Miller syncrowave 180 sd

[Thumper68]

There is a local auction with one up for bid.

What would a good price for this unit be, It does not come with a tig torch, regulator, or foot peddle.

The torch, regulator and foot peddle are in a separate auction.

MY other question would be, is this a good machine to relearn tig with, I know that I will need a tank of argon but that isn't a big deal I have a co2 syphon tank that I can exchange for one.

 

[Zrexxer]

I bought one of those brand new a few years ago for $1800, and if I were selling it today I would probably ask about $1200-1300. But mine still LOOKS brand new, too. That one might just be dirty, can't tell. Adjust price accordingly for condition. If it's under power, you can tell the number of hours/arc strikes by the following procedure. Not sure it really matters with a transformer machine, but it might tell you about how much it's been used.

"To read timer/cycle counter, place Output Selector switch between the AC and Electrode Negative (−) position, then turn power on.The hours and minutes are displayed on the volt and amp meters for the first five seconds."

 

[zkling]

How much of a gambler are you? It's a good machine, a little light on the top end amps. Ready to go in good condition they hover a little over a grand.

Without being able to test it out I wouldn't go over $500 for the machine and needed cables/pedal.

 

[Thumper68]

How much of a gambler are you? It's a good machine, a little light on the top end amps. Ready to go in good condition they hover a little over a grand.

Without being able to test it out I wouldn't go over $500 for the machine and needed cables/pedal.

I have been known to be a bit of a gambler for a good deal on a tool that I don't need but would like.

 

[DieselSaves]

I have a Miller 180 I picked up very lightly used probably ten years ago, I think I paid ~1300 for it in as new condition. It has been a good machine for light work. I added a thumb control for the power to make out of position work easier.

The biggest job it has done for me is an install of milk processing equipment at a local dairy that was adding a creamery. The welds were all on stainless tubing so it was all light gauge work. Any aluminum I've done has had to be light, irrigation pipe repairs, ladder legs, nothing over 1/4 and then only for short spells as it tripped internal shutoff.

I'd say it's a decent machine for light projects and a decent machine to learn on. I'd stay in the afore mentioned $500 range for the used machine in question. If you do end up with it and have to buy new accessories, take a look at the thumb power control as an option. After getting used to it, I really like it.

 

[Thumper68]

Thanks for the input, I haven't decided yet if I will bid on it but now I know that I should limit it to around $500, which is where I was thinking after a bunch of online research.

The tig accessories are in another lot which I will try and get as well if I decide to go ahead.

I do have a few projects that are coming up this summer (put off due to not having a machine that can do SS and Alum) Plus I am wanting to get back into the RC scaler hobby and a tig would make thing easier.

 

[Zrexxer]

What!!!??? They're not selling the torch, pedal, and flowgauge with the machine? That's a ripoff, that stuff shipped with the machine and should be in the same lot. What if that lot comes up first, and you win that bid, but then the machine goes crazy high...

 

[zkling]

What!!!??? They're not selling the torch, pedal, and flowgauge with the machine? That's a ripoff, that stuff shipped with the machine and should be in the same lot. What if that lot comes up first, and you win that bid, but then the machine goes crazy high...

Most auction workers I've ran across don't know or care about machine parts and accessories. I've seen where they will have a set of xyz strewn across 4+ lots.

 

[FloydShine]

What!!!??? They're not selling the torch, pedal, and flowgauge with the machine? That's a ripoff, that stuff shipped with the machine and should be in the same lot. What if that lot comes up first, and you win that bid, but then the machine goes crazy high...

Zrexxer- You are right on the money! No way should anyone bid on machines that are not sold as complete units with the parts and pieces that came with them, and there with the unit already. Auctioneers or folk who pull that **** ought to be hog tied and dipped!! Looks like that machine has seen its better day. I bought mine complete, with a lot of extra goodies and consumables back when then were the rage and new hot ticket for $1500. Me, I would just pass and keep a looking.

 

[Thumper68]

What!!!??? They're not selling the torch, pedal, and flowgauge with the machine? That's a ripoff, that stuff shipped with the machine and should be in the same lot. What if that lot comes up first, and you win that bid, but then the machine goes crazy high...

This happens all the time at auctions, I have been known to maybe move a tool or part from one box to another to complete a set, or make a grouping of stuff that I want so as to not have to buy 4 or 5 boxes to get 4 or 5 parts of a set.

In this case I already e-mailed the auction company and they will not combine the lots, it came into their location in a big mess and the guy I talked to didn't even know that they went together, there is another lot with cups, tungsten and more misc **** that I will have to take a shot at as well.

Just so we all understand, it is the auction companies job to make the most money for the client and get rid of all the lots, sometimes that means dividing stuff up to get the most money or to make a less desirable lot more saleable.

I was at an auction one time and there was a lot of misc metal that no one was bidding on so the auctioneer combined that lot with the 73 chevy pickup truck that the metal was sitting in the bed of. I ended up getting both the truck and the metal for $900, good deal for me as I had planned on buying both anyway but missed the metal because a hotdog had been screaming for me to come buy it.

What if that lot comes up first, and you win that bid, but then the machine goes crazy high.

That happens often and in most cases I end up making money on the deal, selling the accessory part(s) to the winning bidder of the equipment they go to.

A few years ago I bought the wheel kit new in box for a gen set that ended up going for more than I was willing to pay. I think I spent $25 for the wheel kit, I sold it to the genset bidder for $35 or $40. Honestly there is nothing better than buying something at an auction and selling it for a profit before you even have to lay a hand on it.

 

[FloydShine]

Well Thumper, I must be living in a different part of the world from you. Around here, if you see a part or piece of a tool etc. that belongs with the unit or machine, the auctioneers are more than willing to put the parts and pieces together. They seem to be more concerned in keeping the buyers happy, as they know that the buyers are going to be the ones who show up at another auction they might have down the road. Auctioneers who pull ****, end up not getting folks to show up, then the seller makes no money.

 

[Thumper68]

Well Thumper, I must be living in a different part of the world from you. Around here, if you see a part or piece of a tool etc. that belongs with the unit or machine, the auctioneers are more than willing to put the parts and pieces together. They seem to be more concerned in keeping the buyers happy, as they know that the buyers are going to be the ones who show up at another auction they might have down the road. Auctioneers who pull ****, end up not getting folks to show up, then the seller makes no money.

I guess I wasn't as clear as I could have been, they do try and keep things together as much as they can, but in some cases they have very little idea what accessories go with what. In this case the guy had no idea that the Flow gage, foot peddle and torch went with that machine, since it is a online auction and it had already been posted he refused to change it, which I can understand.