For the VAT inclusive price of the 160TM you could get the Siegen 180 that I just bought (327.99 with free delivery via ebay). It takes full 15kg reels and has a man sized feed motor. I've run mine at full bore and it will happily go into "spray transfer" and produces superb welds very easily.
For anyone who doesn't understand what "spray transfer" is I will explain. The weld filler (wire) melts in the arc and is transferred to the pieces being joined. There are three transfer modes, "dip" , "globular" and "spray".
In dip mode which occurs at lower current settings the wire actually melts in the weld puddle, the wire is literally "dipped" into the molten weld.In dip mode you get the bacon sizzling sound.
In globular mode which occurs at mid range current settings the wire melts just before entering the puddle and forms into globules which transfer to the weld puddle.
In globular mode you get a hum with intermittent crackles.
In spray mode which occurs at higher current settings the wire melts into fine droplets which are sprayed into the weld pool. In full spray mode the familiar bacon frying sizzle is replaced with a simple humming sound.
The three different modes will occur at different current settings depending on wire thickness,feed rate and power setting. The best mig welder I've ever used was a Hobart synergic machine costing several thousand pounds, that beast could run 1.6mm wire in full spray mode at 500 amps with a 100% duty cycle, it was water cooled.
D.
|