I bought and Eastwood MIG 175 welder last month, and I figured I'd give a quick rundown. When I first got it, I was pretty impressed.
Sure, it's got a little more plastic on the front than some of the more expensive machines, but the finish is solid, the knobs feel good, and the gun has a great feel to it.
Plus, it was super well packaged and got to me in just three days, which is pretty sweet for free shipping.
After a little over a month and burning through about 13 pounds of wire, I'm still really happy with it.
The machine runs perfectly, the wire feed is super smooth, and the arc is predictable. I mean everything you want.
I really love the price point, especially since it came with a spool gun, extra wire and tips, a regulator, and free delivery. The black finish just looks great, too.
I'm also a huge fan of the infinite variable power. it's a game changer compared to my old welder that only had a few taps.
And the 3 year warranty on everything but the consumables is a nice piece of mind.
The only real gripe I have is that they don't make a knurled drive roller specifically for flux core wire.
The one it comes with has a smooth groove, and while you can run .035 flux core through the .030 groove, it's not ideal.
It can slip or squish the wire, which would only be a problem if I were welding outside in the wind or ran out of my shielding gas.
yeah, it's not a deal breaker, but it's something to keep in mind if you plan on doing a lot of flux core work.
Overall, for the money, you can't beat this machine.
Sure, it's got a little more plastic on the front than some of the more expensive machines, but the finish is solid, the knobs feel good, and the gun has a great feel to it.
Plus, it was super well packaged and got to me in just three days, which is pretty sweet for free shipping.
After a little over a month and burning through about 13 pounds of wire, I'm still really happy with it.
The machine runs perfectly, the wire feed is super smooth, and the arc is predictable. I mean everything you want.
I really love the price point, especially since it came with a spool gun, extra wire and tips, a regulator, and free delivery. The black finish just looks great, too.
I'm also a huge fan of the infinite variable power. it's a game changer compared to my old welder that only had a few taps.
And the 3 year warranty on everything but the consumables is a nice piece of mind.
The only real gripe I have is that they don't make a knurled drive roller specifically for flux core wire.
The one it comes with has a smooth groove, and while you can run .035 flux core through the .030 groove, it's not ideal.
It can slip or squish the wire, which would only be a problem if I were welding outside in the wind or ran out of my shielding gas.
yeah, it's not a deal breaker, but it's something to keep in mind if you plan on doing a lot of flux core work.
Overall, for the money, you can't beat this machine.