Here's a new welder that Eastwood is selling. Seems to be to be a fair price considering it's performance and specs. What I know is it is made overseas and built to Eastwoods specs, the consumables can be bought in any welding supply store. I can't say I have ever seen an infinite heat adjustment in a small welder before. I might have to buy one, what do you guys think?
http://www.eastwood.com/pro-welders

 

just saw those today and was wondering about them. cheaper than the hobart i am looking at buying. i do know that i bought a eastwood airbrush once and it was complete crap if that means anything.

 

at 30% duty its not a marathon runner but certainly good for home use.

i like the infinite voltage feature as its easier to fine tune.

i would go with the 175amp unit as it will be able to handle some bumpers and suspension work if your skills are tuned enough.

 

They do have a three year warranty, same as Miller and Lincoln. I have to wonder if someone is testing out moving their production, and wants to start out with an off-brand name in case they don't work.
I did get my wife to set aside the money for the 175 with the spool gun though. Can't beat that price, and I need an alternative to TIG for doing aluminum here.

 

all I would use it for is light work and just now and then. I was contemplating a 220V but if for some reason I wanted to take it someplace and use it there is a likelyhood there would be only 110V available.

 

If you want a good welder to handle both, check out the MillerMatic 211. Bought one a year ago and tickled to death. Pricey for some, but worth every penney.

 

The 211 is a great machine for light production work, but it's overkill for a lot of people and also a bit pricey. My ideal machine would be the 252, but again it's more than I need. I have Dynasty 200 I use for stick and TIG, and I have access to a CP300 running an LN25 feeder where I was working. I'm still renting a bay from the owner, and have permission to use tools in the shop as well, so it works out nicely.

 

I'm sure it's a great welder but like any tool it's sometimes tough to justify spending big money on something that will see occasional use. The eastwood is cheap enough that if I really needed something bigger I wouldn't have invested that much in a lesser machine. A guy at work has a 5 or 6 year old Matco welder he wanted $350 with a cart. I took a look at it and it was only an 80 amp and made in italy.

 

Me and my dad both have Hobarts and are happy with them.

 

problem with a good 110 unit is they have a 30amp input and its tough to find a good outlet that dsnt pop breakers even a 20 amp outlet pops alot.

machines that work well off a 15amp 110 input generally have a low output amperage rating around 88amps

i have a long 220 40amp extention cord with a few different cord adapters so i can plug into a healthy dryer or stove outlet if i take it abroad also frees up the 15 amp 110 outlet for use with a small 20 gallon compressor so i can bring my portable plasma too

 

Just looked at those machines. I don't know about the 175, but the 135, 110V unit is almost certainly a re-branded Lincoln. The case, other than the color is exactly the same, as is the gun, etc. The only thing that looks different is the handle on the top. Everything else is so close that if it's not a Lincoln it is an EXACT copy externally. As far as that goes, the 175 looks VERY much like the Miller/Hobart 175/187 models. I know that Lincoln now has several overseas plants and those machines occasionally end up in the U.S. The foreign built ones are identical to the domestic units. They do build some for European voltages, but they also have foreign manufactured units built for US power. If this is indeed a Lincoln in disguise, then it's an excellent deal. You know when you buy a name brand that part of the price is for the name. Sadly, the tool trucks slap their name on the cheapest POS they can buy, and people think it's the same level of quality as a Lincoln or Miller(or as top-notch as the truck's hand tools). Wrong! Not even close most of the time, and often a PITA to get parts. I've seen those Italian welders under a dozen different brand names. Under one of those names you can buy it at Wal-Mart for $200. The same machine re-labeled as a Snap-On was around $800! You could spend $500 on a Miller and get a much better machine. Then when the Snap-On comes in the shop and you tell the customer it's a POS that's not worth fixing, they get the attitude that "It's a Snap-On, not some cheap Miller." Give me a break. I'd definitely give that Eastwood a chance, and I'd like to hear from anybody that gets one to determine if I am right about it's true origin. I'm pretty sure of it though.

 

I scored this for $500! It pays to know people, especially family.

<a href="http://s491.photobucket.com/albums/rr272/RotunTuna/?action=view&current=SHOPSTUFF003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr272/RotunTuna/SHOPSTUFF003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Cant beet it I need a spool gun anyone want the 175 I will get the spool gun from ya $100

Looks like a great deal & they are Ford Blue to boot

 

I actually was given a Hobart Beta MIG 250 that needs a few parts to be operational, so I think I'll be set for a mid-sized rig for a while. I'll have to look into getting a spool gun to add on it.

 

Hit the Hobart forums, Weldingweb, and the Millerwelds forums for welding equipment info. Weldingweb has the best info on fixing/updating older machines, with the Hobart and Miller forums following in that order.

You can beat the tax man and get great deals on welding machines via vendors like Indiana Oxygen. Check their prices on commercial-grade machines before buying a cheapy. Also, check your local welding supply store. They rarely beat the internet, but you need them as friends for gases and consumables.