# Looking to buy a wire feed welder



## alloy (Nov 4, 2022)

For the last 7 month or so I've been taking a welding class learning to tig.  I'm at about the best I can get and decided to try mig last night.

It was so easy.  After about 10 minutes I did vertical down and the welds looked better than my flat welds.  The instructor told me I didn't need to sit there and waste time running beads, make something.  I really think learning tig taught me to watch the puddle and that really helped with mig.

Anyway. I have a tig but am now looking for a mig welder.  I've looked at the primeweld brand and it has mostly good reviews and its about $550 from amazon and includes a spool gun.  I'd love to have a miller, lincoln, hobart but the are double the price.



			https://www.amazon.com/PrimeWeld-MIG180-Welding-Machine-Voltage/dp/B09WH4NFPT/ref=sr_1_35_sspa?crid=24OXNFFV02JW5&keywords=miller+mig+welder&qid=1667536487&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjU3IiwicXNhIjoiNS4zMSIsInFzcCI6IjMuNDEifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=miller+mig+welder%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-35-spons&psc=1
		


Anyone have experience with the inverter lower cost migs?  I realize these have a lower duty cycle than the big name more expensive welders, but I wouldn't be using it much.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 4, 2022)

I don't have any personal experience with them, but I've followed a lot of "buying a welder threads" and the less expensive imports get pretty favorable reviews.

I bought a Miller multi-process welder in 2019, very happy with it, even happier that I bought it 3 years ago when it was $1200 cheaper (40% price increase in 3 years).

At that time you were saving maybe 25-50% buying a comparable import over a Lincoln or Miller, and there were still a lot of questions on the quality of many imports (or even inverter technology at all). Now a lot of the import brands Everlast, AHP, Primeweld, HF Titanium and Vulcan have some decent user loyalty and the price difference is significant.

Most of these companies now offer a 200A MIG welder for $700-900, Miller 211 and Lincoln 180 both sell for around $1900. Lincoln does offer a 211i for $1300, but I assume more amps at a cheaper price it gives up something to the 180. I was looking at the Miller 211 in 2019 but it was only $1200 at that time with a rebate, not almost $2000.

For some reason Hobart prices haven't gone crazy despite being owned by the same parent as Miller (ITW), the 210MVP runs about $1100, and can be found on sale closer to $900. Tractor Supply often has some decent Black Friday sales and they stock Hobart welders.

HTP is another popular brand, I think they are Italian. General Zod (member here), is a fan of HTP. Similar price to Hobart, their MIG200 runs about $1300.


I'm really happy with my Miller, and it was a great choice 3 years ago. If I were buying today, I couldn't afford the current price and I'd have a real hard time spending 2-3x as much on a Miller vs one of these other brands. There is a good chance I'd have gone with one of the Harbor Fright options or the Hobart 210 and saved a ton of money. I have no regrets buying the Miller, but things are very different than 3 years ago, so don't think I'd make that choice today.

I know there are several happy Primeweld TIG owners on the forum, but haven't heard much about their MIG welders.


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## Alcap (Nov 4, 2022)

Boy that welder sure has some very nice features! That’s about the same price I paid for my Hobart 170 220v  20 years ago!   Looking forward to see what others have to say about those cheap welders


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## fixit (Nov 4, 2022)

Eastwood 140 Amp Elite MP140i Multi Process Welder MIG - TIG -Stick​
I have this welder and I'm very happy with it


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## GeneT45 (Nov 4, 2022)

I recommend looking into Everlast.  I picked up an Everlast TIG a couple years ago as an upgrade to my Miller Synchrowave 180 and it was an upgrade in nearly every sense.*  I am very impressed and it was about 25% of the cost of an equivalent (power, features) Miller.  I already have a good MIG that I bought before I discovered Everlast or I'd have probably gone that route.  They're imports, but they have US support offices and the reviews say support has been good.  (I've never had to use support myself.)
GsT

*The Everlast TIG has a lot of fan noise - that's the only real downside to it.  It came with better torches and a better pedal than my Miller, and makes a beautiful arc.  On my 'roundtuit list is trying to find some quieter fans, but it bothers me less than it did at first.


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## rabler (Nov 4, 2022)

I have to agree that gas and tig welding do a much better job of forcing you to learn about working with the weld puddle.  I have a craftsman branded transformer based MIG, been thinking about upgrading to an inverter based one with burnback features.  Let me know what you decide.  My TIG and plasma are Everlast, they've been decent but I don't have experience on other machines as comparison.


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## Eddyde (Nov 4, 2022)

I'll second for Everlast. I don't have their MIG but I have their Plasma Cutter and I really like it, top notch quality and features for half the price of the name-brands. I'm even thinking of selling off my Miller TIG and MIG welders and getting a top of the line Everlast Multi-Process to replace them, mainly for saving space.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 4, 2022)

Don't know if you would be interest in used, but I picked up a Lincon 170 on FBMP for $150. It had almost no time on it, and It's a nice little machine, 220V only. The Prime Weld model you mentioned seems to have a lot of nice feature for the money. Rabler, what is the burn back feature you mentioned? Thanks, Mike



rabler said:


> been thinking about upgrading to an inverter based one with burnback features.


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## rabler (Nov 4, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> Don't know if you would be interest in used, but I picked up a Lincon 170 on FBMP for $150. It had almost no time on it, and It's a nice little machine, 220V only. The Prime Weld model you mentioned seems to have a lot of nice feature for the money. Rabler, what is the burn back feature you mentioned? Thanks, Mike


Burnback is when stopping the wire burns back to the tip of the gun and sticks.  Usually caused by wire stuttering or other feed problems. Sometimes too much current for wire dia. At least that’s what my research shows.  Strickly amateur welder myself.

Many of the inverters have an adjustable delay on stopping the feed vs arc.  I’ve replace my gun and line and still having problems across multiple wire spools.  Changed feed rollers too.  It has gotten worse relatively suddenly and is annoying to have to deal with repeatedly.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 4, 2022)

I've experienced that same issue. Often wonder if a slightly longer nozzle might not help, but haven't tried it yet. Mike


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## alloy (Nov 4, 2022)

My tig welder is an everlast tig.  It works ok for what it is.  I say ok because at class I'm using a miller syncrowave 250 and then I come home and use the everlast and there is a world of difference.  It's something I can get used to, but to say there is a night and day difference is an understatement to say the least.  I bought the everlast used so am not opposed to that at all. I have 220v all over my shop so that's not a problem.  And I can reasily add a new 220v circuit if needed. I believe I paid $600 for the everlast about 5-6 years ago.  At the time it was still there newer model they had for sale.  The guy that had it made stainless tanks for breweries.  He and his buds started a band and after one gig they decided to all quit their jobs and go on the road.  I've always wondered what happened to him.

There is a lincoln weld pac 155 and he has some other stuff for sale. The 155 is $300.  They guy says I can test before I buy.  I was kind of waiting to talk with my instructor before looking at it to get her opinion.  I think the 155 is total amps.  I was kinda looking for about 180 or higher, but $300 for a brand name welder is pretty tempting.  But it must not be too great a deal, it's been listed for 19 days.  I really trust my instructor.  She works 6 ours a day at her regualr job and teached 4 night a week for 4 hours and she is in charge of the welding shop where she works even though she is only part time.  I feel like I'm her special project because of how much she helps me.  She knows I've got the nova and the 55 and her and her bf are into old cars. She can't afford one now, but is hoping one day she can.

The everlast migs seem to be more expensive than the primeweld,  And the primeweld has a spool gun.









						Welders and plasma cutter - tools - by owner - sale
					

I have a list of welders and a plasma cutter..... Eastwood tig 200 ac/dc with bottle 110 or 220.. like new $800 Eastwood mig 135 110 welder wire feedwith aluminum spool gun $450 Lincoln weld- pak...



					portland.craigslist.org


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## snoopdog (Nov 4, 2022)

My cautionary on the imports or off brands is consumables, but I see that one uses standard Tweco stuff. I'd snag it.


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## alloy (Nov 4, 2022)

Yes the tweco compatibility was the deciding factor on which one to ask about here.

About a half hour ago this came up on CL. It's about 50 miles from me.

It is a big name brand and says it  comes with a tank. It's $250 more than the prime weld with no spool gun.  If all the consumerables in the pic come with it then that makes the deal more appealing.  But is it worth giving up the capabilities of the prime weld for  "big name" welder?














						LINCOLN ELECTRIC Weld Pak 180 hd Welder - tools - by owner - sale
					

Comes with 50 foot cord And the air/gas tank 360-335-474six



					portland.craigslist.org


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## Aaron_W (Nov 4, 2022)

alloy said:


> Yes the tweco compatibility was the deciding factor on which one to ask about here.
> 
> About a half hour ago this came up on CL. It's about 50 miles from me.
> 
> ...



The tank alone will eat up most of the difference, I paid about $200 for my tank and it is a smaller size, about 3 foot tall. I would check that the tank can be filled at your local welding supply. I bought mine from my local shop, so it is easy, but I've heard some shops are very particular and will reject tanks of unknown origin wanting you to buy from them. The 50 foot extension cord is not cheap either if properly rated for the welder. I made up a 25 foot 10 ga cord for mine and just the wire ran $2-3 / foot, another $20-30 for the ends.

One of the things I like that I see on the Prime Weld is actual voltage, and inches per minute settings vs the less specific numbers / letters settings on the Lincoln.

Spool gun is a nice addition, but unless you plan on some large aluminum projects I wouldn't put much weight on its inclusion. TIG will generally be more desirable for aluminum welding on most home shop projects.


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## wachuko (Nov 4, 2022)

I got this one last month… US$718.00












						YesWelder YWM-211P Double Pulse Aluminum MIG Welder
					

The powerful YesWelder YWM-211P multi-process MIG welder has a convenient pulse and double pulse function and works with up to 200 amps. The extensive double pulse function in MIG welding prevents materials from burning through and reduces deformation due to heat. Therefore, the welder is...




					yeswelder.com


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## alloy (Nov 4, 2022)

wachuko​How do you like the yeswelder?

The person said everything in the pic comes with the weld pac 180, and sent a pic of the tank, says it's full.

I have a tank, but a second tank would be nice.  

I'm still leaning towards the primeweld mostly because its brand new and from what I read their customer service is top notch and a 3 year warranty.

Someone convince me to go with the weld pac 180 for $250 more. 

(actually its $208  more when you figure in sales tax amazon will charge me)


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## rabler (Nov 4, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> I've experienced that same issue. Often wonder if a slightly longer nozzle might not help, but haven't tried it yet. Mike


I would think so.  But everything I've read/watched on youtube says longer stickout is bad.  The weldingtricksandtips channel recommends trimming the nozzle back to the tip.  So it seems that it may be trading one problem for another?


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## wachuko (Nov 4, 2022)

alloy said:


> wachuko​How do you like the yeswelder?
> 
> The person said everything in the pic comes with the weld pac 180, and sent a pic of the tank, says it's full.
> 
> ...



Still waiting to buy a 80/20 tank to give it a test...  I wanted something that I could easily work thin sheet metal (for repairing one of my car projects) and I wanted something with the spot welding functionality...  Not having experience working on fixing sheet metal on cars, I wanted something that could help me... 

I also got a spool gun to be able to weld aluminum as well...  When I bought my TIG welder I got the one that would not do aluminum... stupid decision on my part... so this time around, because I do not want to spend the money on another TIG welder, decided to get the spool gun in case I ever needed to weld aluminum... 

On the tanks... I will be buying them from the local gas company...  I have been reading a lot of issues from folks buying tanks elsewhere and the local companies not wanting to charge them if they were not bought from them...  I need to buy two tanks, a 75/25 (or 80/20) for the MIG  and a 100% Argon for TIG...


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## G-ManBart (Nov 4, 2022)

For the love of God, anything but Everlast!  First off, don't take my word on it, do a search on pretty much any welding forum and you will find an incredible number of unhappy owners.  Hint, if you look on Weldingweb in the sponsored Everlast forum everything looks peachy, because they delete posts that are critical of the company....in the other sections things are different.

I bought an Everlast welder and within two weeks it developed issues.  I called Everlast and they sent a part....the wrong part.  I called them back and they sent the right part, but it didn't fix the issue.  I called them back and then sent a different part....a different wrong part.  I called them back and they sent the correct part, but it also didn't fix the issue.  I actually have three Everlast boards in a pile that didn't help.  After many phone calls, and literally over 50 e-mails they finally put me in touch with Oleg, the owner.  He finally determined that I got a lemon and they offered me a replacement unit, or full purchase price towards a more expensive machine.  I went with the more expensive machine, a PowerTIG 210EXT, and it's been mostly fine, except sometimes one of the number displays doesn't have all the number sections light up from time to time.  When it dies it's going in the scrap pile and I will never look back.

It was so ridiculous I actually saved all of the e-mails.  I was out a functioning welder for well over a month with all the back and forth with the wrong parts and then shipping the broken unit back and waiting on the new machine.  That's a $1,600 machine before adding options, so not exactly inexpensive for most people.

Along the way I went through a series of Miller TIGs and wound up with a Syncrowave 250DX TIGRunner that's only a few years old and looks like new.  I got a deal on a nice Syncrowave, then found a newer one and sold the first one, and did that a number of times as I essentially traded up.  Twice I sold the older units to guys who were replacing Everlast TIGs.  The second guy saw my 210EXT and said "that's what I'm replacing, I'm on my third one!".

Primeweld is a different story, and I have a number of friends who own them and have had nothing but success.  I've read of one person having a defective unit and it was replaced with one phone call and just a few days.  The Primeweld folks are here in the U.S. and you can get one on the phone easily.  I've read some pretty good things about their MIG machines, but I only personally know folks with the TIG 225X.

I still would suggest a Hobart Handler 210MVP over a Primeweld MIG.  It's essentially a Millermatic 211 with a few less features, and that's going to give you a better chance at long-term parts support.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 5, 2022)

wachuko said:


> Still waiting to buy a 80/20 tank to give it a test...  I wanted something that I could easily work thin sheet metal (for repairing one of my car projects) and I wanted something with the spot welding functionality...  Not having experience working on fixing sheet metal on cars, I wanted something that could help me...
> 
> I also got a spool gun to be able to weld aluminum as well...  When I bought my TIG welder I got the one that would not do aluminum... stupid decision on my part... so this time around, because I do not want to spend the money on another TIG welder, decided to get the spool gun in case I ever needed to weld aluminum...
> 
> On the tanks... I will be buying them from the local gas company...  I have been reading a lot of issues from folks buying tanks elsewhere and the local companies not wanting to charge them if they were not bought from them...  I need to buy two tanks, a 75/25 (or 80/20) for the MIG  and a 100% Argon for TIG...



Straight CO2 works and is much cheaper than the CO2  / Argon blends, about 1/4 the price, maybe less. Supposedly you get less spatter with the blends, but my welds are not pretty to start with.


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## MikeInOr (Nov 5, 2022)

alloy said:


> Yes the tweco compatibility was the deciding factor on which one to ask about here.
> 
> About a half hour ago this came up on CL. It's about 50 miles from me.
> 
> ...



I have had a Lincoln 180 Mig for 25 years now. I bought it used.  I have always wanted to try one of the new fancy Mig welders but I don't think my Lincoln 180 will ever die, at least not in my lifetime.  My Lincoln predates the public internet by several years so there is no web address printed on the front of my Lincoln MIG.

I would advise going for it if you haven't already.

The couple times my 180 has let me down were when the rubber feed rollers were too hard and dry to push the wire any more.  That put my project on hold for a couple of days while waiting for the new ones.  I could have probably picked up replacements from the welding store but it was a weekend and they were closed.  Then there was the time that it just refused to weld worth a darn no matter how I dialed in the settings... refilling the CO2 / Argon tank fixed that.  Like I said, I don't think it will ever die!

P.S. I picked up a Yeswelder Cut 60DS plasma cutter about a year ago.  It is a very minimalistic build but works perfectly:
https://www.amazon.com/YESWELDER-CU...fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3&th=1
The blow back start works very well and won't mess with CNC controls like high frequency start in case I ever try to make a CNC plasma cutter.  Blow back start is different than scratch start.  At $375 it is currently going for is a heck of a good deal in my opinion.

I also picked up one of their auto darkening helmets which is a million times better than my old HF helmet:




__





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					www.amazon.com
				




I did a lot of research on both and found a vast majority of positive reviews for each.  So far both have really impressed me!  I kind of doubt if either will outlast my Lincoln 180 MIG though... my great grandson will be using it someday and my daughter is only 17 and very far from having kids.  I would have no qualms with gambling on a Yeswelder MIG.


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## G-ManBart (Nov 5, 2022)

Aaron_W said:


> Straight CO2 works and is much cheaper than the CO2  / Argon blends, about 1/4 the price, maybe less. Supposedly you get less spatter with the blends, but my welds are not pretty to start with.


Straight Co2 is definitely something to consider.  It's cheaper and you actually get a bit better penetration on the positive side, but leaves more spatter and is a little harder to dial in perfectly on the negative side.

I went with big bottles (330CuFt) and a refill was only $75 last time (probably higher now) and they last so long I don't really care that another gas might be cheaper.  I figure the slightly higher cost is saved in time when I don't have to remove spatter.  I also have some 90/10 so I can run spray transfer and that's even cleaner than 75/25 due to the spray process...can't spray with Co2.  For a machine on the lower powered side Co2 would be a good option if only to get the better penetration.


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## GeneT45 (Nov 5, 2022)

I run straight CO2 on my MIG and don't think it's even as bad as others make it sound.  

I'm pretty surprised by the hate for Everlast.  Like I said, I've been super-pleased with mine.  Here it is next to the very-much inferior Synchrowave TigRunner (now my dedicated stick-welding machine).


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## alloy (Nov 5, 2022)

I really appreciate all that have posted here.  A lot of great information and a lot to think about.

I've been looking at a lot new and used welders people have mentioned here and I've found a Hobart handler 210 with a hobart spool gun for $600.  Unfortunately it's 200 miles away and I'm not just not able to drive that far anymore.   I've talked with the guy and he says sometimes he's up in Portland.  Hopefully soon and I can meet him there and get it.  This is by far the best price and best used welder I've found so far.

If I find something else in the mean time ok, never know what will come up.  






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## G-ManBart (Nov 5, 2022)

GeneT45 said:


> I'm pretty surprised by the hate for Everlast.  Like I said, I've been super-pleased with mine.



A Google search on "Everlast Welder Problems" turns up nearly countless hits on every forum that has a welding section...that can't be a coincidence.  

It's not about how the machines weld, it's about how awful the company is to deal with when something goes wrong and that clearly happens a lot going off all of those forum posts.  Having personal experience with a faulty Everlast and then dealing with their customer service before selling machines to two other people who had problems with Everlast welders only confirms what I've read about time and again.  

I have a coworker who bought an Everlast right around the same time I did and he has never had an issue with it, so it's just luck of the draw.  My current PowerTIG 210EXT has largely been fine, but I get clearly better results on aluminum with my Syncrowave 250DX TIGRunner and no amount of side-by-side comparison and changing settings has been able to remedy that.


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## GeneT45 (Nov 5, 2022)

G-ManBart said:


> A Google search on "Everlast Welder Problems" turns up nearly countless hits on every forum that has a welding section...that can't be a coincidence.


It can totally be a coincidence.  Google "Miller Welder Problems" to see what I mean.  Just about everyone who has a problem and/or bad experience will take to the boards to make themselves heard.  Folks that are satisfied seldom do.  I did a fair amount of research before dropping $3k on my Everlast, (PowerTIG 325EXT) and the general consensus was good.  Perhaps Everlast is better now than they were before, or perhaps it is luck of the draw, but I read quite a few reviews from happy owners, so they're out there too.  I can't believe they're truly terrible or word would have gotten out and no one would buy them.  That's not to say that no one has had a bad experience with them - just that it appears that those are very much the minority of purchasers.

GsT


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## matthewsx (Nov 5, 2022)

If I were in the market today I'd probably be looking at this one.









						MIGMax™ 215 Industrial Welder with 120/240V Input
					

Amazing deals on this Migmax 215 Industrial Mig Welder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com
				




Price has gone up a bunch but if you have a local harbor freight it might be worth looking at. 

Of course if you have the money go with the red or blue one from your LWS, but they call this one a "Miller Killer" for a reason.

I'm super happy my dad taught me to weld with gas when I was a kid, not that I'm any good but I did learn what a puddle is and why it matters. MIG is the bomb for working on cars, my last big job was replacing the floor in my 2005 Tahoe with my Millermatic 250. recently bought a HF Easy Flux 125 for my California shop because I figure if I need to weld here and don't want to use the Oxy-Acetelyne setup I really won't care about anything other than getting it done, strong, and quick.

You're smart to be looking at used but if you can it's worth taking a trip to your LWS and seeing what they offer. Lots of times you can rent machines to get a feel for what really works in your shop. Since we're doing this as a hobby it's always a trade off between what we want and what we can justify but welders are one of those tools like a lathe where it makes sense to spend a little more to get something good....

John


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## matthewsx (Nov 5, 2022)

GeneT45 said:


> It can totally be a coincidence.  Google "Miller Welder Problems" to see what I mean.  Just about everyone who has a problem and/or bad experience will take to the boards to make themselves heard.  Folks that are satisfied seldom do.  I did a fair amount of research before dropping $3k on my Everlast, (PowerTIG 325EXT) and the general consensus was good.  Perhaps Everlast is better now than they were before, or perhaps it is luck of the draw, but I read quite a few reviews from happy owners, so they're out there too.  I can't believe they're truly terrible or word would have gotten out and no one would buy them.  That's not to say that no one has had a bad experience with them - just that it appears that those are very much the minority of purchasers.
> 
> GsT


"It's a poor workman who blames his tools"....


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## G-ManBart (Nov 5, 2022)

GeneT45 said:


> It can totally be a coincidence.  Google "Miller Welder Problems" to see what I mean.  Just about everyone who has a problem and/or bad experience will take to the boards to make themselves heard.  Folks that are satisfied seldom do.  I did a fair amount of research before dropping $3k on my Everlast, (PowerTIG 325EXT) and the general consensus was good.  Perhaps Everlast is better now than they were before, or perhaps it is luck of the draw, but I read quite a few reviews from happy owners, so they're out there too.  I can't believe they're truly terrible or word would have gotten out and no one would buy them.  That's not to say that no one has had a bad experience with them - just that it appears that those are very much the minority of purchasers.
> 
> GsT


If you look at the results of those two different Google searches and read how people are treated by Miller customer service when they have a problem and compare that with how people are treated by Everlast customer service when they have a problem, it's a night and day difference.  Yes, there is the occasional person who says they were treated poorly by Miller, but it's not common.  The same is true of Lincoln, Hobart, HTP and Primeweld...almost no complaints about how they handle problems (cost is a different issue).  There are a lot of people reporting being treated poorly by Everlast...it's the norm, not the exception.

Change the Google search to "Everlast/Miller Welding Customer Service Problems" and the results are obvious.  Almost nobody complaining about Miller and a lot of people complaining about Everlast.  Considering how much smaller Everlast is that shouldn't be the case.  The same is true if you research AHP welders and customer service problems...it's just like Everlast...but that makes sense because they're owned by the same people and located in the same building (suite A and B sort of deal).

I bought my first Everlast in 2016 and ran into issues, then started reading about all the other people with similar customer service nightmares.  Fast forward 6 years and the same awful customer service issues get reported.  Then I sell two welders to guys replacing broken Everlast welders who were sick of dealing with the company...if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.  

People writing happy reviews are talking about how the machines weld...which when they work is just fine.  I've never said Everlast welders don't weld nicely.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 6, 2022)

GeneT45 said:


> I run straight CO2 on my MIG and don't think it's even as bad as others make it sound.
> 
> I'm pretty surprised by the hate for Everlast.  Like I said, I've been super-pleased with mine.  Here it is next to the very-much inferior Synchrowave TigRunner (now my dedicated stick-welding machine).
> 
> View attachment 425738



Something I have run across online with Everlast is those who have not run into issues seem to be very happy with the machines, those who have had to Warranty anything, not happy campers.


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## General Zod (Nov 6, 2022)

rabler said:


> Burnback is when stopping the wire burns back to the tip of the gun and sticks.  Usually caused by wire stuttering or other feed problems. Sometimes too much current for wire dia. At least that’s what my research shows.  Strickly amateur welder myself.
> 
> Many of the inverters have an adjustable delay on stopping the feed vs arc.  I’ve replace my gun and line and still having problems across multiple wire spools.  Changed feed rollers too.  It has gotten worse relatively suddenly and is annoying to have to deal with repeatedly.



What is the cable length on your MIG gun?   Clogged liners can cause wire feeding problems that can result in burnback but also MIG guns that are too long for the drive motor system will experience increased drag resistance that the system cannot compensate for.  It could very well be the rollers and/or the shaft that they mount to are not rotating true.  This happened to me with my Millermatic 211.  Even bought a spare new drive motor assembly.  Didn't fix it.  Shaft spun out-of-round.  Even just a little bit of wobble can wreak havoc when you consider that the wire itself is a tiny diameter.

This is previous Millermatic 211 inverter with a brand new drive motor assembly.  You can visibly see the shaft spin untrue, so the drive roll, which is perfect, has no choice but to follow the lead.


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## BGHansen (Nov 6, 2022)

Really late to the game here and I didn't read all of the posts up to the end.  I'm not adding anything but my experience.  I bought a Hobart 190 from TSC in 2016 for $630.  I have a small CO2/Argon bottle, but have left it as flux-core.  I've run 4 or 5 spools of wire through it with no issues (other than operator).  It's probably been mentioned above, but Hobart is made by Miller:  Chevy vs. Cadillac.  My shop will become my son's at some point, what's mine becomes his.  I didn't want him to say after the fact "gee, dad bought a lot of junk".

Bruce









						Show Us your Welders!
					

My turn....  New here...i have welding machines but do not yet call myself a welder....  Just made this cart from crap about the yard. Holds my Old Miller AC Spot they call it...my Mastercraft 110v MIG was a gift...and my Weldking Coolcut 30 also a gift...actually even the Miller was a gift...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## alloy (Nov 7, 2022)

After dealing with several flakes after I had set up a time and  a date then baled on me I decided to just buy a new one.  The one guy with the hobart just stopped responding to me. 

After a lot of reading and comparing I bought the yeswelder pro 250.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CBCB4M5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has 250 amps and a 60% duty cycle at the 250amps.  For the money it's the only one with 250 amps and I got a $100 off code so with tax cost me right at $430 and free prime shipping.  It's a week away unfortunately.

The primeweld is a 180 amp machine but did come with a spool gun.  The yeswelder is $159 less and no spool gun and no regulator.  A spool gun is $169 and I really don't need it at the moment. And I have a spare regulator for it.

I'll let everyone know when it arrives.


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## General Zod (Nov 7, 2022)

I really doubt it will out anywhere close to 250A.  Probably around 170-180A if you're lucky.


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## wachuko (Nov 7, 2022)

alloy said:


> After dealing with several flakes after I had set up a time and  a date then baled on me I decided to just buy a new one.  The one guy with the hobart just stopped responding to me.
> 
> After a lot of reading and comparing I bought the yeswelder pro 250.
> 
> ...



Congratulations!  That is the one I was going to order until the last minute when I changed my mind for the one that I got... 

Interesting, you definitely want to wait on the spool gun... I bought mine from Amazon back on Sep 25, 2022 and it was 139.00 delivered... so might want to wait for a better deal...


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## alloy (Nov 7, 2022)

Thanks for the video. It was very informative.

The reason I went with the 250amp is if it is overrated the 250 will be 180, and a 180 will be a 130.  I'd like to be able to weld on my car frame and brackets and stuff probably up to 3/8".  The welder specs say it will go 1/2" but I'm skeptical of that, and I really can't imagine needing to weld 1/2".

I have a tig that will do aluminum so no really need for the spool gun for now.  I'll keep an eye out for a sale on one though.

 On the yeswelder welder itself I didn't think it would get it for any less than the $400 with the $100 off.  And I've got some welding do do right now on my 55 and didn't want to wait to maybe catch a deal and save a few bucks.


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## General Zod (Nov 7, 2022)

Unless it's an outside corner joint you need well over 200A and 20V+ to properly weld 3/8" in short-circuit mode.  180A is more for 3/16" to ¼" IMO.


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## alloy (Nov 22, 2022)

Well my yeswelder turned out to be a no I don't workwelder.  DOA.

I got the welder in last week and it doesn't come with a regulator.  No biggie, I have 3.  But it was a problem.  The gas line has some kind of weird fitting on it.  So I ordered a yeswelder regulator and waited another week.  

Got the regulator today and hooked everything up and the welder is dead.  Won't make any kind of spark.  In desperation I even tried to strike an arc on the ground clamp.

So I called yeswelder and left a message and in a short time they called me back. Went through the settings and nothing.  So I'm supposed to get an email or  call from amazon tonight or tomorrow.

Bottom line is it will probably be another week before i get another one, maybe even longer with the upcoming holiday.


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## Charles scozzari (Nov 22, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> I've experienced that same issue. Often wonder if a slightly longer nozzle might not help, but haven't tried it yet. Mike


Change the liner, maybe a touch more wire speed, clean the wire feed spool, usually stops the problem.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 22, 2022)

Probably a good idea. That liner has been in there at least twenty years. I used to always run a lubricated wiper on the feed, but it gave up the ghost a few years back. Time to give it a little love, it's treated me well for many years, with no major issues. Mike



Charles scozzari said:


> Change the liner, maybe a touch more wire speed, clean the wire feed spool, usually stops the problem.


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## Charles scozzari (Nov 23, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> Probably a good idea. That liner has been in there at least twenty years. I used to always run a lubricated wiper on the feed, but it gave up the ghost a few years back. Time to give it a little love, it's treated me well for many years, with no major issues. Mike


Good morning, I had that burn back problem a while ago and also had the same liner for around 20 years. My machine is a Lincoln 255 wire matic and has been great. I run Harris wire .030 most of time with the correct liner for that wire. I have also had my liner in my machine over 20 years before having the burn back problem. My welding supplier was the one who suggested a liner change and it worked. I know a lot of guys run .030 wire in .035 liners and I wonder if that would prevent the problem. But after 20 years changing the liner and running the right sized liner seems to be the correct way to solve the problem. Have a great Thanksgiving and thanks for the "Like".


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## FOMOGO (Nov 23, 2022)

And a happy Thanksgiving to you, and all the folks here on the forum. My larger mig is branded Mac Tools, but is made by Miller. Will do a little rehab on it and dedicate it to .030. I have a 140 Hobart that will stay setup for .023, just to make life a little simpler. Mike


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## General Zod (Nov 23, 2022)

alloy said:


> Well my yeswelder turned out to be a no I don't workwelder.  DOA.
> 
> I got the welder in last week and it doesn't come with a regulator.  No biggie, I have 3.  But it was a problem.  The gas line has some kind of weird fitting on it.  So I ordered a yeswelder regulator and waited another week.
> 
> ...



Buy once, cry once.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 23, 2022)

alloy said:


> Well my yeswelder turned out to be a no I don't workwelder.  DOA.
> 
> I got the welder in last week and it doesn't come with a regulator.  No biggie, I have 3.  But it was a problem.  The gas line has some kind of weird fitting on it.  So I ordered a yeswelder regulator and waited another week.
> 
> ...



Sorry for the troubles, but No welder made me smile. It reminded me of the early bank ATMs. My mother's bank installed one probably about 1980 called the YES machine, (Your Extra Service). It was frequently out of service so she stared calling it the Maybe machine and eventually the Probably Not machine.

I hope they get this right for you without too much trouble. This to me is one of the major selling points of the Harbor Freight Titanium and Vulcan welders among the cheaper imports, easy exchanges as long you have a local HF. Quality control seems to be the major issue with Chinese machines (of all types, not just welders). When they work they seem to be decent, but getting one that works is the tricky part.


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## Boswell (Nov 23, 2022)

All brands/companies can have a problem. What can separate the pretenders is how they resolve the problem. Good luck.


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## alloy (Nov 23, 2022)

i'm supposed to be getting a phone call or email from amazon today about the welder.  So far nothing.   Very disappointing.

Edit.  I called amazon and they didn't know anything about it.  So much for yeswelder taking care of everything.

The lady from amazon tired to send me to tech support and I explained to her (3 times) that I had already talked with yeswelder and they were supposed to notify amazon.  

Amazon will take the welder back no problem. Said I'll get the replacement in about 8-10 days.  I told her that's not acceptable. Yeswelder said amazon can expedite it.  She had to go to a supervisor she said and got 2 day shipping.  Didn't charge for me for the replacement as long as they get the other one back.

And she wanted me to drop the welder off at ups which is a 60 mile trip for me.  I told her why don't she just issues a pickup tag.  She did that.

So now I wait again..........................


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## G-ManBart (Nov 25, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> Probably a good idea. That liner has been in there at least twenty years. I used to always run a lubricated wiper on the feed, but it gave up the ghost a few years back. Time to give it a little love, it's treated me well for many years, with no major issues. Mike


When I first started fooling around refurbishing and doing some projects updating older wire feeders to modern guns an old timer told me a trick about liners I've found really helpful.  They rarely actually wear out, but they do get a fair bit of gunk in them.  Pull the liner, soak it in acetone for a couple of hours, or even better, overnight and then blow it out with compressed air.  The couple of machines I've had where the feed was getting that gritty feeling were cured with that process.  

Many people on the welding forums who are professional welders have commented that their companies stopped using the lubricated wipers because the lube was worse about attracting dust and grinding grit than without and the liners were getting clogged up.  Many suggest using foam earplugs as a non-lubricated wiper.  When you change spools of wire you just run the wire through the earplug and then into the feeder mechanism.....cheap and I have yet to read of anyone having problems with that method.  I just periodically blow out the liner with compressed air on my wire feeders and haven't had any issues, but I haven't kept one around more than a year or two as I've upgraded so that might change now that I'm set on my two machines going forward.


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## General Zod (Nov 25, 2022)

G-ManBart said:


> Many people on the welding forums who are professional welders have commented that their companies stopped using the lubricated wipers because the lube was worse about attracting dust and grinding grit than without and the liners were getting clogged up.


I agree with that. That is why I use a 2nd clean wiper after the lubricated one.  I use Weld Aid Lube-matic on lint free cotton pad, and then another lint free cotton pad right after it to clean any residual lube from the wire.  Seems to working well for the past 2 years or so for me.


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## lordbeezer (Nov 25, 2022)

I’ve been using cigarette filters unused of course for several years.


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## alloy (Nov 30, 2022)

The new yeswelder arrived today and yes it does weld. I didn't play with it very long and only on the synergy
 (auto setting) 

The gun feels good and natural in my hand.  The auto setting seems like the wire speed is too fast and the weld is crowned so to speak. A little slower wire speed and I think it would have been perfect. I tried to change to the manual mode but I didn't know much about it and was flying blind so I just shut it off and came in and watched vids on youtube about it.  

I don't have the parts in yet I need to weld (new transmission cross member) I believe it will be in this friday. Atfer it comes in I can continue on building my exhaust system on my 55.


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## GeneT45 (Nov 30, 2022)

alloy said:


> The new yeswelder arrived today and yes it does weld. I didn't play with it very long and only on the synergy
> (auto setting)
> 
> The gun feels good and natural in my hand.  The auto setting seems like the wire speed is too fast and the weld is crowned so to speak. A little slower wire speed and I think it would have been perfect. I tried to change to the manual mode but I didn't know much about it and was flying blind so I just shut it off and came in and watched vids on youtube about it.
> ...


My Miller MIG seemed like it had a fast wire feed in the auto mode as well.  In my case it seems the auto wire feed was actually pretty good and I was just dawdling.  When I started running beads a bit faster my puddle didn't get smaller and I still got good penetration.  Give it a shot - you might be pleased with the outcome.

GsT


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## Charles scozzari (Nov 30, 2022)

alloy said:


> The new yeswelder arrived today and yes it does weld. I didn't play with it very long and only on the synergy
> (auto setting)
> 
> The gun feels good and natural in my hand.  The auto setting seems like the wire speed is too fast and the weld is crowned so to speak. A little slower wire speed and I think it would have been perfect. I tried to change to the manual mode but I didn't know much about it and was flying blind so I just shut it off and came in and watched vids on youtube about it.
> ...


You'll know when your welds are right in time. It's not as easy as many think. There are many things that come into play, wire diameter, wire brand, wire rating, gun angle, clock setting's, shielding gas, extension cord length Remember grounding and the distance from the weld to the ground play a big part in the process, the welders limit's and the metal being welded. Practice is key.


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## alloy (Nov 30, 2022)

i need to play with the welder more.  So far so good.  After the first one being DOA I've been looking around for another alternative in used welders while I was waiting for the replacement welder to arrive.  Found a number of them, all much more expensive.  The only ones I was considering were, big red, blue, and hobart.  I found a hobart ironman 230 for $1500 but it was some distance away.  I can still return the yeswelder if I want but I'm going to give it a fair chance before doing that.  I won't use a welder much I don't think, but I may be wrong on that.  Before I took this welding class I went to great lengths to come up with solutions to what I needed by machining something.  Having CNC's definitely helped me doing that.  

I think I figured out what was wrong with the first welder.  The yeswelder uses a series of connectors on the front of the machines for the leads. You have to have a jumper lead plugged in to make it work on mig.  On this welder I had to remove and mess with the lead to get it to work.  Might have just been me, but i seem to recall messing with the first one and just couldn't get it to work.

And actually I have no business critiquing this welder with such little experience that I have.  I've really just used the big miller at school and there is no comparison between the two.  I'm just blurting out my impressions of it.


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