Subject: Re: Picking a MIG Welder, and Aluminum

From: [email-masked] (Garfield)
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 16:51:58 GMT

On Mon, 24 Jun 1996 18:52:34 -0400, Kevin Maggard <[email-masked]>
wrote:

>The Miller Econotig sells for about $1300.  It comes with everything except the welding hood and the gas 
>bottles (you will need some filler rod and electrodes also).  Gas regulator, torch, foot current control and 
>some collets and nozzles.  Works pretty good on 1/16".  It does not have a lot of bells and whistles that come 
>in handy for Al but works quite well.  The next step up in capabilities is about 3 times as much.
>
Econotig not often recommended for Alum. In fact someone who had one
for sale dis-recommended it when I told him I might like to do up to
1/4" plate, so the doable limit is somewhere around the 1/16" you
mentioned.

Also, about the price, not 3X up if you consider the next step up
might be a Hypertherm PowerMax 800, which I just bought for a wee bit
over $2K (I think it was $2130 after the haggling settled). It's way
above the Econotig in capacity and has good reputation for clean
cutting, due I suppose to the latest generation of torch design. BTW,
the Miller Econotig uses a torch made by Hypertherm for Miller. Is
that a clue?

Nicemost thing about the Econotig besides its price is that is really
will run off 110v. Amazing, huh? Several others on this group have one
and like them. Question really revolves around capacity.

Garfield

---

From: [email-masked] (Garfield)
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 16:08:44 GMT

On Tue, 25 Jun 1996 16:51:58 GMT, [email-masked] (Garfield)
wrote:

>might be a Hypertherm PowerMax 800

<stuff about EconoTig & Hypertherm Plasma Cutter snipped>

Yes, I guess I really have Alzheimers or just need a brain implant!. I
started to comment on the Miller EconoTig and then waxed verbose about
my new plasma cutter as a GREAT ALTERNATIVE. Well, only if you want to
cut with your welder! Sheesh, I read the "Miller" and being so fixated
with my new toy, thought for sure all the time that the post was about
Miller's cool little 110v plasma cutter, to which my comments applied.

Certifiably on dim,

Garfield