[snoeproe]

Re: Best portable engine drive welder

I have 2 small engine driven welder generators. The Honda EW 171 and a Multiquip GLW 180. The Multiquip is an all copper wound welder generator. The welder has a separate alternator and generator. It's all bent up and ugly but that's the way I bought it. It weld like a dream Excellent 6011 and 7018. For some reason it doesn't like 6010 at all. I'm not sure how the Honda works but the arc quality sucks compared to the Multiquip. The arc snuffs out and sticks a lot. The Multiquip is like an SA200. It starts easy and it burns hotter the closer you hold it. The new Multiquip welders even have an arc force control.

The multi quip is not like a sa200 at all. The sa200 burns 6010 real well.
7018 blows 6010 out of the water in terms of strength, ductility and appearance. If you can't make that happen with 7018 then you don't know how to weld with it.
Your multi quip beads in your photos don't look very good.

 

[snoeproe]

Best portable engine drive welder

Well, to be honest, it looks like you run those 6011 beads with your eyes closed.
I'm glad your happy with your multi quip engine drive welder. But I've yet to see one on any type of code job welding structural or pipe and they certainly aren't no sa200. You don't see any any arc control dial on any Lincoln sa or SAE machine because they don't need it. An experienced operator can use the coarse and fine amperage controls to accomplish this.

 

[snoeproe]

Best portable engine drive welder

I was just using what he had there. I didn't want to drag my welder out there. I like 6010 5P+ the best for this type of application. Better toughness and ductility. This arm is subject to too much shock forces and 7018 is too brittle.

I'm not here to start a pissing match.
But, when you post statements like this, your credibility pretty much goes out the window.
Cold weather? I live and work and weld structural in temps down to -40. We work through it. And we don't blame poor welds on the elements. Those excuses don't cut it with the weld inspector.
I'm glad you dig up some pics of when I was starting out in the trade and learning to run stick vertical down. That must have taken you some time. Takes me back. Thanks.

 

[snoeproe]

Everyone knows that the SA200 has the best arc of any engine driven welder.

I prefer my sae 300 to any sa200

 

[snoeproe]

The idealarcs and dial arcs are good as far as single phase transformers go. However, they don't hold a candle to the performance a 3 phase R3R or Gold star transformer machine.

 

[snoeproe]

The stats on that 200 are not that great. Almost 4000 euro for the 200 machine. It only has a 3L size fuel tank and the machine burns 1L of fuel per hr @ 170 amps. You have 3 hrs run time on a tank of fuel with 5/32 7018 rod. It also says it has high frequency...not sure why you need that on a dc portable welder. Just added cost that's not required in my opinion.