Thread: Lincoln PowerCRAFT 180i or TokenTools MIG200 - Help me decide

As far as I know Token offers a 5 yr warranty, is that still active ?

I use the Synergic Token unit and love it, simple for those quick pick up and weld jobs. I often trim it a bit, but it's a quick starting point.

Originally Posted by DocBug

As far as I know Token offers a 5 yr warranty, is that still active ?

Yeah, I didn't do a very good job expressing that in my question. The TokenTools price is $764 with a 1 year warranty, or $849 with a 5 year warranty. To be honest I've never really felt comfortable with paying extra for extended warranties ala Harvey Norman etc, but in this case I can see their reason for doing it. The fact that the default is 5 years and you can opt to reduce it for a % discount seems a more honest way of going about it. From all reports Token Tools seem to go above and beyond to stand behind their products, which is one of the things that put them at the top of my list.

Originally Posted by DocBug

I use the Synergic Token unit and love it, simple for those quick pick up and weld jobs. I often trim it a bit, but it's a quick starting point.

So it sounds like you think Synergic is a feature worth having? It doesn't make things more confusing for a beginner?

The synergic feature theoretically makes life easier. A standard MIG has two basic settings. Voltage and wire feed speed, these must be balanced in relation to each other in order to have the welder run as it should. Synergic migs combine these two adjustments using a simple microprocessor, so you have only one adjustment for power and the machine balances the voltage and wire speed to suit. While the microprocessor gets the setting pretty close, there is a fine tuning knob provided.
I would say that the two units are fairly closely matched. The Token tools unit does have a portable wire feeder available as an option, but it's probably not much smaller than the complete welder anyway.
A lot of people seem to love their Token Tools machines and I can't say I've heard a bad report about them, on the other hand Lincoln has been a long term player in the welding game. I can't see you going wrong with either.

I haven't used the Lincoln 180 but I do use the synergic MIG modes on my C300 and it works almost perfectly. Occasionally there is a slight, maybe half second, pause in the wire feed when starting the arc, no more than one time in twenty or so. Never causes a problem while running a bead and it even finishes up nicely without leaving any kind of crater. The synergic modes are also very useful if your fit-up is less than perfect or you have a varying root-gap.

Thanks for the input guys. It's starting to become clearer.

It looks like the Synergic function is something I'd want, so my choice is probably now between the 180i and the TokenTools MIG210S. These are both Synergic and basically the same price.

At the moment I'm leaning towards the Lincoln, mainly because it is a Lincoln(known good brand), it's about half the weight, and it's from a local shop. I went to have a look at the Lincoln today and it seems to be a solid unit. The wire drive looks to be the same as the one in the TokenTools pictures, so probably from the same supplier. Not as solid looking as the 180C next to it, but I guess good enough.

The main differences I can see are the max amps on each...210 on the TokenTools vs 180 on the Lincoln, and the fact the Lincoln can't be used with a spool gun. Could someone give me a practical example of what difference that would make? I gather it would mainly affect the ability to weld aluminium, which I don't have and specific need to do at the moment, but I'd like to know up front what I'd potentially be limited to down the track. Is the Lincoln not suited to aluminium at all? Or will it do up to a certain (lesser) thickness than the TokenTools?

I weld a lot of ally and have yet to use a spool gun.
As long as you can put a roll of 1.2 wire in your welder and can get 1.2 U groove rolls for your feeder you are laughing.
A 180 or 200A welder is not going top be a giant killer of an ally welder, but 5mm ally, maybe 6 would be within its range.
Wire for spool guns is damn expensive too.
I believe the Lincoln 210MP is now available in Australia and that could be another option worth looking at, although it is going to be a $1400-1500 machine.
To be honest, I wouldn't really be too concerned about synergic functions, it's not that hard to tune a mig. If your welder has it, well and good, if not, then don't stress.
On paper, the Token Tools has a better duty cycle - 35%@200A versus 20%@180A however real use may be a different story. Both of them are supplied with guns that are less than ideal for any future aluminium work, the next size gun up would be better suited.

I went the other option to use a spool gun on the welder for the ally, makes it easier than trying to push 4m of soft ally.

As for the reg, ask if they can throw one in, They are not an expensive add on at any rate,.

Regards
Alan

Looking at the Lincoln specs on the website it only mentions a 1.2mm roller being available for gasless wire. I guess this implies it won't be suitable for aluminium at all. Probably not really a problem for me anyway. I couldn't find any mention of the 210MP either...only a multi voltage unit on the US site.

Looks like the Token Tools 210 is a better deal, but for some reason I'm still drawn to the Lincoln. Mainly because of the shape and weight(why would the TT 210 weighs 11kg more than the 200 or 180i???), and that it says Lincoln on the side. Stupid reasons, I know.

I think I'll sleep on it for a couple of days. Thanks again, I'll let you know what I end up with!

Originally Posted by czzer

Looking at the Lincoln specs on the website it only mentions a 1.2mm roller being available for gasless wire. I guess this implies it won't be suitable for aluminium at all. Probably not really a problem for me anyway. I couldn't find any mention of the 210MP either...only a multi voltage unit on the US site.Looks like the Token Tools 210 is a better deal, but for some reason I'm still drawn to the Lincoln. Mainly because of the shape and weight(why would the TT 210 weighs 11kg more than the 200 or 180i???), and that it says Lincoln on the side. Stupid reasons, I know.I think I'll sleep on it for a couple of days. Thanks again, I'll let you know what I end up with!

I believe that the 210MP is a very recent release on the Australian market. I was actually talking to my local Lincoln dealer yesterday and he was talking about getting 1 or 2 in for stock.To muddy the waters a little more, the Lincoln isn't really a Lincoln. By this I mean it is their cheaper entry level Powercraft range, built in China. Obviously backed by Lincoln, but not the American or Australian made unit that the name once implied.The Lincoln comes with 1.2 knurled rollers for fluxcore, but I believe that U grooves are available as a spare part. For the minimal ally work you will be doing, you could get away with V grooves as long as you aren't too heavy handed with the wire tension.180 or 200A migs will be working fairly hard if serious ally work is contemplated, for sure, they will produce sufficient amperage to do the job, but their duty cycle in the upper ranges tends to let them down a little.From what I can see, either unit will serve you equally well.