My new Power Pro 256

[mrprism]

I was searching and searching for a used Miller Syncrowave 250 for quite some time but none were available for the right price locally, and the others were so far away shipping costs became an issue. The one or two that did appear within driving distance did not come with any accessories or torch, and the price seemed out of line. ($1500-1800 stripped) Then I stumbled upon Jody at weldintipsandtricks.com. At the time, he too recommended a Syncro 250 as a personal favorite and said to look for one used but use the completed sales info on Ebay when finding what to pay. Well I did and found out most people think these things are like gold, maybe rightfully so, but they never get sold. The others that were actually sold went for a reasonable price but there are so few in my area it looked like I would never find one. Then Jody did a piece on the Power Tig 250ex and boy was I impressed. The follow up to that would be putting a Power Pro 256 through its paces...I was amazed! When he welded some sewer crawlers and I quote: "I kicked off this combo tig welder review series by welding some steel sewer crawlers." "Carbon steel, and stainless to carbon."" The Powerpro 256 3 in 1 tig welder did great...in fact I compared welds done with it and a Miller Dynasty 200 dx and there was really no difference in the welds." end quote. I was convinced that the machine could lay down beads like the best of them, but how was the reliability?? I then scoured the internet in search of the ugly as far as Everlast is concerned. I was pleasantly surprised. Yes there were a few issues out there, (which even Jody and others had arc start issues with his Dynasty) but all were resolved Immediately from Everlast. In my mind you can't ask for more than that. With all my research done, and with the help of unbiased opinion and use of Everlast products, I am pleased to announce my purchase of a Power Pro 256 from Everlast. I ordered my unit on October 12th from Kayla and was told up front that the product line for 2011 was coming out and my new unit would ship October 27. All I can say is I sure am excited. I paid for a new unused welder what some were asking for a stripped down version with no accessories. Mine comes with ALL the accessories like: water cooled torch, regulators, and foot pedal to name a few. AND MINE WELDS AS GOOD AS THE USED ONE with picture and video proof to boot!! All I can say is I'm very excited and can't wait to get mine. Do your homework and let the facts speak for themselves, I'm sure if your open minded you'll come up with the same result. I'm not paid, endorsed, or anything by Everlast, but feel I made an educated, researched, and open minded purchase. If all goes well, I'll probably forget about that Millermatic 252 I'm looking for used also. I can get a new comparable Everlast for the same or less than an overpriced USED blue or red unit. Thanks to the internet, free trade, the almighty dollar, honest people, and Everlast!! Good luck, and God speed!

mrprism

[Des]

I am happy to hear what you have learned and about the purchase. I am also considering a PowerPro 256, as the idea of a TIG/Stick/Plasma cutter is perfect for me. Please let me know how you are liking the 256 once you get it and use it some. I use my MM212 routinely for most my jobs but the 256 would round out my shop.
Thanks,
David

[BroncoBrownie]

You tell a story similar to mine. Shopped for a used miller with no luck. Check around online and came across Everlast. All reviews point to a good product.
Power Pro 256 sounds like a great unit for a great price.
I have not yet ordered mine though.

How do you like it?
I have found a few reports of shipping damage. Was yours ok?

Thanks.

[mrprism]

Make sure you run your mouse over the words of this post as it is hard to see all the links I've provided.

Well I ordered my welder Oct 12, 2010 and the target shipping date of Oct 27 came and went. As I looked through the Everlast Forums I've learned international shipping by ship is (as stated by Everlast) "not an exact science." (http://www.everlastgenerators.com/forums/customer-testimonials/600-concerned-purchaser.html) (post#57) As it looks, my experience with them seems to have been about average so far. In looking over the forums, some of the posts by the folks running the show at Everlast have stated its the customers responsibility to "call in as needed to check on the delivery times individually" "You as a customer bear part of the responsibility to inquire if you are not heard from us." (http://www.everlastgenerators.com/forums/customer-testimonials/600-concerned-purchaser-6.html)(post#32) and "a 3 week delay is not a huge delay for international shipping."(post#4) So I figured I'd better do what a good customer (in their eyes) does. Which means, when each target date is reached and no shipment information is emailed to me, I must inquire as to the status of my order. I have all the emails in my possession and can tell you that yes, if you ask them, they will give you their best guess as to the approximate arrival date, and they do NOT however keep you informed of any changes, YOU MUST ASK! So on the 27th I asked about the status and my reply was "the beginning of next week" on or about Nov. 1st or 2nd. So THURSDAY of that week (Nov.4th) I asked again and they said "they will be here tomorrow Nov 5th and we hope to ship them the same day." Today is Nov. 10th and I inquired again and was told "The shipment is in port and we are waiting for it to clear customs." IN TWO DAYS I WILL HAVE WAITED A MONTH FOR MY WELDER TO ARRIVE TO THE U.S.A.! It still has to go from the west coast to the east which will easily take another week! If you order a welder from Everlast and it is not in stock, you should expect it to take AT LEAST 6 WEEKS TO ARRIVE and possibly more! There is one poor guy who, "Ordered a PP256 w/water cooler & cart about a month & half back (in Sept) but no word yet." (http://www.everlastgenerators.com/forums/showthread.php/656-Waiting-on-a-PP256-in-Texas)(post#7) boy do I feel his pain. Looks like he'll be waiting about 2 months for his! In all fairness I knew I was going to be waiting a while and am willing to accept it because of the great deal I'm getting. Just don't think that you'll get an out of stock welder in 10 days or 2 weeks. IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. I'm sorry for not being able to tell you guys about my great new welder but I don't have it yet!! Sorry!

[lugweld]

Mr. Prism

We have had several shipments flagged for inspection as of late. Port security is tight. The shipment was in Friday at the port. I was there when we were informed of expected delivery, so I can verify that personally. It takes time sometimes to get a ship unloaded, especially if it has to wait in line. But from what I know we are waiting on customs. It came in a few days later than was promised to us from what I understand as it is.

As far as the guy waiting, he corrected his statement to say it was at the end of september. If you preorder, you know it will be shipped when it arrives, it always is and always has been this way. We had 14 days + of Chinese national holidays thrown in which always makes things interesting on shipping out, which is where this shipment fell in at the beginning. So things were delayed at this point as well. Typically, we give our best estimates, as you see. We can go only on what we are told.

We always can give you a refund, and most times accounts aren't actually charged until things are shipped. You are welcome to reorder later. However, I am not sure of your intent about this post. I am not sure how it will help anyones situation either, since everyone is literally in the same boat. I have made several posts on our site the past few days updating customers on our site, so I am not sure if this is a complaint we can do anything about at this time.

People that ordered last week will get shipment out this week as soon as things clear.

[mrprism]

I'm not looking to complain as a matter of fact I found my experience exactly as you have explained on your site. Its hard to imagine all the things that happen when things are shipped from far away lands. I've outlined and done what was asked of customers concerned about their orders and each time I was given an approximation of things happening. There seems to be people who read whats happening and think that things are going to be different when they order. Such as one person stated he got his 256 within one week. Which may in fact be the case if he ordered right when the ship was unloaded. Others such as the September orderer were not so fortunate and had to wait approximately 2 months . My post was designed to show a true and unbiased chain of events dealing with MY order. Do I wish the order was to you on the 27th and at my house Nov. 3rd or so? Sure I do, but as you have stated there are many variables that can effect delivery times. It seems there are many who choose to ignore these truths and think when they order it will be different, but unfortunately that is not the case. Then when THEY TOO find out it can take 6 to 8 weeks they can't understand why. I was just stating as fact I was told approximately the 27th, emailed, responded to, new date, emailed, responded to, update, etc. and so on until we arrive at present day. The only controversial postings I found were of one person saying customs is electronically passed within a few hours, when another and now yourself say it can be a few more days on the dock after arrival. My only motive is to inform people of the truth so they are not disappointed with choosing your brand. People need to know upfront what to expect and how long it takes. Maybe I'm wrong, but if people are expecting a 2-3 week wait and then are served a 6-8 week wait, more will be pissed than pleased. If someone could see into the future when I ordered and told me it would be a 5 week wait, I'd still order because I really think you have a desirable product at a wonderful price point. I just want you to be around when I need assistance in the future, not bankrupt because people are pissed because it took longer than anticipated. I believe in under promise over deliver.

[EVERLAST]

2011 units will be in stock LATE today !

sorry for the wait !

[EVERLAST]

I'm not looking to complain as a matter of fact I found my experience exactly as you have explained on your site. Its hard to imagine all the things that happen when things are shipped from far away lands. I've outlined and done what was asked of customers concerned about their orders and each time I was given an approximation of things happening. There seems to be people who read whats happening and think that things are going to be different when they order. Such as one person stated he got his 256 within one week. Which may in fact be the case if he ordered right when the ship was unloaded. Others such as the September orderer were not so fortunate and had to wait approximately 2 months . My post was designed to show a true and unbiased chain of events dealing with MY order. Do I wish the order was to you on the 27th and at my house Nov. 3rd or so? Sure I do, but as you have stated there are many variables that can effect delivery times. It seems there are many who choose to ignore these truths and think when they order it will be different, but unfortunately that is not the case. Then when THEY TOO find out it can take 6 to 8 weeks they can't understand why. I was just stating as fact I was told approximately the 27th, emailed, responded to, new date, emailed, responded to, update, etc. and so on until we arrive at present day. The only controversial postings I found were of one person saying customs is electronically passed within a few hours, when another and now yourself say it can be a few more days on the dock after arrival. My only motive is to inform people of the truth so they are not disappointed with choosing your brand. People need to know upfront what to expect and how long it takes. Maybe I'm wrong, but if people are expecting a 2-3 week wait and then are served a 6-8 week wait, more will be pissed than pleased. If someone could see into the future when I ordered and told me it would be a 5 week wait, I'd still order because I really think you have a desirable product at a wonderful price point. I just want you to be around when I need assistance in the future, not bankrupt because people are pissed because it took longer than anticipated. I believe in under promise over deliver.

mrprism

ALL PRE ORDERS GET A VERY NICE PRICE ON UNITS. SO ALL COSTUMERS ARE WILLING TO WAIT FOR THE PRICE THEY PAID. LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE NOT TOO HAPPY WITH EVERLAST , PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR INFO AND I WILL REFUND YOUR ORDER.

[mrprism]

You are misinterpreting my post as being unhappy with Everlast when in fact my experience has been exactly what you've told people from the get go. When concerned about your order, email or call and you'll receive the latest target arrival date. The reason once again for telling my experience is not because you've done anything wrong, or I'm unhappy, but rather to show that anything can happen in international shipping, there may certainly be delays, and don't be surprised when they happen. If concerned, contact Everlast and the latest information will be supplied.

[mrprism]

No need for the refund I'll just take the welder asap.

[mrprism]

Ok guys, (and gals) I received my new Everlast PowerPro 256 last Friday Nov,19. It was out of stock when I ordered and took a little while to get here. In fairness, they told me it would take a while, and every time I inquired, they responded with an answer. Before I go into this, I just want to say I am in no way affiliated with Everlast. As a matter of fact, if you've been reading along, I'm probably not on their "favorite persons" list. I am a regular customer who, after research, decided to order the PowerPro. With that said, I will offer honest, heart felt opinion, based on fact and experience, not just what I think someone wants hear or what somebody wants me to say. Very simply, I will speak my mind and the truth. If I make a few friends along the way, great. If I don't or step on a few toes when its deserved, that's ok too. Enough said. Moving on.
I was excited to have the UPS driver wheel this large box into the shop! I had a video camera on hand to document the opening of the box in case of shipping damage. I recommend doing this because most UPS drivers are busy and like to scoot out the door after they deliver. My first reaction after seeing the welder is that it is more compact than I imagined. For some reason it looked bigger in the videos I saw. This is perfect for placing on a cart to wheel around easily. The box was packed very well as you can see from the videos. After really looking at the machine, I was really impressed by the quality. The cables were very pliable and soft which is an indication of high quality small stranded copper. The knobs DO NOT have a cheap low cost feel. They feel like quality electronic components. I hooked the regulator to an argon tank and closed the flow rate, then opened the bottle slowly. The tank was new and just filled and the regulator showed a bottle pressure of a hair over 1800psi. I then closed the tank valve and kept the pressure trapped in the regulator, it held that pressure over an hour. A final test with soapy water verified no leaks. I am very very happy at this point because there was that voice in the back of my mind who expected a half way decent machine with some corners cut a little because of the price point. THAT VOICE WAS WRONG. My expectations have been exceeded by the quality of this machine. If it was a different color, and had one of the big manufacturers names on it, you would think it was a new model of theirs. Seriously! I gave the PowerPro a quick shakedown to make sure everything worked, but I want to post some more videos in the future showing this thing doing its stuff. Everything did in fact work, but I'll let the future videos speak for themselves. Wait till you see this thing plasma cut! As for negative things...there is only one and it may or may not be a simple mistake. I got 3 different size collets for 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8 electrodes but only one 3/32 collet holder. I don't know if its supposed to come with the other holders or not, but I could not find a packing list on line or included. Maybe someone else who just got one could chime in. Stay tuned for more videos. I'm going welding!!:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9KPLbo0Zkg

[lugweld]

Mr. Prism,
No it is not a mistake. That collet holder will actually fit all three sizes and works perfectly due to the type collets we have. The parts will still interchange with weldcraft and others. But that type system will work with several collets.I think if you'll look our collets are split 3 ways instead of the usual 2. This allows the collet to contract uniformly in the taper so that the collet body can serve for multiple sizes.

[mrprism]

Ok thanks Lugweld for the quick reply. I was going to try it with the other sizes anyway, something told me it would probably work but your info proves why it will, thanks!

[EVERLAST]

mrprism

please check you inbox

[zerofloat]

I've had my 256 since last summer. great machine!

[mrprism]

OK OK, so I know some time has passed since last typing on this forum and I got a few PM's asking about my purchase. The reason I waited to report was to give Everlast a chance to make everything right, and then use the machine enough to give accurate information. Its been just about ONE YEAR since I ordered my PP256. A lot has happened in that year and the popularity of Everlast welders seems stronger than ever. Jody over at weldingtipsandtricks.com was the convincing catalyst that made me give Everlast a shot so it seemed only fitting that I write my experience and have him post it there first. Without spending a lot of time retyping my experience with Everlast, I figured I would just post a link for all read. There is even an additional video documenting the moment my front bezel broke on my replacement PP256. Enjoy, and happy welding!

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/everlast-took-a-while-to-get-it-right-but1.html
Alan

[soutthpaw]

To their credit, Everlast is constantly in contact with the Factory and these quality control issues are getting addressed on a continual basis. aside from that, how much plasma cutting have you done with it and what is your opinion on the plasma side. second, how much total welding time do you have on the machine now?

[mrprism]

In the past 7 1/2 months (the time I've been able to use my PP256) I've burned almost 3/4 of a 5lb box of ER70S2 in 1/16", just about the same of ER4043 in 1/6", and only a few rods worth of ER4043 in 1/8". Just to check the functionality and shake the rust off I've burned a few 6011 and 7018 electrodes as practice. Weld time=??? As for the plasma cutter, I've used it maybe two dozen or so times when I needed it. I have a 3 way valve from McMaster on the back to make swapping from argon to compressed as easy as turning a valve. One thing I noticed is the machine has a hard time "sensing" when the arc has touched the metal to be cut. I almost have to touch the tip sometimes when cutting to get it off the pilot arc and onto the cutting arc. Haven't contacted them about this yet as its not much of an issue but more of an annoyance. The machine is located at my shop "All Out Automotive & Performance" and gets used at least a few times a week. We also have a small 120V mig welder there so the Everlast is not the only machine. I want to upgrade to a 220V mig soon and am not sure what brand it will be. Everlast is still on the table.

Alan

[titan winch]

We have indeed had a very rapid growth cycle over the last 18 months and we have had to make some dramatic changes in our aproach to how we want to move ahead for the future. One of the major improvements that is actually starting to really show itself in the last couple of months is our on site overseeing of our Orders being produced and our involvement with QC procedures with a hands on aproach and not simply trying to communicate via Emails or phone calls.

I read your Reveiw over at Welding tips and tricks . I imagine the Pre-Order style of sales can be a little frustrating for our Customers, when for whatever reason the estimated time for delivery is delayed and your Customers are left wondering what is going on. We are placing procedures in place that should be up and running by December of this year. We have contracted out a very detailed and thorough tracking system for all orders / repairs that will send out updates with both SMS and Emails to keep track of every detail of any customers machine and in fact a complete history of the unit. This starts from the Factory before we even have the units in our possesion .

The fact that something as simple as a plastic Bezel can be overlooked and keep you waiting for such a long period of time just shows how we have needed to step up and improve these areas. I talked to Oleg about this after being told about your reveiw.He admitted that between the Warehouse
and Warranty there was a mess up with Warranty thinking it was a shipping issue and visa versa.
Regardless of what excuse you want to come up with it does not change the fact that a simple issue is lost in the shuffle and we can not have this happening.
The Program being put in place is very sophisticated and i am probably the least qualified to talk about it as i am a complete neophyte when it comes to Computer Programs.I have however been assured by those that know, this will greatly reduce the chances of this type of thing happening in the future for all shipping and warranty issues .
For some time now i have been working at the Factory on a regular basis and we have been implementing procedures in line with a North American Mind set into how to optain a efficient and productive QC program.
this is a ongoing strategy that is never completed regardless of where you might be located and we at Everlast have decided we need to do this if we want to see our Brand name expand and improve . we can no longer use the excuse that " we are a small outfit we do not have the resources to do this " simply put we have no choice but to commit to this course and to further commit to improving both Customer relations and Customer Support .
your post just shows how we need to improve in these fields and i for one look forward to seeing the coming year and witnessing these very improvements.

Thanks
Duncan

[soutthpaw]

On-site QC at the factory is absolutely what Everlast and any other company selling Chinese made products needs to do to separate itself from the masses of generic Chicom products. This is what the premium brands of all types of products do when having their stuff made in Asia. Keep it up.