MIG Welder Worth Buying?

[Crazyjake8493]

I found this semi-local listing for a Linde 225 MIG that looks to be in decent shape, and from what I'm told, they're better than anything comparable you can get for that price today.

https://albany.craigslist.org/tls/5991599911.html

The only problem is that it doesn't have a MIG gun. How hard would it be to find a gun that would work with this welder? With some quick research I couldn't come up with any straight answers. Assuming I can get a MIG gun for it, is the welder worth buying?

I do quite a bit of TIG and stick, but I know nothing about MIG so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mr_fixit]

I wouldn't buy any used welder unless the seller could demonstrate it, or that you could get it to work before you buy it.

 

[454ragtop]

I don't think it would be a big deal to get a gun for it, could probably tell you if you asked on one of the welding forums. And while I think that is a decent welder, working, I wouldn't buy it non working either. Strange that the gun is gone, makes you wonder if the welder failed, so they robbed the gun off it for another machine.

 

[crab]

Well if it's cheap enough, what the hell. What do they want for it ?

 

[crab]

Just saw the add, nope, not without seeing it work.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Is it three phase or single phase? I also find it mighty strange that the gun is missing. I wouldn't pay $300 for it, that's for sure.

 

[speed bump]

Looks like a you can get guns for it and Esab may still have other parts. It's an old machine though so the best question to ask is are you willing to give up $500 to try to make it run?

 

[sberry]

Yes, I think it takes a tweeco backend. It's a good machine and has an extra setting. if the bottle comes with it I say it's a deal and worth a chance. Something else, it can be repaired, no logic chips, pretty straight forward but these are tough and that doesn't look like it's been used for football practice.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm going to pass on it since I really don't have a need for a MIG at the moment anyways. It just piqued my interest as I was scrolling through CL. A lot of guys put down the cheaper inverter MIG machines (and I can't afford a Miller!), so when I saw that I looked into it a bit.

 

[MrJason]

I bought a Hobart 210 at Tractor Supply for $650 on special. Best return on investment, thus far.

Buy used, from friends you trust. All others, no thanks.

Just a thought.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[sberry]

I doubt someone looking to get 300 for that is out on a get rich scheme especially if it comes with that bottle.
We don't seem to be concerned to depreciate a car 500 a month but minor risk for a tool is a big deal, same for the worry to tears about warranty on a 1$ socket.

 

[dr_clyde]

Around here, a cylinder of that size (330 CF) costs over $300 for an outright purchase. Cylinder alone makes it a good deal.

Guns are a consumable. They break, wear out, go obsolete, and so on. Most likely a new gun will be a couple hundred bucks new. You may be able to find a used gun on ebay or on a trade in at the welding supply. Hell, they may have one they can loan you to test the machine. Most welding supply houses have a demo or rental fleet, they may be able to find something that will work for you. Worst they can say is no.

If I needed a wire welder, I'd roll the dice for $300. There isn't much to go bad in those. ESAB owns the brand now, so you may still be able to get parts.

On those old machines, the components that can fail tend to be off the shelf electronic parts (capacitors, resistors, ect). Not un-repairable, generally.

 

[Showkey]

Minor risk ????? Considering a new unit with a 3 year warranty delivered to your door for $300-$500. Buying someone else's possible scrap on the roll of the dice makes very little sense. Not to mention it might be 3 phase. As for the bottle .......without paper work it might also be scrap.

If it can be tested .......i am in at $300.........no test no sale.

 

[dr_clyde]

Minor risk ????? Considering a new unit with a 3 year warranty delivered to your door for $300-$500. Buying someone else's possible scrap on the roll of the dice makes very little sense. Not to mention it might be 3 phase. As for the bottle .......without paper work it might also be scrap.

If it can be tested .......i am in at $300.........no test no sale.

You're not comparing apples to apples. There's no way you're gonna get an industrial grade 250 amp wire welder with cylinder brand new delivered to your door for $500. I'm sorry, just not happening. You may be able to get a newer import, that isn't near the machine.

I have bought a ton of used cylinders. Never once been asked for any paperwork. That all depends on your gas supplier. Some are fine, some aren't. Not knowing OP's exact situation, I went with what I know.

OP could always offer less. I would think $200 and some negotiation would be reasonable with no test.

 

[sberry]

As the dr says, that is a machine cost 2 to 2500 new now and its not a 180 compact mig. Its got a lot of poop, likely the op doesn't need it but that bottle is getting harder to find for the diy types, I wouldn't even blinked at this deal. As I said, spend a grand on a pos TV, drive a car cost 50$ an hour to operate and piss and moan about the cost of a cheap tool, peoples sense of value is fukked up. If this was a 500$ set of snap wrenches and the dealer gave 50 off he would be a national hero.
I know a guy give 35K for Harley and thinks a an adjustable wrench at 10 is a rip off. 300 $ for a jacket makes him look like a wanna be. 200 for some boots probably saved his dumb *** 2 weeks after he got the thing, cost 2 grand to fix some paint and he would be the guy thinks this is a huge risk.

 

[Sycan]

Even if the bottle doesn't come with it, that would be in my shop already. But I gamble on alot of things like that.

 

[sberry]

Yes, I do too. I bought a genset for 300, it was a gamble as I bought it not running with a problem. A new one was closer to 3K than not, cost me 50$ in parts and half a day.
The Linde is pretty reliable, the add doesn't have that blow smoke appearance, most people are straight up with this kind of thing and the worst case scenario, the very worse thing that can happen is 300 out. Seems low risk to me. Way better than casino odds and way above lottery tickets.

 

[Sycan]

Yes, I do too. I bought a genset for 300, it was a gamble as I bought it not running with a problem. A new one was closer to 3K than not, cost me 50$ in parts and half a day.
The Linde is pretty reliable, the add doesn't have that blow smoke appearance, most people are straight up with this kind of thing and the worst case scenario, the very worse thing that can happen is 300 out. Seems low risk to me. Way better than casino odds and way above lottery tickets.

Agreed.

There are great deals if you aren't afraid of the risk. I bought a 1990 Ford F700 to build my service truck on for $800 on an online auction. Just going off a few pictures as it was a couple hundred miles away. Loaded the trailer for the worst case scenario as it had been parked for years. Two batteries and she fired up, built air pressure and drove it on the trailer. Would have cost me $5k for something comparable that I could test drive first. Roll the dice!!

 

[dnschmidt]

When it comes to MIG guns HTP can hook you up with anything. Great customer service and a great company. Their Euro welders are the **** too.

 

[Major Ramifications]

I just wanted to mention that I did NOT see the bottle when I said no way, so now it is a maybe.
Is it single phase (or do you have three phase)?
Do you have room for something that big?
Are you willing to flush $300 plus down the toilet?
Do you feel lucky? Well, do you punk?

 

[454ragtop]

So cause the bottle is in the pic, it must come with the welder, probably includes the jack stand too...............

 

[byoungblood]

If they don't have the means to make the machine available to be tested, I'd factor that into the offer price.

To be anywhere near what they're asking, they'd at least need to be able to show that it doesn't let the smoke out when it is plugged in and powered on. Maybe if you can hunt down a schematic to the welder you can find what lead to ground to kick the drive motor on, close the contactor and open the gas valve it would make the decision a little easier.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I messaged the guy to see if it could be tested and if the bottle was included. Our gas supplier here in town is really picky about what bottles they get, so chances are even if it was included I'd be driving an hour every time I needed an exchange. I've already got a few bottles of CO2 and argon I could swap out right in town, or get some C25.

Again, this isn't a big deal since I really have no need for a MIG at the moment. It's on my list of "maybe" tools along with a thickness planer for rough cut lumber.

It's also over an hour drive and I get 12mpg, so that's an additional factor for me with any Craigslist stuff.