
Replies: 4
Views: 554

Re: Chinese MIG Wire

I've used multiple 10 lb rolls of Yeswelder ER70S-6 with no problems with the wire whatsoever.
by tRidiot
Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:26 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Re: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

I truly do appreciate the feedback. I will work on my welds, partially by having the guts to increase my settings and my travel speed.
by tRidiot
Thu Mar 07, 2024 8:27 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Re: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

I've tried lots of different torch techniques. I don't care for the whip and pause or weave method too much, I find myself doing the cursive 'e' method a lot. I assume this is what you mean by the O's gun manipulation? I realized at one point I was doing a forward-rolling O and didn't like the resul...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:41 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Re: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

Thank you for the feedback! Seriously! I truly appreciate it, as I have zero help from anyone who can watch me and troubleshoot my procedures as I work, or even critique things in person. As an explanation, I have been trying to purposely slow down my travel speed in an attempt to get my welds to 'w...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:25 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?
Replies: 12
Views: 2728

Will a better welder help me achieve better looking welds?

I've been using a Yeswelder MIG250-PRO for the last year, 14 months or so. I've build a couple of BBQ smokers, I feel like I've gotten 1000x better than when I started. I thought my Yeswelder was a decent machine for the $400 or so we spent, it's a multiprocess, but I don't really use anything but t...
by tRidiot
Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:52 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Anyone familiar with a Lincoln Idealarc SP-250?
Replies: 3
Views: 6587

Re: Anyone familiar with a Lincoln Idealarc SP-250?

If I could find one of these for a couple hundred bucks, I'd probably jump on it!
by tRidiot
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:52 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Pulse welding
Replies: 2
Views: 1660

Re: Pulse welding

This is exactly the kind of info I need - I'm thinking of getting into some pulse welding and doing some research on a reasonably affordable pulse MIG welder. I was looking at the Everlast 251si as a possibility (among others), it runs about $1400 new now, while the 253 is about 50% more. I'm always...
by tRidiot
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:15 am
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: New hobbyist welder here for experience and advice!
Replies: 2
Views: 896

New hobbyist welder here for experience and advice!

I'm a hobbyist, although I think I marked myself as a 'beginner'. Probably more accurate. lol I do projects around the shop, but my primary interest is in building offset smokers for BBQ. I've been using a Yeswelder MIG 250 Pro, which has been a great machine for me to learn on. I think I'm ready to...