mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You guys are unreal. An argument over the color of the sky would be as productive
Just bought a PrimeWeld Mig 180!
- Thread starter seagiant
- Start date
What makes a Miller or Lincoln or Hobart better than a Primeweld or Yeswelder?
My son bought a PW stick welder while he was in high school. He was able to afford it with his after school part time job. It welds just fine and he has completed quite a few projects with it. He did some competitive welding while in high school and did really well.
KwikFab
Well-known member
He's just arguing just to argue though.
The author, nor anyone else in the thread, ever said best bang for the buck which tells you right away he's just stirring **** up.
KwikFab
Well-known member
The high-schools in our county have competitions sponsored by FFA and other big names.
I've said this before, but >90% of what I see in fab shops is Miller. With a few Lincolns. Nothing else. These are "top" shops that have certified welders, QA programs, do work for DOE, DOD, etc. Not Jethro's trailer welding that's in the barn behind his house. Miller will be fine- the top shops don't care about price when your billed rate is $150+/hr for a welder. And from what I've seen, they sell off their welding machines every ~5 years- it's just digital displays now being used.
Saying that, I'm not sure what Lincolns future is. And I have a Lincoln MIG, so I'm not rooting against them, but if they're absent commercially, and they're essentially there IME, and they're not going to compete with the PrimeWelds, let alone the no-names.....
Jswain
Well-known member
Ever since I went Primeweld it's been clear blue skies
Yep FFA has welding competitions. The kids go to local district level contests and can win their way to state, kinda like football or basketball.
They’re assigned some different welds to make and there are some questions to answer about welding techniques and things like that.
KwikFab
Well-known member
Yep and if I recall correctly, outside of building certain things using 3 common processes (MIG, FCAW, SMAW, and sometimes GTAW) they also perform your standard 1G, 2G, and/or 3G tests.
KwikFab
Well-known member
It is, I see it posted all the time in our local FB groups.
Can't wait until the kid is old enough to start welding and going to high-school.
Correction - I can wait, he's only going to be a toddler so he's still cute AF
finn
Well-known member
Probably a regional thing.
My LWS handles both, as do many others When I last talked to him he said the local guys seemed to be buying more Lincoln’s lately, but these customers don’t likely fit into the “top fab shop” description. Mostly small shops and individuals. The two larger shops I visited recently, one of which does a lot of military and aerospace work, both had Miller equipment. However, what they have is irrelevant to what would be suitable for an individual, like me.
They both make good equipment, but in my eyes, Lincoln, being somewhat smaller, it think, probably pays more attention to the sub $5k market.
He will be there and gone before you know it.
My youngest (the welder) is off to get an engineering degree. Yours will be ready to start welding soon!
KwikFab
Well-known member
I had considered adding to this or not, but seeing as how arguments ensued in another thread (that I didn't post in) I'll say this much.
1. OP, congrats on the purchase. Mine never failed me and neither did my friend's MIG180. If you go to the Welding Project thread, I posted having done this +7' firepit all on his MIG180.
I've personally done MANY more projects on my own MIG180 during the time I owned it.
2. One thing to really focus on is CUSTOMER SUPPORT. I say this because of the naysayer bringing other companies in like Yeswelder and the sort.
I won't talk about the many things they've done for others, you can read about it yourself in the PrimeWeld group on Facebook. The owners are SUPER ACTIVE there.
My own personal experiences were -
A replacement regulator on what I thought was a regulator that came with my PrimeWeld machine. I don't even know if it was from PW but I got one sent on a whim with a quick phone call simply ASKING if accessories were covered. I had purchased a TIG225X over 4.5 - 5 years ago, a CUT60 over 3 years ago, a MIG180 that I used to own and sold, as well as a MIG285 (purchased when it first came out) along with their welding tables.
The CUT60 suffered one issue, and it was specifically one of the pins on the torch head for the hand torch. I was already outside of warranty and posted on the group asking if I should just bypass it (since it runs in series with the trigger switch) or go about it differently. Next thing you know, one of the owners is CALLING me the next day telling me he's sending me a whole new torch assembly and calling it warranty.
Those fixture tables I mentioned? I bought one, and was so happy with it I opted to buy a second one within a month.
Here's when I got the first one, so I had an idea of what to expect as far as packaging went and everything.
Being that these are cast, and not coated underneath, you can expect some rust. Cleaning off the excess can get a bit messy but it wasn't too bad.
The second one however, arrived in a not so favorable condition.
Now, yes the top is coated on the second one as well but it just happened to have really dirtied up the top as you can see the two side by side.
I called PW to let them know about how it arrived, but asked for nothing in return. I did so cause I've talked to them often about products, helping members on the group, and more.
About a day or two later, I got a large refund processed to me. I can't chalk it up to anything more than just PW ensuring all their customers are satisfied. Although the refund was largely unnecessary (but absolutely welcomed) because after a few minutes with some WD40 and a scotch brite pad, you can't tell much of a difference in person even.
What I didn't mention in the above statement is how I had actually got a discounted price on the table itself when I ordered the second one since I simply asked if they would've had enough inventory or not for Black Friday (their tables sell quickly).
3. You might've noticed the Hypertherm in the background in at least two of those pictures. Good.
I bought that brand new and had to deal with a **** show of an issue that is posted across two different forums (Langmuir forum and Plasmaspider).
Hypertherm is known for being the bees knees in plasma cutters. Well their customer support, albeit a bit helpful, is dogshit if you're trying to get something taken care of that was their own fault. I fought for over 2 months of dealing with issues with a brand new Hypertherm machine, with a brand new Hypertherm torch, while only using brand new Hypertherm consumables, and it wasn't until I finally went through Baker's Gas that Hypertherm finally said "sorry" and sent me a few consumables. I won't even mention all the 3/16" mild steel and time wasted trying to diagnose what was wrong.
1. OP, congrats on the purchase. Mine never failed me and neither did my friend's MIG180. If you go to the Welding Project thread, I posted having done this +7' firepit all on his MIG180.
I've personally done MANY more projects on my own MIG180 during the time I owned it.
2. One thing to really focus on is CUSTOMER SUPPORT. I say this because of the naysayer bringing other companies in like Yeswelder and the sort.
I won't talk about the many things they've done for others, you can read about it yourself in the PrimeWeld group on Facebook. The owners are SUPER ACTIVE there.
My own personal experiences were -
A replacement regulator on what I thought was a regulator that came with my PrimeWeld machine. I don't even know if it was from PW but I got one sent on a whim with a quick phone call simply ASKING if accessories were covered. I had purchased a TIG225X over 4.5 - 5 years ago, a CUT60 over 3 years ago, a MIG180 that I used to own and sold, as well as a MIG285 (purchased when it first came out) along with their welding tables.
The CUT60 suffered one issue, and it was specifically one of the pins on the torch head for the hand torch. I was already outside of warranty and posted on the group asking if I should just bypass it (since it runs in series with the trigger switch) or go about it differently. Next thing you know, one of the owners is CALLING me the next day telling me he's sending me a whole new torch assembly and calling it warranty.
Those fixture tables I mentioned? I bought one, and was so happy with it I opted to buy a second one within a month.
Here's when I got the first one, so I had an idea of what to expect as far as packaging went and everything.
Being that these are cast, and not coated underneath, you can expect some rust. Cleaning off the excess can get a bit messy but it wasn't too bad.
The second one however, arrived in a not so favorable condition.
Now, yes the top is coated on the second one as well but it just happened to have really dirtied up the top as you can see the two side by side.
I called PW to let them know about how it arrived, but asked for nothing in return. I did so cause I've talked to them often about products, helping members on the group, and more.
About a day or two later, I got a large refund processed to me. I can't chalk it up to anything more than just PW ensuring all their customers are satisfied. Although the refund was largely unnecessary (but absolutely welcomed) because after a few minutes with some WD40 and a scotch brite pad, you can't tell much of a difference in person even.
What I didn't mention in the above statement is how I had actually got a discounted price on the table itself when I ordered the second one since I simply asked if they would've had enough inventory or not for Black Friday (their tables sell quickly).
3. You might've noticed the Hypertherm in the background in at least two of those pictures. Good.
I bought that brand new and had to deal with a **** show of an issue that is posted across two different forums (Langmuir forum and Plasmaspider).
Hypertherm is known for being the bees knees in plasma cutters. Well their customer support, albeit a bit helpful, is dogshit if you're trying to get something taken care of that was their own fault. I fought for over 2 months of dealing with issues with a brand new Hypertherm machine, with a brand new Hypertherm torch, while only using brand new Hypertherm consumables, and it wasn't until I finally went through Baker's Gas that Hypertherm finally said "sorry" and sent me a few consumables. I won't even mention all the 3/16" mild steel and time wasted trying to diagnose what was wrong.
Hi,
I went through all of this years ago when 1911 Pistols started coming out of Turkey...
Tisas, Girsan, were putting out $300 FORGED Frame, Slide, and hammer forged Barrels!
I admittedly was not a Fan of Turkey's Politics but a moot point looking at our own Government.
Now Tisas's prices have risen and they are now in the USA and going Mainstream...
If Primeweld stays the course, they will to, and might just fill a Market Place that Miller, and Lincoln, have priced themselves out of???
I went through all of this years ago when 1911 Pistols started coming out of Turkey...
Tisas, Girsan, were putting out $300 FORGED Frame, Slide, and hammer forged Barrels!
I admittedly was not a Fan of Turkey's Politics but a moot point looking at our own Government.
Now Tisas's prices have risen and they are now in the USA and going Mainstream...
If Primeweld stays the course, they will to, and might just fill a Market Place that Miller, and Lincoln, have priced themselves out of???
Willie Makeit
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2013
- Messages
- 918
here's an idea: buy what you want & don't worry about how others spend their money
gizardlizard
Well-known member
Wanna hear some Irony? Miller welders are made less than two hours away from my house in Appleton, WI. I have a Miller at work used daily and a Primeweld at home used maybe once a month. Both have been flawless thus far. Wanna see my daily driver? It’s a 23 year old (almost 24) Toyota Sequoia who lived its entire life outside in the Wisconsin rust belt. Over 311,000 miles on it currently and with the exception tires, brakes and wearables, every part is original including every freaking light bulb on the truck. You must be a Chevy guy. Let’s see your 23 old truck.
Hi,
Well, I drove a 89 Ford F-150 for 25 years but there was some engine and ****** changes along the way...
Sold it to a Kid for $1K that wanted to completely rebuild it top to bottom.
The truck owed me nothing and had been driven all over the eastern seaboard.
It had over 500K miles on it when sold!
I'm excited about this new Inverter Machine and what it can do!
Well, I drove a 89 Ford F-150 for 25 years but there was some engine and ****** changes along the way...
Sold it to a Kid for $1K that wanted to completely rebuild it top to bottom.
The truck owed me nothing and had been driven all over the eastern seaboard.
It had over 500K miles on it when sold!
I'm excited about this new Inverter Machine and what it can do!
finn
Well-known member
Just sold my 19 year old Ram and 19 year old Super duty. Both were relatively clean and sold in one day to the first people that looked at them.Wanna hear some Irony? Miller welders are made less than two hours away from my house in Appleton, WI. I have a Miller at work used daily and a Primeweld at home used maybe once a month. Both have been flawless thus far. Wanna see my daily driver? It’s a 23 year old (almost 24) Toyota Sequoia who lived its entire life outside in the Wisconsin rust belt. Over 311,000 miles on it currently and with the exception tires, brakes and wearables, every part is original including every freaking light bulb on the truck. You must be a Chevy guy. Let’s see your 23 old truck.
My 37 year old 88 Chevy plow truck is still there, albeit crusty. I think the only other Chevys I ever owned ars my 55 BelAir and my Chevy van which murdered a whitetail.
Seriously, Appleton is pretty much in the Banana belt where the snowmobile season sometimes lasts two weeks or less, and it’s on the east side of Lake Michigan, so mild winters, relatively speaking.
paulsomlo
Well-known member
How does the Primeweld stack up against an HTP?
finn
Well-known member
I’m about as far away from being a professional as you can get, so might not be the best person to ask.
My HTP mig welder is actually a prototype when the founder and former owner of the company was trying to figure out if there was a market for hobbiest 120v mig welders (he was a BSME in our group before his dad set him up in the welder business, importing units from Italy). This was in the mid 1980s when there weren’t really any machines in that class.
Mine is a transformer based welder, so it’s old school. Inverter machines didn’t come along until later. It’s rock solid and what I prefer for sheet metal work. Liked it better than the Millermatic 175 I bought later.
I later bought an HTP Invertig 200 ac/dc tig welder. I think it’s pretty similar to the later Invertig 220 (221?) just not as compact. It’s probably 12-14 years old now with no issues.
I bought the PrimeWeld 225x on a Black Friday deal a couple of years ago to keep at our winter residence in Az. I bought it mostly to improve my limited skills. Performance wise, I don’t see a lot of difference. A pro might see it differently. Biggest and probably the only issue with the 225x is that the settings are mostly with analog potentiometers instead of digital. The newer, more powerful Tig325 is an improvement in this aspect, but also costs more.
I decided to ditch my old Millermatic 175 when I came on a hardly used Miller Multimatic 220 at what I thought was a fair price late last year. Unfortunately I really haven’t had the time to commission it. That’s on the schedule for next spring. The intent is to move the old HTP transformer mig and the HTP Invertig to the garage at home and set up the Multimatic as my primary machine in my shop. I’ll keep the PrimeWeld here in Az for the winters. It’s more of a toy though.
I really didn’t answer your question. No problems with the Primeweld or the HTP. HTP is under new ownership for the last year or two, so I don’t have a personal connection. Both are small companies, with no local outlets, but both have good reputations for customer support. Are they stable and viable long term, being small companies? I can’t answer that, but consider that some of the giants in the industry have disappeared too. Linde being an example that disappeared when Union Carbide folded. (I think ESAB picked up the pieces).
If you’re conservative and don’t want to risk making a mistake, buy Blue. Nobody ever got fired for buying Miller welders to fill their manufacturing plant or high tech fab shop. That comes at a price, though.
The HTP invertig 221 is ~$2100, the Primeweld 225x is $869., and the Miller Synchrowave 210 is $3300. Take your pick and pay your money. All will be satisfactory, in my experience.
paulsomlo
Well-known member
Thank you finn - I've had the HTP 221 on my list for several years now, but haven't pulled the trigger. Might be time to reset my sights on the Primeweld.
finn
Well-known member
Just to be clear, those machines are all ac/dc tig machines.
MiG only would be a better choice for learning, and all have machines with MiG and steel tig capabilities for less, if aluminum tig isn’t important to you. You can always use a spool gun for Al.
I’m a team blue fan (Miller). Always have been. I learned to weld on them in college. Bought a Syncrowave 200 shortly after, then a Miller 180 Autoset MIG.
The Syncrowave today is being used professionally in my friends automotive custom fab shop after I sold it to him 10 years ago.
My 180 I bought in 2010 I believe, still use it quite often.
I want a new TIG to play around with. The new one will be a PrimeWeld.
The Syncrowave today is being used professionally in my friends automotive custom fab shop after I sold it to him 10 years ago.
My 180 I bought in 2010 I believe, still use it quite often.
I want a new TIG to play around with. The new one will be a PrimeWeld.
Hi,
Well, maybe I don't get out enough, but from what I see these Prime Weld Machines...
Have been flying off the shelves, but...
I have been seaching my local FB Market these past months and...
Have yet to see a used PW Machine for sale used???
Does that mean people are keeping them, or they are not selling as many as I think they are???
Well, maybe I don't get out enough, but from what I see these Prime Weld Machines...
Have been flying off the shelves, but...
I have been seaching my local FB Market these past months and...
Have yet to see a used PW Machine for sale used???
Does that mean people are keeping them, or they are not selling as many as I think they are???
They are inexpensive welders.
IMO People are either using them or they are sitting in the garage waiting to be used. It's not like they have to sell it to pay their rent.
The one you have looks like a completely capable welder. For $600 bucks, I'd never mess with a used welder.
Wouldn't be surprised if half the welders on FBM are stolen or on death's door..
Random question about this MIG welder. When you pull the trigger, does the wire start coming out immediately or is there a second or a fraction of a second lag? Every MIG welder I have ever used has no lag at all, but my neighbor's Harbor Freight MIG has a lag which drives me crazy. There's nothing wrong with it as far as I know. It just takes the machine a second to start turning the drive rollers after pulling the trigger. I makes it very strange to weld with, especially if you're on and off the trigger a lot while welding thin stuff.
Edit- It may just be excessively long pre-flow. I wonder if it can be adjusted.
Edit- It may just be excessively long pre-flow. I wonder if it can be adjusted.
Last edited:
Hi,
Just noticed on one of Jody's excellent Vids that this Welder can do scratch start Tig!
I knew it would Stick Weld and do Aluminum, as it comes with a Stinger, and a Spool Gun...
I don't really use Tig, but interesting it is an option, and seems would make the Machine more useful for some looking for an affordable option that would do three different types of Welding!
Just noticed on one of Jody's excellent Vids that this Welder can do scratch start Tig!
I knew it would Stick Weld and do Aluminum, as it comes with a Stinger, and a Spool Gun...
I don't really use Tig, but interesting it is an option, and seems would make the Machine more useful for some looking for an affordable option that would do three different types of Welding!
KwikFab
Well-known member
I put multiple 11lb spools through my 180 before I sold it as well as my friends 180. I don't recall any "lag" that affected my welding at all.
I learned welding on a Miller 255, and used that quite a bit before using a 215, 350P, and old transformer based machines.
Having a lot of hours on those, only to go back to a 180, I'm sure I would've noticed it if it bothered me.
Hi,
Wow, wow, wow!!!
Well, I guess thirty years is a long time.
This little Mig is pretty nice.
Put a 10# spool of .023 solid wire, running an Argon/C02 Mix...
Very smooth Machine ran a few little beads playing with the power and wire feed rate.
The last bead is bottom right, and looks pretty good for no experience with the Welder.
This thing has to be great for Auto Body.
Will go up to .030 wire when this spool is gone!
Wow, wow, wow!!!
Well, I guess thirty years is a long time.
This little Mig is pretty nice.
Put a 10# spool of .023 solid wire, running an Argon/C02 Mix...
Very smooth Machine ran a few little beads playing with the power and wire feed rate.
The last bead is bottom right, and looks pretty good for no experience with the Welder.
This thing has to be great for Auto Body.
Will go up to .030 wire when this spool is gone!