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DRBJR
06-09-2010, 05:05 PM
Does anyone know if this is a good multi purpose tig welder / plasma cutter. And I am not looking for the sales rep answer. I am looking for an honest answer for anyone what has experience in using the everlast brand.

Or should I just buy a Hypertherm powermaxc 45, or Lincholn Pro cut 50

thanks in advance

lugweld
06-09-2010, 07:21 PM
DRBJR,

I am sure there are some guys that will answer your question. The 256 is a stable, decent performing unit. I use welders everyday, even though I sell them. I do small repair and fabricating on the side. The 250EX and the PPRO256 weld as good as anything else. The plasma functions well also. Are they better than the PowerMax 45? It depends upon your criteria. They cut, they do their job and you get the ability to weld and cut or cut and weld, depending upon your primary needs. Neither cutter you mentioned does that. Will they outcut the powermax? They will get close. I can't promise you they will exceed their cut capacity, but outside the powermax, they keep up with anyone's.

If you want to compare cutting performance, there are plenty of videos of Everlast Plasma cutters out there, with both everlast and customers posting them up.

worntorn
06-10-2010, 03:04 AM
You could have a look at the" Everlast vs Hypertherm quizz" thread which I started below. It turned into a rant, but before that I posted photos of cuts done with my friend's Hypertherm 30 and my Everlast 205 which is an entry level Everlast multifunction machine.

That's as close as I can come to your 256 vs Hypermax 45 question. Also, you could take a look at the cut I made with the same machine using a feed table, that thread is titled
"Everlast Pro Ultra 205 Plasma cut"

Glen

DRBJR
06-10-2010, 06:15 PM
I should have stated my question a little differently. I realize all of the machines cut pretty well, with the mulit purpose machine more versatile in that it can cut and weld. I gues what I am getting at is: are there any problems with the Everlast brand lasting. I know that they have a 5 year warranty, but are they a good quality machine? I am going to spend somewhere around $2000.00, so is this a good unit to spend that kind of money on or should I look at a different machine or brand. Is the Longgivity brand a worthwhile machine to look at? I have other welders, a Miller XMT 304, and a Lincholn V 275-S, but no Mig welders or plasma cutter, so I was thinking of a dual multi purpose machine.

marcel_r
06-18-2010, 09:57 AM
Well, the PowerPro 256 does TIG Stick and Plasma but not MIG, so if you're looking for MIG, I don't think this unit is the one you want.

That being said, I have had one for about 2 months now and it works great. (i'm a newbie at welding but the options and capabilities it has make things pretty easy to learn). Fit and finish on the unit is quite good and I would rate the internal construction as having good to top quality components (important for inverter units and reliability).

From a reliability perspective, I'm bummed right now because it just died and I've been trying to contact the great folks at Everlast to get it fixed/exchanged. I'll be interesting to see how long this process takes... I'll report back.

From a support perspective, up until now, the guys from the company have been excellent. For example I had some minor shipping damage to the outside case when I received the unit (small crease on one side). it was easy to hammer out, but they insisted on sending me a replacement case...

All being said, I would recommend this to others looking for a good import system as an alternative to 'blue'.

--marcel

EVERLAST
06-18-2010, 01:56 PM
marcel

i just send you PM with instractions.

i think that unit had more problems after it was doped by UPS then we thought . We actually may switch to FEDEX they are non union company and i hear they handle stuff much batter then UPS


oleg

Zman0690
06-20-2010, 02:28 AM
I KNOW they handle things better. I have had dozens of items torn/dented/broken by ups more often than not, and that is NOT an exaggeration. However I have on had a few instances where USPS and FEDEX have had these issues. Also around here FEDEX will deliver before noon regardless of ship type, as will USPS and UPS delivers around 8-830pm, which I think is ridiculous.

Tony D
06-20-2010, 11:19 AM
My Hypertherm has had no issues and I can go to the LWS and get it serviced if ever necessary, that goes a long way and if there was damage when opened they would simply grab another... hate to say it but there are companies that have been in business a very long time, and are shutting down and who's to say these import guys will stay around to back there units.... for say the next 30 years or so HMMMM Dunno you may just have a large paperweight down the road

I say get the hypertherm and a miller or hobart mig and you will be happy for sure maybe a used engine drive and have tig possibility's suitcase wire feeder instead of the plasma unless you have a cnc table and business to support the plasma .....I use the torches and grinder more than the plasma honestly just my 2 cents

Zman0690
06-21-2010, 02:01 PM
Newsflash, every company has to start somewhere. If everyone were to follow the advice that I see several people on here chanting, about buying from an established company, then those established companies will continue to dictate price. Do you honestly think it takes thousands of dollars to build a welder? Then why do people continue to spend that much? How about the fact that those very few "established" companies produce the majority of welders and can therefore dictate the price that they sell for.

I wish I could have been there to hear what people said about Niels Miller when he built his first welder out of scrap metal. "Oh, don't buy from him, you could have a paper weight down the road!" BTW here is an excerpt from Miller's own website: "(Niels Miller's) simple, non-rotating AC welder was smaller, lighter and less expensive than the DC units that were available. "

Holy cow! Is it just me or does "smaller, lighter and less expensive" sound exactly like the type of welders Everlast is trying to sell today? C'mon people, lets use some logic and stop being brainwashed by the propaganda that is continually spewed by so many. Unless you have a PERSONAL experience to back up the fear mongering then lets just stop with the hypotheticals.

BTW DRBJR I have a PM256 and have taken it to 2 professional welders I know personally, since I am only a hobbyist . One who has been welding for 40+ years and they thought the welder was great. They were amazed at the power it packed, the quality of arc it produced, and the multifunction capabilities at the price.

Z

DRBJR
06-22-2010, 05:47 PM
thanks to all for their answers / comments.

FusionKing
07-25-2010, 09:41 PM
Newsflash, every company has to start somewhere. If everyone were to follow the advice that I see several people on here chanting, about buying from an established company, then those established companies will continue to dictate price. Do you honestly think it takes thousands of dollars to build a welder? Then why do people continue to spend that much? How about the fact that those very few "established" companies produce the majority of welders and can therefore dictate the price that they sell for.

I wish I could have been there to hear what people said about Niels Miller when he built his first welder out of scrap metal. "Oh, don't buy from him, you could have a paper weight down the road!" BTW here is an excerpt from Miller's own website: "(Niels Miller's) simple, non-rotating AC welder was smaller, lighter and less expensive than the DC units that were available. "

Holy cow! Is it just me or does "smaller, lighter and less expensive" sound exactly like the type of welders Everlast is trying to sell today? C'mon people, lets use some logic and stop being brainwashed by the propaganda that is continually spewed by so many. Unless you have a PERSONAL experience to back up the fear mongering then lets just stop with the hypotheticals.

BTW DRBJR I have a PM256 and have taken it to 2 professional welders I know personally, since I am only a hobbyist . One who has been welding for 40+ years and they thought the welder was great. They were amazed at the power it packed, the quality of arc it produced, and the multifunction capabilities at the price.

Z

Well if you start comparing then you will see Miller is still at it!!! Less expensive is all the imports are offering so far. Smaller and lighter? If so not by far. I ain't seen much outdoing my Miller Dynasty 200DX yet. But I am still looking. And not closed minded either. Just need to view it from an income viewpoint.

titan winch
07-28-2010, 10:19 PM
Weldingtipsandtricks have started doing a video Reveiw of the Powerpro 256 here is the first in the series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHksIgEmwSQ

fastline
07-22-2011, 10:06 AM
Newsflash, every company has to start somewhere. If everyone were to follow the advice that I see several people on here chanting, about buying from an established company, then those established companies will continue to dictate price. Do you honestly think it takes thousands of dollars to build a welder? Then why do people continue to spend that much? How about the fact that those very few "established" companies produce the majority of welders and can therefore dictate the price that they sell for.

I wish I could have been there to hear what people said about Niels Miller when he built his first welder out of scrap metal. "Oh, don't buy from him, you could have a paper weight down the road!" BTW here is an excerpt from Miller's own website: "(Niels Miller's) simple, non-rotating AC welder was smaller, lighter and less expensive than the DC units that were available. "

Holy cow! Is it just me or does "smaller, lighter and less expensive" sound exactly like the type of welders Everlast is trying to sell today? C'mon people, lets use some logic and stop being brainwashed by the propaganda that is continually spewed by so many. Unless you have a PERSONAL experience to back up the fear mongering then lets just stop with the hypotheticals.

BTW DRBJR I have a PM256 and have taken it to 2 professional welders I know personally, since I am only a hobbyist . One who has been welding for 40+ years and they thought the welder was great. They were amazed at the power it packed, the quality of arc it produced, and the multifunction capabilities at the price.

Z



Sorry gents, I just had to join up and voice my opinion. First, this seems exactly like another trolling effort to support Everlast through ghost users. Might just want to take a look at the IP addresses here.

Second, That is pretty offensive to compare Everlast business start up to Miller. Miller BUILDS welders, Everlast ORDERS them from some China shop that will change every six months just like the entire design. This is NOT a "business" start up, this is a "money scam" start up.

Everlast claims that nearly every problem with their welders is caused by shipping damage, even months after. I am not an owner but I was about to buy one until I learned how unreliable they are.

NOW, if Everlast WAS actually a cross comparative machine to Miller, aka, made in THE USA, I am certain people would be backing it 100%, even me. This seems to be the newest business model for wannabee half *** OEMs, don't build it, just call China, then get a bigger fire hose to cover all those pissed off people that have junk welders.

So, when did Everlast sell their first welder? Is that welder still made? where? Can I get parts for it? Will I be able to get parts in 10yrs? After my 5yr warranty runs out, is it then obsolete and I am directed to buy a new one?

Us Americans are used to being at the top of the food chain in the industrial sector so hearing that something is not supported anymore does NOT fly. I can still order parts for a 20yo Lincoln stick welder... The best part is that I don't have to because they just don't die...

I would love to put some support behind Everlast but the fact remains, they buy them for 300 bucks, sell them for 1500, and will not be around in 10 yrs to support their product because they are kicking out a machine that is sold on FEATURES, not reliability. If you cannot rely on a welder, it has ZERO place in the commercial markets.

lugweld
07-22-2011, 09:36 PM
Fastline,

So many inaccuracies, where do I begin?
I'd say, you really are way off what it costs us get units built...WAY off. 300 to 1500? Wish we could do that.

We have many and increasing commercial dealers and CUSTOMERS...again, you have no idea, some with whole fleets of our units. AND we have many repeat buyers, buying not only a Tig unit, but a MIG, dedicated stick unit as well as a plasma cutter...

Everlast started back in 2004, and not long after started selling welders.

Yes, the units that we first sold are still made, and we still have parts for them. We choose not to import them. Are any of the big guys selling the same product unchanged since 2004 as well?

About to buy one until you learned how unreliable they are? Hmmm. second hand opinion once again, but really you have no idea how many we sell...so, you can't make a prediction based off what you see here. Ever look at people coming to the other forums for help griping and complaining? That's what these boards cater to.

And NO, we don't use ghost writers, and anyone is welcome to check the ID. I'd say your as likely to be a plant as anything.

But lets seriously examine your point about obsolete parts. I too have a Lincoln welder: a 1996 ranger....I needed a control board a while back...Guess what? I had to wait until they had a manufacturing run because there weren't any instock at Lincoln warehouse and it would be a while before it happened...and that the part I needed had been replaced and superceded about 6 times. There is a current reported problem on the Lincoln PTig 185 that Lincoln hasn't addressed.

Now, lets look at ours objectively from several points...that you conveniently forget to look at...Have you ever heard: Boy those replacement Everlast parts are sure high? Ever heard of a power board costing 1200 for just the part on our inverter welders like they are on Miller ? Absolutely not, but you WILL find that frequently on competitor's models because they have proprietary components, or component sources they won 't reveal.

Now, as for Everlast, anyone looking inside with any electronics background at all will see that our components are NAME brand, genuine product, with easily replaceable components...Take for instance, the heart of our inverters: the IGBT's. Now where they are not considered serviceable on a name brand companies, ours on many of our units are module based, and usually screw on with maybe one or two soldered connections, NOT incorporated into the board. Part numbers are easily visible and easily looked up and cross referenced for specs. The IGBT components that are not module based are relatively cheap and easily installed by a person with basic electronic skills that can solder and desolder a component.

Really, again, I'd say you have stirred up the nest once again, not really KNOWING what you are talking about. You claim ghost writers, but who needs them when we have unqualified people making unfounded claims that we can so easily rebutt and make our point?
OK, now enter the person saying I wrote both posts...pro and con...some one will.

fastline
07-22-2011, 10:04 PM
For starters, I would LOVE to be proven wrong on these machines. I was VERY sold on testing out the 250 EX. I realize newer companies get knocked a bit BUT that is every reason to ensure BULLET PROOF equipment. We started our company as the new guy. We got knocked for only a few months until people realized that we don't know how to come in second.

As far as features, I am pretty sold on Everlast and was actuall pretty excited BUT the issue is that I can get a used Miller 250 syncro for the advertised 1600 bills for a new 250ex. I guess I would have to admit that if there was a large enough gap in price there, I might just roll the dice but I cannot swallow a 1600 dollar roll. Companies like this come in like they are the best thing since sliced cheese, then file for bankruptcy in 2 yrs and my panties now have a knot in them, right in the crack.

I am sold on the fact that this is an inverter machine, good "rated" duty cycle, dazzling appearance, stacked with the right features for a real welder, etc. We are an engineering firm, electronics designer, machine shop, you name it. I would actually LOVE just to get my hands on one, tear it open to see how it was designed, put the coals to it, etc. Problem is there are NONE around here and I am just not dumping 1600 into something that may be a tarp weight for us.

I have a very firm understanding of inverters and still not sure if they are the right choice for a dependable welder BUT almost required for all the features. Now a days, IGBT "modules" are the norm so if one fails, you are replacing them all and in most cases that module will reach over 1 grand. In inverter drives, they are so cheap now that when they fail, you throw them away. I am NOT looking for a throw away welder.

I even considered talking with Everlast about selling their products but I have to have a VERY firm level of confidence in a product because our business wears our name. You will NOT find anyone bad mouthing our facility anywhere online. Our parts work. I would sure like to regain some confidence in this product line.

WeldingRay
07-22-2011, 11:22 PM
For starters, I would LOVE to be proven wrong on these machines. I was VERY sold on testing out the 250 EX. I realize newer companies get knocked a bit BUT that is every reason to ensure BULLET PROOF equipment. We started our company as the new guy. We got knocked for only a few months until people realized that we don't know how to come in second.

As far as features, I am pretty sold on Everlast and was actuall pretty excited BUT the issue is that I can get a used Miller 250 syncro for the advertised 1600 bills for a new 250ex. I guess I would have to admit that if there was a large enough gap in price there, I might just roll the dice but I cannot swallow a 1600 dollar roll. Companies like this come in like they are the best thing since sliced cheese, then file for bankruptcy in 2 yrs and my panties now have a knot in them, right in the crack.

I am sold on the fact that this is an inverter machine, good "rated" duty cycle, dazzling appearance, stacked with the right features for a real welder, etc. We are an engineering firm, electronics designer, machine shop, you name it. I would actually LOVE just to get my hands on one, tear it open to see how it was designed, put the coals to it, etc. Problem is there are NONE around here and I am just not dumping 1600 into something that may be a tarp weight for us.

I have a very firm understanding of inverters and still not sure if they are the right choice for a dependable welder BUT almost required for all the features. Now a days, IGBT "modules" are the norm so if one fails, you are replacing them all and in most cases that module will reach over 1 grand. In inverter drives, they are so cheap now that when they fail, you throw them away. I am NOT looking for a throw away welder.

I even considered talking with Everlast about selling their products but I have to have a VERY firm level of confidence in a product because our business wears our name. You will NOT find anyone bad mouthing our facility anywhere online. Our parts work. I would sure like to regain some confidence in this product line.

where are you located?

lugweld
07-22-2011, 11:27 PM
Evidently modules aren't the norm with welders. You seriously ought to read the issues found on the other forums regarding their product...To not to is hiding your head in the sand. My point is if and when you have to replace a SINGLE component in any of the major competitive machines, you WILL be out money NEARLY the equivalent of what it takes to buy a new Everlast...To fix any Everlast unit out of warranty, you'd pay only a small fraction of the cost...

IF you add it up...a possible 200.00 repair at most of our unit versus a 1200.00 or more repair of a competitor's unit, then, you must reconsider who's machine is throw away.

jesusno2
07-22-2011, 11:55 PM
Tou guys scare the **** outta me i'm waiting for my power pro 256 to show up at my door step!!!

fastline
07-23-2011, 12:13 AM
I am certainly not trying to scare anyone. As lugweld mentions, I probably should at least inspect one inside and out before calling them complete crap. What is concerning is these people that pop into forums and in their first post, go through how they bought an Everlast and it is beyond anything they ever touched, including their 20yo Lincoln AC225 arc.

I have some large and rightfully so concerns regarding the "made in china" emblem. That being said though, please, someone find me a production semiconductor that is made in the USA. I would be willing to wager that even Miller is getting boards from China. They make ALL the damn components, only seems right that they can assemble them. Then you have that one POS capacitor that fails the entire board.

jesusno2
07-23-2011, 12:39 AM
I am certainly not trying to scare anyone. As lugweld mentions, I probably should at least inspect one inside and out before calling them complete crap. What is concerning is these people that pop into forums and in their first post, go through how they bought an Everlast and it is beyond anything they ever touched, including their 20yo Lincoln AC225 arc.

I have some large and rightfully so concerns regarding the "made in china" emblem. That being said though, please, someone find me a production semiconductor that is made in the USA. I would be willing to wager that even Miller is getting boards from China. They make ALL the damn components, only seems right that they can assemble them. Then you have that one POS capacitor that fails the entire board.

Well Ive been a die hard blue fan my whole welding career I own a old millermatic 35 mig and a miller econo twin. i dont have a plasma and i need a tig with more control. if this machine will make me as much money as it costs me id be happy if it makes me more thats awesome! untill i can get some buisness built up i have to be as frugal as i can.

joedirt1966
07-23-2011, 09:09 AM
Well Ive been a die hard blue fan my whole welding career I own a old millermatic 35 mig and a miller econo twin. i dont have a plasma and i need a tig with more control. if this machine will make me as much money as it costs me id be happy if it makes me more thats awesome! untill i can get some buisness built up i have to be as frugal as i can.

You have already made your purchase and your machine hasn't even arrived yet.

Don't waste your time worrying about "If this" or "If that".

Evaluate YOUR machine independent of other peoples opinions or experiences.

Then show some integrity and give an honest and unbiased review that is uninfluenced by the seller.

WeldingRay
07-23-2011, 05:04 PM
Where are you?

I have a shop here, you can come over fire that puppy up , I'll take the cover off and show you what’s up inside.
We use Infineon IGBT's, I think the biggest one in use on the big machines is about $200 on Digi-Key. And bound to get cheaper / better in the future.
I too know a lot about inverters and used to work for a big name company that makes inverters and UPS systems.
The internet is a funny place, and can be quite a soapbox for anyone with some time on their hands.
We-Us-Ours, been around a lot longer than 2 years, just like any growing company there are some issues.
The company is run lean to keep overhead low, and prices affordable. And from what I’ve seen there are a lot of welders pretty happy with the stuff I’ve sold them and supported, and could give a flip what some racer kid on the internet has to say about what people that work for a living spend their money on.

brucer
07-23-2011, 11:58 PM
arent the chinese igbt's pirated..

lugweld
07-24-2011, 09:28 AM
LOL. No.Another way to start a negative rumor...Almost all name brand electronics are made in China, including IGBTs...That's not to say there aren't companies out there making bogus products or re-manufacturing components. Some of the problem with the old style Mosfet units that cropped up that everyone was selling from the same factory did have an issue because of the way the company outsourced its purchasing and some manufacturing.

However,
Ours are bought direct from the source companies and not through 2nd or 3rd middle men...

lugweld
07-24-2011, 09:32 AM
You have already made your purchase and your machine hasn't even arrived yet.

Don't waste your time worrying about "If this" or "If that".

Evaluate YOUR machine independent of other peoples opinions or experiences.

Then show some integrity and give an honest and unbiased review that is uninfluenced by the seller.

Unfortunately, if you include anything positive, it will be sifted through until the negative is found as has already been proven by many customers that have bought the product and posted both constructive criticism and positive comments...or it will outright be dismissed unless it is 100% negative.

fastline
07-24-2011, 10:50 AM
I think it is fair to say that as welders move towards the digital side (inverters), there will inevitably be more China goods in them.

In the end, I suppose I really just need to have one to have and hold to out a non-biased review on one. I am real interested to see how they are built. I would be even more interested to inspect a broken one. One things that sure seems trendy anymore is using IGBTs that only have 10-20% headroom from peak rated current. This eventually takes them out if used at full capacity.

StickIt
07-24-2011, 11:09 AM
I've seen inside the "boiler room" of some of the problematic units by some of the disgruntled owners.. of which there seem to be a few.
Quite honestly, it looks more like the inside of a cell phone than a machine designed to weld.

lugweld
07-24-2011, 12:52 PM
I think it is fair to say that as welders move towards the digital side (inverters), there will inevitably be more China goods in them.

In the end, I suppose I really just need to have one to have and hold to out a non-biased review on one. I am real interested to see how they are built. I would be even more interested to inspect a broken one. One things that sure seems trendy anymore is using IGBTs that only have 10-20% headroom from peak rated current. This eventually takes them out if used at full capacity.

What do you mean by move? The industry has MOVED to them, and its been underway for over 20 years now. The few transformer machines out there are really old designs. They won't be gone for some time, but they definitely are down in demand.

Stick it...not sure of the meaning of your comment or of your qualification to make such a commentt...They are electronic, JUST as other inverter welders are from other companies.

fastline
07-25-2011, 11:12 AM
As you probably know, just because OEMs go to a specific design does not mean everyone immediately jumps on board. It takes many years to phase out older equipment and much of it is still in use today. Take the Miller Syncrowave for instance. a BUNCH of those transformer machines still going and working just fine. The only real advantage with an inverter machine is the size/weight and the efficiency. Probably could see a decent electric savings if run long enough per month.

The good thing with transformers is they are VERY reliable. Bad part is they are big/heavy and pricey to replace.

IGBTs are most reliable if limited to only about 50% of their current rating. Run IGBTs near their rating at sustained intervals has proven in VFDs to shorten life. Proper heat sinks, fan cooling, oversizing, etc can make the difference in something that will last 20 yrs trouble free or something that will need parts in 5 yrs.

I would like to get a parts list and electrical diagram for the Everlast but in the end, I really want to have/hold one that I can evaluate. One thing that really frustrates me is the use of cheap capacitors. only 105C high quality caps should be used because they are only of the BIGGEST points of failure in the electronics field as a whole. Everything from TVs to automotive logic controls are adding to our landfills simply because someone tried to save a buck on caps. They dry up, short out, and sometimes take other components with them. Not all inverters are created equal...

lugweld
07-26-2011, 09:48 AM
Fastline,
We have a 30 day policy on return if there is an issue or you are not satisfied.
Again we aren't using "cheap components" for the electronics. The Capacitors have been very reliable and I can't recall any failures on them. In general, most of the caps are Sk type and most as I remember are made in Korea.

ASE_MasterTech
07-28-2011, 06:36 PM
As far as features, I am pretty sold on Everlast and was actuall pretty excited BUT the issue is that I can get a used Miller 250 syncro for the advertised 1600 bills for a new 250ex. I guess I would have to admit that if there was a large enough gap in price there, I might just roll the dice but I cannot swallow a 1600 dollar roll.
I'm not defending Everlast here, but the whole discussion, after the above comment/opinion, is way beyond where it needs to be.
Compare apples to apples & oranges to oranges..
How on earth does anyone with any knowledge compare a "transformer" welder to an "Inverter" welder?? pricing or otherwise..
Try buying a Miller Dynasty 200DX (which is more in line feature-wise, & less capable amps-wise) for $1600!!
I personally have a 256 since Feb, & so far it's been burning just as good as the 200DX at work (for 1/4 the price)
I'm no Everlast hyper, I'll slap 'em down if need be (& have before). But your comparisons just aren't accurate..

soutthpaw
09-09-2011, 04:18 AM
I'm not defending Everlast here, but the whole discussion, after the above comment/opinion, is way beyond where it needs to be.
Compare apples to apples & oranges to oranges..
How on earth does anyone with any knowledge compare a "transformer" welder to an "Inverter" welder?? pricing or otherwise..
Try buying a Miller Dynasty 200DX (which is more in line feature-wise, & less capable amps-wise) for $1600!!
I personally have a 256 since Feb, & so far it's been burning just as good as the 200DX at work (for 1/4 the price)
I'm no Everlast hyper, I'll slap 'em down if need be (& have before). But your comparisons just aren't accurate..

Just wondering how much time you have on using the plasma cutter side of this machine? I have yet to see any company put out a reliable machine that includes a plasma and welder together. Powcon made a couple of combo units and they are even known for high failure rates compared to the rest of their great line of inverter welders. they were also 100% made in the USA...

BCTimberwolf
09-09-2011, 09:49 AM
Just wondering how much time you have on using the plasma cutter side of this machine? I have yet to see any company put out a reliable machine that includes a plasma and welder together. Powcon made a couple of combo units and they are even known for high failure rates compared to the rest of their great line of inverter welders. they were also 100% made in the USA...

I have around 60 hrs on the TIG side, 15-20 on the plasma and 10 on stick. I just had the initial 4053 chip problem but a new chip and capacitor later and I haven't had any other problems. Purchased in Feb and received early march

StevefromOhio
09-11-2011, 02:22 PM
I've got a Powertig 250EX and like it a lot. Had it for a little while now and it does a good job. No problems at all. I didn't like the factory WP18 torch so I replaced that. Too big and too stiff. OK if you are welding up battleships though.

Also own a Powerplasma 50. Like it too.

30 day free trial. Could not beat that. So I tried the Powerplasma 50 first to check out if Everlast is as good or as bad as everyone was saying. I took a $700 gamble. Heck, I lost more than that at Vegas! Found out it was good. Actually great for the price. Cut everything I threw at it.

So I then decided to try the Powertig 250 EX. Same thing. Great machine. I like it a lot. I like the 5 year warranty too. Company started in 2004 I believe. 7 Years is long enough to establish if it will be in business. Most companies don't make it past 4 years.

I don't work for Everlast. I am not married to anyone connected to Everlast. I don't have any friends who work for Everlast. I don't have any stock in the company and do not plan on buying any if any were available. I'm just a guy who likes to weld and make money at it (sometimes).

If it was a POS, I'd say so.