ESAB Rebel 205ic

[FuelieNova]

Its not a problem when you have a great LWS, they service Lincoln, Esab, Miller. Not sure about others, its nice when its a employee owned company run by the same family for years.
They would be a store you should contact about being a dealer possibly, just a thought.
Tom

[Brand X]

Does not matter.. with this.. https://www.esabna.com/us/en/support...tisfaction.cfm
Now what do you guy have? 50% plan if it does not blow, and wiil only cover the ones that don't.

[lugweld]

Does not matter.. with this.. https://www.esabna.com/us/en/support...tisfaction.cfm
Now what do you guy have? 50% plan if it does not blow, and wiil only cover the ones that don't.

You are beyond hope here. Nothing I say matters. You throw shade just to do it. We have several policies which cover this. One is our long standing (9 years) 30 day satisfaction warranty. It's a 100% if there is a problem with the unit, including shipping. If there is no verifiable issue, and the customer simply wants to return it, then it is covered by the same policy, but it is subject to a 15% restock fee and return shipping. Additionally, we have a 6 month policy which allows the customer to "trade up" with marginal expense, to a larger item if it is too small or not enough to meet their needs. Many times, it is 100% trade-up unless the unit is heavily used, and then usually no more than 20% hit against the original purchase price of the trade in .

I have an ESAB. No one wants to service here within 100 miles that I can find. I've always had to go back to Florence for my parts and service and fix it myself. They even discontinued many parts while the product was still in production.

The reason ESAB has that policy (very recently I might add) is that their reputation for service was, well, through the floor. When they bought out Victor, they realized that they married "up" and had to do something about their reputation for parts and service. I love the products, hate their service reputation for the size company they are.

Our warranty policy (even if it doesn't cover shipping) is for 5 years. Parts and Labor. I remember that people poo-pooed it when we brought it out 10 years ago, saying we wouldn't be around 3 years. Here we are. Still enjoying yearly record breaking sales, and are shaping the industry with our products and policies. Others have come and gone (Including TA, and afore mentioned Victor), but we are still here.

And if someone is not happy with that policy, they can buy from Home Depot for 90 day return.

[Rondo]

To be clear. ESAB didn't Buy Victor. ESAB doesn't even own itself. Colfax owns ESAB and bought Victor ( and paid 2X more than it sold for last time ) to help with ESAB's 2 years in a row = 40 million dollar losses. They were tanking. Then the morons at Colfax let ESAB run Victor and now it's tanking too. Seen the POS new imported Victor torches yet? I'm still a big Cutmaster fan though.

[Brand X]

You are beyond hope here. Nothing I say matters. You throw shade just to do it.

You are the one in this forum pushing S##T. You might want to take it over where you pay to post this dribble..Then People will believe you, and follow you in lock step.. Here it's not going to happen. You pretty much have a stake in what you are pimping, and really should stay over there.. (IMO)

[N2 Welding]

And if someone is not happy with that policy, they can buy from Home Depot for 90 day return.

Or for one year at Home Depot if purchased on the Home Depot credit account.

[lugweld]

I was a contributing member of this forum, long before I started working for Everlast. And N2, you post the dribble for free. Think about that.

[lugweld]

Or for one year at Home Depot if purchased on the Home Depot credit account.

Yes, and there's that.

[N2 Welding]

Yes, and there's that.

Not available to all. Not every one can buy on credit at Home Depot.

[lugweld]

To be clear. ESAB didn't Buy Victor. ESAB doesn't even own itself. Colfax owns ESAB and bought Victor ( and paid 2X more than it sold for last time ) to help with ESAB's 2 years in a row = 40 million dollar losses. They were tanking. Then the morons at Colfax let ESAB run Victor and now it's tanking too. Seen the POS new imported Victor torches yet? I'm still a big Cutmaster fan though.

Correct, but it was done under the guise of ESAB publicly. In fact before it was publicly announced, ESAB had a large, veiled quote on their page: "To the Victor goes the spoils". Which I saw a few weeks beforew, and wondered about it before anything was up. It was sort of random. But currently Victor product is being sold under the name ESAB or Thermaldyne moniker.

And yes, I have been teaching part time in a tech school and have had to contend with that junk. Regulators going bad, hard to read, and the newest stuff feels like fisher-price designed it.

[metalman21]

Today I gave up waiting on this. I changed my order to the new Miller, should arrive at the LWS the 19th.
We'll see.
Tom

Did you get the Miller and try it yet?

[FuelieNova]

Not yet. I lost a contract for work and ask them if they could hold it for a month.
I did weld with one at the LWS and it seems really nice.
I like the fact that all the leads stay hooked up all the time and all you need to do is press the pedal or pull the trigger on the mig and your set to go. Two gas valves is nice also.
I will let you know when I get mine.
Tom

[MetalMan23]

My question is what the heck is wrong with ESAB, I love their products but they have no support at all, no one even knows of the machine I have, the mig master 280. You can't buy parts easily it's a mess

[Rondo]

Correct, but it was done under the guise of ESAB publicly. In fact before it was publicly announced, ESAB had a large, veiled quote on their page: "To the Victor goes the spoils". Which I saw a few weeks beforew, and wondered about it before anything was up. It was sort of random. But currently Victor product is being sold under the name ESAB or Thermaldyne moniker.

And yes, I have been teaching part time in a tech school and have had to contend with that junk. Regulators going bad, hard to read, and the newest stuff feels like fisher-price designed it.

ESAB ( for lack of a better word ) is dumping the new Cutmaster 60i due to poor track record and going back to a version of the old Cutmaster 52 with improved Kw. The cheap 2 piece torch has been a major problem and is on the way out too. They are frantically looking for a board source due to epic failures across the brand with the current ESAB source. Harris Calorific sales have grown 5 fold since Victor was was Bastardized by ESAB. Major sized distributors in the midwest alone have converted to Harris. Not surprisingly, The Rebel has largely been a Flop with Airgas and others sending back many hundreds of units that were purchased as a pre-order to the launch. Too bad. I liked the Rebel idea but it was never field tested. They just put it out there with their fingers crossed. Several Repair stations have told me that they would pull the cover off of 3 Rebels and they were all 3 different inside. WTH? No wonder they have no parts. They don't know which version they will go with yet. Then the "New" Victor torch that looks like an old obsolete Marquette torch from the 80's was put out there to replace the World Champion Victor Journeyman and it was also a Flop. Railroads, Shipyards, Oil fields and Union Training centers have rejected it. This all strikes me deep and painful as a former long time employee of Thermadyne / Victor.

[Brand X]

Yea they should S##t can the 42 with the one torch, and bring back the Surloc 38xl cd start. Much simpler design,and hands down nicer to use then a one torch setup.. Using either a SL-40 or SL-60 torch..

Yea the 60i is a real piece, and it's blow out price of under $500 after rebate was just throwing your money away. I wished my 52 worked half as well..

[Jawslandshark]

I am still in the Rebel field testing stage they are tough on the outside! At this point I don't know of another brand that would work better being tossed and hauled around all over in sometimes nasty conditions. They work great on generators and light weight, they weld real nice also. I have had a few replaced but ESAB always took care of me.

As far as the 60i, I have only had mine about 2 weeks or so. For a hand plasma it rocks over anything else I have used based on that extremely long arc, plus it was a heck of a deal with a 4 year warranty. That two piece torch does suck, I have had to tighten it a couple times and makes no sense in reality. Verdict is still out, wish it had the Rebel cage around it rather than the hard plastic, but if it cracks I will take it in for warranty since they showed it being dropped from 10ft or something like that in a video

[Brand X]

As far as the 60i, I have only had mine about 2 weeks or so. For a hand plasma it rocks over anything else I have used based on that extremely long arc, plus it was a heck of a deal with a 4 year warranty. That two piece torch does suck, I have had to tighten it a couple times and makes no sense in reality. Verdict is still out, wish it had the Rebel cage around it rather than the hard plastic, but if it cracks I will take it in for warranty since they showed it being dropped from 10ft or something like that in a video

It's awesome on a CNC machine. Marking is excellent. something the 52 could not think of doing.. Cutting 1 inch plate is tens times better then a Hypertherm 45XP.or 52 (In ease of use)

The software just won't let you blow out a nozzle if you screwed up putting in the wrong nozzle.. Had a 40 amp in and had the machine set to 60 amps.. Wanted to cut at the 40 amps, but did not check the panel. Thing kept shutting off my table in mid cut.. Took me forever to to figure it out.. If it was a cutmaster old version it would of blown the nozzle out, and I would of found my issue right away... I'm running my SL-40/SL-60-50 standard, and SL-100SV on my units, and it's been flawless. Out in the field like I the old simple cutmaster if there is sun around. The 60i is better with power then any old cutmaster, so nice power supply so far. to me. What do i know about Cutmaster's though? We have 4 years to figure out just if this unit will hold up. Since you can buy 3 for the price of one old cutmaster. who cares if one is in the shop.


The QA torch does make changing consumables a bit easier when not dragging a cable around. Really thought it was a gimmick, but there are a few nice things about it.. Still prefer the standard, because it has been proven forever.

[metalman21]

Not yet. I lost a contract for work and ask them if they could hold it for a month.
I did weld with one at the LWS and it seems really nice.
I like the fact that all the leads stay hooked up all the time and all you need to do is press the pedal or pull the trigger on the mig and your set to go. Two gas valves is nice also.
I will let you know when I get mine.
Tom

Sorry to hear about that contract, hope that turns around soon for you.
Some videos are beginning to show up on YouTube about the Miller 220. I like the unit but it just not a good fit for me and my shop.

[metalman21]

My question is what the heck is wrong with ESAB, I love their products but they have no support at all, no one even knows of the machine I have, the mig master 280. You can't buy parts easily it's a mess

IDK Phil, I always respected the Esab brand. I think they blew it with the 205 AC/DC, they would have been better off keeping it quiet until ready to release like Miller did. I also didn't care for their claim to be first when Everlast was out there about a year previous. Something is wrong with the top (heavy) of that company.

[Brand X]

I will take it in for warranty since they showed it being dropped from 10ft or something like that in a video

That was a stunt double. Real one would of blew up real good. Don't think I would drop any Powermax or Cutmaster from 10 ft, and expect good results..

[FuelieNova]

So its almost January, any bets on if they will finally get the 205 released like their website says?
Tom

[metalman21]

?Who knows? Can't imagine them embarrassing the brand any more. I don't know enough about producing products within a world market to speculate what the problems are or were. Or if the problems were with engineering, production or something else. They did a good job of fading off my radar screen even if my interest was mostly academic.

[Rondo]

The 205 struggles to perform so I understand from inside sources. There a couple glitches they can't seem to overcome. Also understand it will come from a different factory that the 1st Rebels. I'd stay away for a year or so.

[lugweld]

Ok. So it's January 2019. Is it available yet? I guess their new statement could mean Jan 31 though.

[Rondo]

I checked with my source. Nothing in stock yet. The ESAB supplier is having trouble with setting peak amps and having the foot control go from 5 to set amps. It goes from 5 to wide open. Higher ups want it released anyway but engineers warn of public push back. I'll have more in a few days.