Everlast PowerTig 325EXT (Canada)
Everlast Power I Mig 250 (Canada)
Everlast PowerPlasma 80S (Canada)
Everlast PowerCool W300 (Canada)
Everlast PowerMTS 250S Fitted with a 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Miller Dynasty 400 wireless(Canada)
Millermatic 252 plus 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Everlast PowerTig 325EXT (Canada)
Everlast Power I Mig 250 (Canada)
Everlast PowerPlasma 80S (Canada)
Everlast PowerCool W300 (Canada)
Everlast PowerMTS 250S Fitted with a 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Miller Dynasty 400 wireless(Canada)
Millermatic 252 plus 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
I for one am not saying that Everlast spool guns are sub standard . We have been talking about a gun that is not even manufactured by big blue anymore. newer is not always better. That is why the retrofit is appealing to some of us. In many peoples opinion that use them the 30A is the standard by which other spool guns are judged. The New blue spool guns are not as good either. Please do not take this discussion as a criticism . If there is no market then so be it ,we are coping. Why do you think I am hanging on to my old #3 gun. I admit that we as americans are spoiled. I have used teflon liners and welded alum. It has its hassles and if the rest of the world is willing to live with it, fine. Push pull setups are probably the best for alum. but they are expensive and geared to production facilities. The spool gun is relatively inexpensive , can be setup it a few minutes , and works well 95% af situations where mig is an advantage. It would take longer and be more hassle to switch out a machine to a teflon liner, change spools and setup the machine than a lot of alum welding jobs would take to do.
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
Links to my welding projects > : Spray Arc with the 250p : Coldsaw Stand : Welding Cart : Heavy Duty Rolling Shelf : Taller Bandsaw
2013 250EX : SSC Pedal : I-MIG 250P 20' Profax gun : Power Plasma 60 p80 torch : 3M Speedglas 9100XX : Evolution Rage 3 DB cold saw
60 % duty cycle at 200 amps is plenty for most aluminum welding. That corresponds to the duty cycle and output of the 250 that we sell, so it is a good matchup. I believe its limited by the barrel as they have different barrel options with different duty cycles. Trafimet rates their version of the gun at 35% duty cycle at 300 amps mixed gas, 350 amps co2.
Mark
performance@everlastwelders.com
www.everlastgenerators.com
www.everlastwelders.com
877-755-9353 x204
M-F 9am - 5pm EST
Acording to the info on this web site for the spool guns the 200 is rated at 35% at 200 amps. That is what I based my earlier statement on. If it is 60% that is much better. If that is the case Everlast needs to correct the specs given. That does put them on the same field as the new blue ones but the 30A and late model #3 are much better guns than the new manufacture guns.
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
I have seen the same gun labeled both ways. My original gun says 60%. We use the more conservative figure as we get them both ways. I think it is related to the fact is that they label it at the lower setting now for some of the lighter barrels as they can be swapped. But it is a 24 front end on the 200. My figures on a 24 say 60% at 200 amps is about right.
Mark
performance@everlastwelders.com
www.everlastgenerators.com
www.everlastwelders.com
877-755-9353 x204
M-F 9am - 5pm EST
I have two SM200-N and the power wire are not even close to the 1/0 that the 30A has, 100% duty cycle at 200 amps. The SM200-N works fine but not when I was welding all day with it, it just got to hot and the cup with the insulator in it would burn up had to put a new cup on every day so I made a Tough Gun cup fit it now no problems heating the cup up not a chance now, use them on the 25 Mig gun also got over 20 of them and other cup also.
Everlast PowerTig 325EXT (Canada)
Everlast Power I Mig 250 (Canada)
Everlast PowerPlasma 80S (Canada)
Everlast PowerCool W300 (Canada)
Everlast PowerMTS 250S Fitted with a 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Miller Dynasty 400 wireless(Canada)
Millermatic 252 plus 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
I have to retracked my statement about the 30A not being sold new any more. I went to the Blue site and they are making the pro 30A . I have not looked at new spool guns for a while. Last I new they had stopped making it. Well that tells you something about how good of a gun it is. They put it back in production for a reason. Sales . Its been around for a long time now with just minor improvements. Don't look at the price though unless your sitting down and have a strong heart.
Last edited by TheGary; 06-26-2014 at 01:32 AM.
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
Gary, Miller has never stopped producing a version of the XR line since the 80's. Here is a picture of the first one I owned. It was strictly a push-pull affair (no detachable spool) mated to their new XR box. The first ones used the same long contact tips as the Spoolmatic, Airo etc. did.
When the so-called second generation gun came out they intelligently added the spool housing thus getting a twofer; a spool gun and a push-pull. Also, the 1st gen could be retroed with the new shorter contact tip that was held by a collet/diffuser. You can tell if you have an early or late 2nd gen gun by the Amphenol; metal at the beginning and plastic at the end. Also, the early ones did not have serial numbers on sticker. The 1st gen had a clear plastic cover over the drive mechanism that had a knurled screw that held it and the 2nd gen had cover that retracts against a copper spring. Few parts are interchangeable between the two.
By the third generation they had ruined some of the good features of the second generation.
Much as us boomers have over the 'Greatest Generation', of our fathers. In the third (turd), the genius's at Miller decided that operators didn't know what was the proper relationship of the contact tip vis a vis to the gas cup (in or out) and therefore 'fixed' that relationship as a constant. Also, they came up with the clever idea of the 'FasTip' . The contact tip now screws into the diffuser with a high pitched thread. Only problem is when you fry a tip (ever done that?) one has to unscrew the tip after removing the cup by holding on to it with pliers and then rotate the gun! Now, if that isn't an example of need-to-find-something-to-fix-that-really-doesn't-need-fixing engineers at work nothing ever will be. More often than not, the wire breaks inside the tip therefore ruining any chance to recover usage, good job engineers, double down! For some reason they replaced the teflon liner with a bronze coil and you can imagine what that does over time when running AL. I replace them with the old teflon as they fit. The cup is thinner and has a fiber shield that (IMO) causes excessive heat to build at the tip. I have used all of these guns extensively and loath the last version. Two to one easily, I've fried more tips with the turd-gen guns, especially with .035 wire. Stuff happens, but this winter I built a power skiff using a spanking new 252 Miller with a 30A in some elses shop and had to bring my 2nd gen in to finish the job because the drive motor in his went out. Numerous parts are interchangeable between two gen and three gen. They both have extensive additions that make them adaptable; curved barrels and even a 'long dong silver' 12" flex barrel that is wonderful for doing whacky welds or overhead.
I've used a lot of MK products and don't like the Cobra but like the Prince except for the gas cups being so narrow and getting 'boogered' too quickly. Zero experience with Lincoln though I'd love to try their magnum XL250 out. They just don't exist in my part of the world.
EDIT: Oh, another really good feature of the last gens of the 30A is that the spool canister can rotate right and left which is huge, believe it or not, in it's ability to adapt. I don't think any other spool gun has this feature.
Last edited by Yofish; 06-26-2014 at 05:24 AM.
Yofish' thanks for that info. I purchased my spool gun in the 80's and then went off to be a millwright for 25 years. In the 70's and up to 87 I did lot of alum. In those days you run what ya brung. There was not a lot to choose from. In fact the first spool gun I ran on a c.c. welder ( talk about burn back on tips ) . AS a millwright I wound up doing all types of welding but very little alum. I find myself thinking I know more than I really do. Time has a way of not waiting for us. Reading your posts have made me wish that I had gone through with going up to Alaska when I was young. I thought I would have a hard time making a living up there. I think I could have got into the boat building if I had gone. Not that I know anything about building boats but as a young man I would have dived into it and learned quickly in a shop. Have you you used the HTP spool gun? they advertise it to rival the 30A. I do not think they make the attachments like you mentioned for the 30A though.
Last edited by TheGary; 06-26-2014 at 03:42 PM.
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
I went over to the red site and looked at the 250 magnum. It almost looks like a spitting image of the HTP spool gun. I would not be surprised if HTP makes it for them or visa versa.
Miller 302 gas drive
millermatic 200 mig
miller spoolmatic 3 spool gun with 100ft ext.
2014 Everlast PP60S plasma
thermal arc 250 GTS inverter
2016 Everlast 250EX
miller tig cooler
2015 Everlast MTS250S
Miller 30A spool Gun
Miller xtreme 12VS wire feeder
Linde CM 85 shape cutter
Gary, I was talking about this one:
I agree about the HTP-Lincoln connection. As I've stated, I have no hands-on knowledge but the thing (I think) I see about the HTP gun is that it relies on spring tension against the drive roll to feed. That might not be an issue on a spool gun but it most certainly is push-pull which is the feature that interests me with the Lincoln. In its push-pull configuration they call it the Cougar. Boat building with a spool gun is a drag. I'd just like to try it out, don't think I'd ever buy one at this stage of my career.
After hefting a Spoolmatic all these years, check out the MK Prince. It's the lightest gun out there and if I didn't have so damn many 30's it would be my choice. Sometimes they show up on FleaBay for less than the 30's.
I see what you mean. I have no interest in a push, pull capability. so I have looked at the guns a little differently. As much as you use them it would be mandatory except when mobility demanded a spool.
Yofish
As you were saying they make a good tool then change it plus it cost more and it is normal is not as good.
I like the 30A old style as you recommended to look for with the barrel that you can adjust and the tip you can do also had to make the tool for tip removal myself cheaper then buying one.
Everlast PowerTig 325EXT (Canada)
Everlast Power I Mig 250 (Canada)
Everlast PowerPlasma 80S (Canada)
Everlast PowerCool W300 (Canada)
Everlast PowerMTS 250S Fitted with a 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Miller Dynasty 400 wireless(Canada)
Millermatic 252 plus 30A Spoolgun(Canada)
Love it! Any time someone works around 'The Man' I like it. I spent a lot of time to try and come up with a replacement for their drive motor which is obscenely priced, only to find out that the company that makes them sells them only to Miller. Being a DC motor they would be easily rebuildable but not possible because you can't get parts.
Links to my welding projects > : Spray Arc with the 250p : Coldsaw Stand : Welding Cart : Heavy Duty Rolling Shelf : Taller Bandsaw
2013 250EX : SSC Pedal : I-MIG 250P 20' Profax gun : Power Plasma 60 p80 torch : 3M Speedglas 9100XX : Evolution Rage 3 DB cold saw
I would think that all you would need are brushes and bearings. Not hard to adapt replacements of those.
Long arc, short arc, heliarc and in-the-dark!