xmt304 with wirefeeder or keep my mm251

[jake]

I may have a chance to get a xmt304 for CHEAP, I was thinking about getting a suitcase wire feeder to go with it. Would this be a better setup than the mm 251? I was looking at the xmt and it should have the pulser, and I would have the higher steel tig capacity than I have with my dynasty 200dx

[jake]

oh yeah I was thinking about the 12rc wire feeder since it is still portable and holds the large spools of wire. I normally use .035 wire

[7A749]

I may have a chance to get a xmt304 for CHEAP, I was thinking about getting a suitcase wire feeder to go with it. Would this be a better setup than the mm 251? I was looking at the xmt and it should have the pulser, and I would have the higher steel tig capacity than I have with my dynasty 200dx

What is considered cheap?

The XMT does indeed have a lot more flexibility than an MM 250 style machine. In order to pulse with it, you will need an Optima 304 pulsing unit tho.

The XMT also stick welds quite nicely as well. DC TIG on Lift Arc setting is good too.

I would go for the XMT. I have had one for years & have never actually owned a larger all in one wire machine. If you don't end up getting a feeder right away, I do have several Miller 60 Series 2 & 4 drive roll units available fully reconditioned with a 90 day warranty.

Good luck on it.

[jake]

It is supposed to be like $400

they have two of the millers and like 6 similar lincoln machines

I will keep you in mind in the wire feeder, I am wanting to get a portable wire feeder but I may run what I can get for now. I would like to have this setup completely before selling the 251 just to make sure everything is good to go.

[7A749]

For $400, I would be buying every single one they had. Keep one, sell the other for about a grand+ & get yours for free.

Better go & grab them. Someone else most certainly will at that price if you don't.

As long as they work of course. If they're junk, prolly not worth the headaches, even as cheap as they are.

Let me know how you come out.

[con_fuse9]

Oh, and do some side by side testing of the power supplies. If the Lincoln unit is an 'advanced process' one, it should have pulse over pulse MIG built in (I think). Takes your nice and smooth MIG weld and adds evenly spaced stack of triangles shaped ripples

[cruizer]

Let me know, who has the units, I'll buy them all.

[SundownIII]

Jake,

At those prices, I'd make dang sure you're getting the XMT304 CC/CV.

I guess I still come from the school of thought that says, "If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is".

[7A749]

Jake,

At those prices, I'd make dang sure you're getting the XMT304 CC/CV.

I guess I still come from the school of thought that says, "If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is".

Yeah. I've seen a few deals where the guy thought he was getting a 304 when in fact, it was an XMT 300. That, or it turned out to be an XMT 304 CC only machine, or a 460 volt only unit. The early XMT 304's were offered as both CC & CC/CV. Now, they are all CC/CV.

Night and day difference there. In many cases that's what happens. A dude "scores" a great deal on one only to find out it's a CC only machine or high voltage only unit. I bailed a friend out of a deal where he got a CC only unit & didn't realize it until he was about to close the deal. Worked out good for me tho.

He bought a Maxtron 450 from me

Even for $400, unless an XMT 300 was like new, and had accessories included, I would let it pass. They were good machine for their time, but if they happen to have issues, you'll be singing the blues when you get a load of what it costs to fix one.

Some repair shops (including my limited capacity operation) won't even touch them. Someone in the hunt for an older inverter would be best looking at a Maxtron 450 since there were so many of them made for the industrial robotic welding market & often times, used parts can be had for cheap if you know where to look.

No doubt on checking it all out & being sure of what you're getting.

[jake]

The bidding may go up to high on them and push them out of what I will pay, but it was some tools at work a contractor left behind that had to be de contaminated so they just left them. (real common in nuke industry) it is a 304 cc/cv, non of the lincoln welders had the pulser these machines were 2005's and have been sitting in storage since 2006 I do need to double check that it is not the 480only machine, I thought I remember they both say autoline on them. I would try to get both but the extra cash is not there right now. i am going to try though...the machines were mostly used for tig but some steel stick also.

I would like to get a pulser for it I have seen some welding on offroad stuff that I thought was done with a pulser, I have not been able to replicate the clean looking welds like that I can make a nice stringer bead but nothing like that with a real nice even spaced ripple.

[con_fuse9]

... it was some tools at work a contractor left behind that had to be de contaminated so they just left them. (real common in nuke industry)...

Uhm, hope you know what your getting into. I'd imagine the same rules that made it economically unfeasible to decontaminate them 3-4 years ago would still be in effect today.

Good luck.

[7A749]

Well, if they have been bombarded with nuclear radiation, at least you would be able to find them in the dark.

Sorry, if you were to buy a feeder from me, it won't glow in the dark.

[SundownIII]

I've heard of some HOT welding machines being sold, but this takes things to a whole new level.

Jake,

Hate to be the one who breaks it to you, but it's the welder, not the machine that produces the bead you're looking for.

If you do end up with the XMT304 and are looking for an Optima Pulse Control for the 304, let me know. Got an extra one I bought for a buddy and he ended up getting rid of his XMT. Also got a clean 22A feeder if you're interested.

[jake]

the stuff is clean it would not be released if it was not. anything that goes in the reactor building is assumed contaminated until proven not just like this stuff. These may have been used in the outside staging area on clean equipment which was also considered an radiological controlled zone which also gets the same rules of assumed until proven not.