BOC Smootharc MIG welders

[steveG]

I'm looking at getting a decent MIG in the coming months, so have been having a read of the other "which MIG" threads on here, and elsewhere.
My current cheapie MIG runs well on gasless wire (but its a PITA to clean up etc), but sucks when run on gas. Inconsistent wirefeed etc and I'm sick of it. Most of the time now I end up dragging out the stick welder.

So, I'm looking for a decent single phase unit, as large as I can get - probably in the $1-2K range.

Migomag have a really good reputation, so they are definitely on the list, but I also had a look at the BOC offerings today.
They currently have their Smootharc Advance 275 for $1133 ex GST. Its an 275A inverter unit, 4 roller wirefeed (2 are driven) and 60% duty cycle at 213A.

Anyone got one, used one, or have any feedback on them?

Steve

[uninformed]

BOC have 2 or 3 lines/qualities of GMAW. Their top tear use to be made by Kemppi. They no longer are and now made in China. I would seriously look at WIA. I think some of their stuff is also China made, but they are an Aussie company that has been building Exellent GMAW for many years now. You may find their big single phase GMAW made here anyway :confused:

If you can, you may have a dealer that sells Kemppi and or Esab. These both also worth a look.

I have a BOC 250C made by Kemppi. It has been fantastic for my home use. I think Slunnie may have had issues with them in an industrial use?

[keith73]

Should look at CIG and Lincoln and i think are both still made here.Lincoln are good machines but they cost a packet unless you go second hand.I used CIG at work a lot in the past and they tend to give more trouble but there cheaper.
keith

[mick88]

I have had a CIG Transmig (750 i think it is) Rural Pak for the best part of twenty five years. I purchased it new and it has done a fair bit of work since. It has never given me any strife. My only winge is the price of bottle rent $172 PA. I keep considering going over to gasless wire.
I have only ever tried gasless wire once and that was at a Field Day in Maree S.A. about 20 years ago. It was a bit like welding with a sparkler back then...but I expect it would have come a long way since!

Cheers for now, Mick.

[hot rover]

You need to ask your self some questions before commiting yourself to any particular machine. I recently purchased another MIG recently after selling one 15 years ago due to the price of gas verse the amount of use (always had regrets), gas now is about 3 times the price. The first question you need to answer is how thick is the steel that you want to weld abd how often do you want to weld thick plate. Most hobbyists will want to weld a maximum of 5mm. You need to know this to work out how many AMP machine you will need. I would recomend going no bigger than 200AMPS which will need a 15AMP outlet. If you go bigger then this you will need a 32AMP outlet (which would require heavier wiring a huge expence). You can run a 250AMP machine on 15AMP outlet but you will only get around 200AMPs output so you will waste a lot of money for no real gain.

After a lot of research I purchased a CIG 175i and i would highly recomend them. In most of the research I did I found them to be the highest rating out of al the inverter welders. The beauty of an Inverter welder is that they are a 3in one so you get a MIG, TIG and Stick.
All welders will soon be Inverters including large industrial ones that is the way the market is going. I was unsure of the technology at first and after owning one now for 6 months I am very impressed with what they can do.
As part of the research I did I contacted the local repair agent and his advise was to stick to a brand name he listed 2 CIG unimig they have very little trouble with these. They have had a fair amount of trouble with the WIA which is what I found in my research also. The unimig is a good welder its downfall is the plastic wire feed bracket. The CIG is all metal.
I hope this helps you. I am happy to answer any mor questions if you have any. I spent a large amount of my life behind a welder for work.
Cheers
Rod

[hot rover]

Should look at CIG and Lincoln and i think are both still made here.Lincoln are good machines but they cost a packet unless you go second hand.I used CIG at work a lot in the past and they tend to give more trouble but there cheaper.
keith

90% of welders come from China now. Some are rubish some are very good. The 2 brands you mentioned are both made in China.

[justfishing]

Hello,
I am a boilermaker and used lots of MIGs I did buy a BOC smootharc had it for 3 hours and returned back to them. If you are only welding steel not bad but will not weld aliminium due to the high volts. I now have 200amp lincoln fantastic I got one of the last copper ones made in Australia. Had the time to buy another one I would go with WIA welders .
Thats my 2 cents worth stay away from BOC made in China.
Welding gasless is great remember to change the leads pos earth, or lots of spatter and doesn't weld at all very common mistake.
Ian

[Davo]

I don't mind fluxcore and have done some pretty hefty welds with my Transmig 165. I've really got to get around to biting the bullet and getting a bottle of gas, though, as I'm missing the smoothness of solid wire, and it's better for thin stuff as well.

One thing you should most definitely check is spare parts availability. Sooner or later you'll need drive wheels and liners and whatnot, and if you can't get those parts easily then you either stop using your welder or just put up with it not quite working properly.

[hot rover]

Hello,
I am a boilermaker and used lots of MIGs I did buy a BOC smootharc had it for 3 hours and returned back to them. If you are only welding steel not bad but will not weld aliminium due to the high volts. I now have 200amp lincoln fantastic I got one of the last copper ones made in Australia. Had the time to buy another one I would go with WIA welders .
Thats my 2 cents worth stay away from BOC made in China.
Welding gasless is great remember to change the leads pos earth, or lots of spatter and doesn't weld at all very common mistake.
Ian

WIA are made in China too. They stopped making welders in Australia a couple of years ago. They are not the quality that they once were.
Cheers Rod

[Psimpson7]

I have a single phase 250amp ESAB MIG Welder which is excellent.

They were made in Sweden, not sure if they still are?

[uninformed]

WIA are made in China too. They stopped making welders in Australia a couple of years ago. They are not the quality that they once were.
Cheers Rod

is that all there MMAW and GMAW range?

[uninformed]

I have a single phase 250amp ESAB MIG Welder which is excellent.

They were made in Sweden, not sure if they still are?

I have only heard good things about Esab. I believe that Kemppi is still made in Finland?

[incisor]

the 175i is a good home / light farm use unit with easy to get spares...

when my current old unit dies that is what i will be buying...

flux cored wire is good for chassis work... good penetration and really not that messy if you get your wire speeds right... and the polarity :p

[uninformed]

I cant believe a MOD just talked about chassis welding :p

seriously though Im not sure flux core would meet the basic AS codes for any of "that" type of welding

[incisor]

all mine have passed :p

[crash]

I'm looking at getting a decent MIG in the coming months, so have been having a read of the other "which MIG" threads on here, and elsewhere.
My current cheapie MIG runs well on gasless wire (but its a PITA to clean up etc), but sucks when run on gas. Inconsistent wirefeed etc Have you changed your polarity when going from gasless to gas? May be a source of your problems and I'm sick of it. Most of the time now I end up dragging out the stick welder.

So, I'm looking for a decent single phase unit, as large as I can get - probably in the $1-2K range.

Migomag have a really good reputation, so they are definitely on the list, but I also had a look at the BOC offerings today.
They currently have their Smootharc Advance 275 for $1133 ex GST. Its an 275A inverter unit, 4 roller wirefeed (2 are driven) and 60% duty cycle at 213A.

Anyone got one, used one, or have any feedback on them?

Steve
First I would be figuring out the source of your problems first before going and spending the coin on a new one. You usually go done a size in gas wire from your gasless, Have you chosen the correct drive roller for the wire size?

[rovercare]

I cant believe a MOD just talked about chassis welding :p

seriously though Im not sure flux core would meet the basic AS codes for any of "that" type of welding

He has been known to successfully change his own oil too:p

[uninformed]

all mine have passed :p

Im guessing it depends on which state you are in, whos doing the inspection and what part you are welding. From what I have looked into here in QLD its hard to get a black and white answer about what can be done, who needs to do it etc for it to be road legal. And if its not road legal I can forget about insurance coverage.

If I was buying again I would research the following brands:

Kemppi
Esab
Lincon
Cig
WIA

Im sure there are some others but these are the good names I know of.

dont just look at duty cycles, but actual components used. Look at the wire feed units. Mine is not an inverter, and as is the case with most of them in this range it only has 2 knobs for voltage 1 coarse and 1 fine adjuster. The wire feed controls wire feed and amps. However I think some models now have display of actual volts and amps which is very handy.

With the inverters that will mig, tig and stick, and if shopping at a certain price range, is it a case of getting more functions at the cost of quality when compared to a conventional mig?

[uninformed]

He has been known to successfully change his own oil too:p

;) as have I.....but like most things in life a simple small stuff up can sometimes lead to a cluster f.............welding is not void to this.

[steveG]

First I would be figuring out the source of your problems first before going and spending the coin on a new one. You usually go done a size in gas wire from your gasless, Have you chosen the correct drive roller for the wire size?



There's LOTS of different issues with my current, and they all relate to the $175 delivered price I paid for it. Yes - I'm doing the polarity change, and using correct rollers etc.
Its done the main job I bought it for, and that was to make up a couple of sets of D1 sliders/steps for myself and a mate, but its time to move on.
At higher wirespeed settings the wire doesn't stop feeding instantly - like its going too fast to stop, and you end up with about 2cm of wire hanging out. PITA having to trim it before each new weld. At higher feeds its also super sensitive between too slow and too fast - impossible to adjust with gloves on. Its a 4 setting 1/2/LO/HI switch arrangement, and really only the middle 2 are usable.
A decent MIG is a pleasure to use, and my current one just isn't.

The CIG 175i that was mentioned earlier looks like a nice machine and has good reviews elsewhere. My local welding shop has some of the last Australian made WIA's (175A I think) that they found in the back of their warehouse somewhere (brand new but in dusty boxes). The list price on them is around the $1500 mark but they are working out what they will let them go for so might be an option.
Also had a look at a 200A Unimig inverter unit for around the $1100 mark. Metal wire feed body and looked very solid.

Thanks to Hot Rover for the reminder about needing a 32A supply for the larger units. I currently only have 15A.

Sooo many choices, but think I'm slowly narrowing it down.

Steve

[Didge]

mick88, there are a few companies (I'm racking my brain to remember their names in Sydney from whom you can buy your argon/ Co2 bottles ($300 for 20kg - D size?) and then its $190 ish to refill them. I would think surely there is someone doing the same where you live.
cheers Gerald

[Spel1]

I've been using a Liquidarc 170i for years on all kinds of stuff. Its settings are versatile, very reliable. I've been using it gasless, but it comes with all the stuff you need to use with gas if needed. Basically needed something that I could plug in most places. I also used the Lincoln equivalent when I lived in the US for about 10 years with no issues. If you are working in tight corners that are hard to clean, use a bit of anti-spatter spray.

[uninformed]

There's LOTS of different issues with my current, and they all relate to the $175 delivered price I paid for it. Yes - I'm doing the polarity change, and using correct rollers etc.
Its done the main job I bought it for, and that was to make up a couple of sets of D1 sliders/steps for myself and a mate, but its time to move on.
At higher wirespeed settings the wire doesn't stop feeding instantly - like its going too fast to stop, and you end up with about 2cm of wire hanging out. PITA having to trim it before each new weld. At higher feeds its also super sensitive between too slow and too fast - impossible to adjust with gloves on. Its a 4 setting 1/2/LO/HI switch arrangement, and really only the middle 2 are usable.
A decent MIG is a pleasure to use, and my current one just isn't.

The CIG 175i that was mentioned earlier looks like a nice machine and has good reviews elsewhere. My local welding shop has some of the last Australian made WIA's (175A I think) that they found in the back of their warehouse somewhere (brand new but in dusty boxes). The list price on them is around the $1500 mark but they are working out what they will let them go for so might be an option.
Also had a look at a 200A Unimig inverter unit for around the $1100 mark. Metal wire feed body and looked very solid.

Thanks to Hot Rover for the reminder about needing a 32A supply for the larger units. I currently only have 15A.

Sooo many choices, but think I'm slowly narrowing it down.

Steve

Without knowing much about the CIG and Lincon current stuff, and if 175amp is enough for you, I would seriously consider the Aussie WIA. JMO

[big harold]

I am not sure about the new WIA but I have one that is 15 years old never had a problem. I weld with both gas and gasless. Gasless mainly on gal never had a problem cleaning up the welds. I would check if the new WIA come with a circuit board that has replaceble diodes. Mine came with a electrical circuit diagrahm showing all the diodes. These are available from Dick Smiths and the like. If you buy a BOC and have a problem you will be buying the whole circuit board $$$$. The WIA on full current also S--t all over the CIG.
Mark

[ADMIRAL]

Checkout the magMATE pro range. I think they are available through most BOC agents. I used a 200 ( the middle model ) to make benches and set up a workshop. It is an induction type, and did not falter. You have infinite wire and current control, and they use industrial fittings. Did not let us down in 5 years of workshop use, and is still going strong.

[Bigbjorn]

I bought a CIG Transmig 195 about twenty years ago. At the time it was the biggest you could get for 240 volts. It has performed flawlessly. I use 0.9 & 1.2 steel wire and 1.0 aluminium wire in a 1.2 conduit and tip. I don't do enough aluminium to warrant the expense of buying a bigger modern welder. My old one is a bit light on power for aluminium but gets there.

[stuarth44]

I have 4 big grunters from my days building alu small ships,ocean yachts, big trailer boats
I bought my Hobart megaflex 450,mig/tig/stick dc and miller deltaweld from NZ when i came here, i have no 3phase here so bought a lincoln 400 genset/welder and a cig 400sp twin pulse, being fed up with running the welders from the genset, i bought smootharc 275, tried it on alu, hopeless, tried it on gasless, poor, today bought gas mix and 1.2 bronze coated steel wire, SMAW rods are a stupid price and 20 percent gets wasted in slag and unburned stubs
i dunno tomorrow the gas will arrive via SUPAGAS they deliver, but i have no great hopes, may hafta use the 400sp on single pulse, steel is 10,12,16 250 and 350 plate and universal columns @30kg/m
i am building new plate forming hydraulic machine
i run a miller alumapro gun 8m on the miller, it's for alu only,brilliant gun, heavy, going to sell it with the feedfer and power pack, 450amps tranny machine lays in huge amount of wire a day, faster than pulse

[Toxic_Avenger]

Had to read it 3 times to try and work out the question / point... but I'll answer what I think you're asking:
The 275 was discontinued over 5 years ago and it was a very entry level machine for the purposes of aluminium welding. There are much better modern units out there, IF that's what your welding goal is.
IIRC there were 2 wire speed rates on that machine, and to run gasless that should be selected to get a higher feed rate on the rollers. Plus knurled rollers, plus if your wire requires it, run it in DCEN - which is a bit of a faff to ass-about the interconnecting cable between power source and remote wire feed.

Plenty of people I know run it well on 1.2 solid. Including a guy doing structural steel stuff with material similar to what you are using (he also has the 350A models too).

Looks like you've got some top level old gear there in the other units.
Enough on welders, how about some pics of the plate forming machine.

[DoubleChevron]

Wow ... talk about a thread resurrection .... I thought it was bizarre poeple talking about paying gas bottle rental these days :)

[Slunnie]

For current a response. I have been buying WIA and been very very happy with them. Well designed and reliable units.

[Gav 110]

I’m an ESAB fan
I have a couple of older single phase units (1 x mig 200amp and 1 x caddy 220 TIG/ARC) alongside the CIG 180 3 phase mig (there’s a BOC inverter ARC on the shelf somewhere too)
The ESAB seems to just give a better weld than the CIG, maybe it’s the operator (or the beers), or maybe just the inverter technology compared to the old AC wave
At one of the engineering companies I do work for they have a the WIA (big bertha I call it) and Fronius MIGs, all very good but the ESAB does it for me[emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]