Which welder?

[WVJeep304]

I'm planning to buy a welder by the end of the year. I used to stick weld a little, but it's been 20 years. Wanting to teach myself MIG and get a machine that's beginner friendly, but something versatile.

It will be for around the house stuff, automotive stuff (body panels, frames, bumpers, etc), and whatever else I run into. No professional/heavy use. I've been looking at 2 different models and need opinions. Which of these 2 would you pick?

ArcCaptain MIG200

Or

HF Titanium 170

I hear lots of positives about both machines, but no comparisons. I know they're not Lincoln or Miller, but I'm not sure I need to spend $1k+ at this point in time. Which would be the better buy?

I'd like to know which you'd pick between these two, but also if you have a 3rd option, I'd be open to hearing it.

 

[FarFire70]

@AirborneTexasRanger

 

[MtPockets]

I have zero experience with either one, but unless the ArcCaptain is available locally I'd lean towards the HF.
The main thing is make sure whatever welder you choose will run gas.
Gasless flux core sucks donkey d...k.
Solid core wire works ok on light stuff but my favorite type of wire for heavier welding is a dual shield flux and gas wire. In my experience it welds better than solid wire on less than perfectly clean material.

 

[WVJeep304]

I was thinking about local availability as well, but the HF units only get a 90 day warranty anyway unless you buy up to 2yrs of service plan. From what I've read the ArcCaptain seems to be a favorite of people--quite reliable & supposedly easy to maintain. As a MIG newbie, I don't know if parts are interchangeable among machines, so if not, that may be a concern for the ArcCaptain.

Both units are plumbed for gas--something that's a requirement for me, although to start with I'll likely go flux core to cut my teeth/practice.

 

[AirborneTexasRanger]

Titanium looks more user friendly for a beginner with it's simplified controls. Sometimes too many controls can get overwhelming when trying to learn. Being from HF is a plus since it's local. Lower amp rating and shorter duty cycle which can slow you down on bigger projects which would require a lot of welding.

All welding machines use consumables which are readily available at HF, Lowe's, Home Depot, air gas. Also all inverter machines are easy to maintain.

Arc captain has a higher amp rating but unless you plan on welding anything thicker than 1/4" both will do just fine. Also has a higher duty cycle which is good. Only thing I don't like about arc captain is the smart control. It forces you to learn how their system behaves whereas if you learn how to use the controls, then you can weld with any machine

 

[WVJeep304]

Titanium looks more user friendly for a beginner with it's simplified controls. Sometimes too many controls can get overwhelming when trying to learn. Being from HF is a plus since it's local. Lower amp rating and shorter duty cycle which can slow you down on bigger projects which would require a lot of welding.

All welding machines use consumables which are readily available at HF, Lowe's, Home Depot, air gas. Also all inverter machines are easy to maintain.

Arc captain has a higher amp rating but unless you plan on welding anything thicker than 1/4" both will do just fine. Also has a higher duty cycle which is good. Only thing I don't like about arc captain is the smart control. It forces you to learn how their system behaves whereas if you learn how to use the controls, then you can weld with any machine

Thanks for the insight, it's much appreciated. I know pro welders who have used the Titanium and Vulcan machines and have been impressed with their capability & quality for the money. But I don't know anyone personally who has Arc Captain experience. I wasn't sure if the extra features made it the better buy.

That said, I can get the Titanium cheap if I wait for a sale or coupon. If for some reason I ever outgrow it, I can start looking for a more capable machine.

 

[WVJeep304]

Well, now I'm also looking at the PrimeWeld Mig180 and the Eastwood MIG180. No local purchase, but both have a 3yr warranty, higher duty cycle, and some better features than the Titanium. The PrimeWeld also comes with a spool gun. So I guess I'll continue trying to compare these 3 and weigh my options. If anyone has an opinion on these latest contenders vs the Titanium 170, I'll be glad to hear it.

 

[bbaldwin237]

I went with the YesWelder Firstess DP200 and have been really happy with it. It's very user friendly and for a self taught newbie like myself, works well. The pre-programmed settings seem a little hot on mine, but they're just starting points anyway. They do lots of sales throughout the year.

 

[AirborneTexasRanger]

I'd narrow it down to the prime weld & titanium for the only reason that the Eastwood doesn't have a digital readout of the volts & amps

 

[GATORB8]

I went with the YesWelder Firstess DP200 and have been really happy with it. It's very user friendly and for a self taught newbie like myself, works well. The pre-programmed settings seem a little hot on mine, but they're just starting points anyway. They do lots of sales throughout the year.

I did the YesWelder MIG-205DS Pro and it's been good, a friend of mine has a decent size YouTube channel and got a bunch of different trial machines from different manufacturers, and recommended that one.

If you have time, I don't know that I wouldn't watch FBM for a second hand Miller or other big name, though.

 

[tworley]

I think there are several members here with the YesWelder and have been happy with them. I've got a Lincoln, so I cant compare them.

My only suggestion, get a machine capable of 240V. 120V really limits what you are able to do.

 

[Imagineer]

I have the ArcCaptain MIG200 and it does fine, however it seems to struggle to sustain an arc when welding at very low amps. Also, the torch cable is a bit shorter (about 34") than my prior MIG (that had a 12' cable.) For the money though, it's a good featured, versatile welder.

My only gripe (a minor one) is that they put the power switch on the backside of the welder. With the weld cart parked against the shop wall, it's a PITA to fiddle around blindly to find the switch.

 

[J.Cain]

For a cheap $ machine, I can honestly say the Yeswelder is worth it. I bought one just for fun to teach my son how to weld when they first came out and only spent $400.00 for it. Not sure of the prices now it’s been almost 2yrs, but I’ve compared the welds to my Lincoln MIG HD180 and Miller 211 on 1/4” steel and there is no difference once the settings are set. I will say the Miller if in “Autoset” burns a little colder and wire speed is slower so it has a stronger weld but slowing down the YesWelder temp & wire speed yielded the same fantastic weld. Where you’ll notice the cost savings is in the gun and overall build quality and parts availability (everything minus wire, gas, and tips must be ordered on-line). I also wouldn’t feel comfortable tossing the YesWelder in the back my truck and letting it bounce around like do my Miller. But dollar for dollar it’s a heck of a welder that will do everything a $2000.00 Miller will do with nearly identical results with the right hand on the gun.

Just my .02 cents and wish you the best in your welding learning.