Howdy and welcome. What MIG to buy?

[Yomax4]

Before I posted, I called Lincoln Electric this morning (not 8 to 10 years ago) in order to get clear and specific clarification on the country of origin of models of machines identified by name that are available for purchase in the United States.

It is actually quite easy to take the truth and accept accurate, factual, up to date, and relevant information.

It is much harder to take generalizations and inference. Just because Lincoln has manufacturing plants in China, doesn't mean that the PowerWave S350 is manufactured in China, nor does it mean that any part of an AirVantage is manufactured in Turkey, just because Lincoln owns a manufacturing facility there, and the labor is cheaper there.

The OP was specifically interested in a pulsed Mig machine manufactured in the United States of America that can run .030 solid wire and gas. And I found that Lincoln Electric indeed still offers such a machine, that was still manufactured in the United States, and prior to calling I already suspected this because I happen to own that machine, and have been inside the cabinet several times. In the course of verifying whether the machine I own is still made in the USA (during the phone call this morning) I found out that the successor machine, the Power Mig 360MP, is made in Mexico, along with the younger brother Power Mig 260. This is the type of specific model to model information that might be useful to the OP when making a decision.

Just because Lincoln also sources equipment from Italy (the Invertec line of welders) doesn't mean that every Lincoln welder has Italian parts.

Well, Nowhere did I say Every Lincoln welder has Italian parts so are we talking about 20 year old machines or New ones like the OP is after? To be clear, I once sold 35 Power Wave 450's to a manufacturer and 110 350MP's to another. Both were made in USA.Those were the good old days. So what did I say> 8-10 year old data. Because you had the cover off your welder, I hope now you are not saying that Lincoln makes the PC Boards, IGBT's, Relays, Capacitors, Drive Motors, Solenoids, Switches etc.? ( Which is most everything in the case. What's left in there? ) Ha, They buy it all over seas just like everyone else. I'm not Lincoln bashing just telling it like it is.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

SNIP
The OP was specifically interested in a pulsed Mig machine manufactured in the United States of America that can run .030 solid wire and gas. And I found that Lincoln Electric indeed still offers such a machine, that was still manufactured in the United States, and prior to calling I already suspected this because I happen to own that machine, and have been inside the cabinet several times. In the course of verifying whether the machine I own is still made in the USA (during the phone call this morning) I found out that the successor machine, the Power Mig 360MP, is made in Mexico, along with the younger brother Power Mig 260. This is the type of specific model to model information that might be useful to the OP when making a decision.
SNIP

I priced that Lincoln and it's about $5k for the base machine then extra for cart etc. Made in Mexico, it appears based on your investigation. For $2k less, I can get the Miller Multimatic 255, apparently a Chinese/US mongrel with unknown percentages of each. For another grand, I get the dual bottle cart and TIG kit. I'm negotiating now with a local welding supply shop for that rig. I showed them the offer from a big chain store (praxair, which signs up saying no legal carry allowed) and told them that if they can get near that, they have the deal.

I'm also going to support small businesses for the rest of my life. The big corporations are the ones outsourcing jobs overseas. The jogger looters have now destroyed many small businesses which were just recovering from the virus hoax.

So, net/net, I think I'll go with the mongrel Miller over the Mexican Lincoln, for about $2k savings. The welder gave me a little tour of the Multimatic 255 as they use one in house too.

 

[Yomax4]

I truly believe that Lincoln writes better software for Pulsed Mig than ITW ( Miller ) but you can't deny the price of the 255 for standard pulsed mig. Both companies are Entry Level as far as Pulse goes and have done a pretty good job keeping the real Pulse / Twin Pulse manufacturers out. When discussing advanced Mig the real hitters out there are OTC, Lorch and Fronius... Miller and Lincoln don't seem to get it. Believe it or not ESAB is even 3 years ahead of both with their Purchased, Re-Painted and Re-Badged Swedish Warrior lineup. So my point to all this on going arguing is simply that it probably doesn't matter where Lincoln and Miller parts and machines are sourced from. There are very few secrets out there and you either keep up with OTC, Lorch and Fronius or you are a lessor product. I like pulsed mig so any pulsed mig unit anyone can get will serve them.. This discussion can go very deep into the differences of equipment but lets save that. I consider this as case closed. My apologies to any who are offended.