I had a Cobramatic for years. Ran it off a Linde VI-206 Mig machine. When I bought my V350-Pro I sold the Linde and Cobramatic. I bought the Lincoln spool gun when I bought my V350-Pro. I’d say it’s a toss up which one is better. If anything I’d say the spool gun is a little easier to control than the push pull Cobramatic gun.

 

A couple notes of caution with the 350P.
Push Pull option seems to be rare in the used market. So that price might be fair, however used 350P with standard gun can be had much cheaper.
350P supposedly has a limited range of adjustment. I find it adequate (.esp for aluminum, but for steels I wish for more so I can used different gases C90 is the only calibration).
Some Lincolns have a pulse over pulse option. Gives a more "MIG like TIG" look. If that's important to you.

As for spool gun vs. push-pull. For Miller, the gun is pretty much the same - and pretty bulky. I don't recall ever being in a situation were I though the spool holder was the thing getting in my way.

 

I worked at a place that had the 350 invertec hooked up to a cobramatic. I got spoiled by it. It was nice. We were a low end shop w/ a bunch of clowns using it, so if someone laid the gun on the table, and grinded aluminum shavings against it, it would raise havoc w/ the rollers in the gun ( dirty them up). Everyone was screwing around w/ the adjustments. But being you keep it in the shop, not going to the field, and it may be just you using it, you should be OK. I wouldn't think of the cobra being an aftermarket feeder. Its top quality. I think that would be like thinking a milwaukee drill has a aftermarket chuck on it, when its a jacobs. I've never used the 350p, but I'm unhappy w/ my 350xmt, It don't weld as good as the 350 pro, escecially on the low end. I'd be afraid of making the switch on the power sources. I'm thinking the 350 is it. I have the 30a for my xmt, the spool gun was the right choice for me, considering by budget, and i'm more mobile. But the spool gun is a roach, i got spoiled by the cobra. I'd say keep you 350 pro, and go cobra for what your desribing.

 

Where are you located, what are you welding and how much are you welding. I'd pay the extra and buy new if you are planning to get a whole machine. I have briefly used both push pull and spoolgun on the 350p and they both work very well. Not sure about the cobramatic but the Miller syncs the push pull gun master and slave motors to give a perfect feed rate. The Lincoln 350mp seems to have more complex/advanced control over the aluminum welding. Whereas the Miller is more of a set it and forget it.

 

Use what you have ,new short gun ,rolls and keep for aluminum work. Use the largest wire and keep straight. A HTP spool gun alternate too .

 

In my experience, Miller is allot more forgiving on the pulse settings. Once you get the Lincoln dialed in, it's great, but the learning curve is so much longer. As far as push-pull or spool, they welder pretty much the same. If you need high production, or you have allot of situations a big spool can't get to, you need a push-pull, otherwise you don't gain much that extra grand on a XR or Python. There is mile of difference between constant output vs pulse, only an inch between the push pull and spool. I was at a shop that had a bunch of worn out spools, and got a few new pythons, and everyone was amazed by theif performance. Then I got a new spool gun, and the preformance disparity disappeared.


If you make allot of the same welds, I would stay with the Lincoln and try to get it dialed. If you weld back and forth between channel, sheet, and extrusion, get the Miller. The Lincoln pulse is funny, if you are off by just a bit on a parameter or stick out, it will act crazy. The Miller is really really tolerant a of various stick out. It's a miracle compared to old white in versatility and usability. Lincoln just does not have the software yet, amazing hardware, but the softwa're is not made for human variables.

PS. I'll by your Lincoln 350

 

In my experience, Miller is allot more forgiving on the pulse settings. Once you get the Lincoln dialed in, it's great, but the learning curve is so much longer. As far as push-pull or spool, they welder pretty much the same. If you need high production, or you have allot of situations a big spool can't get to, you need a push-pull, otherwise you don't gain much that extra grand on a XR or Python. There is mile of difference between constant output vs pulse, only an inch between the push pull and spool. I was at a shop that had a bunch of worn out spools, and got a few new pythons, and everyone was amazed by theif performance. Then I got a new spool gun, and the performance disparity disappeared.


If you make allot of the same welds, I would stay with the Lincoln and try to get it dialed. If you weld back and forth between channel, sheet, and extrusion, get the Miller. The Lincoln pulse is funny, if you are off by just a bit on a parameter or stick out, it will act crazy. The Miller is really really tolerant a of various stick out. It's a miracle compared to old white in versatility and usability. Lincoln just does not have the software yet, amazing hardware, but the softwa're is not made for human variables.

PS. I'll by your Lincoln 350

Keep your Lincoln and pick up the MK feeder. Lincoln used them and the only difference was the color.. Prefer the python generally. David Brown was right on with what I have found.. I had a 300 PM, C-300, and used the Miller standard with the Python, PM-350 python combo.. The 350 invertec is a quality aluminum welding machine and is probably a little easier to control on aluminum then a C-300. (Hot arc on that one, but never any cold lap..)Right now for what I do with aluminum, My Miller Shopmate has a very nice aluminum arc when using my Tweco torque assist gun. It's only 15ft, so that's why it works well.. Less Burn-backs then any python setup I have used.. .035 wire too. It has zero programming, but 1/8 and above it's fine as it is. (for me anyway)

 

There is the MillerMatic350P, and then there is the MillerMatic350P-Aluminim. I have the standard350P and it is rather complex, but the 350P-Aluminum is 1/3rd as complex as it is alum only. It is a set and forget with synergic modes as default. Coupled with the new 4943 wire and the short 15 foot XR-A Pro gun and it perfect for sheet and plate gauges alum IMO.

I demoed the Linclone and could not fathom the setup. I demoed the Miller and bought one after being tutored with the idiot guide under the panel.

Later I demoed the 350P-Alum against my 350p and wow! So, so easy. The setup chart was 1/3rd. There also is no synchronizing of the push and pull motors. The push motor is a slave/torque motor only like the MK cobra technology.

Slow run-in control is paramount for alum systems. It is ground/arc sensing technology essential for starting the arc then speeding up to weld speed.

 

gschwartzenberger, my reply deals mainly with the push pull MIG torch not which power supply you select.

If the torch ends up being a Python, made for Lincoln by MK products? THEN... make sure you go to MK and order the gun drive rolls kit for aluminum (not even a Lincoln Part!) and make sure you get the ceramic pellet contact tips for aluminum also. (again not even sure Lincoln knows these super critical parts exist?)

The drive rolls isolator makes micro arcing 'go away' and so does the contact tip- without these items I found the Python unreliable, with these items I find this torch very reliable. Previous to the MP350PowerMIG and the Python I'd had a dozen (over the years) MK Cobramatics on Lincoln's and PowCons.

I agree with above posts that in general: Miller's adjustment schemes are less critical than Lincoln's adjustment schemes. If you have time to dial in the welds, kept a solid notebook of adjustment settings (there are countless thousands of combinations of variables of arc control) THEN the Lincoln 350MP Power MIG is a good power supply, not sure about the model you've listed, but if not? Go Miller for the shortened learning curve and faster productivity.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, just wanted to make remarks about the Python's two non-Lincoln critical parts for aluminum.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

 

Whew, been busy the last few weeks since I posted. I'll have to re-read the posts when I get a chance as there is some good input - thanks.

I guess I am pretty sure I'll invest in the MK feeder and gun rather than a whole other welder, the Millermatic 350P. I was considering the Miller pretty much because you can get a fair deal on them through Zoro. They like to throw out "flash sales" where you discount your order 20-30% and they have free shipping. They had a 30% coupon about a week ago that lasted something like 6hrs. Zoro is related to Grainger. The Zoro website is terrible but sometimes they have the best prices even before applying the coupon. They don't offer everything under the sun like Grainger - perhaps they are a bit of a clearing house for Grainger overstock - not sure.

Now I could consider a spool gun to save quite a few bucks. However, I've got my heart set on the push/pull setup.

Someone asked where I was at. I am in Georgia right now but I bounce around from job to job. I sold my home in Montana not too long ago but I think I have the wife convinced that we should try Missoula, MT. I do contract work as a field/rigging engineer, typically at nuclear power sites. At some point I need to stop traveling and get the kids in school. I used to work for Rigging International, now Sarens, in Missoula so it could be a potential source of work in the future when I need to settle down. Well, I may continue with the contracting, just that at some point I should only work a few months out of the year on the road then keep busy with various projects when I am home.

Right now I want to start on a 20ft aluminum flatbed for my Freightliner FL112 as the steel flatbed that came with with it is in sad shape. Thus I need a welding setup for aluminum and I am searching ebay for the right deal on a Huck riveter. I'll use huck bolts for cross members and anywhere else I possibly can. I'll have to pierce the main I-beams so I can run the cross members through the webs. Angle clips and huck bolts support the cross members like you see on the semi trailers. But there will be plenty of welding in other areas. It is literally a big project but is also straight forward as I will complete my design in 3D CAD before I get started. I have to finish modifying the design since I initially laid it out with steel. The nice thing about aluminum is I can back the truck under it when finished and I'm done. With steel I have to send the flatbed out for blast and paint.

Greg

 

Does anyone have input on a 15ft Python gun versus 25ft Python gun? Initially I figured I'd get the 15ft gun but would get a 25ft control cable so I could move the feeder around if I needed extra reach. My thinking is a shorter gun means less loading on the gun drive system. It would also be less likely to have a 15ft gun partially coiled up and hanging from the cart while in use. And I would expect liners and covers to be cheaper for the shorter runs.

I can get a 25ft gun and 8ft control cable for about $100 less. I am sure a 25ft gun would be nice at times but I think it would spend most of its time partially coiled up while in use. Does anyone think it matters? I don't represent a heavy industrial user so perhaps it doesn't matter to have that extra 10ft.