type & size welding machines

By dschlotz (***)

Date 09-01-2007 23:08

It's hard to answer your question when you don't tell us what your welding. SA200 sounds like a pipe rig.

Dennis

By cwf07

Date 09-02-2007 01:15

Am asking what type of portable welding machines just wondering if it Lincolns or Millers I run a Miller called Big Blue 402D set up to mig & tig.

By dschlotz (***)

Date 09-02-2007 14:48

All of our welders are Miller. Most of them are Trailblazer 302's
Mig Tig FCAW and Stick.

By cwf07

Date 09-02-2007 19:29

They are nice machines my brother go one of them.

By cmays

Date 09-03-2007 02:28

Got the TB 350 pro, smooth runnin piece of equipment! Have a 302 also same thing, Miller got it right with those machines! Really though it all depends on what you do. I run the millers cause im doing something different every day. Very versitile machines!

By swsweld (****)

Date 09-03-2007 04:48

Bought a TB 350 Pro about 6 years ago. Agree it is a great machine. Got it primarily for moment welds at the time. But mostly for Xray and UT pipe welding since. Runs on low idle all day for about 3 days before adding diesel. Quite on low idle. We just bought 2 TB 302 last week for new xray job but I havn't been able to pry the hands of the other welders off the stinger yet. Anyway I'll keep using the 350.

The main reason I use the blue machines is our local welding supplier sells and services the blue ones; they work pretty well too.

By cwf07

Date 09-03-2007 15:21

What do yall weld most in yalls area like equip., ect. and whats the going rate for contractor with on rig.Here in GA. I weld on brigdes & heavy equipment. I live in a small town in middle Ga. but to get enough work to stay busy I have to drive 50 miles or more. The going rate around here is $55.00. But I also charge driving time.

By cmays

Date 09-03-2007 18:07

One day stainless steel or aluminum work, the next drilling rig work (well head instalations you name it), heavy equipment, tons of pipe work....you name it we do it. gotta have a machine that can do it all efficiently. 60/ hr minimum and up from there.

By cwf07

Date 09-03-2007 19:25

That sound about the same here but not much pipe work. Which I am not that good at fitting pipe most of the old timers I work with do more plates. I would love to get with some one that could really show me the in & out of pipe fitting & welding it. I work with a few that was pretty good they didn,t do it all the time. I was always told if you going to learn something like pipe fitting & welding learn from the best.

By cwf07

Date 09-03-2007 13:39 Edited 09-03-2007 15:33

They are very good machines Miller has come a long way. I had a bobcat 225 when i first got started it was a good little machine.But as I grew I need something bigger So about 8 to 9 yrs ago I buy The machine I got now the big blue 402D its a good machine alot people can't believe how quite it runs, with the 4clinder Deuz. I also got a older machine that I use when I can't get my truck were I need it. Miller Big 30 I got it on a trailor were I can swing it around .

By TozziWelding (**)

Date 09-04-2007 15:48

I have a Miller Trailblazer 301 in the truck because it is light weight and can do anything(TIG, pushing wire, and stick), and it has more aux power than I will ever need. I have a Lincoln SA200, and an SA250 both on trailers, for big jobs, or the occasional pipe job. The Miller is a great machine, but can not touch the Lincolns when running 6010 or 7018 all day.

By cwf07

Date 09-04-2007 21:55

I like the big machines if I could last as long as they do burning a 7018 all day I would be doing pretty good. What do you work on most like heavy equipment,pipe ect. ?

By TozziWelding (**)

Date 09-05-2007 13:49

I do a ton of heavy equipment work, as well as any and everthing else. One day I might be putting a T-top on a boat, the next I could be doing amoina piping. Right now I am refurbing a bucket on a Komatsu PC300, the SA-250 is on site it really likes the 3/16" 7018 when it is to windy for dual shield wire.

By cwf07

Date 09-06-2007 01:24

I work on a ton of bridges here in Ga. But that has slow up. Now I am rebuilding rock boxs for a grading company using T1. I been getting it all year long about a week ago it started slowing up for me guess I am going to have to get out and beat the bushes to get a little more work in.