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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Old Hobart G261 thoughts and opinions
- - By hillbilly (**) Date 02-28-2009 04:21
G-261 Thoughts and Opinions

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I'm in the market for a engine drive machine, as I had to borrow a friend's machine to do a job on a piece of equipment for yet another buddy.  I've been kicking the tires, so to speak, on a friend's Hoabrt G 261 engine driven welder.  It's got the Willy's flathead engine and is in pretty good overall shape. It's been in his family for several years. It starts and runs with ease. Idles up under a load and then idles back down when not. This machine is in my price range, so I'm not going to ask for help on "appraising" a machine via the internet. I burned about 2 dozen rods with and it performed the task without question. I believe this machine will serve it's purpose for me, as I don't need the luxury of auxillary AC power in the field. I've got a generator on the truck for that. It'll prolly only get used appx. 1-2 times a month and then put back into dry storage.
My questions are, what is the general opinion on this machine? The likes and dislikes? I have sources for parts asfar as the little flathead goes, but what about the welder side of it? Can parts still be obtained or will I be kicking in the weeds looking for other Hobarts to nab parts from?

Thank you for any and all repies
Parent - By Sharp Tungsten (**) Date 02-28-2009 17:44
Parts for the welder will be the only real drawback.
Parent - - By KSellon (****) Date 02-28-2009 22:02
the engine will out live the welder 2 to 1. Thermal Arc is the vendor for that equip now. The brushes might still be available, the rheostat inside the range switch has been obsolete for 12 years. If its in your price range and you think you might get another 5 years out of her--thats yoru decision.
Parent - By hillbilly (**) Date 03-01-2009 04:38
thanks you two. I'm thinking I'm going to hold off a by a machine that still has some support for parts and such
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Old Hobart G261 thoughts and opinions

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