richard

I am looking into buying a diesel powered welder for the business.
Seems like the equipment never breaks when it's in the yard, go figure.
I am looking for something that can weld buckets, shanks, crushing plants, screeners, trucks, and whatever seems to break in the fleet.
Throw it in the service truck, go to the site, fix it.
Seems like lately there is too much downtime due to moving equipment around, and too mant late nights in the shop putting these things back together.
And it would be a really cool new toy.
Any recommendations would be helpful.
Thanks in advance
Rich

P.J

I've had experience with a few Lincoln welders, not sure of the models. (SA series is sticking in my head)
Even the older ones with 2000+ hrs. would fire right up in 10* weather.

Expect to shell out some dough, the newest ones I remember being around the $10,000 mark. Remember though, you'd be buying it ONCE. Nice towable job with a box for your leads and stuff.

As we know, diesel powered anything is more expensive, when it comes to welders the gas ones (in my experience) are not nearly as smooth to weld with as the diesel burners.

mainer

I've got a miller bobcat gas welder, and wouldn't get anything else! Mine has 100% duty cycles and welds great! They make in in a 3 cyl diesel it will run you about 6k but if you want a diesel you will pay for it!

I went with the miller because of the oil system, it can be used at angles! the lincoln has to be level. Just what I hurd not sure if it is ture.

COop

Bosshawg600

we have a diesel Lincoln welder. That sucker is a hoss. we can weld every thing from thin sheet metal to rollercoaster track with 200' leads. No problems ever!

RCW

You may want to think about one of the Zena add-on units for the service truck. http://www.zena.net/

My experience with the gas and diesel portables has been that they are not at all portable, and you have another engine and governor system to worry about. They are also a very hot item for the dopers to steal in this area. If you can get the service truck to the welding site, the Zena is hidden and relies on either the engine or your truck's remote hydraulic system, and for the same money you will end up with a ton more capability than any self-contained unit.

Beamwalker

can you bomb a diesel welder? i have a miller big 40 and a lincoln sa-200. they run 400 and 300 amps respectively. both machines have continental 4 cyl engine. both machines weld excellent although the big 40 leaves a smoother arc.
{from someone who burns 50-100 pounds 7018 a day at times}

chaikwa

Well, it certainly is a decent unit and it has it's merits, but by the time you buy 2 of them to get a decent amount of output current, (300amp), for heavy welding applications, then buy the adapters to make it usable with constant current devices, (like wire feeders and spool guns), then buy the high frequency kit and engine mounting adapters, you are over what my Trailblazer cost me and it still doesn't have AC output for aluminum welding or running power tools. Running a welder off the trucks engine is definitley appealing, but I think it would be cumbersome to have to have all the accessory items just to make it work everyday for what I do. For once or twice a week use it would probably be fine tho.

The other thing I'd have to think about would be running the Cummins all the time, putting a ton of hours on it, just to weld. It's a neat idea, but I could replace my Trailblazer 3 times for what it would cost to replace the Cummins.

I guess it all depends on what you're doing and what is needed to do it the easiest and most efficient way.

chaikwa.