(I added Model for ya)
Ill play. heres a start:
Type of equipment/tool - TIG Welder
Brand - Thermal Arc
Model - Arcmaster 185
Retail $/$ Paid - $2700
Pros - 185 amps preheat and it will still burn in thick aluminim for intakes like butter. Fully featured; pulse, freq adj on AC and DC, slope, repeate, settings memory for presets, etc. Light and compact, can toss in a trunk and take it anywhere. Upgraded torch to gas lens #8 for aluminim and mild work, SS and better I use the Monster Cup 1-1/8" dia for more gas coverage.
Cons[ -/B] a year later they dropped the price $500 on the 185 and the 210 is not the same price.
[B]Review/Suggestions - Absolutly nothing. The machine is flawless. Never failed, not a hickup, works 100% consistantly and accuratly. Best tool purchase sofar I have ever made.
Type of equipment/tool - MIG Welder
Brand - Miller
Model - Millermatic 180
Retail $/$ Paid - $1200
Pros - Autoset gets you in the ballpark and then gets you to the row of seat. Leave it on wire size and adjust the “thickness” and it adjusts the voltage and wire speed for you. 9-10 it sounds like sizzling bacon and lays a damn good bead. Manual adjustments if you have an eye and ear for MIG welding works perfectly. Torch takes a beating. Small and portable also.
Cons[ -/B] Feed motor lacks tq for heavy spools, inital wire feed is slightly delayed for the first second then it rolls/feeds consistantly. Feed roller doesnt last long, slips sometimes and will arc the wire to the tip and ratsnest the wire. Keep the roller groves clean and replace often. Duty cycle is somewhat low IMO. Lacks low amperage controll for sheetmetal. OEM sheetmetal of instance, even on manual settings there is a very precise “sweet spot” for the dials between blowing through or having a cold weld with zero pen. I put a sharpie mark on mine once I found that!
[B]Review/Suggestions - Anyone can pick this machine up and lay a bead. I taught people who never touched a welder to lay a damn impressive bead with this thing. Has just enough nutt to lay a single pass on some 1/4" stuff (more than enough for auto fab for the most part). When its cranked up you can weld for a bit but it will overheat and go into protection so watch out. But around 1/8th or 3/16’s you can weld for ever without it getting too hot and going into protection.
Type of equipment/tool - MIG Welder
Brand - Eastwood
Model - 135
Retail $/$ Paid - $300
Pros - 110V take it anywhere, use it all over the shop when there isnt a 220 drop. Even on an extention cord on low voltage settings for the machine works fine, no loss in weldability. Stays loaded with .24 wire for sheetmetal only. uses Lincoln consumables.
Cons[ -/B] Torch is shit, feels crappy and overheats. We broke it and replaced it with a WeldCraft, much better now. Doesnt really have the nutt for anything past 1/8th". Will do 3/16 but I wouldnt use it for structural stuff.
[B]Review/Suggestions - Its our sheetmetal machine. Better low voltage adjustments over the Miller 180 for that. Cheaper than the Miller 135 or Lincoln 130 and does the same damn thing. Hasnt failed other than the torch. Great thing sheet welder, or even a “first mig” machine for someone that wants to learn, fix crap around the farm or what ever and doesnt want to spend a ton of money.
Type of equipment/tool - Plasma cutter
Brand - Hypertherm
Model - 85
Retail $/$ Paid - $3500
Pros - will cut 1-1/2! 3/16 and 1/4 cuts like butter.
Cons[ -/B] Big machine takes up space. Torch is expensive when you break it.
Consumables are expensive and wear out fast. Fan circuit went bad.
[B]Review/Suggestions - Ours was second hand and not very well taken care of. Torch head was split and had an air leak so it shot dust at your face. Didnt really hurt the cutting but was a pain in the ass. Torch is $500 last time I checked. Fan stopped working so you couldnt use it for more than a few mins until it would thermal protect, had to put a 110 fan on it. Cuts tanks in half when it works right. Consumbables are expensive $200 for a set and will get killed FAST if you dont set the machine for your work. My suggestion, if you are not cutting tanks in half, its more machine than you need and more un needed expense to run all the time. Get a 52 and save alot of money.
Type of equipment/tool - Plasma cutter
Brand - Hypertherm
Model - 380
Retail $/$ Paid - 1200
Pros - Light small take it anywhere. 110/220 V switchable blasts 3/16 like butter will do 1/4 slow. Even do 1/2 if it HAD to. Fine cut kit is like a razor blade through 16-18 ga sheet (like a ball point pen wide kerf on the cut) Consumables are not crazy expensive and last a while.
Cons - NONE. Works great. If it starts cutting like shit… replace your consumables, check your ground and make sure the air supply is dry.
Review/Suggestions - Workhorse cutter for my shop. Never let me down, works like a champ, cuts actually better than the big 85 on “normal” everyday metals. Sheetmetal with fine cut is amazing. crank it up past where you should on the amperage and it will cut as fast as you can trace a line like a hot knife through butter. Set the amperage correctly and the kerf (width of cut) is like a line with a ballpoint pen!
Type of equipment/tool - powdercoating system
Brand - koolkoat
Model - 3.0
Retail $/$ Paid - $700
Pros - Very adjustable Kv for powder charge adjustments. With a proper gound it gets powder in tight spots like a champ. Nothing has failed on it. Fine air adjustments on the face of the machine. Small and compact. Gun is great, easy to clean and take the tips out to shoot out with air.
Cons - wiring for the gun would be better if it were in a sleeve or something so there isnt a feed tube and 2 wires all over the place from the machine to the gun. i ziptied the wires to the hose every 6 inches and it helps but zipties are sharp on your leg when you are moving the gun and hose around. finiky adjustments to get powder to not spit and sputter. Will work good with low air when the bottle is 2/3 full, but when it gets down past 1/2 empty you are cranking up the air to compensate to get a good powder cloud.
Review/Suggestions - First almost pro-grade powder gun I got and it blows the Eastwood gun out of the water. Getting used to the adjustments and the process has a big learning curve, but this machine seems to make it alot easier to get good at it quicker. Great machine for the money. Next step up in the world of powder coating are true pro-grade systems with big hoppers I would have to tripple my powder inventory to even run the machine, and cost $3500+. this one is the best you can get in its price range and even pro guys use these machines still and say they are awesome.
More to come ![:slight_smile: :slight_smile:](https://nyspeed.ltcmp.net/images/emoji/twitter/slight_smile.png?v=5)