Hf Mig 250 Made In Russia ... Any Info?

[ohill]

Anybody heard of any HF welders made in russia? It looks like a Hobart Ironman 250. Just wondering if anybody has any info on any welders from Russia?
thanks
rob

[Donald Branscom]

Just keep giving your money to Russia, China, and Mexico and pretty soon
there will be no jobs here and no welding suppliers either.

ESAB is already manufacturing welding consumables in China.

All the cheap labor is causing jobs to leave our country.
Russian immigrants are already working for less money in the USA.

[Craig in Denver]

Originally Posted by Donald Branscom

Just keep giving your money to Russia, China, and Mexico and pretty soon
there will be no jobs here and no welding suppliers either.

ESAB is already manufacturing welding consumables in China.

All the cheap labor is causing jobs to leave our country.
Russian immigrants are already working for less money in the USA.

x2

[ohill]

"Just keep giving your money to Russia, China, and Mexico and pretty soon
there will be no jobs here and no welding suppliers either."

Sorry, I thought this was the harbor freight tools forum.
rob

[ohill]

Just keep giving your money to Russia, China, and Mexico and pretty soon
there will be no jobs here and no welding suppliers either.

[ohill]

I agree, but Edison electric didn't make the computer you are using to scold me for buying non american. If all of the non american parts were stripped from your miller welder it wouldn't run.
I don't think harbor freight deals in made in USA. So since this is the harbor freight forum.

[rumme]

Originally Posted by ohill

I agree, but Edison electric didn't make the computer you are using to scold me for buying non american. If all of the non american parts were stripped from your miller welder it wouldn't run.
I don't think harbor freight deals in made in USA. So since this is the harbor freight forum.

Yes, you are correct. My advice,...ignore those who try and demonize you for purchasing a product manufactured overseas while these same people try and claim that its mostly the consumers fault that our jobs have been outsourced to other nations. Of course the funny thing is, many of those who make such a invalid arguement, dont even realize that some of those products they think are soley the product of the U.S have many parts imported from overseas.

Our country isnt being ruined by consumers purchasing products from overseas { which is called " free trade " agreements} ...our country is largely being ruined by a corrupt, deceiptful band of people within our government/ monetary systems and a society that has grown spoiled, lazy and wasteful and as long as the majority of people in our society fail to realize this, we cannot expect things to improve.

I will continue to purchase products made overseas, as long as they present a good value { compared to their American made counterparts} and function on a level I find acceptable .

To everyone else that wishes to totally purchase so called " American made products" { that often have many components made overseas} , good for you and im glad you are willing to spend 4x the money just to proudly proclaim you purchase such products. Just make sure to not reseacrh where many of the components of such products were created, because it may spoil your gung ho pipe dream.

my list of overseas products that ive been more then happy with :

simadre 3 in 1 plasma cutter- $499 { U.S simliar version costs around 4x as much and is bigger and heavier}

150 c.c gas scooter...made in china...cost $1199 delivered . A honda or other brand name would cost $5000+

4hp- 15 gallon air compressor to drive my chinese plasma cutter- $149 delivered ...made by Homier...works great

$350 electric log splitter...4 hp, - 7 ton.....made in China and I just split 8 pallets of wood with it over a period of 7 hours. Worked great


I figure with the above foreign made products I have purchased, { and a few others not mentioned} I have saved a total of over $8,000 in the last couple years.....and I have been happy with the performance of every product. I guess that makes me un-patriotic ? Or maybe that makes me financially savy ?

[ohill]

Thank You!

[redcoupe]

Originally Posted by rumme

Yes, you are correct. My advice,...ignore those who try and demonize you for purchasing a product manufactured overseas while these same people try and claim that its mostly the consumers fault that our jobs have been outsourced to other nations. Of course the funny thing is, many of those who make such a invalid arguement, dont even realize that some of those products they think are soley the product of the U.S have many parts imported from overseas.

Our country isnt being ruined by consumers purchasing products from overseas { which is called " free trade " agreements} ...our country is largely being ruined by a corrupt, deceiptful band of people within our government/ monetary systems and a society that has grown spoiled, lazy and wasteful and as long as the majority of people in our society fail to realize this, we cannot expect things to improve.

I will continue to purchase products made overseas, as long as they present a good value { compared to their American made counterparts} and function on a level I find acceptable .

To everyone else that wishes to totally purchase so called " American made products" { that often have many components made overseas} , good for you and im glad you are willing to spend 4x the money just to proudly proclaim you purchase such products. Just make sure to not reseacrh where many of the components of such products were created, because it may spoil your gung ho pipe dream.

my list of overseas products that ive been more then happy with :

simadre 3 in 1 plasma cutter- $499 { U.S simliar version costs around 4x as much and is bigger and heavier}

150 c.c gas scooter...made in china...cost $1199 delivered . A honda or other brand name would cost $5000+

4hp- 15 gallon air compressor to drive my chinese plasma cutter- $149 delivered ...made by Homier...works great

$350 electric log splitter...4 hp, - 7 ton.....made in China and I just split 8 pallets of wood with it over a period of 7 hours. Worked great


I figure with the above foreign made products I have purchased, { and a few others not mentioned} I have saved a total of over $8,000 in the last couple years.....and I have been happy with the performance of every product. I guess that makes me un-patriotic ? Or maybe that makes me financially savy ?

same thing with vehicles....i was going to buy a ford F-150 until i found out 46% of the parts alone were made over seas and that the Ford F-650and 750 were built in mexico....when i bought my toyota tundra, which i love by the way, 86% of the parts were made in the usa...and the truck itself was built in indiana....blame the poeple running these multi million dollar corps. for sending jobs overseas to gian a few bucks, not the consumers for trying to save some $$$

[Mandau]

Err... what wrong with russian machine?... you drink vodka, love the red hair hmmm... you know what I mean... design the AK-47 so I have heard not seen one close before... as long as its good I'll use it... unless it got this small tag written gift from Nigeria or Zimbabwe then u should check the machine... ID

[Mandau]

another fine Russian product...

[CDG]

Interesting possibility. I know that the dual mig 151, and maybe the 131 were made in Italy in the early days until they moved to China. I have a 151, chinese built, and is a decent welder for patching fences and stuff. I have a Miller Thunderbolt, and my dad has a collection of Millers and Lincolns that are better. Unfortunately I've heard rumblings that Miller is going to be setting up production in China, but I don't know if it's really true.

If you can afford it, I would look at higher end equipment. If a deal happens to fall into your lap, I'd jump at it. (I got two of the dual mig 151 HF welders for 20 bucks, put about 50 bucks into fixing them, and sold one of them for 80 bucks, meaning I made 10 bucks and got a decent working welder). Otherwise, I wouldn't go out of my way. Some good deals I've had:

The bottom line is that I do what I can to buy here, but being at a point in my life where my expenses are high and my income is low (AKA college), I occasionally do what I have to in order to save money. Where I need to rely on something for a living, I buy high end stuff.

[jimcolt]

I have a healthy combination of U.S. and import tools and equipment. Most of them do what I bought them to do....although I have seen lower reliability and quality with much of the import stuff....."you get what you pay for" usually rings true!

I have work for Hypertherm (plasma cutters)...which are engineered, designed and manufactured in Hanover, NH, USA.......although there are a few discrete imported components on circuit boards....the vast majority of components are made in USA. We sell over half of our products outside of the U.S.....with China our fastest growing market.

There is nothing wrong with buying import products as long as these products are not blatant copies of someone else's design. A company that spends the money designing, engineering and reliability testing their own product...has to include the costs of these processes in their product over a period of time. Companies that copy or "reverse engineer" products...can often sell the counterfeit at a lower price.

I will purchase import product if it seems like a good value....but if I know it has copied someone else's good technology...then I won't buy it at any price!

Jim

[rumme]

Originally Posted by jimcolt

I will purchase import product if it seems like a good value....but if I know it has copied someone else's good technology...then I won't buy it at any price!

Jim

good for you....and I have seen a few other people delcare the same thing in the past.
I personally have a different perspective


I have no problem in admitting that if China was able to make a product { like a fuel efficient gas/electric hybrid vehicle that gets 70 mpg } that used simliar technology of a toyota/honda hybrid vehicle, and performed as good, for half the price, I would defintiely consider buying it. If such a product is allowed to be made overseas and sold here in the U.S { EVEN IF IT doesnt adhere to patent laws} , then its a product I will consider as a purchase becuase my main goals are :

1. solid performing product

2. best price

3. product longevitiy

4. product support/warranty if needed....


worrying about patent laws that may not be adhered to by such companies is not a major concern of mine if such patent laws are being allowed to be broken and such products are allowed to be imported and legally sold here in the U.S.....IMHO, its up to the countries/ manufacturers to fight it out if patent laws are being purposelly broken, or simply dont allow such products to be imported


If China is riping of some of toyotas/ hondas/ etc patents, then I feel its up to those multi billion dollar companies ,to do something about it and/or our country to not allow such imports to be made readily avalible for sale here in the U.S...


so basically what im saying, in all honesty is :

I will gladly purchase a chinese made product that is legally sold here in the U.S WHEN IT IS SOLD FOR 1/2 or less the price and offers comparable features, even if the product may not strictly adhere to patent laws.....

CHOICE :

1. purchase a chinese hybrid vehicle that gets 70 mpg and has proven reliability, and is legally allowed to be imported/sold here in the U.S for a price of $9000, but may be copying another manufacturers designs/ideas

OR

2. purchase a name brand hybrid vehicle same as above for a price of $21,000 just so I can proclaim that I purchased a vehicle that invented/ patented the product/design.....


I am honest about this situation....and am always looking to legally get the best bang for my buck...

example "


I purchased a new chinese 2200watt WENG gas generator several years ago at Pep boys for $179.00. It works fantastically and looks like a Honda generator and is even painted red . Of course I could have purchased a real Honda generator and payed $1100.00, but my budget and common sense would not allow it...thankfully :}


I think its safe to say, that most people think the way I do about this subject and would make the same decision, its just that many people dont easily admit it as I do.

[Mandau]

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-bud...4100K-Tomorrow

Little amounts can make a large difference to your finances.

As gasoline and food prices continue to rise, the squeeze to make family budgets balance each month becomes more of a struggle. After the big savings have been found and taken, smaller savings have to be found to make ends meet.

This can be frustrating as it can feel like everyone is being nickled and dimed to death. That's why it's important to realize how these small amounts can make a huge difference in your overall financial health.

You've likely heard about the little ways to save money a million times. Money-saving advice includes standards like packing your lunch instead of buying it at work, skipping the Starbucks and making your coffee at home and watching videos at home instead of going out to the movies. While you may have grown tired of hearing them, they are still as true as ever and even more important when the economy is struggling.

Saving small amounts of money is good advice for everyone, it's not as essential for people that are currently living well below their means. If you spend $5 on a cup of coffee each day, but you're still able to put away five times that amount toward your savings, that coffee splurge isn't going to hurt as much as for someone who isn't saving anything. For those that are barely making ends meet, spending small amounts of money can be the difference between deep debt and a nice retirement account.

When you are faced with a budget that isn't balancing, you have two main choices: earn more money or cut more expenses. Unfortunately, many turn to a third alternative. When they can't seem to make their budget balance, they decide that it's acceptable to place the difference onto a credit card. Even though the monthly shortfall in the budget is small, placing it onto credit cards is one of the worst financial moves that a person can make. The result will be a downward cycle that will not only keep you in debt, but also create a tremendous amount of stress.

There is often a false assumption that saving $10 and spending $10, although opposite, are relatively the same. For example, if a person saves $10 a day, after a month their account will have $300 while if a person spends $10 a day, that will result in a debt of $300. While on the surface this makes perfect sense, the problem lies in that these numbers fail to take into account the interest that can be gained or charged on this money. It is this failure to understand the concept of compound interest and the dramatic effect it can have that greatly changes these results.

It's important to understand that it takes very little to start sinking into debt. For most people, spending $10 a day would not be considered extravagant spending by any means, but $10 can result in tens of thousands of dollar of debt. It's simple to see when you compare the results of what happens when one person saves $10 a day while the other spends $10 a day that he doesn't have.

If a person were to save $300 a month (approx. $10 a day) and invest it to get a 5% yearly return, that person would have $20,402 in the bank after five years. On the other hand, if a person ends up spending $300 a month more than he has and puts it onto a credit card that he doesn't pay off over the same 5 year period, that person will owe $36,259, assuming a 26% credit card interest rate. After five years, the difference between saving $10 and spending $10 each day results in a $56,661 gap in net worth between the two.

Add another five years to the same patterns, and the results are even more dramatic. After 10 years, the person who saved $10 a day would have $46,585 in the bank, whereas the person whop spent the $10 he didn't have would be $167,470 in debt, resulting in a net worth difference of over $210,000.

Of course, there are many other factors that could alter these calculations. The interest you can earn and what your credit card interest rates are will vary from this example. There is a minimum amount that the person would need to pay on a credit card each month. If debt to this extent began to occur, the person would have their credit cut off long before this amount accumulated and would likely need to declare bankruptcy. The point is that over time, small amounts added to debt can result in far more debt than most people realize.

Once you learn that saving a small amount and overspending a small amount aren't simple opposites, you understand the importance of having a budget and strictly sticking with it. If you are able to fight through the hard times and keep your budget balanced, then you set yourself to reap great financial rewards when the economy finally turns around.

P.S. I think wanna a quality or quantity item depend on individual , on situation and what it is for... saving and planning your budget would be a crucial exercise to survive the jungle of economic out there... welcome to reality

[rumme]

as our dollar continues to sink and inlfation continues to hit record highs on food/ gas/ energy/etc.....I think we will continue to see imported chinese products becoming more popular as long as the price continues to be 1/2 as much as name brand and as long as quality is accpetable...

but these cheap chinese products may not be around indeifntely. I have read articels that are claiming legislation is being proposed to significantly increase the sale price of these chinese imports. If this is enacted, its possible we may see these inexpensive alternative products from china have their sales prices raised to be simliar to name brand/ American made products and IMHO, this is one of the only ways American/name brand products will be able to compete again with imported/ chinese products...


If and when this legislation happens, I think many people will look back and realize how good we had it, with being able to buy a imported product like a plasma cutter for 50-80 % less then American made...

[rumme]

for me it boils down to disposable income :

I wanted a 4 stroke gas generator but couldnt afford a Honda for $1100 but could afford a WENG for $179 that gives comparable performance

I couldnt afford a $1200 plasma cutter but could afford a $499 3 in 1 plasma cutter from china

I couldnt afford a $999 log splitter but could afford a 7 ton- 4 hp chinese log splitter for $349

I couldtn afford a Honda 150 cc scooter for $5,000, but could afford a Wildifre chinese 150 cc scooter for $ 1199 shipped to my door


etc


etc

and every product Ive listed above has performed fantstically. Great pricem great performance = GREAT VALUE for the lil disposable income I have.

Im taking advantage of these inexpensive import prices while I still can because I beleive one day soon, these products will not be avaliable at such inexpensive prices

[rumme]

just in my few examples above, Ive saved over 5 thousand dollars by not purchasing name brand products....

the log splitter was the latest purchase and I used it for about 7 hrs staright last weekend. I cut 6-7 pallets of Oak/Ash and it perfomed great.

[Mandau]

I think in the US chinese stuff is under a brand name and have some sort of backup unlike in Indonesia which is buy and use until it breakup and hope someone is smart enough to fix it...

I know some big company have labeled chinese machine under their brand name but without warranty... this may change over time but maybe quite a long it of time...

I would for hobby use chinese stuff, but for serious shop work relies on stable brand... at least there is a possible sparepart upgrade... downtime is a killer...

Been busy lookin for old stuff when quality is not doubt and material within the machine is not undercut...

[CDG]

Originally Posted by rumme

for me it boils down to disposable income :

I wanted a 4 stroke gas generator but couldnt afford a Honda for $1100 but could afford a WENG for $179 that gives comparable performance

I couldnt afford a $1200 plasma cutter but could afford a $499 3 in 1 plasma cutter from china

I couldnt afford a $999 log splitter but could afford a 7 ton- 4 hp chinese log splitter for $349

I couldtn afford a Honda 150 cc scooter for $5,000, but could afford a Wildifre chinese 150 cc scooter for $ 1199 shipped to my door


etc


etc

and every product Ive listed above has performed fantstically. Great pricem great performance = GREAT VALUE for the lil disposable income I have.

Im taking advantage of these inexpensive import prices while I still can because I beleive one day soon, these products will not be avaliable at such inexpensive prices

It's impractical to assume that these things you purchased are of comparable quality to well established manufacturers.

I was always taught to buy tools for a lifetime, maybe your kids or grandkids will get your tools someday. Do you really think your China log splitter is going to go to your grandkids?

And yes, for the record, our log splitter came from my Dad's grandfather - albeit it is from the mid 1960s.

If it was so simple to make products so cheaply, then every manufacturer out there would be buying this stuff directly from harbor freight and putting a sticker on it. The bottom line is that they don't. And I still paid $130 bucks for a Bosh jigsaw, and yes, it is completely worth the extra dough compared with either of the cheaply made Chicago Electric saws I own. I'm a carpenter. I don't have time for tools to break when I'm working. I can't have a saw that has mould marks that hurt my hands after using that tool all day. I don't have time to sit in a workshop late at night, engineering fixes to problems that a quality tool would have never shipped with.


Don't read me wrong here man, there is a time and a place to have and use cheap tools. Maybe you really don't have the money and you don't plan on using 'em much. Or maybe you want to reduce the liability of somebody stealing things from you. The bottom line though is that if you really work with your hands, you understand the value and importance of owning the highest quality tools out there. Because the economy in buying a cheap tool is almost always false. You paid 1/3 the cost of a domestic brand log splitter but I shudder to think what would happen to that little guy if you put it up against some real work - splitting 30 or 40 cords in a day. Heck with that little splitter that probably isn't even possible.

For light duty work, and for instances where you don't want to shell out too much bread to get the job done, I sometimes even go for the cheap tools. But in the long run, I've spent more money patching things I've busted with cheap tools than I really have saved on buying them.

[Brad Blazer]

What was the original question?

Here is a review of the Russian Welder. Larry re-worked the feed rollers and otherwise it is working fine.
http://chinesetractor.proboards66.co...lay&thread=307

They seem to be discontinued or out of stock at this time. The last time I was in the store it was marked down to $599.

Brad

[rumme]

Originally Posted by CDG

It's impractical to assume that these things you purchased are of comparable quality to well established manufacturers.

I was always taught to buy tools for a lifetime, maybe your kids or grandkids will get your tools someday. Do you really think your China log splitter is going to go to your grandkids?

And yes, for the record, our log splitter came from my Dad's grandfather - albeit it is from the mid 1960s.

If it was so simple to make products so cheaply, then every manufacturer out there would be buying this stuff directly from harbor freight and putting a sticker on it. The bottom line is that they don't. And I still paid $130 bucks for a Bosh jigsaw, and yes, it is completely worth the extra dough compared with either of the cheaply made Chicago Electric saws I own. I'm a carpenter. I don't have time for tools to break when I'm working. I can't have a saw that has mould marks that hurt my hands after using that tool all day. I don't have time to sit in a workshop late at night, engineering fixes to problems that a quality tool would have never shipped with.


Don't read me wrong here man, there is a time and a place to have and use cheap tools. Maybe you really don't have the money and you don't plan on using 'em much. Or maybe you want to reduce the liability of somebody stealing things from you. The bottom line though is that if you really work with your hands, you understand the value and importance of owning the highest quality tools out there. Because the economy in buying a cheap tool is almost always false. You paid 1/3 the cost of a domestic brand log splitter but I shudder to think what would happen to that little guy if you put it up against some real work - splitting 30 or 40 cords in a day. Heck with that little splitter that probably isn't even possible.

For light duty work, and for instances where you don't want to shell out too much bread to get the job done, I sometimes even go for the cheap tools. But in the long run, I've spent more money patching things I've busted with cheap tools than I really have saved on buying them.

well much of what you say I agree with and is pure common sense...

for example, anyone that needs to split 40 cords of wood a day and decides to purchase a $340 - 7 ton electric log splitter from China , thinking it will last a lifetime, is living in disney world.


Im retired, so all my gadgets/ tools arent needed for my livlihood...they are used strictly for hobbies and home projects.

My $1100 chinese scooter has ran perfectly for over 3 years now and pulls my large azz { 6 ft 6inches 240 lbs } at a top speed of 50- 55 mph.....From my perspective, it makes no sense to have payed 4-5 grand for a name brand Japenese scooter, that would basically do the same thing tis chinese scooter does.

Now, maybe a Honda scooter will get 60,000 miles on it before it is ready for the junk yard compared to my chinese scooter that may only get 30,000 miles on it before it reaches that demise......

The reality is, the chinese scooter still comes out ahead in terms of value/ price/ life expectancy and ive had mine for over 3 years and only have 4,100 miles on it. This menas it should last me another 20 years at the rate im racking up mileage on it.


the 4 stroke air cooled engines on these chinese scooters are basically the same designed / proven styled engines used in the name brand japenese models. They are quite simple and if broken in correctly and taken care of, they generally perform quite well even though they may be made by a chinese manufacturer that goes by the name :

Hachshaki

instead of

Honda.....


the names mean very little to me....the price and performance and longevity does.

I coulda purchased 4 brand new chinese scooters for the cost of one Honda scoooter. Id be willing to bet theres now way the honda scooter is gonna outlast 2 of the chinese scooters, let alone 4 of them.


I also just pruchased a 80 c.c chinese 2 stroke bicycle engine kit. $239.99 delivered and it has back up pull start and centrifigal clutch and comes with all componments needed to mount to a bike/ trike. top speed of 40 mph and gets arpound 150 MPG.....


I looked at the honda engines for this application and they are just to expensive IMHO.

I think in the near future, we will see a time come when these inexpensive, but acceptable chinese products arent so inexpensive anymore. Their prices will eb artifically inlfated by our corrupt governemtns/ corporations and if that does happen, we will look back and realize many of the beneifts these imported products once offered.


If it werent for chinese plasma cutters, I wouldnt own one right now, because spedning $1200 + on a American made unit was not in my budget.