Has anyone used a Lorch welder and can provide an opinion?

I’m in the market for a welder and a generator. A common piece of advice is to ensure the welder doesn’t demand too much power from the generator. Some say the generator should be able to provide double the power that the welder requires.

To date, the smallest welders of any make I’ve considered will require about 8 – 10 kva. That’s a whopping-sized generator. Then I came across something interesting.

One owner of a Lorch claimed he ran 120 amps using it from a 6 kw generator. This individual also said the arc was ‘super smooth.’ I put that statement about power requirement to the manufacturer who confirmed: “Micorstick 160 will run fine on the 6 kva easily...[up] to 150 A DC.”

I can buy a generator that will deliver 9-10 kva that doesn’t need a forklift to move it around the place, which is a key requirement.

The trouble is, Lorch don’t seem to make budget welders. That may be a good thing. I find it strange that most of the popular tool shops don’t stock them. Prices quoted:

Micorstick 160 - $1430
Microstick 180 - $1804


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