i know this question has popped up many many times but i need advice from some of you experts. I am debating if i should get a Thermal Arc 185??? i went to the local welding store and saw the unit, and the thing looks small as heck, almost as big as a PC (computer PC). I am afraid that later in the future, when i get really good at this stuff, I am going to be needing to upgrade to a bigger machine. The guy at the local store is a very nice guy by the way. Well he said if I was going to be welding alot and thicker material I migt want to consider a miller 250dx, which is double the price of the Thermal Arc 185. This is where i need your help, will the little thermal arc be too small for cages and other stuff i might need to do in the future?? We work at a Peformance shop, So later i might be doing alot of welding, I just dont want something that cost close to 2000 being used as a foot rest later. thanks in advance guys.

 

I was in your shoes anout a year ago. I got a Lincoln pt 185 and i love it. but now I have reached the machines end as far as amps goes. now i wish i would have saved up just 1 more month and got the pt 275. So i might be selling my 185 in the near future. i am not trying to sell you mine or anything. i just wanted to tell you my story. the thermal arc is a great machine also. yet at 185 amps about 3/16 to 1/4 inch aluminum is about the most you could do and with a 20% duty cycle at the amperage you could not weld for very long, so a higher amp machine might be what you would want.

 

yeh that was what i was thinking, the local store wants 3450 plus tax and he said that he will have a local rep teach me for a few hours at his shop if i choose the pt275 over the miller 250dx hmmm what do u think about that??? im totally new so i dont know whats a good price, he prices his stuff under cyberweld he said.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fullblown &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">he will have a local rep teach me for a few hours at his shop if i choose the pt275 over the miller 250dx hmmm what do u think about that??? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Sounds like he's desperate to sell the Lincolns

Seriously though...I've never seen any of these reps that could weld for ****. Don't make your decision based on that.

Just remember...there's a reason that Millers cost a little more. You know, Tylenol used to brag about being the "brand hospitals use most" but they never told people that they practically gave it to the hospitals, who marked it up to about $10 a pill. It's a business deal....the hospitals did it because it increased THEIR profits. However, this is NOT the case when considering why most industries use Miller equipment. They pay more for the Miller stuff, even at discounted prices that dealers will give them for quantities.