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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Miller Pipe Pro 350
- - By okwelder82 (***) Date 10-22-2010 21:59
Has anyone ran one of these new machine? If so how did it weld?
Parent - - By weaver (***) Date 10-22-2010 23:46
I own one and I used to run a 200d.. my pipepro blows the 200d away. the machine is awesome, worth every penny.
Parent - By Johnny Walker (***) Date 10-22-2010 23:53
Welder foreman on my last job has one he likes it .
Parent - - By okwelder82 (***) Date 10-22-2010 23:58
Well I have a 300D and I really like it but i have heard good things about this machine
Parent - - By weaver (***) Date 10-23-2010 02:04
you know it's like ford ,chevy and dodge.  lincoln makes a great machine, but the pipepro really does it all, tigs like a dream, welds 240 amp at idle, has tons of ac power. and when you throw a remote on it, welds like a totally different machine. any way i love mine. yes they are expensive when they break but so is everything. regards, shannon
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-23-2010 14:56
And just think, You coulda had a Vantage 500 Compact ! It really does it all too. ....................Only better    Just kiddin
Parent - - By Johnny Walker (***) Date 10-28-2010 03:30
What's a compct Vantage 500 look like??
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-28-2010 08:34
It is a 500 amp in a 300 frame
Parent - - By Johnny Walker (***) Date 10-28-2010 12:14
Dadgum that's cool does it got the cummin in it
Parent - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-28-2010 23:46
Turbo Charged Perkins
Parent - By cmays (***) Date 10-23-2010 14:23
I love my pro 300 but my only gripe is the way it long arcs when trying to break you arc off at the end of a tig weld. I saw one of the big blue 350 pipe pros at the oil show this week and after the first part of next year they will have the crater fill function on lift arc TIG wich ramps the arc down to keep from leaving a blister. They also said that after the first of the year all the new diesel engines will have to be epa compliant which is why they have mitsubishi engines. The other engine manufacturers dont have an engine over 26hp that complies yet. Im hoping CAT will come along cause Thats what I want in mine when I get my new one. I really liked the wireless remote too and way more affordable than other wireless setups Ive looked at.
- - By Douglas Main (*) Date 10-27-2010 05:34
Love my pipe pro. Best part is the dual power option for me. I can weld in a shop off my truck and not tick anyone off with noise, go home and weld off any 230V 30A plug and weld out 300A easy. I only wish I could get the beautiful Stainless Steel kit with the dual power kit. Oh, I had problems with a couple fuel filters, so I threw an extra one in the truck. Its kinda picky on fuel, I dont run red or filtered oil fuel through it, only #2 pump diesel. Im in the market for another one, just looking for a deal.

                                                                        D. Main
Parent - - By weaver (***) Date 10-27-2010 13:42
mine is stainless, when it was new it really turned heads
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-27-2010 19:07
Kinda looks like a Vantage huh ?
Parent - By up-ten (***) Date 10-28-2010 00:13
Your gonna wear that out cactus, lol.
- - By kcd616 (***) Date 10-28-2010 01:30
ok,
everyone explain to me why you all do not buy a Ranger GXT 250 with the TIG, MIG and plamsa, accs for about $15,000.
The same price as the Vantage or pipe pro with nothing else.
And the Ranger is AC/DC.
Are you all burning 1/4" jet rod and need the extra 100 amps?
Maybe I am missing something here.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Kent
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 10-28-2010 01:53 Edited 10-28-2010 01:58
The Ranger has a 3600 RPM gas engine, and will last about 4000 hours tops with proper maintainance. If You run them hard a bit less, or a whole lot less if You abuse it.
They are noisy, and will not weld as well as the full size machines in most peoples opinion.

Having said that, if You have a service truck and don't have the room or weight capacity for a bigger machine, it is probably not a bad  choice.

I have a Ranger 9, which has about the same capabilities as the GXT, it will do what little field welding I have to do.

In a machine this size, My first choice would be a Miller Trailblazer 301 or 302, but I have what I have.
Parent - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 10-28-2010 03:01
My choice would be under ideal conditions would be an LCAC to get to and from the job, then a smaller version of a naval Nuke reactor for power so that I could run in series if I had to, eight square wave 1000's, some Miller Dynasty 700's, just to start,quite a few different CC and CV configurations for various applications, a boat load of accessories including some heavy duty inverters and other ancillary equipment to run a CNC, engine lathe, Bridgeport milling machine, a 5 axis water jet cutter,amedium duty 6 axis robot, and some other really good machines and other equipment (just too much to list off the top of my head ;) ) to aid in fabricating whatever the heck I want to @ wherever the heck that may be!!! :) :) :)

Then again We nor I live in ideal conditions, yet like my grandmother used to say: "Henry, dreaming doesn't cost much except for the let down once you wake up. ;)

Respectfully,
Henry
Parent - - By weaver (***) Date 10-28-2010 02:47
If you show up to a job up here with a gas engine drive, leave your truck running because you will be driving right back out.  diesel is the only way to go for smoothness and power.  I started with a bobcat 20hp, started to do pipe with it... that didn't last long.  I sometimes use all of my lead 200ft, weld at idle at 230 amps. love my machine
Parent - - By Pickupman (***) Date 10-28-2010 03:28
I can understand not wanting units with put-put motors in them, like Trailblazers, Bobcat's etc. But does that apply to sa's as well? Lot of guys still running them, can't believe they'd run a man off for showing up with the ORIGINAL "pipe pro". And no I'm not starting trouble so don't get yur back up. Just asking.
Parent - By weldwade (***) Date 10-28-2010 04:45
The SA200 is as american as Apple Pie! They have built this great nation IMO. They are and always will be an excelent DC engine driven machine. There are things they wont do well at all but they will burn stick rod as good or most of the time better than anything else. They will last, they are tough and will always have a place in this industry. I am not a pipeliner but I have heard that some companys want the diesel machines because they are fueling them. My diesel machine will run three or more 12hr days on a tank of fuel. My SA will run about 14hrs on a tank of gas. $$$$ is the reason!
Parent - - By weldwade (***) Date 10-28-2010 04:37
If you are going to make your living with an engine driven machine the smaller air cooled machines wont last long. As Dave explains even with perfect maintenance you would be lucky to get over 4K hours. They are frickin NOISY!!! I cant imagine being close to five or ten of them all screaming away at once. I could cook a ranger, bobcat, trailblazer etc very easy with the work I do. I have a trailblazer and for what I bought it for it does a great job, it's a stand-by generator to run my well. I bought it new in 2004 and today it has 98 hours on it. Sure I have welded with it but it cant hang with my 650amp diesel machine. A 250-300 amp machine with large wire or rod wont work very long if at all. Pull out your air arc and gouge for a few days straight at max then try and weld with it... Good luck! They are a cheep versitle machine designed for moderate use. I am not saying they are not any good because they are great machines for the price but don't expect them to last with heavy use and they WONT weld as well as a high quality diesel engine drive in any situation.
We use Ranger 305g as well as the Trailblazer302 at the Mine. We bought them because of weight issues on the leach pad. I can tell you this from my experience with all of them. IMO the 305g is a total piece of crap. Not one of them has made it to 500hours before major problems with the electronics or generator and they dont weld for crap IMO. Get them hot and the arc is unstable. The Trailblazer is ok with no major issues as of yet and all are close or over 2000hrs. Still dont weld for crap when hot just like the ranger. This is in Southern Arizona where it is hot as hell most of the time. But for a guy doing weekend work for hire or the farm they are god machines.
I am very interested in checking out this new 350 Miller. It looks to me like a very good machine.  will get my chance in a few weeks!
Parent - By Ringo (***) Date 10-28-2010 12:59
I've got a Trailblazer 251,and it won't hang with a diesel Miller or Lincoln no matter what model it is.At 250 amps its suckin' wind.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-28-2010 08:37
Well, my Vantage 500 Compact has Mig, Tig, Arc Gouge and it will run my Plasma, and 25k of AC power and I can buy them for 12,700 brand new.
Parent - By weldwade (***) Date 10-28-2010 15:36
If I were in a situation where I needed a new machine today it would be the Vantage 500 Compact. it has the best bang for the buck IMO and my needs differ from most. I look at welders like pants one size does not fit all, some guys need all the bells and whistles and some just need to stick something together once or twice a year.
Parent - - By jffluxcore (**) Date 10-28-2010 19:30 Edited 10-28-2010 20:59
Were do you get it vantage 500 for $12,700 please jim
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 10-28-2010 23:46
I have a special deal with my Vendor and that is what my price is.
If you are serious about wanting one. PM me and I will hook you up.

Cactus
Parent - By jffluxcore (**) Date 10-29-2010 00:35
ok and I"ll check cyberweld also. thanks jim
Parent - By cwf07 (***) Date 10-31-2010 02:52
I am getting close to getting ready for a new machine I got a miller 402D with 12750Hrs. on it runs great but getting close to time to retire it. I do bridge work, pipe, heavy equip., air arcing well yall know anything to make a dollar in this economy. I like the classic 300D but I don't do enough pipe to benefit from it. I don't know nothing about the vantage never seen 1 in my part of the country. I had a commando 400 didn't like it. I starting to research miller and lincoln to see what they got out now. Tell me what every you can about the vantage one day when you get time.
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 10-29-2010 01:53
Great machine, but if You can only deal with 600#, well You just have to get a put put.

The service truck scenario I was thinking about in My other post is one of those with the welder on top of the utility body on one side and the crane on the other, with the air compressor mounted on there someplace too. Till You get all the other crap on there, You just can't fit a bigger machine.
Parent - - By J Hall (***) Date 10-29-2010 02:43
Smonetimes you just need to do the best you can with what you've got...
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 10-29-2010 02:46
I see You have an F-550. Big truck. What is Your GVW ?

Nice rig.
Parent - - By J Hall (***) Date 10-29-2010 02:52
Thanks. It weighs around 14500. I don't recall for sure but I think it was rated 17500.
It rides and drives nice.
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 10-29-2010 02:55
My buddy has (2) F-550 dump trucks. They are OK, but they have the 6.0, would have been better with the 7.3.
Parent - - By Hughes Welding (*) Date 10-30-2010 05:03
J Hall
Nice rig, What kind of lead reels are those?
Parent - By J Hall (***) Date 10-30-2010 12:04
Thanks. They are Alumareels and they have been very good. http://www.alumareel.com/
Parent - By Wrench Tech (**) Date 10-31-2010 23:57
Well, you must do pretty well then.  From the looks of your rig (which looks a hell of a lot like mine) you've got about everything you'd need.
- By Sberry (***) Date 10-29-2010 22:46
My work is so small and simple I can use about anything that makes sparks, I have bigger machine but went to little one. If I was buying new today probably a TB, mine has only 8k of AC, could use a touch more poop during outages. I enclosed everything, even bottles.
- - By silentscream Date 11-06-2010 04:29
i am wanting to get into pipeline work  but was wanting opinions on old 1970's,1980's miller big 20,big 40    any advice would be great thank you
Parent - - By ibeweldingsum (***) Date 11-06-2010 17:41
dont get one cuase thell never test you and if they do they will look you out on your bead sorry just the cold hard facts man. Seen it happen way to many times. Damn inspectors wanna see them gray machines in the back
Parent - By silentscream Date 11-07-2010 21:07
whats the story behind that cause i have used millers offshore for two years and havent had any problems.     does it have something to do with lincoln making some of the elecrodes being used on pipelines
- By Sberry (***) Date 11-06-2010 20:22
Yup, if I was going to do it I would toss this one on a deck, one that looks well used.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Miller Pipe Pro 350

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