Multiprocess vs stand alone welders: viewer suggestion

[@JD-526]

I agree with your explanation of the quality of welds. You are right. I have welded professionally for 43 years now and believe me this guy knows his stuff. When you split up processes into a single Welder you lose quality in one of the other processes . That's just electrical responsibility. No one can manufacture that kind of machine, and not for cheap as you're looking at his inexpensive solutions. Bottom line singular is better. And as far as his not being contacted by Arc Captain and yes welder to do a review tells volumes of how they don't want you to know how crappy their machines are. Pay out, pays in. Love this channel because you know what is what.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Ohh they reached out to me a few times and once I responded to their message saying I don’t know how their devices are legal to plug into the wall they stopped 😅. I guarantee you they would not want to work with me beyond one video…not because I bash products, but because I am honest and I don’t like people getting ripped off. That’s why I generally have good things to say about harbor freight. Sure, they are cheap and don’t always have the best quality or performing products. But atleast they don’t lie on specs generally. Arc captain, yes welder, and many others lie about many specs to get you to buy their products. I don’t like that at all. As far as all in ones with the best performance, the modern miller multimatic 220 is the best out there. It is unbelievably good but at 4k that is a hard pill to swallow. You can get as good or better performance with stand alone welders for atleast 1500 less than that. The cheaper you go the worse the overall performance is, by time you hit the sub 700 range a person is in trouble lol. The box says multi process but what you have is more of false advertising lol.

[@Ca21431]

Glad I'm not the only guy that owns half a dozen welders!!

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Can’t go wrong with a few welders 😀👍

[@elsart0]

I'm only at 4 now. Maybe I can still be saved... But I don't have a Mig. Dangerous situation.

[@jamesjames5715]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Better than a drinking problem!😜

[@jheissjr]

What welders do you guys have?

[@theseldomseenkid6251]

The title just moved this video to the top of the "must watch list" ... starting in 3, 2, 1. GO!!!

[@nealesmith1873]

Great info! Very surprising that even a high quality brand all in one would have so many tradeoffs.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Unfortunately that is the case. Believe it or not (as another viewer mentioned) a 4,000$ miller 220 multi purpose machine stick welds with 6010 worse than a 275$ harbor freight titanium 225 stick machine. The higher end machines generally are stellar welders and will do a great job, but they are unfortunately not the best at everything they can do.

[@wxdave5448]

Hi Greg. I don’t disagree with the majority of what you say in this video. However, I have an Everlasting Lightning MTS 275 (a model you mentioned) as my first real welder. In my case, I wanted an all-in-one that included MIG, TIG and stick including AC TIG with aluminum. I came close to an ESAB but the Everlast checked more boxes. So far, I’ve not been disappointed. It can do really any MIG (including spray), TIG in AC and DC (granted not nearly as good as a dedicated TIG welder), and as of Summer 2023, they do E6010 (thought I’ve not tested this). As my welding journey continues, I’ll likely get specialized, dedicated welders per process, but I have no regrets getting the all-in-one that I did to start my journey.

[@IAW888]

You changed mind. I was thinking about buying the primeweld 280 Multiprocess but you’re right, having separate processes welder simply means you have a back up welder, having it all in one list not a good idea

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Compare the price and features doing two machines vs one. I bet you will come out with more features for a bit more money or the same price but two machines. My personal favorite combo is a portable stick/tig machine and a 220-250amp wire welder. To be able to tackle decent thickness steel you really need a 250a class or higher mig machine. With tig and stick a portable 180-200a machine can do a ton of work and not take up much space. Or a ac/dc tig machine if aluminum is on the menu. You won’t regret having two machines.

[@IAW888]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg thanks for the advise man. It is exactly what I want. Now it’s about the generator.

[@NoahEubanks-n9b]

I own the ESAB Rogue 200i pro, and love it so far. Interested in getting new MIG machine to upgrade from my old Hobart 210mvp. Are you still really happy with the Rebel 235 so far, or would you do things differently in hindsight, if primarily interested in a dedicated MIG machine?

[@melgross]

I had the 215 which is a great machine. When I bought the 205 I gave it away simply because the large cart I built has a welder and plasma cutter and I didn’t want to keep it somewhere else. It would be nice if ESAB made a 235 type machine like the 205. The 205 has all the features that you would need, as well as a nice LED light for the interior when you open the panel.I would get that bigger model. The problem taking the right side panel off is that very long, thin o-ring gasket that you have to reinstall. The electronics is very well protected.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

When I bought the 235 I expected it to have the interior light yet it didn’t, which was a surprise. I am surprised nobody has really come out with an all in one ac/tig with a 235-250 amp capability. I think there would be a market for it. I think a lot of what holds back products is many companies have flag ship models and they don’t want to put the same capability in one machine that’s cheaper than their flagship. Case in point millers 4k multimatic 220 can’t be as good at tig as their dynasty, because that would be a serious issue. As more companies produce state of the art products the price will have to go down, there is only so much more tech they can cram into a power source that can be worth thousands of dollars lol. Much like how TVs have hit a low bottom with no real place to go up lol.

[@melgross]

@ that’s true. But I also think it’s a matter of deciding what can be done at a given price and what customers for that price would be most likely using it for. I used to be a partner in a pro audio manufacturing company. Even with almost unlimited pricing for those products, we had to compromise on one thing to make another thing better. Later, I designed and often built specialized equipment. I had the same problem. A machine selling for $20,000 isn’t going to be as good in some ways as another selling for $30,000. If it has more features, something’s got to give, as the song goes. The advantage to multiprocess machines, and they are getting better, is that they share most of the components. It just costs incrementally to add another. Beef up the power and it can really shine. My 205 can output 235 amps in mig at just a 10% rate, but often, for what I do, that’s perfectly fine. The TIG is much better than the 215, or the 235. The output goes, I’ve found, to 180 amps, which is more than I’d need for anything other than thicker aluminum. Since, if I can, I weld both sides of a part, the maximum single pass in MIG isn’t relevant. I can easily do 1/2” pretty solidly and I bevel, which does help.

[@rudyrivera7426]

I have to agree with you! Greg! And you said it! Convenient! I have Everlast 200 I tig/stck, Eastwood MiG 250, Vulcan 215 ( for fluxcord welding) this is one I spoke about bogging down in my last comment “ anyway I also have Arccaptain 200 tig/stick that only the stick function works! For mobile repairs around the property! Thanks! Again! Very informative as always! 👌👍

[@elitearbor]

Hi Greg, I looked for contact info in the description/your about page on here, and couldn't find anything, so I'll leave a question/suggestion here. Have you tried, with modern consumer level machines, ErCuSi MIG brazing? I have an older made in Italy Forney 180 amp that actually manages to do it quite well, but I haven't seen any mention of the wire brazing process in newer machine manuals. I wonder if it's because they're incapable of it, or if the process just doesn't have much widespread appeal except to industry and niche uses such as art.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

My contact is Weldingoldschool @ gmail, I have been meaning to setup more or less a Facebook group to help with messages and content but I have been unbelievably busy so I just haven’t had time. To answer your question I don’t have any experience with mig brazing. I do know 100% argon is generally used (which is definitely odd for mig), the voltage is typically run very low, since the goal is to melt the wire but not melt the metal/blow holes. I think it’s not commonly used because it’s somewhat obscure. It has super cool uses in auto body and on thin material, along with artistic use, but most stores don’t sell the wire, most machines don’t have settings charts for it, and many people have never ran it. I definitely want to try it out in the future.

[@michaelwhiting878]

I wish I would have seen this before I bought my Miller 215 multiprocess two years ago. I understand that you have access to and use a Miller 215 at work, and I am curious as to what your opinion is on it. The newer 215 and 220 have recently been hardware upgraded to run 6010, how well it will run 6010, I don’t know. Back when I bought my 215, I was not overly interested in TIG welding, but after following your channel, back then, I wish I had spent the extra to get the Miller 220. That being said, if I were to invest in a new multiprocess welder, as a hobbyist, the question would be, What welder would I choose to give me the ability to run 6010 well, AC TIG with high frequency start, and be able to MIG Spray Arc weld thicker materials. Although historically I tended to lean towards Miller welders, but today’s welders from other manufactures like ESAB, HTP etc. have caught up in build quality and capability. There are many good choices out there now, and I wish I had more work space (currently it’s about the size of a walk-in closet and my table eats up most of that) for multiple welders but I don’t, so a multiprocess is more suitable to my situation. I am interested in trading up my welder for a better more capable welder. I would love to hear any recommendations you or your viewers might have. Thanks for the awesome content you produce.

[@brnmcc01]

I have a Multimatic 215 that's maybe only a year old, it has settings for 6011, 6013, and 7018. Doesn't have the voltage to run 6010, 6011 is ok'ish. I got the machine mostly for MiG, and wanted to try out stick welding after watching some of Greg's videos. It seems to run 7018 pretty good. I also looked at the 220, but it's far more expensive, and a huge machine and would be too hard to carry around. The 215 is pretty light I think only just under 40 pounds with a spool of wire in the machine, and it's easy to load it up, and put the cart and gas bottle in my van and go weld something.

[@michaelwhiting878]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have discovered several interesting undocumented facts about the Miller 215 that I got from a Miller Tech Support tech, and some I have figured out by experimentation: 1) the stick welder has a built in Hot Start that boost the current by about 30-50%, and is effective. According to the tech, the Rod Electrode type you select has some builtin variance of things like Inductance, but it is not adjustable. I have been able to run some 6010 and 6011, but I have found what Brand you are using does make a big difference. 2) the MIG gun can handle 0.045 wires, and I can run 0.045 Dual Shield with c25. Best DS settings Voltage-25v wire feed speed 350ipm, and works quite well, but you will need 0.045 contact tips available from Miller. I just use the standard Roller, and it feeds just fine.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I have ran the 215 a lot (mostly on 120v). Its mig arc is actually very good, and I like the way it welds a lot. It actually mig welds better than my firepower fp 200 does. It starts the arc on thin material very cleanly and seems to make welding thin material very easy. I have not stick welded with it but I have burned atleast 20lb of wire with it and from a mig aspect I don’t know that I would change much. Oddly enough the miller 355 they have I like less than the 215. It can spray all day obviously but no matter how I set it I just don’t like it as much on 1/8th and under material. Out of all of the all in ones out there with ac/capability I really think there are two major players, the esab 205 and the miller 220. The miller 220 is a better overall machine but the cost is so high it’s hard to suggest it. The esab 205 is very good and is easier to carry. The HTP seems like a good setup and intrigues me. I need to test one before I form a concrete opinion on it. To a major extent miller is pricing themselves out of the market, just like releasing a 900$ 32in tv today would not work lol. No doubt their welders like the 215 are miles ahead of cheaper welders when it comes to actually using them, but every month the competition is getting closer.

[@michaelwhiting878]

I totally agree that Miller is far too expensive as compared to welders of similar capabilities from other reputable manufactures. I have seen videos of some of the HTP welders that really interest me, so it would awesome if you were to obtain and test one. If I had the money, I would like to trade my 215 for a 220 with the 6010 ability, but there may be a better more affordable welder, and I’m constantly researching other options. I do 95% of my welding on 240v, and I have successfully run 6010 (not Red Rod) from Matheson, at my skill level, but it’s not pretty by any means). I would like to see what you could do at your skill level. As for my 215, I have had really good luck running 0.045 Dual Shield. I have experimented (like you inspired me to do), and found that 25 volts and 350 ipm is a really good starting point, which is well within its capability, and I have pushed well beyond those settings to the maximum of 27v & 500ipm which is too much for the Blue Demon wire. The welder as is stock, gun and rollers will easily run the 0.045 wire (using Miller contact 0.045 tip part# T-M045), and is quite capable of producing plenty of Voltage/Amps. I have only run Blue Demon through it, and I’m not overly impressed with the wire as compared to Lincoln’s version of DS which I hear is quite good wire, but hard to get in a spool size that would work in the 215. It was suggested to me to buy the Lincoln wire and then wind it onto my own empty spools. Which I intend to do after I burn up my 11 pound spool of Blue Demon. I would love to hear more about your experience and settings for the Miller 215 someday. Thanks for the awesome reply! Happy Holidays Greg!

[@brnmcc01]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg If you have a chance, test out the stick welding on your 215 sometime, let me know what you think. I like mine so far, but I'm still a super beginner. I got the 215 because Esab was kind of expensive, I wanted a lightweight MiG machine with the ability to give stick welding a try. It wasn't too expensive either. The 220 was out of my budget plus much too hard for me to carry that sucker is massive and I tried picking up the display model at my local supply house and I was like yeah thats a back breaker. Also I thought if I ever decide to sell it, it's a lot easier to sell a lightly used Miller in clean condition than an Esab, they're not very popular around here. But my local welding supply store sells all 3, Esab, Miller, and Lincoln electric. Mostly Miller for the plugin welders, and they seem to sell more Lincoln engine driven welders. I saw a demo model of a nice Miller one there the other day though, it was like a little over $80,000! 800 amp stick capability and even a built in air compressor for arc gouging!

[@kurts7268]

Hello Greg. I have a viewer video suggestion. Could you make a video series on oxy/acetylene welding, and compare its results to the other processes. Performing cut/etch, bend, break tests. All the good stuff. I have a feeling gas welding might come close to being on the podium or at least be honored with a participation badge when it comes to root fusion. You could probably get a 3-4 video series on gas welding if you wanted to. Your videos and knowledge are excellent.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I definately will be doing some oxy fuel this winter. The truth is I very rarely weld with it, I can weld thinner metal with it easily but have very little to no experience welding material over 3/16th. I will definitely do a bend test to really look at what’s going on (something I have never done with oxy fuel. If I had to take a guess I believe its welds with er70 would be significantly weaker than tig and mig. The reason isn’t really the heat input, it’s the fact the shielding gas for oxy fuel is basically c02 that’s produced via acetylene burning. The very high overall heat input and travel speed would have poorer weld grain structure too. Hard to say what might happen, I definitely want to find out.

[@kurts7268]

@ I look forward to it! Another suggestion I have… is comparing pulse-mig process to short-arc and spray-arc. You may have to sell that rebel 235 and upgrade to a HTP or a Miller with the pulse feature.

[@alex_ottomano]

Excellent info as always Greg. Question for you, have you ever used HTP machines? I just got in my new multi process revolution 2500, havent gotten to strike an arc on it yet. It does fill in a lot of the gaps of multi process though that you talked about, like trade offs and features. Its got full tig pulse settings, waveforms, auto polarity switching, 2 gas solenoids etc. Though still will always suffer from lack of backup and being relatively expensive. Im excited to try all the processes soon.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So HTP is about a hour from where I live. Someday I will have to drop in and test out their revolution 2500. Based on specs and my Experience with their invertig 221, I am sure it is a solid welder. They took a bit different approach with how their operating system works, with built in programs for different alloys, which if it works is a great idea.

[@alex_ottomano]

@makingmistakeswithgreg oh awesome that's great to know, I'll definitely be looking forward to a video on that

[@brnmcc01]

I saw that wire brush, but I think that phrase should be on a grinder, not a wire brush, lol :) I don't care how good someone is at stick, everyone needs a wire brush. Some rods have a nice slag peel, but cellulose flux based rods like 6010, forget it, there's only soot and crust and doesn't self peel off.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

You’re right on that lol. People talk about a mythical slag peel with 6010 and it’s kind of like that 20lb monster fish someone caught on 1lb test line 😅

[@brnmcc01]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg If you wrote "If you could weld you wouldn't need me" on a grinder I would find that absolutely hilarious though 🤣

[@joeg7755]

Hey Greg, same reasons I don't have an all in one lathe and milling machine. Each are a way better performer on their own. Welding machines are the same LOL

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Great analogy and you’re right. Building a machine for multiple purposes gives up something. There are always trade offs. My leatherman is a great tool but it’s not better than a quality knife, pliers, or file. However for what it offers in the pocket it’s good enough lol.

[@Justforfun-ek7et]

I’m just a hobbyist but I have 4 welders. Most are harbor freight, one multiprocess that is used exclusively for mig and spool gun, one stick and one flux then an Amazon Tig machine. After having owned the multiprocess the longest it made me want to have one of each and it’s so much more fun and everything is already set up and ready to go when I need it.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

No thinking, no polarity switching, every machine is set the way you like it is the way to go 😀👍.

[@Justforfun-ek7et]

@ absolutely, and I am impressed with the HF green welders, most of the time cheap to find on Craigslist or good deals with coupons at the store. I appreciate you and the massive value you provide for me even as a hobbyist/ home pro.

[@6pekXX]

Hi Greg! If you can, try to put hands on some of the rest of the European stars. You already have Fronius (Austria.Though the worst one possible imho), the 2 left are Kemppi (Finland) and EWM (Germany! The best TIG machine period!). The EWM have settings you can adjust on a very deep level.

[@sebastianleicht]

I'd like to add rehm to that list...

[@kristiantjomsland7745]

and Paton....

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

When I can make my way overseas I will definitely try out some welders. I know some of the machines you guys have are years if not decades beyond what we have lol.

[@draincctv8659]

I'm looking forward to getting a Fronius for TIG/MMA in the new year to compare to my Xcel-Arc 195 Max Multi.

[@bruced1429]

you will love the Fronius , I now really like the tig controls on the torch, took some time to get used to it but it works great. No foot pedal to drag around or get tangled with.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I really like fronius machines. They are well thought out and they seem to care about the build quality.

[@michaelbigelow367]

I agree with you. I usually buy a machine for what it does best or for what they say it dose best. I have been fortunate so far with all my machines to date. I have a new Everlast stick machine coming, and time will tell if Im happy with it. Thanks for the video Greg.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

It’s hard to go wrong when you do that. Let me know what you think about that everlast machine. I am a big fan of their tig welders, and there stand alone machines. Their lightening series was kind of a disaster in my opinion, everything about it lacked polish and felt like an Amazon special. Which is interesting because none of their stand alone machines seemed that way. I am sure the machine you bought will work great. I need to get one of their machines in the shop to test.

[@michaelbigelow367]

@makingmistakeswithgreg ok I will let you know. I hope to test it this Wednesday. Thx Greg.

[@michaelbigelow367]

@makingmistakeswithgreg Hey Greg! I just received the Everlast Power Arc 300ST. I ran some 7018 3/32 , 7018 1/8 , 7018 5/32, and some 6010 3/32 , and 6010 1/8, and I'm impressed with it. I think it's going to be a great machine. I had never run 6010 before, and I really liked it. That fast freeze rod is fun to run with that whip, and pause motion makes it look very nice. It really digs into the metal too. Hence why it has such great penatration . One would think 6010 should always be used for the first pass to get good penatration. Then finish with 7018 for strength? At this point, I'm loving this stick welder, but it's early, so time will tell. I would love it if you could try it and hear your opinion.

[@sammy0ayyan]

I just want to say Hi, to you, Ive been watching your videos for a while now....probably two to three years....good luck, the videos been very helpful, and I bought an Esab 205 more than a year ago. thanks..Greg.😂😂😂😂👍👍👍👍

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Hello 😀👍. The 205 is a very solid welder, I owned one. I kind of wish I still had it, but I sold it to be able to buy the dynasty I have.

[@iamomid]

Is the Rebel as good of a TIG welder as the Rouge? Does it have adjustable TIG settings such as pre/post flow, etc? And I love to hear your feedback on the Yeswelder

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So the rogue 200 is a better dc tig welder than all the rebels, here is why: it has high frequency start, which none of the rebels have other than the 205. It has a smoother dc arc than all of the rebels (it’s less prone to clicking and jumping in multiple amp increments like I experienced with the rebels). It also runs 6010 better than the rebels as well. I believe the rogue goes down lower in amperage and has a softer arc start than the rebels. The rogue 200 does have pre and post flow control for gas, pulse (that’s limited in adjustability) and arc force/hot start for stick. Where the rebels are a bit easier to work with is they have a lcd screen that’s reads out the info that’s a big faster to adjust settings. If I wanted dc tig and stick I would honestly buy the rogue over the rebel because I feel it’s better at those tasks, it’s more portable, and it’s far cheaper. If I wanted mig capability I would buy a separate mig machine. As far as yes welder, I do have issues with them. The first one is they tend to lie about capability. They will claim things like 6010 capability, which they won’t run. They very commonly claim outputs (like 200a) that the machine won’t hit. I don’t like companies that lie about specs, that’s something even harbor freight doesn’t do with their welders. I do believe their welders do weld, and are better than not having a welder, but I don’t recommend them on the basis of deceptive advertising. Especially when you can go to a local harbor freight store and buy a titanium 125 or titanium 225 and get a very legit affordable welder that works great.

[@iamomid]

@ Thanks a lot Greg for detailed reply. I bought the Rogue a whild ago (partly based on your recommendation) and it is one of my best shop purchases ever. I am looking for a MIG welder as my old MIG welder is showing errors quite often. That’s why I asked you about the Rebel. I was thinking if it is a good TIG welder maybe I go for it and sell the Rogue, but now that I read your reply, I will look for a separate machine for MIG welding. Again, thanks for your detailed reply. Much appreciated

[@907jl]

I tried going the "all in one" route ( ESAB Rebel 205 AC/DC ), and have sold it, and now back to seperate TIG and MIG machines. Just too much of a compromise, somewhat of an inconvenience. The ESAB was a very good welder, and for someone really tight on space, I think it's a good choice. I felt the AC TIG was a bit lacking. No pulsed AC or different waveforms. DC TIG was darn good. Never stick welded with it. The MIG was good, but not enough power for my needs. Much happier with the Millermatic 255 and HTP Invertig 251 now.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I also owned 205 and thought it was a solid machine. For the me a/c was good but it seemed like its low end was too hot. I am used to tapering off slow and filling the crater, it seemed to me it would kill the arc right before the amperage I needed to be at. I never metered it but it seemed to be 20-25 amps was the low end sometimes. I don’t blame you on going bigger on the mig machine. I tell people all the time that if you want to have a mig machine that can do everything a mig machine should, you must get into a 240+ amp class machine. All of a sudden the limitations of the 200amp class machines are gone. You can run spray, dual shield, short arc, and in no way are you limited. About the only draw back is the mig gun is pretty big so welding something like car exhaust on the car might be tough. But that’s what a little flux core or mig welder is for lol.

[@907jl]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg I agree Greg, the low end on the Rebel's AC was not low enough. I had a horrible time welding 16ga/.060" aluminum with it. Not an issue with the HTP 251, I love it so far. Same with the MM255. It's been a great MIG machine. Plenty of balls for anything I'll need to do. Really enjoy your channel, thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@tallyman15]

Great information on the multiprocess welders. I was looking to purchase a mig/plasmsa multi but decided I did not really need it. Maybe in the future.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The only multi purpose with plasma I have used was an Amazon special, and it left a lot to be desired. I can tell you a plasma machine is pretty handy to have, but the payoff over a dry cut or simple portable bandsaw is a while considering how useful and affordable those are.

[@tallyman15]

@makingmistakeswithgreg I ended up buying a porta band and the harbor freight Hercules Porter band mount so I have a little metal chop saw that works pretty well of course I always can use the cut off wheel with a grinder.

[@Mundane-Doom]

How can you tell if a machine has PFC? I’m looking for a mig/flux machine with PFC and looking at machines that people say have it I can’t seem to find info on vendor websites confirming it. Am I just overlooking it and do you have any recommendations on dedicated mig/flux machines with PFC? Also love the videos! Also so thorough and informative! Keep it up!

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So it really depends on the manufacture. There are a couple hard rules: virtually no Amazon specials or equivalent machines have PFC. They all will overload the crap out of breakers. The titanium or lower line from harbor freight doesn’t as well. The Vulcan 165 tig does, and I believe the Omni pro 220 does as well. When you get into dual voltage machines that are “higher end” from esab, miller, fronius, and Lincoln, many do. The problem is not all of them will have it (case in point the fire power fp200 which is now called the esab 210EM doesn’t have it but the rouge 190 mig machine does. If in doubt I would contact the manufacture of the machine and see what they say. Most machines don’t have it because the “reactive power” isn’t an issue for a household Electrical system. On a generator system (or low voltage 120v) it becomes a major problem because you can’t get breakers to hold without trips. The PFC is how esab can get 120a on a 20a outlet with the rogue and rebel series with stick. The welders that I know has PFC is the rogue and rebel series from Esab, miller 215, 220, 140 amp multi/miler matics, any sub 220a fronius, and the older Lincoln 210.

[@Mundane-Doom]

@ Awesome thanks man! Really appreciate you taking the time to answer all of my questions in such detail! Getting my garage ready to fabricate in and I’m trying to set myself up to also do some mobile work and your channel has been super helpful!

[@steeveejee4647]

very interesting, i have an omnipro and mainly use it for mig or flux core if its something im not worried about beautiful looking welds. anyway to get to the point i've only used it for stick a few times granted i didn't mess with the settings other than what is on the chart except to raise or lower the heat of the pool. i tend to use my ac machine to stick weld as thats the machine i learned the process on and i love the way that machine runs. do you think tig on the omnipro is any good or should i buy a dedicated tig machine? keep in mind i have never tried tig and lust want to learn it and see if a an coordinated enough to do it.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So tig on that machine is doable, its setup is basic due to using a gas valve torch. It also has lift arc which is a bit harder to get the arc started. However to learn the basics of tig and determine if it’s right for you it will totally work for that. A dedicated tig machine would have easier arc starts, probably a bit smoother dc arc, have more adjustable settings, and be slightly easier to tig weld with, but I wouldn’t spend the money before using what you have first. Honestly the biggest drawback to your setup would be the fact you will forget to shut the torches gas valve a lot and waste argon lol.

[@steeveejee4647]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg i have been known to forget to shut the valves on my tanks for mig welding so ill tryo to be more careful. once again thanks for the info and another great video illl givr it a shot then if i like tig ill get a dedicated machine

[@jhowse19801]

Thanks Greg! I've been wrestling with this question for awhile now. I have a tig stick machine that favors tig. High frequency start, pulse and AC aluminum capability. It runs great tig. Stick isn't bad but no hot start. It will run 6011 but only on 220 volts. Pops the breaker on 110. I've been looking at stand alone machines and really like the Esab Rogue series. Thinking of the Rouge 200 and the Emp 190 for stand alone mig and stick. I like that big Rebel for high power mig. Are there stand one migs with Spray capabilities you would recommend? Or would you just buy a Rebel for Spray arc and just treat it like a stand alone?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Couple thoughts, hope they help: the reason your machine probably pops the breaker when running 6011 on 110 is due to a lack of power factor correction. The esab rogue can run a 6011 at 90a on a 20a circuit without issue. Most machines don’t have power factor correction like it has though, thus breaker trips. Going to a rogue 200 would allow real world capability on 110v. The emp190 supposedly has power factor correction as well, which is hard to find in smaller mig machines. This will give far more output on 110v than many machines. It’s hard to find that small of a package with the ability to weld decent on 110v. The main limiting factor of that machine is its output is well below spray, and it mostly geared for portable type of work. I don’t see that as a big drawback because again it’s designed to be rugged and for a specific task. As far as stand alone mig welders with spray capability, this is an interesting situation. The issue is you really have two choices. 1) you go with a older style machine like a Hobart handler or similar unit that’s the size of a mini fridge, or 2 you go with a more modern machine that is smaller but still not very portable. The rogue 235 is a real oddball welder because it’s just barely portable, and has a ton of output. Most 250a capable MiG machines are 80+ lbs, don’t have power factor correction, and run poorly on 120 (if at all). Millers 235 machine is roughly the same weight but costs a ton more not much more capability. Where the esab 235 comes in is it has legit spray capability (has a solid mig gun with high heat rated parts, proper drive roll system, and the voltage capability to do it) but it’s not 80lbs. For an average person wanting to add spray capability it’s a great option. I don’t believe it would be the right option for a shop that wants to do significant production work. I would want a big power source and a feeder system or a 350 class machine. The rogue 235 is excellent at mig, its stick is good but not as good as the rogue 200 believe it or not. There isn’t any other mig welder I would trade the 235 for though, but 250 amp class machines from everlast/lincoln/miller/etc could likely do the same job, just not as portable.

[@jhowse19801]

@makingmistakeswithgreg Thanks for the food for thought. I do have 220v shore power on a 50 amp breaker with 6awg wire. Don't ever trip breakers now after I installed that circuit. I have a Predator 9000 generator but I don't use it for welding due to my current machines lack of PFC. I live in a farming community and you never know what project will come your way so it's good to have options. I am sold on the Rouge 200 and will look further into the emp 190 for portable and home use options. The Rebel 235 can wait for now, but with its mig capabilities I think it would do anything I would ever need. And being under 3 grand it's a good option for a machine that powerful.

[@kelvinelrick807]

The Tweco fabricator 252i seems to be a pretty good 3 in 1. It'll even weld both 6010 and 6011 pretty decently, now I've only been welding for a 2-3 years so take it with a grain of salt. But I'm able to weld overhead with... I think I used 6010 on that project. It's only lift TIG. The arc is pretty stable at low amps as well.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to hear. That unit definitely has enough power to handle a lot on the mig end. It’s tough finding a machine that will run 6010 that is an all in one, most of the 200a class machines don’t unfortunately.

[@mkearn724]

I always enjoy your content Greg, time has been limited but every chance I get I try to catch up on your channel. I couldn’t agree more about the not having a back up machine being a huge downfall. As far as a dedicated stick machine, I more impressed with my fronius transpocket 180. For such a small machine it runs any electrode like butter. I prefer it over my miller 280 cst 280. I’ve eyed up the htp multi process machines pretty hard, but I always talk myself out of it.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The mini stick welders (especially if they tig) are my favorite welders bar none. They weld so good and can be carried right to what you’re working on 😀.

[@TheMadHatter626]

I got the ESAB 205 for the AC tig feature and I found that I can stick weld better with it vs my Miller CST 280. What I don't like about the esab is the fan is time based instead of temperature like the Miller.

[@googlegok9637]

spot on! 5 years ago i bought a new AC tig , that also do plasma cut , but it is such a pain to switch that it simply "my" goto tig , that it . Couldn't live without a light wight stick and my old transformer mig with 0.8mm wire is just always ready for a quick tack .

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Pain to switch means it sits setup as a single process 😅

[@jackowens9440]

Hay Greg what kind of tig low price would you recommend to start off with for a beginner a stand alone like you said thanks jack

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

If you want to learn tig and have a solid but functional welder I would suggest the everlast 161sth. It’s not ac capable (so no aluminum) but it checks all the boxes for what you really want. It has a gas solenoid in the machine, high frequency start (so you don’t have to touch the tungsten to the material) the arc is pretty smooth, and it has settings that you can adjust that allow you to get a lot of capability out of it. At 160 amps of output it’s capable of welding up to 3/8th steel pretty easily. It also stick welds decent. Going to one of their 200amp machines would give more power, and duty cycle, but they weld about the same. When you get into cheaper Amazon specials they generally have worse arc starters (basically they blow a hole in thin material) their amperage ramping via foot pedal isn’t as smooth, and they often lie about output (they claim 200 but actually output 150. The everlast 161 for under 500$ is a much better place to start, and doesn’t take up much room which is really nice.

[@ypaulbrown]

Wonderful Greg ….thanks for the information…Paul

[@garthland]

I've had great results with Lincoln 350MP/360MP's. Own a 350,run a 360 at work-mostly dualshield,7018,6010-that being said I don't do much tig off either one. My experience is buy the best equipment that you can afford and work up. Cheap and hard to run is better than none at all

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

You bring up a great point, when you get into the bigger power sources a lot of the limitations are removed. Spray, dual shield, and 6010 are not a concern at all. The main limitation is most have lift arc and more limited tig functioning. If I wanted a single wire and stick machine for a shop 100% a power source would be it. The only real limitation of those setups for wire is the gun size is so big it’s tough to get it in tight spots. A 140a mig machine would solve that lol.

[@garthland]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Exactly! I picked up a used Lincoln 260 a year ago and have put almost 400 lbs of .035 through it,the gun is light and kinda great!

[@andrewshedron425]

I have an all in one that doesn't do MiG but it does have a plasma cutter. Do you think these type of machines that don't have mig still have a poor tig welder compared to a stand alone?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So to me a quality tig welder will have high frequency start, a built in gas solenoid, responsive/smooth amperage adjustment, fan on demand, preferably a low amp (sub 20a) arc starter, and ease of setting adjustability. I am fortunate enough to have a miller dynasty, which many call the best tig welder on the market. Shockingly enough I have used much cheaper tig welders that are easier to adjust settings on and are very close in actual performance. Many machines can achieve what I consider to be the benchmark of tig performance. Your machine may meet what I would consider the benchmark. If you don’t have high frequency start, a really good arc starter, or solid low amp performance you are missing out on what tig is capable of. The thing is though, there is something to be said for a person who knows exactly how their machine runs and can use it to the full extent. Never be disappointed with the equipment you have, use it to the best of your ability and if you believe it’s holding you back consider upgrading. With welders the biggest limitations come in the form of what they can’t do. Many can’t run 6010 and if you want to run that rod that’s a problem. Many cheap ones lie about max output and that’s a problem because you lose ability to weld thicker material that a better welder could. Skill can make up for so much of the finer details but eventually skill won’t make a difference if the machine doesn’t have the ability.

[@andrewshedron425]

@makingmistakeswithgreg thanks. Yes I have high frequency start, 5 amp min start up, 200 amp max, pulse, 2 and 4t. I was just curious. Just now cutting my teeth on TIG. I've got experience on stick and MiG. I do like how this stick welds as long as I'm plugged into 240. I can set a hot start or high frequency start on stick too. Can even use the pedal as controller with stick as well. It's a HitBox CT520. Mixed reviews from inexperienced people. So far I like it. Just gotta put in some hours practicing. One downfall it has that you mentioned is it is only a DC machine. Thanks again

[@meguinlia]

100% agree with you on having at least 2 machines for various processes. I just recently got rid of some ancient shitty transformers I had and nearly went with the Lincoln '4 in 1' Powercraft 200M that's seems to be every here in NZ and ozzy. I'm really glad I didn't in the end as it just wasn't big enough as a single welder for my needs so I ended up keeping my UNIMIG (Xcelarc) Viper 165 that I picked up for about $400USD on special years ago and an TIGArc $900USD (WTL rebrand) 200amp AC/DC TIG stick machine that's been an absolute little beast, especially for the money. It might be the best stick welder I have ever used too. I've just taken delivery last week of a new CIGWELD (ESAB owned now) BlueVenom XF252 with a pulse mate that's been really impressive for MIG pulse spray. I would have got the 3 phase 353 but only have single phase at home. I also picked up the TIG pedal for the XF252 just encase I had any issues with the other machines and if I ever needed more than 200amp DC. I am so glad I did as my TIGArc suddenly stopped flowing gas correctly, not flowing more than about 5litre/min no matter what pressure or flow I tried to push through it. It was under warranty so I took it back to my local BOC store and they took care of everything but was without my welder for over a week and was saved by having a second machine with a pedal. I used it twice for quick little bits that would have had to wait until my main TIG machine got back. Thanks for your great content man, really love your channel. Great book learning backed up with facts and demos than anyone can understand, one of my few must watch channels ;)

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

You never know when a welder might go down, it always happens when you least want it to lol. You likely made a good decision skipping the all in one. The overall performance and lack of screwing with changing processes is far better with multiple machines. You’re always best having a bit more welder than you need than one that barely meets your needs.

[@austinkissling9036]

quick note my esab rebel 285 is a killer mig machine, it kicks ass at that and it does stick fine, and i either scratch start tig or use my cheap alpha tig

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I considered going to the 285 since it has an upgraded drive roll system and it does run 6010 a bit better, but I decided the 235 had enough output for my needs. You are right, the bigger rebels are quite powerful and weld excellent. They are kind of in a class by themselves since most of the other machines are 20lbs heavier and 40% bigger. Not to mention the construction of the rebel is legitly capable of being used outdoors. They spent a lot of effort to make sure water can’t get inside, such as using gaskets, sealing components in bags, designing the case so water cant run into the machine, and using silicone to protect components. Very unique construction compared to what else is out there on the market.

[@SuperDd40]

Hi I bought the Everlast Muti-pro160 tig/stick/plasma. I'm not a welder , I haven't tried many welders to make comparison but when i bought it , it was the only combo tig/stick/plasma out there (made the selection easy) and i don't find the flaws you stated . No it won't run 6010 but 6011 is ok . Tig has high freq start and i didn't noticed the incremental step down when pulling back the amperage but as i said I'm not a welder maybe i just don't see it. What if we add a plasma cutter to your equation though ?🤔

[@melgross]

Loss of reliability.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I have only used a plasma included machine that was an Amazon special, and it wasn’t very good lol. By the sound of it your machine is meeting your needs just fine, and that’s what matters most. Something I didn’t really cover much is the importance of understanding what your needs are and finding a machine that can match that. For me I need certain things (like super low amperage tig on a/c) to be able to do a lot of the work I do. The difference between a 4k tig machine and a 1k might not matter for someone with average skill who isn’t working on super thin material or on stuff that absolute control matters. The great thing is skill will significantly trump equipment to a pretty significant degree. Edit: also, everlast historically has always had pretty decent/smooth tig arcs. That’s something many “affordable” welders really struggle with.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I have only used a plasma included machine that was an Amazon special, and it wasn’t very good lol. By the sound of it your machine is meeting your needs just fine, and that’s what matters most. Something I didn’t really cover much is the importance of understanding what your needs are and finding a machine that can match that. For me I need certain things (like super low amperage tig on a/c) to be able to do a lot of the work I do. The difference between a 4k tig machine and a 1k might not matter for someone with average skill who isn’t working on super thin material or on stuff that absolute control matters. The great thing is skill will significantly trump equipment to a pretty significant degree. Edit: also, everlast historically has always had pretty decent/smooth tig arcs. That’s something many “affordable” welders really struggle with.

[@danielmichalka2648]

I have gotten an esab rebel 205 about year mainly because of the limmited space i have and i am happy with both tig and stick performance and kinda unhappy with mig performance considering i am running 400 amp kemppi machines at work all the time

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The 205 rebel does a lot of things well. What’s strange to me is they didn’t carry over some of its features to other rebels, like the internal LED lighting. It definitely is lacking on power in comparison to your work machine. There is something to be said about 300+ amp machines and how effortless they wire weld.

[@scrapmanindustries]

I run a fronius Transsteel 2200 and the trans pocket 180. The transsteel is a pretty good tig welder if you’re only looking for lift arc dc tig. On the stick side it’s good if you’re not trying to run 6010/6011. It does struggle to start the rods sometimes though. The trans pocket is one of the best stick welders I’ve owned. I also have a Lincoln 210mp on the truck with my trans pocket. If I’m mig welding and then have to run stick I usually dig out the fronius because of how not great the Lincoln is at stick. Crazy thing is, the Lincoln welds stick way better than my old Hobart stick mate and that’s all I used to run for years. Funny how we adapt to things when we have to.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

What you described is exactly what I experienced too. I owned a Lincoln tig 200 (good tig welder, terrible stick welder) and the same 210mp. The 210 was a great mig machine but numerous welders I had (miller maxstar 161, esab rogue 180, and even a harbor freight titanium 225) would stick weld so much better. Definitely not surprised you use the trans pocket as needed. It sucks that there isn’t a single welder that welds the way you would want lol. Atleast you can get the stick performance you like in a small package like the trans pocket, beats hauling around another welder the size of the 210 just to burn some 6010-11 rods lol.

[@scrapmanindustries]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg yeah. And it’s funny too cause Lincoln is know for their high quality stick welders like the rangers, vantage, and the Sa200

[@ghostdog662]

I bought a Harbor Freight Omnipro 220 (does all except AC tig) for the Tig function. Little did I know how many things I wish I had. For one, the manual gas flow is so annoying. If you put in a fresh tungsten and forget to open the argon, 99 times out of 100, it will cause mayhem. I used that machine for stick and mig, which it does well. Yeswelder had a good deal for black Friday so I ended up with the TIG-200P-ACDC-PRO .

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Many all one machines are the same way, they have manual gas valves and lift arc start. On face value that seems like not a big deal, but as you found out when you get to using it a bunch you realize it’s frustrating. I always forgot to turn the gas flow off, and would end up waiting a bunch of argon lol. That’s why I always tell people to buy a machine with a gas valve and high frequency start if they can swing it. So much less frustrating.

[@simonni4483]

Have you ever used OTC Daihen machines?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I have not used any of their products. They primarily focus on industrial machines and robotic welding. I have experience with big power source welders of 400+ amps just not from that company 👍.

[@jhitt79]

Just a thought regarding the “not having a backup” point you made about a multiprocess machine: I recommend any person have a oxy acetylene torch set before they even have a welding machine. I can’t imagine not having one as I use one often at work and home. If a fella is thinking about learning to TIG then he should spend some time learning to oxy acetylene weld some first. If your multiprocess machine goes down having a torch set is a backup. Obviously, not for production welding, but if that’s what you’re doing then this video probably isn’t for you anyways. To your opinion on running 6010: my cheap Titanium 225 runs 6010 WAY better than the Miller 220 multiprocess at work.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Having a torch is a really handy thing to have no doubt. It solves so many difficult to fix problems (stuck/rusted bolts, cutting thick steel fast, bending steel, etc). No doubt if you can weld with it you can tig fairly easy. I heard the miller 220 was updated November last year with a module to let it run 6010. The rumor was schools were complaining that for 4k and it couldn’t run 6010 and that the sales were dropping. I have not run the “new one” but the old one definitely was a downgrade on 6010 over the titanium 225. That’s a perfect example of how stand alone welders can have better stick performance. A sub 300$ welder stick welding better than a 4k multi process. I completely believe it because I have seen it myself and know it’s true lol.

[@jhitt79]

@ I bought my Titanium 225 used for $100 without leads. Made 12’ 2g leads with a nice stinger and ground clamp for another $100. It’ll do anything I’d ever need it to do for $200.

[@BCole-bj4lv]

Thanks for the info. I really think you should talk about other welders you have owned as well. KZbinrs do reviews and opinions and none of them are "welders" - you know what I mean. When I want to buy a different machine, I want to see someone who welds to tell me about it. I'm a part-time welder, let's say. I have limited experience with different machines. I tend to agree with you though. I don't want to not have backup so I have different machines and the same for plasma. If my plasma is a welder and it breaks, I loose both. That's my thinking. I have a AHP Tig a/c d/c for aluminum and it does decent with all rods except 6010 (not adjustable). It has automatic hot start. My Lincoln engine drive Weldanpower runs any stick, very well. I have a Everlast Cyclone 262 which is a beast to move but welds 33# wire spools in the shop. It has all the bells and whistles on setup for mig or stick but the screen sucks. It sticks 6010 nicely and any other rod as well - arc force/timed hot start/ vrd/ but no anti-stick. I use a cheap 120/240 Hynade a lot on the road, but it only welds 6013 3/32 well. I'm interested in small lightness of the Hynade but I wish it welded 6011 and 7018 or at least 6011. I'm an old stick welder but perhaps these new, small, flux-core machines would be a thing.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The unfortunate thing with KZbin and welder machines is many companies give out machines for free to get exposure and sales, so tons of channels basically become shill review channels lol. I have been offered many machines from tons of Amazon companies and I just turn it down. I already know what the machines are (junk lol). I definitely will do a video talking about all the welders I have owned and what I thought about them. I have owned a ton of machines and still do, so I have a lot of thoughts on that lol. It sounds like you have a lot of things you like and are particular with how welders work, that’s a good thing. Believe it or not the only welder I have ever owned that I feel was literally perfect was the miller maxstar 161sth. Literally how it welded with 7018/6010 was perfect. It’s tig would start at like 5amps and I swear it would weld down to 1 amp. Its arc starter worked better than my miller dynasty. It’s the only welder I have owned that I regret selling, if they weren’t so expensive I would buy one again.

[@BCole-bj4lv]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Thanks again. I had a feeling that's why the non-weldor is making videos. They are a waste. Good to know about the miller. I'll check marketplace for kicks.

[@TexasNationalist1836]

You should do a follow up on the CMR fabrications pipelines hood

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I will, after I get a bunch of time using it. I am currently using it on a 15 week pipe welding training and I will report back at the end on my thoughts. I also have a Honeywell fiber metal hood I will be comparing it to.

[@zorinho20]

I have Rogue,beastly little machine. Also AC/DC Rebel is in my sights,but it has hefty price.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Keep an eye on cyber weld, they have ran deals on the 205 for under 3k apparently. The 205 is actually a very solid welder, I bought one used and welded with it for a year. It is very portable, super efficient, runs on a generator or 120v well, and just flat out welds good. I believe that the miller 220 is a better tig machine, but at 4k it’s really hard to stomach that price. Not to mention the esab 205 is far better for portable work (better dust/water resistant, and smaller) than the miller 220. The 205 is also a lot better than everlasts ac/dc machines when you actually use it. Definitely worth it.

[@edjohnson6361]

Would like to see you test a YesWelder CT2050 MP. Great videos by the way!

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I might get one of those, a lot of requests have been made. Yes welder tried to get me to test some of their welders (I don’t take free welders) but I might take it out of the channels budget to get one 👍.

[@edjohnson6361]

@makingmistakeswithgreg We are a 501c3 non-profit animal sanctuary and teaching farm, but I have only ever MIG welded. They sent me a CT2050 as a donation to help us rebuild after 3 hurricanes. With only a few minutes of stick or tig experience, I had no issues with 6010 rods and tig for 1/4" and 3/8" plate (thanks to your videos). It does have build quality issues but support has been great. Thanks for a great, to the point, informative channel.

[@lonniehall9006]

Have you ever used an old Lincoln idealarc 250 stick machine?? I have one and it is the absolute best stick welder ever. It still works great. Probably 1950’s or 1960’s. Kentucky

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I owned one for years, and ended up selling it 2 years ago when I sold the building I owned. Mainly because it weighed so much and I had no place to put it. I ended up buying a miller dial arc 250 (which is almost as heavy lol) since then and still own that. People talk crap about the ideal arcs, dial arcs, and many other older transformer machines as being irrelevant, but they still weld very good. A lot of the reason why they are so good is they have giant copper “reactors” right before the output terminals. Basically the d/c output is very smooth, and has a certain “quality” to it that’s hard to replicate with a modern machine. They also have no issue with handling 6010 rods which is a big struggle for many modern machines.

[@kentsinclair]

I feel like the target market for this video. Just picked up a Rogue 200 on a deal from CyberWeld after watching many mistakes videos with Greg. Shopping and figuring out a generator and probably going with an 8k dual fuel model inverter as well.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

A 8k will have no issue running the rogue. You won’t be disappointed with the welder. I am the biggest fan of small case portable tig/stick welders, especially ones that can run on 120/240. It’s amazing what that rogue can do. In the long run you may want to get a foot pedal (buy from Amazon from SSC controls, they make it for esab and it’s much cheaper) and you will likely benefit from a flex neck ck torch that’s far more flexible and light, but the setup it comes with does work great.

[@bryanthornton6787]

Great video as always. I do have some questions unrelated to the video and I know you'd know the answers. Is there a way to ask them besides here in the comments?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Generally comments are the best way to get ahold of me simply because it’s easy to go through them through the youtube creator app. However my email at Weldingoldschool at gmail is active again and I should be able to respond.

[@bryanthornton6787]

@makingmistakeswithgreg Thanks. Email sent.

[@baconpizza1239]

I passed on a cyberweld deal on blk friday, Esab 205 acdc for $2600. They're now at $3300. I thought it was a typo.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Wow, that’s a really good deal. I owned the 205 and it was a really good portable package. It was a excellent stick and mig welder, and is really the only portable ac/dc all in one I would ever consider buying (many of the ac capable machines are too big to be real portable). Where the 205 is limited is mostly with tig. It had the least smooth tig arc I have ever used. It would click and step up or down in like 2 amp increments. It was not just my machine, if you watch videos on it you can hear the sound. I found that annoying and its a/c seemed to run way hot on the low end. I am used to tapering off on aluminum slowly and filling a crater, I felt it would more or less just cut off below 25 amps. This made it really hard to have clean crater free aluminum welds on anything thinner than 1/8th. Realistically though, the machine is about the perfect maintenance type welder for portable welding. No it’s tig arc isn’t the best, but it’s serviceable. Its stick performance is solid, and the mig is excellent. It is a massive step up over most of the other all in ones out there.

[@macc7620]

My first welder was tha titanium 200 I'm trying to finish the 10# spool flux wire to get solid wire and just do mig! I also bought two of the flux 125 one 225 stick the old Lincoln 225 one old Miller ac 225 and the arccaptain tig/ stick, I'm not a professional welder but can't help it!

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Having a bunch of machines is the way to go. It’s nice to setup each the way you want with the wire you want. Much less frustrating and faster to switch what you’re doing. That’s one reason why I like tig, I can weld virtually anything with just a instant change of filler wire.

[@TheGameBoy56]

Love ur videos buddy can you do video on price of consumables on MiG welder China welders vs name brand

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So I can tell you that I almost never buy consumables like contact tips from the welder manufacture, I buy generic ones. I have had good luck with those. However there are many things that are worth buying from the OE company. A great example would be torch tips. I have 3 smith torches and I swear I cannot find a generic tip that works correctly/ the same as the real ones. In a similar case tig torch parts seems. I definately need to think about this in depth and make a video on it 😀👍.

[@tigxxl]

👍If something is for everything, it's for nothing! And seriously, also focusing on Fronius, in my case their MIG machines, even those for 5000 USD, also have very poor TIG functionality. Unless we're talking about combines for over 30 thousand USD. For me, another important thing is that having 2 separate machines for different processes, you can always lend one to a friend. And as you say, a dedicated TIG has definitely more settings, the same with the power of the MIG, more for less. Greetings from Poland.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Much of the undesirable performance on mig vs tig vs stick is rooted in the fact tig and stick regulate amperage and mig regulates voltage. They require completely different power supplies and using one is incredibly difficult to get proper functioning that matches standalone units. It would almost be easier to have two separate welders in one case with ideal designs for the process than trying to control a single one. It sucks that’s the case but having two Machines isn’t the end of the world 😀

[@tigxxl]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg 😃 As for the type of power supply, you are absolutely right. But as for forcing "digital" transformers to work in different modes, I am not entirely convinced, it may not be super easy, but it is probably about the price, because the lower it is, the greater the manufacturer's profit. It seems to me that if Fronius wanted to, they would easily produce a universal device with good parameters with a power of about 250-300 amps for reasonable (for them) money, but why, when you can earn more by selling separate devices and the industry will pay as much as they want. But getting back to your Miller Dynasty 210, the Polish channel had the 300 version on tests and there was talk of an attachment for it, meaning a drive in a suitcase that allows MIG welding. Of course, they messed something up during delivery and there were no cables to connect the attachment and this function was not shown. But considering that you talked to the Miller director and you have inputs there 😆, can you find out more about it? I won't switch to Miller 🤑 for this reason, but the topic is interesting, and I hope that maybe they would even provide you with such a test attachment, that would be great 🤔. Greetings from Poland. P.s. Link to the Miller Dynasty 300 test in Poland kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWmweayMhZuhobs

[@Boodieman72]

I would like to see a video on engine driven welding machines, if you haven't already.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I have not, and I am waiting for some sales to pickup some smaller options. I have ran a few engine drives and definitely have opinions on them. The hard part is there are so many choices and capabilities it can be hard to pick. I will definitely do a video on this in the future.

[@charliejoyner1055]

Own an Eastwood 250i, older model, have 12500 peak, 8500 actual, generator. Recommendations for for portable mig and tig machine. Tig needs to be ac/dc and separate mig.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So here is my advice on your situation. Running welders on a generator sucks unless the welder has power factor correction. Since generator breakers are not like house breakers (they trip close to rating and you don’t have a bottomless pit of power to work with like on a.house electrical system) to get any decent output you must run the welder on 240 and it must be made with power factor correction. To put it bluntly a welder without pfc you will likely get between 165 and 185 amps out of a mig machine on your generator. With PFC you will get 220-230 amps out on mig. For actual machines for an all in one the only option on that generator would be the rebel 205. The miller 220 is great but it has higher power requirements to max out and isn’t as portable. For stand alone machines the biggest issue is you won’t find many a/c tig machines that have PFC. That isn’t a huge deal because Tig operates at low enough output voltage you probably won’t trip the breaker at 200a of tig output. So tig wise you could likely run most 200a machines without issue provided they are better than an Amazon special. For mig the esab rogue/rebel series, millers numerous inverter 200a class, fronius 200a class, and Lincoln’s newer 215 series will be able to hit 200a on your generator. Most of all Amazon special 200a mig machines (if they output 200a) will trip your breaker. Stick wise you will be unlikely to hit above 150-160a with any stick welder without PFC before the breaker trips. I know that’s a lot of info, but this is my suggestion. Get a decent tig machine and don’t worry too much about how efficient it is unless you plan on welding 3/16th aluminum or thicker. A everlast 200a ac/dc will likely work. Spend the money on a esab rebel 215, a miller 215, or a Lincoln equivalent. You will be able to have functional mig welding and you need far more mig output to weld stuff than tig and stick. With stick you can weld anything with 1/8th 7018 at 130a and tig at 160a of output you can weld most anything (other than aluminum which needs more). 160a on mig isn’t anything, you need atleast 180a of output which requires a PFC welder on your generator. Buying a better mig machine will get you more output so you have a useful setup.

[@kurts7268]

Are you from Minnesota Greg?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Wisconsin, pretty close 😅

[@brnmcc01]

Wisconsin I think, but he definitely has a Minneapolis accent, lol

[@richarcruz7843]

Great Video I believe most of us make that mistake but Truth be told one process one unit per process is th only way to go ….Everlast are great way to go (NOT MP’s machines) specially their 253dpi an 255 ext 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

100%. For years I have said everlasts stand alone machines are a real solid way to go. I have no issue with any of those. They just struggle to put together a non frustrating multi process machine lol.

[@bruced1429]

Greg my 2 multi process machine excell at adjustability. my HTP 220 pro has fully adjustable inductance, volts , arc force on mig tig and stick. Pulse on mig but not fully adjustable. My Fronius 2200 has full adjustability on mig stick tig but no pulse. My Fronius 180 has full adjustability on stick Arc force .pulse and the same with tig. My Esab 215 em is only mig and has 35 % inductance not adjustable. I set my machines like so , The HTP I use for pulse mig and a lot of aluminum, the Fronius 2200 is set for mig spray and all the odd wires like silicone bronze dual shield flux core, hard surface fluxcore and tig DC. The Fronius 180 , mostly stick as it does all of them 6010, 6011 no pulse but all other rods fully adjustable pulse. The Esab 215 em I set for mig 030 wire only and spool gun aluminum as needed. For portability the Fronius 2200 beats them all, light, runs 120 or 240. Has 2 gas ports and will do aluminum with the right mig torch set up. I would say my HTP is not really portable as it is quite heavy and they tell not to lift it with a 30 lb spool in it. I would also say that your Esab 235 is a very heavy portable welder .

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Your setup is exactly what makes sense, use each machine for its strong points and get to know the machines. When you get to a certain higher skill level everyone has a particular way they like things to weld, and that’s what they go with. It’s hard to describe it but you can have 10 welders with very similar specs and one or two just seem to weld just a bit better. That’s something that is hard to realize without actually using the machines. It’s also the reason why better machines typically cost more and they make it easier to put down good welds.

[@jhitt79]

The real way to save money on machines is to buy used. The average fella that’s drinking a couple cold snacks and melting metal in the garage should buy a torch set first. Yeswelder MIG machine second and a primeweld 225x TIG machine third. (All used, of course.) That’ll do anything a fella will ever need to do at home for repairs or hobbies like I have such as small engine work, antique tractors/ trucks.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Used is definitely a good way to go, most of the machines I have owned have been used. Only when I can’t find them used do I go new.

[@jamesjames5715]

you cant step on my toes cause i wear steel toe!!! bruhahah

[@charlottesspot]

based video.

[@ronfurro4161]

What? You aren't trying to shill the latest n supposed greatest? Bravo Sir!

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Until I started a KZbin channel I didn’t realize how many channels are literally shills for companies. I get daily requests from companies to review products and to do videos on products. Enough other people do that I don’t need to lol. Not to mention when I am brutally honest about things I don’t think companies would want to work with me after a video dropped 😅. And to be honest, the fact many people can just go to harbor freight and pickup a pretty decent welder from the titanium and Vulcan line, I don’t see much benefit testing and suggesting random companies products from Amazon. I rather focus and helping people improve their skills 😀👍

[@KZ-yy9pm]

I can weld and I still need you wire brush (and Greg)

[@jake-mv5oi]

I picked up one of those bluetti 2600W power stations on black friday. Going to see if it will run the rogue 200 on 120v when it gets in. It'd be awesome to run 3/32 7018 or 1/8" 6010 out on the trails off of such a small package.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So you have the right welder to attempt that, the rogue 200 maintains excellent efficiency and power factor at varying outputs. Based on what I remember from testing it, I would predict it should it be able to achieve 90a output with a 7018 on 2600 watts input. Now 6010 will be tough, 90a on a 6010 takes about 30v output voltage (vs 24 for 7018). Considering that pack has a bit of a reserve it is possible it will handle it. No doubt it should handle a 3/32 6010-6011. Most other small stick welders you wouldn’t hit more than probably 50a lol.

[@OldGuy70s]

Ya Haven't Run a Canaweld..............................

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

If I could get one affordable I would give it a shot Considering they seem to have actual electrical compliance stamps I bet they are quality machines. I will be selling my dynasty soon and who knows what I might go to soon 😀

[@brnmcc01]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Hey if you want to sell your Dynasty sometime, hit me up. That to me would be a nice machine to give TiG a try on. And if things don't go well, we both know I won't be able to blame it on the machine! Like someone said, if you can't weld with a Dynasty, you sure as sh*t ain't going to be able to use an Amazon special. haha.