Has anyone used Millers new passport yet?

[Manny]

Has anyone used the new Passport mobile mig yet? Is this an invertor machine or just a neat package of regular technology and how well does it weld with the CO2? Lastly, has anyone tried it for welding aluminum?
Thinking this unit could be darn usefull at work with the portability and not having to drag around a cylinder for most uses.
Thanks,
Manny

[Scott V]

Has anyone used the new Passport mobile mig yet? Is this an invertor machine or just a neat package of regular technology and how well does it weld with the CO2? Lastly, has anyone tried it for welding aluminum?
Thinking this unit could be darn usefull at work with the portability and not having to drag around a cylinder for most uses.
Thanks,
Manny

My friend at the welding store has used one. He says it's got a great arc even on co2. Which if you know, is not a easy thing to get right.

It is a inverter, and if you do some checking you will find it is a maxstar 150 with a cv loop installed. I think I will wait for the upgrade version myself. The one with stick and tig. It will happen, but when? When that happens I will sell my girlfriends 160 multimaster and pick up that unit for her. Not until then though.

[cope]

My friend at the welding store has used one. He says it's got a great arc even on co2. Which if you know, is not a easy thing to get right.

It is a inverter, and if you do some checking you will find it is a maxstar 150 with a cv loop installed. I think I will wait for the upgrade version myself. The one with stick and tig. It will happen, but when? When that happens I will sell my girlfriends 160 multimaster and pick up that unit for her. Not until then though.

Scott,

You better take it at night when she's not home.

[Scott V]

Scott,

You better take it at night when she's not home.

Hey, she was the one that opened the door the last time. I had it traded before you can even say e-bay. I am trying to figure out a way to get her a 250 migmaster plus before it's said and done. She never even welded with her last one before it was gone!! She has all yellow machines (except the old AEAD LE I picked up for power and fixing fences) and we still get along great!!! Since she has this little esab, trading in the mutimaster would not hurt too much.

I could just sell both and give her my mint Thermal-arc LM 300 with 2240 feeder and be done with it. Then buy me a passport.

[DDA52]

I actually got to handle one today. Pretty cool package. Light and compact. I wish I could have tried it out, but I don't know of a single store here that'll let you do that.

[Sundown]

I got a few minutes with one when the OC chopper was at the local tri-gas. It is a neat rig that looks to be very rugged and has very nice arc. Since I almost never need to go out of the shop I have no need for it, and it's not very cheap. For the once in a while fixin of a fence or wrought iron I prefer to carry the Maxstar 150 and a few sticks (esp. since I already own one ). From the looks of it I am positive they will sell a bunch and if they ever include a stick/tig with it I will take another look. Oh yeah, I want AC in there also

[Manny]

Scott, is the combo unit wishfull thinking or are you in a position to know???? Enquiring minds want to know....
Manny

[Scott V]

Scott, is the combo unit wishfull thinking or are you in a position to know???? Enquiring minds want to know....
Manny

My friend at Airgas went to the Miller training center,and got the info provided above by a Miller tech or rep there. He said the reason they did not put a tig or stick into the machine is that they needed room to grow. My friend was surprized that the Miller guy was that open about things like that. I have posted this before and never heard anybody get on-line to challange what I posted.
All they have to do, is say the Passport is not a Maxstar 150 with a cv loop. If they say yes, then you will have your answer.

Make sense?

[Sundown]

My friend at Airgas went to the Miller training center,and got the info provided above by a Miller tech or rep there. He said the reason they did not put a tig or stick into the machine is that they needed room to grow. My friend was surprized that the Miller guy was that open about things like that. I have posted this before and never heard anybody get on-line to challange what I posted.
All they have to do, is say the Passport is not a Maxstar 150 with a cv loop. If they say yes, then you will have your answer.

Make sense?

I asked the Miller rep about that, he just kept eating his pizza and keeping quiet Couldn't get an indication either way.....

[Scott V]

I asked the Miller rep about that, he just kept eating his pizza and keeping quiet Couldn't get an indication either way.....

Kind of like now George???

[ASKANDY]

Long range planning is always somewhat of a pipe dream but there is also some element of possible truth to future "wish lists".
As for the Passport 180 being made into a multiprocess unit, it would seem a logical thing to do. And YES, it is based on a Maxstar type inverter engine with changes to the both the feedback loop (as you said) and magnetics for different arc performance. I think a multi process unit will come but I'm sure the cost will reflect the extra features.

Have a great one!

Andy

[Manny]

Thanks for the info guys, may hold off a bit to see if the multi-process becomes a reality.
Manny