Need Help!!!

[Blackjeep2]

I am going to buy a welder in the next week and would like some advice please. I was thinking of buying the miller shopmate 300dx multiprocess (mig tig & stick) but I was wondering if these weld as good as individual machines do. The tig is dc only (is that a problem for aluminum?) If I buy individual units I was looking at the millermatic 250 and the syncrowave 200. Most of my work will be on the jeep (cross members, roll cages, 3 & 4 link brackets... I will also be doing some trailer manufacturing). I really don't know how much I would use the stick and tig - - but I think it would be nice to have. What do you all think. Buy the mig for now and wait for the stick/tig or buy the multiprocess shopmate300? Thanks for any advice!

[mondtster]

You really want AC if you plan on using the tig on aluminum. I've been told that you can weld aluminum in DC, but it is much more of a challenge. I've never tried it.

I'd look at all your options and weigh out the cost effectiveness of buying one machine vs. multiple ones.

[Blackjeep2]

It is more cost effective to buy an all in one welder - - but I do not want to sacrifice the quality of the machine. Miller makes a great product - but I am starting to think I may be better off buying a mig machine - then later down the road buy a syncrowave 200. For now I could just use a spool gun on aluminum. Any thoughts????

[DSW]

The miller shopmate 300dx multiprocess (mig tig & stick) is a nice machine but you won't be able to tig alum without AC tig. The spoolgun will probably get you by on medium thickness alum but real thin stuff and real thick stuff probably won't work well. You will also need 2 types of gas one for mig and one for tig.

If I had to get just 1 machine I'd get the Mig. You can do thin steel and trailer work if you set it right. Its more forgiving on rust than tig and you can work outdoors if its not real windy. Its also very simple to learn if you don't know already.

The syncro 200 would let you do thin sheetmetal and some medium steel and it will stick weld for heavier stuff (trailer work). It will also do alum. However tig hates even small breezes so working outside would mean a tent or good wind break. Tig requires more skill to learn, and prep work on tig must be spotless ie. no rust which makes it tuff for frame work with out a lot of prep.


I don't know what they'er asking for the the miller shopmate 300dx. I just got my Syncro 200 for alittle over $1850 but got it without the running gear. Saved about $200 that way. I forget what I paid for my Millermatic 200 a while back.

good luck

[Blackjeep2]

Thanks for all the info DSW - - How do you like your millermatic 200 -- any complaints - - I have quite a bit experience with mig - - so that is the direction I am going to head (it should handle the trailer work just fine as it will do 1/2'' in a single pass. I will get a tig/stick at a later date.

[DSW]

I like my Millermatic 200 alot. I bought it to replace a cheep import 110v mig I killed and really haven't regreted it. I wish I'd bought a miller 110v unit to start. A 110v unit would be nice some times when I'd like to be able to go and work at someone elses house, but the 200 welds a lot heavier steel which is what killed the 1st one. I've welded everything with it from new flood pans in the truck, the dump body on the dump truck, 3/8" steel for the plow frame, 24" excavator bucket and the 1" thick steel arms for the plow adapter for the backhoe. If I had to do it over I think I'd get the 252 now. The extra power, digital readouts, infinate power adj would be nice.


My Sync 200 I've only had about 3 weeks. Bought it when I decided to take a tig class and wanted to be able to do alum. My alum with the spool gun looks like sh*t. Almost wish I'd gotten the tig in stead of the spoolgun. May end up dumping the spoolgun in the long run. I'm trying to get rid of my Tunderbolt XL AC /DC stick machine, now that I have the sync. Would have liked to have gotten a dynasty but at 2X the cost I couldn't justify it based on portibility and 110v/ 220v option. The Dynasty has a few more bells and whistles but after talking to my instructor we both felt that it will be several years before I out grow this one if ever. My plan is to be able to start to learn to tig alum and SS before the end of this semester so I can practice all summer.