I need something a little more portable for occasional use.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ksid=p3907.m29

 

buy it and report back.

 

I cant justify buying something that costs that much that has no support nor parts if problems occur



Im buying a hobart unit which proably will last me forever. China stuff always breaks. The only cheap welders worth buying are flux core hf units.

 

i bought my smiley over 1 1/2 ago and it still runs perfect.

 

Spend the extra grand and get the lincoln 225 tig. If welded with one of those chinese junk welders, and they are junk. No that exact brand, but I bet its not any better.

You could always go with a hobart tig. They are just over 1000 dollars and work very well.

 

I have the dc / plasma 110/220, CT416D rebadged riland. I use it plenty and nothing wrong with it at all. The first one blew the HF board out after afew uses. I didn't adjust the pooint gaps on it and i fried it. Broke the microswitch on the tig torch. They were both replaced no questions asked and i got an extra set of torches for free.
I'd love to have one of the tig-200WSE's. Ill buy one at some point.



Just remember that the quality of the Chinese products varries wildly. Where some will do OK using hotglue to hold a board on others have literally been found using fishing line to hold something together. Try to stick with riland, or a riland clone.


Oh, and DO NOT buy one off ebay like that. Buy it from a real welding shop, or atleast someone that's online and actually has been around & will support it. With the Chinese stuff my experiance seems to be the typical one. If you don't have a problem right out of the gate. You're all ****. If you do have a problem, just get a new one shipped.

http://www.rilandusa.com/?p=Distributors
Id recommend storts. He's been in the welding biz for along time, nice to talk too, rich, and has supported his chinese ---- for years.

 

If you want better equipment the hobart is great for the budget money. we got a lincoln 225 in the shop last semister. i'd rather weld on a 30 year old 1/2 ton hobart buzz box myself. by the time you spend the money to get a 225, just save up the other 5-600 bucks and buy a DynastyŽ 200 DX so you'll always be happy with your purchase lol.


I think L's multipurpose Lincoln Power MIG 350MP's are better than their miller counterparts. but if im gunna be buying a tig i like miller even if it costs alittle more.

 

I have a syncrowave 500 that works just fine.I was looking at an inverter machine that I can take wherever I want.The shop I now work at has a lincon 185 something or other(It kinda does a weird skipping on low amp ac).