Ok, so I see these 3 in 1 do it all machines.

I've decided that besides a lack of raw talent, time, skill, patience, space etc what's really holding me back in my dreams of being an all conquering custom shop is not having a plasma torch & possibly to a much lesser extent TIG.

Does anyone know of an all in one box that doesn't suck. Cutting thick plate would be awesome, but isn't something I do all the time.. Being able to cut sheet metal quickly and with something aproaching precision would be nice and if it gave me TIG abilities (even if it wasn't ultra TIG any metal) would be nice to play with.

http://www.everlastwelders.ca/product_details.php?id=371

There is a local one for sale from a distributer for $1300 canajun.

Seems like that's a hobbyists wet dream.

Any thoughts?

Um, don't do it because it will have no repair support. The internal boards will die or the plasma consumables will be obsoleted and you have an expensive paper weight. Get a used Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, etc...

Quote
Tim Taylor
Um, don't do it because it will have no repair support. The internal boards will die or the plasma consumables will be obsoleted and you have an expensive paper weight. Get a used Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, etc...

I hear ya. I don't know how much that scares me though. I'm not looking to use the damn thing a lot. Hell, I only use my MIG welder maybe 100 hours a year at the most. So if I need to get a pile of consumables to store, it could be worse.

I look for used TIGs every once in a while.. and to be honest, I don't see many screaming deals.. and when there's an alright one it's for some monster unit that will take up more room than I have (I really have no room, i dug a pit in my garage to put my air compressor in).

The dealer for this particular "brand" is just down the road from me and I've watched some videos of the unit in action and it seems to do the job.

Can you rent a TIG and/or plasma cutter from anywhere around you? If you think you'll hardly use it, why not just rent when you need it, if thats available?

I actually bought one of those Everlast TIG units back in the spring, as i had some aluminum welding to do.

it has been great so far. It uses all the standard tig torch parts, and standard consumables.

Not sure how their plasma combo units stack up.

Quote
Dazed_Driver
Can you rent a TIG and/or plasma cutter from anywhere around you? If you think you'll hardly use it, why not just rent when you need it, if thats available?

Good suggestion, but I have a couple hours here a couple hours there. I'm not about to take time off work because I rented a welder Plus I'd have to get proficient with the thing..

Quote
Do It Sidewayz
I actually bought one of those Everlast TIG units back in the spring, as i had some aluminum welding to do.

it has been great so far. It uses all the standard tig torch parts, and standard consumables.

Not sure how their plasma combo units stack up.

Thanks for the info.

The videos I've seen show it to be competent if not fantastic. The biggest PITA that I know of is having to switch the leads etc.. which wouldn't be fun, but that's life.

Apparently they are blowing out their current stock because they have new units coming in with a fully digital interface.

Quote
hudson
Apparently they are blowing out their current stock because they have new units coming in with a fully digital interface.

TRANSLATION: This thing is about to be obsolete and you will never get a replacement circuit board if something craps out...you are rolling the dice on any inverter based machine that's not supported by a major manufacturer.

The best welding machine is the one that belongs to a friend, especially if the friend is a super hot-shit welder...

Check to see if there is a welding class at a community college or something like that, its one way to get access to nice machines on the cheap.

and worry about tig another day.

I'm curious as to why you want plasma? Do you work with non ferrous metal so much that you need the plasma? I am a welder by trade and am not trying to dissuade you from purchasing a Plasma cutter just trying to know more about why you chose to purchase a Plasma cutter before a Tig machine.

Mike G

As this unit is being offered new from a distributor i'd guess it will still have warranty and parts support for many years to come and it'll work just fine for most purposes.

At that price point though you might think about what you can't cut with a saw for now, and pick up a good used lincoln or miller.

Quote
BlackWidow
I'm curious as to why you want plasma? Do you work with non ferrous metal so much that you need the plasma? I am a welder by trade and am not trying to dissuade you from purchasing a Plasma cutter just trying to know more about why you chose to purchase a Plasma cutter before a Tig machine.

Mike G

Glad you asked.. maybe I'm being a goof (it's more than possible).

I don't have a set of torches, so all cutting at the moment is done with a saw of some kind or a nibbler. I also don't seem to find myself wanting a liquid wrench all that often, if ever these days (impact guns are my friend).

I'm looking at doing some projects that will require a fair amount of cutting that I think a plasma would be handier than a TIG.

If I get a decent plasma I can look at getting a toy cnc table at some point

I've got a Lincoln 220v MIG and a spool gun.

If I had to, I could get the TIG equipment needed and possibly borrow a Miller power source for some periods of time, if I'm lucky.

Quote
hudson

Quote
BlackWidow
I'm curious as to why you want plasma? Do you work with non ferrous metal so much that you need the plasma? I am a welder by trade and am not trying to dissuade you from purchasing a Plasma cutter just trying to know more about why you chose to purchase a Plasma cutter before a Tig machine.

Mike G

Glad you asked.. maybe I'm being a goof (it's more than possible).

I don't have a set of torches, so all cutting at the moment is done with a saw of some kind or a nibbler. I also don't seem to find myself wanting a liquid wrench all that often, if ever these days (impact guns are my friend).

I'm looking at doing some projects that will require a fair amount of cutting that I think a plasma would be handier than a TIG.

If I get a decent plasma I can look at getting a toy cnc table at some point

I've got a Lincoln 220v MIG and a spool gun.

If I had to, I could get the TIG equipment needed and possibly borrow a Miller power source for some periods of time, if I'm lucky.

I can't advise you on the tig/plasma deal but I have a retail repair shop. I do everything from mufflers, roll cages to electonics and computers. I've built a 100 cages or so over the years as well as replacing 1/4 panels, roofs and even complete firewall forward replacements on rally cars. Right at 35 years for the welding/race car stuff. No TIG, no plasma. Miller wire feed and Victor torches.

I would say if you're fabricating at all a torch would be a very important purchase long before TIG or plasma. It cuts, welds and most importantly allows metal to be heated and formed, moved and otherwise manipulated. Broken /stuck fasteners that defy all other forces and fancy assed drill bits bow to the mighty torch with a bit of practice.

No retailer will guarantee parts availability for any machine. So much of the stuff is imported and no law makes them carry boards or consumables for 5 or 10 years. SnapOn doesn't update the original Solas or brick anymore and there are probably 100 or 1000 times more of those in the world than a low end welder.

Look at all the 'chinese' quads and cycles that are now sitting around broken. No parts availabilty. People won't even be able to cut them up because their all-in-one PWT won't work
http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php/67385-everlast-welders
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-laser-waterjet-plasma-welding-fab/everlast-250-mig-tig-welder-176896/

Anytime you have the 'all in one' product (printer/fax..welder/cutter or dvd/tv) there will be one part in there that can break and you will have a 'all in none' item.

Even though you may think you'll use it little, you'll want it to work when you need it. This stuff does somehow break when just sitting in a corner covered up btw.

Usually you buy a quality item for just a bit more than low end. Doesn't have to be top shelf but middle of the road from a quality manufacturer is a good bet.

And get a torch.