Which feeder for XMT 304?

[dsf]

I would like to add a feeder to my XMT 304. I am currently using a Linde 225 with .035 wire for MIG, but i have a XMT 304 that sits idle most of the time. 99% of our work is welding up skid steer attachments made from 3/8" or less carbon steel. Power is single phase on a 100 amp breaker. Which feeder would best suit my needs? Thanks.

[DSW]

There's a really wide range of feeders that will work with a CC/CV capable XMT 304. Pretty much any VS style feeder, Hobart Hefty, Lincoln LN 25, Miller S32P, Miller 8vs/12VS would all work. Also any of Millers 14 prong remote feeders like a 12RC, S22 or any of a number of other possible options. Steve (7A749)can point you towards any of the older feeders that might work and what you'd need to do to adapt to one of them.

Check with him. He's often got some really nice feeders he's gone over or refurbished for sale. He's sold feeders to several members here in the past and all his stuff is top notch.

[7A749]

A variety of feeders will run off that machine, both 115 and 24 VAC. A lot will depend on your needs specifically and price budget.

I sell fully reconditioned and warrantied 50 series feeders, two or four roll. Most of what I have are digital readout units. Can be equipped with stainless sheet metal and burnback as well.

PM me if you're interested. I'll help you out if I can. If you find something yourself and need a hand hooking it up let me know. I have a couple digital readout dual head coming in soon as well. I can set up a complete plug and play package, with gun, control cord, gas hose and flowmeter and welding lead if needed.

Heres a couple I've done in the past.

[7A749]

There's a really wide range of feeders that will work with a CC/CV capable XMT 304. Pretty much any VS style feeder, Hobart Hefty, Lincoln LN 25, Miller S32P, Miller 8vs/12VS would all work. Also any of Millers 14 prong remote feeders like a 12RC, S22 or any of a number of other possible options. Steve (7A749)can point you towards any of the older feeders that might work and what you'd need to do to adapt to one of them.

Check with him. He's often got some really nice feeders he's gone over or refurbished for sale. He's sold feeders to several members here in the past and all his stuff is top notch.

Thanks for the props Doug.

I'll give the OP a hand if I can, regardless if it's one of my feeders he buys or not

[DSW]

If anyone here knows Miller feeders it's you Steve.

[dsf]

Thanks for the responses. I guess that I would like to stick with a Miller product. I had been thinking of buying a new 20 or 70 series feeder. But I am open to buying used or a different brand if the performance is acceptable. I definitely would like a digital readout. I am new to this can someone explain why burnback, push/pull, etc features are needed? What would be the real world differences between the 20 and 70 series feeders? What I would like is a dependable feeder for light production that doesn't require a lot of maintenance or constant clipping of excess wire. The old Linde runs out several inches of wire every time a weld is finished.

[7A749]

The main difference between a 70 and 50 series feeder is going to be about 20 some years lol.

Really tho, the 70 series are great units and I've personally owned and sold several of them. They vary from very basic to advanced with up to four programmable schedules, start, crater, etc. They also have a nice run in feature for smooth starts. They're nice units, pricing is usually in the $600 and up range for something no frills, AS IS. The 20 series units are light duty machines, but are still very dependable feeders. Seems ppl get just as much for those as nice 60 and 70 series units sell for.

These will all be 24 VAC feeders. No real difference in performance over 115 units, just that miller has primarily went to 24 volt motors in all their newer wire feed equipment.

Features such as burnback simply control stick out of the wire, and in many solid wire applications are unnecessary. Some ppl like having the feature tho, I imagine for flux core wires where stick out needs to be controlled to a greater degree. I have had it on several of my personal units but don't really use it.

Push pull guns require a specific use cabinet or welder with a push pull programming setup built into its circuitry to control and synchronize both the motor in the feeder cabinet or welder, and in the gun. This style of setup is primarily used for aluminum MIG welding where the wire had to be pushed thru a gun conduit long distances. The motor in the head of the specifically built gun pulls it at the same time to keep it rigid and from distorting. If you're not doing a lot of aluminum MIG, it's not really worthwhile spending the money on a setup when a spool gun handles a great deal of AL MIG jobs just fine.

The 50 series wire feeders were manufacture by Miller thru the late 70s into the mid 90s and have a reputation as a proven workhorse, requiring little to no mantainance and have a relatively simple setup. I sell them because I've been working on them for a good ten years and parts are extremely plentiful and cheap for this model. Miller made hundreds of thousands of them and many are still in use today, in heavy industrial environments, still running strong after thirty years on the job.

It's really just a matter of what you want. The newer feeders are great units and if I had to choose, the 70 series is a great machine as far as late model feeders go. I personally own a custom modified 50 series digital readout unit and am very happy with it. My pricing generally starts around $600 for a fully reconditioned 52 series digital readout feeder with a one year parts and labor warranty. Ppl are selling worn out junk on eBay for that kind of money.

I'm not saying that because I sell welding machinery. I just see what the guys on eBay get for AS IS beat up crap and wonder what ppl spend the kind of money they do on it. Sure, you can score deals on 60 series feeders and 22A units for a few hundred bux from time to time. If you keep your eyes open, you may come across a deal. They're out there. Again, it's a matter of what you want to spend and how long you want to look for something.

If you have any questions about something specific PM me. I'll help if I can.

IMHO of course

[7A749]

Here's a few more machines, if anything just for a future reference.

Two dual head 50 series feeders, my custom chopped feeder, an S 22 P12 suitcase wire feeder and an LN 25 voltage sensing wire feeder.

[dsf]

Thanks for the info again. Let me sort through all of the new knowledge you're giving me, and I'll be in touch soon.

[7A749]

Glad I could post something to help you out.

[snoeproe]

I like the suitcase feeders. Extremely versatile. I picked up mine for the fact that I can also use it on my engine drive out in the field. The Miller 12 vs would be my choice for your XMT 304. If you don't plan on taking the feeder out in the field and strictly using it in the shop, the 12rc is the way to go for your XMT 304

[M J D]

Personally I would go with a vs feeder since it doesn't use the control cable which is expensive and limits your length from the power source. Steve is definitely the dude for Miller feeders. I would feel as comfortable with a reconditioned used one that he has gone thru as a new one. Which ever route you go you will be happy with the way it welds, especially with hard wire.

[snoeproe]

True but, the nice thing with the RC suitcase feeders is you can adjust your voltage right at the feeder and not have to go back to the power source. I've used both the RC and voltage sensing feeders. I like the RC for the shop and I like the VS for the field.

[dsf]

I am going to look at a 74DX tomorrow that I found on craigslist. The owner says it is in excellent shape and only used around his home shop. Thanks for the responses.

[ManoKai]

@ dsf - we run a 74DX off our XMT 304. She's a mint condition sourced/procured from 7A749. Steve's attention to detail, price point, and customer setvice before/after product acquisition are top-tier.

[7A749]

That was a nice feeder I sold you Kai. I miss it

[dsf]

This 74DX that I am checking out tomorrow is bundled with a 304 too. If I pick that up I may sell the Linde 225 that I have and buy another feeder for the other 304 to use as a back up. Any idea what the Linde would be worth? It is at least 20 years old, but it is in good shape.

[7A749]

Post up some pics of it. Linde stuff doesn't bring a lot, but you should get something fair out of it.

[ManoKai]

That was a nice feeder I sold you Kai. I miss it

Steve, you darn well know you hooked us up big time on an OUTSTANDING machine. She's strong and elegant & would push/lay down #3 rebar if we feed ot to her. Ha! You continue to tempt us with your wizardy work on those beautiful MaxTrons of yours and we'll be rip'n one before long.

[7A749]

True but, the nice thing with the RC suitcase feeders is you can adjust your voltage right at the feeder and not have to go back to the power source. I've used both the RC and voltage sensing feeders. I like the RC for the shop and I like the VS for the field.

It's funny you mention this since MJD and I were just talking on the phone about it a few minutes ago.

One nice feature the remote Miller suitcases and some of their bench feeders have is the control cable is already pinned out for the remote voltage connection, and the connection points in the wire feeder are insulated spade connectors. Just install and 1K ohm potentiometer with lead wires soldered to the output tabs then connect them to the provided wired spade connectors inside the feeder.

I've set several suitcase and bench machines up with pots out of dead 50 series feeders. You have to be careful popping the hole for the pot to go thru the face plate tho.

I like VS feeders for a lot of applications because they're extremely easy to set up and use. I ended up going with a modified 50 series feeder with about 50' of remote cable on it for a shop machine. I set it up so I can run it off a few different power sources just by changing the end of the remote cord out.

Both remote and VS have advantages, as well as disadvantages. Having one of each is the best way to go

[7A749]

Steve, you darn well know you hooked us up big time on an OUTSTANDING machine. She's strong and elegant & would push/lay down #3 rebar if we feed ot to her. Ha! You continue to tempt us with your wizardy work on those beautiful MaxTrons of yours and we'll be rip'n one before long.

Yeah, that's a real nice feeder. I like its replacement a lot tho

Thanks!

[ManoKai]

...I like its replacement a lot tho

Thanks!

Bro, that SS paneled ubber customized Blue feeder you crafted is really:really nice. FTR, the first "52E" you sold us was also a war horse. Simple, strong, and clean:clean. The cat we sold her to loves it and sends images from time to time of her in action.

[7A749]

Yea, that's the one in the pics above. It was a nice machine too.

There was a story behind that stainless dual head. The guy who bought the white face one said he wanted a second feeder. I put that one together then he decided he didn't want it and I got stuck with it

I've found the 50 series suit my needs very well. Of course, if I happened across another 74 DX, I would pick it up in a heartbeat.

[Brand X]

I like the 74 DX a lot, but the lowly Lincoln LF -72 is a excellent two roll feeder.. If fact a better aluminum unit.. It has something you don's find on many control cable feeders.. 24-42 volt operation. I have had that feeder on a Thermal-arc inverter, Miller Shopmate, and Esab inverter.. It will also fit a Lincoln.. It has everything but meters, and run-in.. the LF-72 has good starting arcs, so never found that to be a issue.. Face plate is marked in WFS, and that meter is really not needed either..(Miller Shopmate has a amp gauge) Mine is setup with Burn back, and pre-post flow,cold feed, and purge.. It takes the same drive rolls, and guides as my LN-25 pro, another very nice feeder.. One of the best feeders for changing gun styles, just takes a bushing.. I leave it setup for Tweco 2-4 back-ends..

[7A749]

Your feeder is a nice one too Scott