MigSonic145

[kenml]

Looking at mig welder for garage, saw weldking MigSonic-145 in local store. seems made pretty decently. rated 145A at 60%, almost twice MM140 and PowerMig140. dual-voltage with autolink is the reason I seriously consider it. I do not know how good the weld is, anybody tried it before?

[Sandy]

I see it's an inverter rig. Impressive stats if you take them as shown in the glossy pages. 180 amp max with 60% duty cycle at 140 amps off 230 volts.

I'm not going to buy one so I don't feel the need to do a ton of research but looking at the manual I saw something that makes me curious about not only this machine but other inverters as well. I see it lists a maximum operating temperature of 104°. Kinda odd. Around here that would kill any using it for quite a few days in the summer. So if it has an operating ceiling of 104°, is that 60% duty cycle also at that starting temperature? I wonder just how they came up with that duty cycle? It's pretty common practice for the major manufacturers to derive their duty cycles of the wire wound machines by testing at 104°.

Got me confused as to how you could test at 104° for an industry comparable duty cycle but also have a cap of 104° for an operating temperature. Maybe it's its possible and I just don't understand, but I'd have to have a good expalnation and understanding before I bought one f these or any inverter type for myself.

http://www.weldking.com/pdf/MigSonic145manual_web.pdf

http://www.weldking.com/MigSonic145.aspx

Could be I'm reading it all wrong too. Everyone here knows that I tend to scan through things a bit too fast at times.

[Donald Branscom]

The big question is......Where do you get parts? Do you have to call India and talk to a child that knows nothing about welding machines. How long would it take to get a part.

Will they keep making that model?

Can you find Their PHONE NUMBER?? Are parts actually in the USA?

Better be asking those kind of questions.

[ngrover]

Originally Posted by Donald Branscom

The big question is......Where do you get parts? Do you have to call India and talk to a child that knows nothing about welding machines. How long would it take to get a part.

Will they keep making that model?

Can you find Their PHONE NUMBER?? Are parts actually in the USA?

Better be asking those kind of questions.

WeldKing is a Canadian company based in Calgary Alberta. The welders are made in China of course but so are most welders. I'm looking at getting a WeldKing MigSonic 145 myself. I actually live in Calgary so parts and service certainly shouldn't be a problem here. If I get it I'll post a noob review.

[ngrover]

I'm trying to figure out if I should get the MigSonic 145 (better specs, lesser known brand) or the Lincoln Mig-Pak 180 (better brand, lesser specs). I can get either for roughly the same price.

WeldKing MigSonic 145:
- more voltage settings
- aluminium drive system
- thermal protection
- 60% duty at 145 amps
- 40 to 180 amp range
- WeldKing (the company) is head-quarted in my city

Lincoln Mig-Pak 180:
- only 5 voltage settings
- plastic drive system
- 30% duty at 130 amps
- 30 to 180 amp range

This would be my first welder so I'm a total novice. Any advice would help.

[kenml]

Originally Posted by Sandy

I see it's an inverter rig. Impressive stats if you take them as shown in the glossy pages. 180 amp max with 60% duty cycle at 140 amps off 230 volts.

Could be I'm reading it all wrong too. Everyone here knows that I tend to scan through things a bit too fast at times.

Sandy, seems you are right in your last line, it is 104F(40C) not 40C. hehe

[Donald Branscom]

Originally Posted by kenml

Looking at mig welder for garage, saw weldking MigSonic-145 in local store. seems made pretty decently. rated 145A at 60%, almost twice MM140 and PowerMig140. dual-voltage with autolink is the reason I seriously consider it. I do not know how good the weld is, anybody tried it before?

How good is the weld?? Well how good is the operator? With an experienced welder and on a proper thickness JOINT what are the results and what wire is being used???

It needs a proper test.

Have you ever seen one of these companies print a proper test by an experienced welder??

I haven't.

The welder just shows up in a store(non welding store) and some poor beginner buys it because he likes the color and the price.CRAZY.

[Ace Welder]

Got the Lincoln 180, all i can say is it's been a solid machine so far with no problems. One other thing you might want to check is will the other machine except a spool gun for alum. just in case you ever plan on doing any alum. welding.

[ngrover]

Thanks Ace, just checked and there is a spool gun option for the WeldKing. It's about $275 which I assume is normal.

[DOC]

The MigSonic 145 is the first inverter we have ever purchased. We fabricate fencing and components for buildings and apartment complexes. Running 035 E70S6 wire in C25 gas the unit runs fine and we can see no difference in the welds between it and our Miller 210 and 252's. We are running around 150 amps, the units have never shut down in the Texas heat.
The way we see it the unit costs 650.00-three year warranty. If we use it for 3+ years we can throw it away and buy another, write it off and be money ahead. This the world we live in. We upgrade the guns-we have standardize on the Trafimet Ergo 25, a Binzel copy-but a good one! The welders love them light and very flexible-I love them because of their price and ease of maintenance-welder's can destroy an anvil!.

As far as parts I only deal with:http://weldmart.com ask for the Jefe when you call-I hope he is still alive, seems to know about welding machines, but keeps complaining about how old he is!

FYI: I have found that what a welder is called is not necessary what it is. The MigSonic 145 is 145 amp at 60% duty cycle. Compare it to a Miller 210, then compare prices! A real eye opener. The devil (and often the truth) is in the details.

We plan to buy three more this year.

Check out this blog: http://weldmart.com/techtalk

[ngrover]

I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd update it by saying I did buy a MigSonic-145 over a year ago and haven't had a single issue with it. It's been a good unit so far and works as advertised.

[jbmprods]

why does this whole post with the exception of Donald seem like a scam or seller hype?

[ngrover]

Originally Posted by jbmprods

why does this whole post with the exception of Donald seem like a scam or seller hype?

Hahah, well that's a first. I've never been accused of sounding like a scammer.

If it would help anyone to know who I am, then just let me know how I can do that. I'm a backyard hack who has a lot to learn about welding. This day and age, you can cheap out on a lot of Chinese crap and get burned. I guess I'm just pleasantly surprised this time around.... and not surprisingly, when someone has something good to say about a cheap product they sound like a scammer.

Here is some photos of me and the first thing I ever welded with the MigSonic (a metal brake). The welds suck but that's not the welders fault. I'd like to think I've become much better with it over the past year: https://picasaweb.google.com/1020911...2/Fabrication#

[jbmprods]

yeah i kinda jumped the gun on the comment and i even missed Sandy's post which is the most shocking mistake since i highly respect him and his contributions to the forum. another lesson in don't speak before you sleep. for a first time project it looks like it was a great success. the welds are rough but who's aren't when they first start. i have to ask though. did your wife approve of the break on the dining room table? if so does she have a single twin? she would be in high demand on this sight.