EVERLAST TIG welders

[kjc]

The new thermal arc Tig is made in China.

[McClary]

Originally Posted by scranm

Watch the first serial letter on Lincoln electric welders. If it says I it means it is from Italy . If it says C it is from china. If it says U it is from the USA. If it says p it is from Poland. So, you buy American machine you maybe getting machine from china. Here is a good example, I bought a v205 Lincoln only to find out that it was made by selco in Italy.

the thing is , China and other countries are capable of making nice machines. It depends on what the companies are paying them to do. Build cheap machines for cheap, or better quality machines for little more. im sure theyre always looking for the lowest bidders. But i like to think some companies knows where to draw the line on en-expensive built machines or just Cheap machines... lol..

at least with Lincolns or Millers, if you have a problem with the machine. its easier to find a local service center and parts. Unlike the Other On-line sale machines , you have problems. you get to spend hours on the phone with a tech taking your own machine apart only to have to wait for them to send you parts or ship it back , then wait for the new machine and hope the samething dont happen again .

[Rick Evans]

Jody from "Welding tips and tricks" uses them sometimes in his free weekly videos. If you haven't subscribed to his videos yet you are missing out.

here's some links

Compare of Miller 150stl and the Everlast 140st

Compare of Miller200dx, Lincoln v205t, Everlast 210ext

Everlast PowerPro 256 - tig , stick, and plasma cutting multipurpose

Everlast 160 sth

[chevota]

From my limited experience, it always seems to be that you get what you pay for. My Dad has always bought Miller and I have done the same. I have a Dial Arc 250 with an external hi frequency box that I TIG with thats from 1978 or 1979 that I use every other day. It weighs a lot and might suck some power, but it is still a working unit. That alone will keep me buying Miller. I have had friends that fell into the buying cheap imports on ebay and regret it now.

[scranm]

Originally Posted by chevota

From my limited experience, it always seems to be that you get what you pay for. My Dad has always bought Miller and I have done the same. I have a Dial Arc 250 with an external hi frequency box that I TIG with thats from 1978 or 1979 that I use every other day. It weighs a lot and might suck some power, but it is still a working unit. That alone will keep me buying Miller. I have had friends that fell into the buying cheap imports on ebay and regret it now.

I found none of the inverters last very long even the Red and Blue. Whats funny I have some old millers that have been dragged through a lake and still run perfect. I am sold on the old technology of transformers

[Rod S.]

Watch the first serial letter on Lincoln electric welders. If it says I it means it is from Italy . If it says C it is from china. If it says U it is from the USA. If it says p it is from Poland. So, you buy American machine you maybe getting machine from china. Here is a good example, I bought a v205 Lincoln only to find out that it was made by selco in Italy.
__________________
Mark


Mark. you are wrong my friend!! if Lincoln serial number starts with C it is made i Canada. I have been repairing welding and cutting equipment for a living for many years and i have to agree with most of the comments above as to not buying something that wont be serviced quickly. As for plasma i would buy Hypertherm personally as they do only plasma and they do it very well.

Rod

[scranm]

I stand corrected. Do you know the correct code for the china made products from lincoln?

[kev]

I know I'm a little late to the party here, and I don't post much (do lurk quite a bit)but I'm going to add my two cents here.

I have 4 "TIG" machines (it's really GTAW, but that's my AR side). The one I do 90% of my welding with is a Thermal-ARC 200. My employer purchased it at the behest of his "friend" that worked for the local WS, over the much more expensive blue machine.

I didn't like it at first and still have a couple issues, but the welds it produces are far greater than the skill of the user. I mention it here, because 99% of the welding I do utilizes the pulse functions, and is utilizes very, very low amperage usually 40 amps or less. Not unlike sheetmetal work. For the record though, I do not like the machine for anything over 100 amps or so (one of the aforementioned issues).

My other three machines (personal machines) are blue. I have two big transformers and a small inverter. Each have their areas where they shine brightest, but I wouldn't trade off any of them because they all server a purpose.

I guess the reason for all my rambling here is to say that sometimes cheaper isn't necessarily worst. And sometimes stuff built overseas will fit the bill for what we are trying to do. For my money, I'll do the best research I can do and then buy what suits me best at the time.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

Later,
Kev

[bmikkalson]

I gotta try one of these,, Any one own one that is going to Dan's spring meet??

[barry larson]

Working in a friends shop in Az right now....He bought the blue machine........went down this winter.....guy said it was a board...came out to replace it and it dint help..llback to the shop. It had taken out 3 boards ,,,$2600 later ,, dint charge for labor ! I gess i will stick with my old 250 sq wave.....Have never had a porblen all these years except for peddles,,,,,,new stuff scares me..Cant see worth a dam anyway,,when they get one that helps with that i will be first in line,,,Barry L