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Tommy
11-28-2006, 08:52 PM
Anybody know about this ESAB company. I need to fix my rig, and I am going to break down and finally buy my own welder and what not. I am tired of having to trailor my rig to the shop and woul like to work on it in my garage. Found one for a G locally. Is this a good deal? I haven't had much time to find anything on the web....


Thanks Tommy

rockhardmj
11-29-2006, 01:27 AM
ESAB and Miller are the top two brands, Lincoln is the highest seller, only because they supply more stuff for the money you pay. so if you buy ESAB, you are buying a good welder. Either of the 3 companys mentioned are going to be good, but anything outside of them is most likely just a piece of crap. Hobart is an exception, however, they arent as good as the other 3, but still pretty good.

Tommy
11-29-2006, 07:11 AM
Nice...


I think I cam going to pick this up then. Can't beat it 4 a grand. Besides the jeep I got some rails I want to put on my trailer and what not. So I have allot of welding to do....


THANKS!!

Tommy
12-03-2006, 11:05 PM
Here is the ESAB welder I bought. 250MIGMASTER. I cleaned it up a bit and painted the outside, I like to have nice things and it was bit scratched and what not. Plus I had some extra paint from painting my arms. I also need to buy a new ground cable, plug, new tips, wire and I will be good to go. I got a bottle from a friend and it came with a regulator.


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Tommy_M/esab250_3.jpg?t=1165201305

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Tommy_M/esab250_2.jpg?t=1165201474

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Tommy_M/esab250_1.jpg?t=1165201505

nate
12-03-2006, 11:29 PM
How old is that?

I can't remember seeing an ESAB machine that wasn't yellow.

Tommy
12-03-2006, 11:52 PM
It was yellow. I painted it.... I think it is 4 yrs old. The outer case was all scratched and what not. I am kinda anal about my shit to an extent, plus I was bored today so I cleaned it up.

Tommy
12-04-2006, 03:15 AM
Off topic, but I didn't notice the reflection off the stickers of my company vehcile in the back. "Jack" LOL.

Subliminal Adverstising.

Tommy
12-04-2006, 03:17 AM
Now I need to find a manual of some sort.

Tommy
12-07-2006, 12:47 AM
Sorry for the NEWB questions. But this is my first welder and I have really not had to buy tips or anything before.


Can somebody school me on TIPS. There are like short, medium, long? There are different width nozzles? What do most of you use? What would you use the different size nozzles for? I know the tip size must be relative to your tip adapter?

Thanks in advance.....

Tommy
12-24-2006, 05:03 PM
Nobody on this damn? Probably explains why I have been having a hard time finding them. I am going to have to make some tips and tip adapter from another machine work. This has turned into a PITA ass and I haven't been able to use this fucking welder in two week. I need to get my damn rig fixed before New Years at Glamis. FUCK!!!!


Rant off...

OverkillZJ
12-24-2006, 05:16 PM
No idea on nozzles, but on tips do you mean different size as in wire hole? In tht case yeah, other than that beats me

Tommy
12-24-2006, 06:23 PM
I guess the gun that I got is a euro style gun. We ordered some tips from ESAB and they stated that the gun can also be used for water cooled application and they no longer make the tips and tip adapters for the type of gun. It seems as though it is for heavy duty applications or something. There is an after market company, dont remeber the name off the top of my head but we found a nozzle adapter that threds onto my gun and some copper tip adapter which thread into that. Then I can use standard ESAB tips and nozzle. I hope this shit works..... If not, I am just going to buy another damn gun.


I am using standard .035 wire, so I will be using those corresponding tips of course.



I was also speaking of tip lengths, do the lengths just depend on the nozzle? In what cases would I want other than a flushed length tip to the length of the nozzle. You can buy them where they a recessed some or stick out a little from the end of the nozzles? Is it all up to preference and how you weld?

Tommy
01-09-2007, 05:42 PM
Here is the answer to the tip length relationship.


20

2.4.6 Nozzle/Tip Relationship


Extended Tip Relationship

Short Circuit (Short Arc) Welding

Tip stick out 1/8" past nozzle. Used in thin materials in
any position, thick materials in the vertical & overhead
position. Also where minimum distortion is a requirement
or .lling large gaps. Extended Tip/Nozzle Relationship
is normal in short arc or where you want to reach into a
corner to make your weld.

Flush Tip Relationship

High Current Short Arc & Flux Core

Characterized by higher currents and voltages than short
arc. Typical metal transfer is accomplished by drops of
molten metal with bigger diameter than the wire itself.
High spatter and a relatively erratic arc is normal. Most
tubular wires have this kind of transfer. Should be worked
Argon-CO2 mix.

Recessed Tip Relationship

Spray Arc Welding/Flux Core

Used when high deposition rates and high metal deposits
are needed. Typically used when joining materials of 1/8"
and greater thickness. High heat transfer and low splatter
characterized this technique. Only possible when 85%
Argon or higher is used. Recessed Tip/Nozzle Relationship
is normal in spray arc.



The "Nozzle-to-Tip" relationship in semi-automatic welding is dictated by the welding process being used. Under ideal
conditions the contact tip to work distance must be kept close to the recommended speci.cation to ensure optimum
performance for any given process. To make it easier for the welder to maintain proper contact tip to work distance the
"Nozzle-to-Tip" relationship can be set according to process and application. Shown below are typical "Nozzle-to-Tip"
combinations.

Tommy
01-09-2007, 06:35 PM
So from those descriptions the flush tip would be best suited for the work I will be doing.

BMRisko
02-13-2007, 04:57 PM
We have a few ESABs in our foundry and I never hear many complaints from maintenance, so I would say that they are pretty decent..

JeepinHank
02-13-2007, 06:05 PM
I'd say flush or the 1/8" stick out. (remember our definition of heavy / light duty is probably a lot different from theirs.)

I thought most tips were standardized these days. Everything I buy is "tweco" (sp?) or something like that. I just bought a handfull of .030 and .035 tips, and forgot about them. I replace them about 1-3 times a year based on the amount of welding I do as a weekend warrior.

I've always been told that the tweco or whatever guns fit most of the popular welders, and I know they work with Hobart, Miller, Lincoln, and even my little Clarke welder.

HTH, and sorry for the late reply.

Check Book WJ
02-19-2007, 08:30 PM
Link to ESAB Download Library, will probably find your product manual here, most welding companies are great for keeping that stuff available online -look in WELDING PACKAGES folder

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/support/download-library.cfm?directoryIn=Arc%20Equipment&path=\Arc%20Equipment

Tweco makes guns and cables for wire feed / MIG welders for many brands of welders.

http://www.thermadyne.com/twecoarcair/index.asp

You can buy gun and cable assemblies (inner sheath and insulated outer cable covering) of various lenghts and capacities in amperage as a kit, or you may purchase them seperately. You might want to make sure the liner (replaceable inner cable liner,which is a tightly wound hollow steel cable) is the correct size for the wire your using, sometimes there's a size of wire that won't work well with what you have if you go outside the range of sizes it's made for. Also, for a beginner I'd go with a nozzle/tip combo that lets the tip stick out slightly, as you'll need to get the ability to see the puddle as you weld, and a tip/nozzle combo that blocks the view makes that difficult, especially for a beginner.

Get to know your friendly local welding supply guy, wherever he is, don't be afraid to ask questions, as he should be happy to help as the answers should help him fill his cash register, or if he's too pricey, at least buy a few tidbits off of him. If you take a welding clas at a local CC, a lot of teachers send their students to a local shop for gloves and misc stuff, and the stores usually give a "students discount" which was 10% for our class, so you can save a bit on purchases that way.

John

Check Book WJ
02-19-2007, 08:50 PM
If you don't have your AC wiring in yet, and are planning to use that unit at higher capacities, be aware that it can draw as much as 62 AMPS at full output for a 230V single phase circuit, and requires a 90 amp circuit being fed by 8 Gauge wiring to make it all work properly without tripping the breaker. Trying to make it work on a 30 amp circuit will probably drive you nuts waiting for the breaker to cool off so you can reset it unless your just welding 1/8 or thinner metal at short duty intervals.

Seems like a good machine, you can get a digital meter kit for it from the looks of the manual too.

John