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Hello Blokes
Anyone got a Weldsmart welder or multi unit. Looking for a reasonable Tig that can do both AC/DC. Lincoln is too expensive at close to $8000. Have seen the local Weldsmart Multis advertised on eBay. Sure TokenTools are top notch, but they are over East, anything goes pear shape with them means i have to send back via road transport and wait for an outcome. Prefer to support WA local Industry.
DD
All the bells and whistles are there for for sure , but there's some stuff that would need clarifying to assure confidence in the product and company .
Can the unit be repaired at the company's Perth base or at least in Perth.
Top notch companies (like Token) were offering a three year warranty when i looked last time. Not even a mention of a 12 month warranty mentioned on the website.
Are a range of spare parts available. The 3 phase model blurb mentions Toshiba inverter.That's in the 3 phase model but not mentioned in the 240v model. If a Toshiba inverter is included, is it a Mofset ( cheaper) or an EGBT (better ) type chip.
Will the company say how many of this model have been sold. Do recognised businesses use this model?
Grahame
What's your budget? Lincoln, Kemppi, Miller come in around $5000 for a 200A AC/DC if you shop around. I sent out some feelers about a year ago and prices were in that range. Some of our WA welding suppliers are actually quite competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingo Dog
If you're willing to go secondhand and patient you might find one for half that.
No experience with the Weldsmart, sorry.
Token are doing 5yr warranty of their digital Ac/DC tig units atm. The price of the unit decreases as you option a lesser warranty time.
I wasn't able to turn up this brand sold else where in Australia.
My internet search only turned up the WA mob ,so it is fair chance that this may be their house brand .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY05FBje194
A U Tube vid, I found on Google - boring as batschitt but it appears to be made by someone close to the company - a user feedback in the comments that would be handy to read- is cause for concern.
All I can say is :Attachment 321230
I have been wrong before but things don't quite sit right here.
Grahame
Haha, I was looking at Weldsmart gear recently.
Not too much info floating around the 'net, some positives, some negatives. Couple of mildly unsettling negative feedbacks on their eBay page, in wrong parts supplied and no action to replacement.
Best bet might be to go visit them in their store/warehouse/place, chew the fat, maybe see if they'll let you try one or some of the machines you'd be interested in.
Also, maybe it's just me, but I don't think I'd ever be too keen to get something with MIG capability sharing itself with the other processes. Electricity is electricity at the end of the day, but it nevertheless just seems wrong.
Thanks Blokes, for the input, kinda thinking about the welders with mixed functions, maybe not a good idea, well for me anyway, already have a inverter stick welder by Lincoln plus a plasma cutter, am just a back yarder diy kinda bloke, Lincoln's ac/dc tig is way out of my diy price range, hence the thinking of getting a Multi function machine, price wise they looked good. Think I will hold off for a little bit and save some more dosh to get a dedicated stand alone ac/dc machine, seen a new Miller for just over $4000. The Dragon wants a new telly now, can't see anything wrong with the B&W we still have :U.
DD
Careful with the price on those Millers. On top of the power source you need to factor in a fortune's worth of extras. However, it's an awesome machine. I already had most accessories but gas, power supply, new torch, etc, etc, well I hate to think what I've spent.
This guy's selling things dirt cheap right now:
CIGWELD TRANSTIG 160AC'/'DC'/'HF POWER SOURCE | Power Tools | Gumtree Australia Swan Area - Swan View | 1053378908
if you can get by with 160A. Personally I'm "stuck" with 200A and wouldn't mind one day upgrading to 280A or 350A for bigger jobs and thicker Al in particular. That gumtree machine looks like it's power source only too, so factor in whatever extras you need. I'm not recommending this particular machine nor know what it normally retails for, but Cigweld has a bigger name than Weldsmart and therefore accessories and support are probably more available. Just happened to come across it the other day, when I noticed something else the guy is selling that I'd love to have (which is half RRP).
So Legion, are you saying that you just get the basic Tig with no leads, have to pay extra for them etc, or have I crossed the wires somewhere. That to me, be like buying a yank bike and not getting a tool kit with it. Seen the Miller advertised on the Gentronics site.
DD
Yes, that's what I'm saying. Not in all cases, but some websites just sell the bare machine. I guess in an industrial setting they might have torches, gas, ground leads and stuff already and will just be changing out the power source.
E.g. if you look at Miller's website there are eight different prices for the Dynasty 200 DX, each with different specifications.
Do you want water cooling?
Do you want a foot pedal?
Do you want the bare machine?
Etc.
It's kind of good because you can customise what you want but you need to be aware of what you're getting yourself in for.
I got a torch and amptrol with mine but it was secondhand and I got a new torch and non-Miller foot pedal anyway.
Cheaper machines seem to target the all-in-one package more, I guess to make sales to new backyard customers who need the full deal. Miller etc don't care because price isn't their main driver, quality, warranty and service are.
What Lincoln machine did you price at $8000? Looking at Lincoln's American web site, there are many AC/DC Tig options around the $2-2500 range, not all are sold in Australia, but many are. Something like a V205 invertec perhaps. Pricing between the US and us is closer than it may first appear.
I would imagine that the same comment applies to most of the Chinese sourced machines, get a good one and you are laughing, get a bad one and look out. Many repairers won't touch them and many are not repairable (surface mount components on boards etc).
Do you have 3 phase power? That opens up a lot of second hand options.
I got a rough quote of ~$5k for an Invertec V205-TP AC/DC. I didn't pursue it so don't know what it included.
Another quality machine is probably the Esab Caddy Tig 2200i AC/DC TA34. Here it is for under $4k:
ESAB TIG 2200i AC/DC TA34 - All Welding & Engineering Supplies
You might be able to get it for similar if you shop around. I like opwelding, they're kind of my local shop, well priced, good guys and sell quality brands.
No 3phase power in the shed, not likely to get it installed in the future. The price of the Lincoln was taken from a couple of years back, and assumed nothing had changed. Was in a welding shop yesterday picking up some comsumables for the Lincoln Plasma and asked about the price on the Lincoln Tig. Indeed they have come down in price. MMMMMMMMMM. I prefer known brands with likely backup resources for repairs etc and will fork out that little bit of extra dosh to secure that. I have a Chinese Lathe & Mill that have been rattling away for 10 years in the shed doing whatever my mind invents, the Mill has turned into one of them hammers with 7 handles and 4 heads kind of thing, the Lathe just keeps working. With Chinese electrics on welding machines, I am not trustworthy enough to go that way of spending, even though the price looks fantastic. I will save until the end of this year and either buy a Miller (never had that brand before) or a Lincoln.
For all those who have responded, I thank you for the input.
DD