I was a bodyman in the 60's 70's, when welding 1/4 panels on or other sheetmetal repairs, we oxy/acetylene, welded or brazed everything, that's part of the reason for hammer welding sheetmetal, because it got warped so severely, THEN came my first encounter with a new thing called MIG welding, not new in the industry, just new to me, MILLER Electric came out with an all in one wire feeder and power unit. #35. That could weld sheetmetal all the way to 3/8" plate! WOW it was great not to WARP the sheetmetal. When I welded it on. I've been a fan of Mig welding ever scene.
Hi Tony, the machine is switching between displaying "Amps" (60) and "wire speed (in metric) 6.5 m/min (to convert m/min to Inches Per Minute, multiply 6.5 m/min by 40 (6.5 x 40 = 260 Inches/min) as there are 40 inches in 1 Metre. Typically when using the wire speed setting the machine will regulate the Amps as you weld, the other setting must be for running a fixed amount of Amps. Love your videos, Chris.
Hey Tony, I'm in the same boat. I recently had to buy a new welder and am very happy with my Lincoln. I only use flux core.30. I've never used gas and don't want to spend the money / time to figure it out. I'm pretty good at butt welding body sheet metal with what I've got. Getting the penetration with out building up the weld, increasing grinding, is also my goal. With the way I do it I turn up the heat and slow the wire. Pulse, pulse, pulse. I've learned so much from you because you have taught me I can do the job with simple tools😊 Thanks 👍
Good review Fitzee, thanks. Looks like a good machine with a lot of features in a small package. Up until now I would have thought it gimmicky and flimsy but after watching your video I think this is a machine worthy of consideration.
I have to say several years ago, I purchased a 220 KLUTCH multi purpose welder. It weighs 47 pounds. It does all the processes and has a spool gun to weld aluminum. It does indeed weld light guage metal. I use it for everything in my shop. When I got it from Northern tool it was for a job back in a hole, hence the light weight. Thought if it lasted for the one job OK, but it is still welding like it is supposed to. It changed my old school mind about these machines.
Yeah. They keep getting cheaper and better, which is great. If you're doing projects, you're most assuredly going to want a stand alone plasma cutter though. It's rare that I'll be skipping between mig/tig/stick on a project, but it's common to cut, then weld, then cut, etc. No fun switching processes between weld and cut.
Hey Fitzee!! I did an entire walk through on this Arccaptain MIG200 on our channel. I also, did in fact, weld rusty sheet metal in the trunk of a 1950 Ford Shoebox! This unit did very well for us! And thank you for all your content. I reference your channel often and have learned a lot from you!
Amazon has pretty robust offerings of Arccaptain products. I'm looking hard at their plasma cutter. Thanks for the review Fitzee, it looks like good stuff!
A good tip for ya. To keep your helmet clean and to make your outer lens clear from smoke stains and last a long time is to wipe it with armour all interior cleaner. Works really well, I’ve done that for years. But what do I know I’m just a welder.
I've been holding back buying a new welder looking for a video just like this! You do this for many years I will be able to take what you show with more surety than someone that I can't rely on.
Love your show. Learned some great stuff from you and doing a lot better welding. My Lincoln welder is not that great so I just bought a welder like the one on this show. I think you do amazing work and keep up with everything you do. You help a lot of people.
Excellent work, thank you for your test and review of the Arccaptain machine, which impressed and encouraged us a lot. We hope you will not be disappointed with our machine and we will continue to work hard to provide a better experience for our users
Thanks Fitzee, I just saw an ad about this welder and was amazed at the price. But thanks to you I’m convinced about the performance. Great test. Im gonna be looking at picking one up soon. Thanks again.
I just bought the MIG 205 model. Can't wait to try it out. Was using a Lincoln 140 C that worked satisfactorily but I am looking to improve my results and reduce grinding. The Black Friday prices on their welders was fantastic!
These modern machines are great. I have a Unimig 230 razor, not cheap but it does anything except get you a beer. Gave my old Unimig to my mate but they last forever. Can see the difference in the machines. New one is way better than the old transformer machine. Great review Fitzie .
I realize this vid is old, I have been watching alot of your videos and I see you doing So much grinding. Im a fabricator myself but I hate being covered in abrasive dust. I really think if you would take the time to learn to tig weld it would save you alot of time by not having to grind so much it is much more precision than mig. Yes mig is faster but usually tig is a flatter bead. Love watching you hand make body panels 👍
I’ve been following a few other channels reviewing these welders and everyone seems to be very impressed with them, glad you are doing a review as well, the more info the better. I won the exact helmet that they sent you in one of their drawings, I’ve been using it exclusively since I got it and I’m really happy with it, I’m not a professional welder by any stretch but I think the company makes very good jobber quality equipment. Again thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us.
Hey Tony, thanks for the vid: That TIG capability might come in handy on your sheet metal work, it's not as fast, but it would likely cut way down on your "grinding time'. And the aluminum aspect might be real good for your Crusty project, interior and such. Of course the tips were good.
I could easily tell you were impressed with the machine. Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - uses a new welder or one they aren't sure will give them the desired result, on a "live" build, so you MUST have been impressed! Looking at the result (and funny I never picked the welder change in the previous Crusty video of the door repair...), the ArcCaptain did it and did it well. It's very impressive with the results on the 24 to 24 gauge butt welding and even with the 18/24, it still showed fairly even penetration on both metals - certainly enough to be strong if challenged in an impact. As I am used to Oxy/acetylene (another old skooler!) and find MIG a challenge, I prefer using a TIG as it's a similar mindset of melt the metal and add to the weld pool......but there are certainly times and jobs with unusual welding angles where MIG would be handier and quicker. I'm going to do as you suggest and see what other people using this ArcCaptain can do, so I can see whether it will do the light detail TIG work (like seam welding etc)....but I first need to see if they will deliver them to little old New Zealand! Great little welder all the same and it will be interesting to see what your opinion of the faithful old Miller beasty is when you go back to using it in a month or so. All the best
I re-watched the video after I ordered a arccaptain mig 200. I'm using a Lincoln mig 15 with voltage setting A,B,C,D and E ,with the new welder I hope to get better results, and I hope that I can play with tig welding later on. Thank you for your video,next time I'm in Newfoundland I would like to see you and your shop in person.
Great insight on this little number. I've seen it advertised a few times to me and it's nice to see someone put it to the test on thin sheet, something I'm most familiar with. Little tip to try tho: I've found that my local welding supply's promoted gas mix that they call "Stargon" or some such silly nonsense actually works spectacularly for getting the weld to lay down like you're talking about. The mixture is 90% Argon, 8% CO2 and 2% oxygen. It costs the same as 75% Argon 25% CO2 mix at my supply, not sure about yours but think you should give it a try. If for nothing else than to give me the satisfaction of helping out a stranger who is helping me out with this review. The little bit of oxygen doesn't hurt the weld either because of complicated chemistry but it does seem to make the weld every so slightly hotter and the weld pool more fluid and manageable. It really lays flat and wide beads that blend in a fraction of the time of a regular mix. I'm not sure if this welder is for me but maybe the gas mix will be for you!
That mix is sold in the UK as Hobbyweld 5. Since I bought an R-tech mig and started using that gas mix, mig welding has gone from marginal to very good. I'd been using a cheap welder and different gas for years and blamed the poor results on my lack of skill. Given good equipment and materials, mig isn't difficult.
Ordered this welder on Sept 4th after watching Joe Daddy's Garage review of one. Everyone seems to be impressed with these considering the price point. Can't wait to get mine and zeusing stuff with it.
I've got a Hobart and I have the same problem with that "nut". I have worked/practice so hard trying to weld my 2003 Chev without blowing holes. I've heard people say the newer vehicles metal is hard to weld, so I bought a new sheet of 18 gauge and practiced on that and when I went back to the Chev and blew right through it.
The earth clamp has a flaw. The copper braid isn't back inside the clamp itself. When you put it on the edge of a rusty piece of steel it tends to arc to the braid and destroy it. Ask me how I know this one 😂
Welding heavy steel (construction) and welding for autobody are two totally different things. Actually they are almost opposite. I have the same Miller 140 as you and it's a love-hate relation because of the "soft start" deal they do when pulling the trigger and cannot do a decent spot or tack weld with it. This Arccaptain welder doesn't seem to have an issue like that, and looks to be a decent machine. I may actually switch my Miller to this one. Thanks Tony for testing this machine for all of us hobbyists who enjoy restoring old, rusty, hopeless cars..
You're right, we've had some success with welding small things - timed spot welds, but welding heavy steel is a whole different ballgame. We'll do our best to improve in that area.
You had a Metabo grinder gifted to you a couple of years back. I bought one for myself and was greatly impressed with it. If this welder is as good, I'll likely get one of those too. Thanks for reviewing this and giving honest comments.
Fitzee, did you notice the light inside the machine to help you see the wire spool and getting it set up? I thought that was pretty cool. Great video. I love your content.
Now that was very cool I’ve got a Lincoln 140 that I started playing around with, if I’d have know about the arccaptain with all of those features for the price I’d have probably gotten one of them. That was a very cool video Tony 👍
Looks good, the price is much lower than a comparable Lincoln. Usually get what you pay for. Looks good enough to get the job done. Will see how it holds up. Good video as usual👍
I have an older Miller 211 auto set, always felt it welded “hot” By the way, figured you got a new welder when watching you put the bottom door skins on crusty! Good for you bud, and nice review!
well I'm an ex welder fitter from what I can see and by looking at the website and the price of what they offer is very reasonable deal from the looks of things, normally, to get a welder with those capabilities its usually cost a couple grand, this is very impressive!..Especially, having the ability to weld aluminum and tig capabilities with mig and stick function, that's a win win win plus from what I can determine that's nice little welder.
Nah, this is great. I'm about to use one. Very handy to me; this video. Thank you very much and thank you very much for your content. You give people confidence to take things on.
The latest tech small machines have come on light years compared to their predecessors. I like tiny, light machines - I don't want big doorstops. Previously, that meant buying a Kemmpi minarc mig - which I did, several times. They were the only good tiny mig machine out there - the price was also eyewatering - they also broke real easily. I broke several... expensive.. I now use a tiny little toy-like Hitbox flux core machine to weld with. It's about half the size of even a Kemmpi mini. And 1/10th the cost. Machine never blinks despite the endless rolls of wire it is expected to burn and the fact the damn thing cost absolute peanuts. You gotta love progress.
Have to say I would no more go out & buy a bottle of gas these days - that's another thing about 90% of welders have not kept up-to-date with - just how far the flux core process has come on since the early days when it was utter pish.
Tony, have you done any test welds and played with the inductance? (your Soft/Hard knob), I was reading an article and it stated Inductance is how fast the current rises to reach the Amps you've selected... I have an old Lincoln 125 and was never truly happy with the Tack & Spot welds, always seemed to have a slight delay... and thinking of going this direction... if I read the article correctly, stated the Soft Setting is High Inductance used on thicker materials and Hard (low inductance) used on thinner giving a narrower bead that freezes faster??, not certain I understand what all that means precisely and still learning...🤔 so was wondering if you did any tests adjusting the soft/hard knob and if you found any difference in weld height, penetration, spatter and even the sound... supposedly machines without this knob are set at the factory at 30%-50% inductance... loving the videos... you cant put them out fast enough 🤣 getting a phenomenal education from your experience...👍👍👍
Man you gotta step out and try arc stick welding bro. I used to only do flux core on this little Lincoln machine and my buddy gave me the tig 200 arc captain and I been running stick welding and I love it actually. Now I got the mig 200, btw you wanna see that thing dance man run it on 220 and order the upgraded mig gun for the mig 200, it’s legit way better than that stock whip
a good review and video. it looks like a nice welder, I had an expensive multi function welder that I bought when they first started making them it did not last that long. i have since replaced it with a mig and a tig and I find that it easier to have separate machines to use.
If you get a .025 liner, it will help significantly. The liner is too big and causes a lot of flex in the wire so you don't get consistent welds. That's why when you first start a weld, it doesn't make a crackling sound.
Tony - Total heat = Wattage. But wattage = Volts x Amps. And, volts cause amps. So if you want less heat in a weld, you have to have less amps, and you get less amps by having lower voltage. There is no such thing as higher voltage and lower amps, when you change one you change the other. Voltage is the thing that's easy to control, so that's what welders do. Even "constant current" welders make their current constant by adjusting voltage, not current directly.
What I noted is: when Tony pressed the right upper Syn button on the welder, the right hand display would change from Amps to wire speed in m/min. He would then proceed to increase the voltage (left side display), without changing the wire speed - which I assume is a means of overiding the machine's auto (voltage-to-wire speed) setting. Tony has often stated that to but weld thin metal he sets the welder up with greater 'heat' than is typical for the specific wire feed - which is appropriate for the pulse welding he performs - but as he also illustrated, would cause holes if you attempt to perform a continuous weld at that setting.
I went and got a Klutch 220/110 multi process welder at Northern and I love it too. The old stuff i used to use just doesn't have the capability and I cant wait to learn some TIG with it I just need to spend the money on another bottle
When you get your settings close 4 MIG welding 4 sheet metal then switch the machine to synergic then you have 10 up and 10 low you can custom fine-tune your settings to get a flatter weld you can get the puddle to wet out more
Is that a welder or a computer? It sure has a lot of adjust ability built in. Looks like you've fine-tuned it to your requirements and it's working well for you. My welder is like you old one, just two dials, but I can manage to do a variety of work with different thickness materials OK with it. I only use 030 flux core wire, but it suits what I do.
If this machine turns out well and you like it. I'll buy one. Just rebuilt the engine in my bronco..got it running today. Need to turn to some of the rust its got.
Thank you Tony! That's exactly what I needed to know. I'm still curious about the timed spot weld feature. I'm having trouble staying consistent. I only get an hour here and an hour there a few times a month to work on the van. Most of that time is spent getting comfortable with the welder each time.
I totally get your struggle with consistency. Our welder has a timed spot weld feature that allows you to set the trigger time for each weld. It's a game-changer for keeping those welds consistent.
It's cheap, and when it breaks it's disposable. Good for someone who needs a machine for one job but, I doubt that machine will last more than a few years. My 35 year old Hobart still works fine and its simple transformer design makes it repairable.
Looks like a good welder in the price range, similar to the Vevor multi welder 250 I got recently. They weld, but I just wish they'd give you an independent wire speed control. They always seems to feed too much wire.
Jo Daddy's Garage has had good things to say about the Arccaptain he's using. He's basicall using it for sheetmetal rebuilding a 69 or 70 Mustang from nearly scratch.
@@arccaptain-weld does the machine come with the .023 drive wheel still? I read a comment on another review where the person said their machine did not have the .023 wheel and it had to be ordered separately?
Thinking about diving in on this welder (I want some tig and stick but mostly mig). Just wondering, given the need to weld then cool (or skip spaces) to keep the sheet metal from warping too much - do you think the spot weld mode might be handy for both tacking and then stacking your welds on butting two pieces on a car? Those spot welds you showed looked really nice. Just thought it would mean loads of consistancy but also you are always just tacking a weld and letting it cool and tacking again normally anyway.
As a mechanic my very first purchase with Snap On was a set of impact sockets 3/8" - 2-9/16" , and you work on cars and you only have up to 1" , what about axle nuts ? Nice to have big sockets I use mine a lot on cars and pickup trucks
just got my new mig 200 a few minutes ago. reading the instruction manual now. interesting...they give instructions on how to dispose of the machine....i hope i do not need that part...
Im still doin mig welding as have revealed to you before ......its that "yeswelder" we spoke of without gas .....This small machine of yours looks and appears to have same things on it but its only available in new foundland...right? I am moving tho this month finally but in due time will resume on 1970 E200 hood again .but just not now until we figure out legistics on things plus my yeswelder is in storage for obvious reasons. see you later Tony
Reading the instructions before using kit? What a concept! :-)*
I was a bodyman in the 60's 70's, when welding 1/4 panels on or other sheetmetal repairs, we oxy/acetylene, welded or brazed everything, that's part of the reason for hammer welding sheetmetal, because it got warped so severely, THEN came my first encounter with a new thing called MIG welding, not new in the industry, just new to me, MILLER Electric came out with an all in one wire feeder and power unit. #35. That could weld sheetmetal all the way to 3/8" plate! WOW it was great not to WARP the sheetmetal. When I welded it on. I've been a fan of Mig welding ever scene.
Looks like a nice machine , but it the man doing the welding that makes the machine look good .
Hi Tony, the machine is switching between displaying "Amps" (60) and "wire speed (in metric) 6.5 m/min (to convert m/min to Inches Per Minute, multiply 6.5 m/min by 40 (6.5 x 40 = 260 Inches/min) as there are 40 inches in 1 Metre. Typically when using the wire speed setting the machine will regulate the Amps as you weld, the other setting must be for running a fixed amount of Amps. Love your videos, Chris.
I thought this too.....
Yeah usually the other setting is for arc (stick) welding.
there are some very nice budget welders out there these days , nice video :)
Nice welding machine Fitzee. Thank you for the demonstration and all the tips. Take care 👍
I picked one of these up after running into trouble with my Lincoln 180 and so far I love it!
Hey Tony, I'm in the same boat. I recently had to buy a new welder and am very happy with my Lincoln. I only use flux core.30. I've never used gas and don't want to spend the money / time to figure it out. I'm pretty good at butt welding body sheet metal with what I've got. Getting the penetration with out building up the weld, increasing grinding, is also my goal. With the way I do it I turn up the heat and slow the wire. Pulse, pulse, pulse. I've learned so much from you because you have taught me I can do the job with simple tools😊 Thanks 👍
Good review Fitzee, thanks. Looks like a good machine with a lot of features in a small package. Up until now I would have thought it gimmicky and flimsy but after watching your video I think this is a machine worthy of consideration.
Welders keep improving with every upgrade. They keep getting better and better . Thanks for the tips very impressed as well
Bottom left button , hit it until you see three dots . It has a spot weld function where you can set time down to half a second . Works a charm
I have to say several years ago, I purchased a 220 KLUTCH multi purpose welder. It weighs 47 pounds. It does all the processes and has a spool gun to weld aluminum. It does indeed weld light guage metal. I use it for everything in my shop. When I got it from Northern tool it was for a job back in a hole, hence the light weight. Thought if it lasted for the one job OK, but it is still welding like it is supposed to. It changed my old school mind about these machines.
Now I’m understanding my welding issues and differences between voltage and amperage’s!!! Thank you Tony!!!
I've seen newer welders with up to 6 options on them.
Another great video, keep up the great work and the best videos ever.
Yeah. They keep getting cheaper and better, which is great. If you're doing projects, you're most assuredly going to want a stand alone plasma cutter though. It's rare that I'll be skipping between mig/tig/stick on a project, but it's common to cut, then weld, then cut, etc. No fun switching processes between weld and cut.
Hey Fitzee!! I did an entire walk through on this Arccaptain MIG200 on our channel. I also, did in fact, weld rusty sheet metal in the trunk of a 1950 Ford Shoebox! This unit did very well for us! And thank you for all your content. I reference your channel often and have learned a lot from you!
Subscribed to your channel
Great review , would have been good to see the TIG welding of panel steel and aluminium
Amazon has pretty robust offerings of Arccaptain products. I'm looking hard at their plasma cutter. Thanks for the review Fitzee, it looks like good stuff!
A good tip for ya. To keep your helmet clean and to make your outer lens clear from smoke stains and last a long time is to wipe it with armour all interior cleaner. Works really well, I’ve done that for years. But what do I know I’m just a welder.
I've been holding back buying a new welder looking for a video just like this! You do this for many years I will be able to take what you show with more surety than someone that I can't rely on.
Love your show. Learned some great stuff from you and doing a lot better welding. My Lincoln welder is not that great so I just bought a welder like the one on this show. I think you do amazing work and keep up with everything you do. You help a lot of people.
Hey Tony - using the link in this video I just ordered the Arccaptian 200- saved a ton of money thanks for the review and all you do!!!
Excellent work, thank you for your test and review of the Arccaptain machine, which impressed and encouraged us a lot.
We hope you will not be disappointed with our machine and we will continue to work hard to provide a better experience for our users
Arc captain-weld , how much does this machine cost in Canadian dollars? Thanks.
@@jraposo911 You can buy it from Website Directly，and the price is same to USA
Glad you like it. I'm still tuning it for better results, and I like it more each day. Thanks.
Thanks Fitzee, I just saw an ad about this welder and was amazed at the price. But thanks to you I’m convinced about the performance. Great test. Im gonna be looking at picking one up soon. Thanks again.
I just bought the MIG 205 model. Can't wait to try it out. Was using a Lincoln 140 C that worked satisfactorily but I am looking to improve my results and reduce grinding. The Black Friday prices on their welders was fantastic!
Do you have mixed gas, noticed you do not have on mix. Kentucky
These modern machines are great. I have a Unimig 230 razor, not cheap but it does anything except get you a beer. Gave my old Unimig to my mate but they last forever. Can see the difference in the machines. New one is way better than the old transformer machine. Great review Fitzie .
I realize this vid is old, I have been watching alot of your videos and I see you doing So much grinding. Im a fabricator myself but I hate being covered in abrasive dust. I really think if you would take the time to learn to tig weld it would save you alot of time by not having to grind so much it is much more precision than mig. Yes mig is faster but usually tig is a flatter bead.
Love watching you hand make body panels 👍
I just got mine after watching you. i am trying to learn to weld sheet metal. Thank you for helping me making my mind up
I’ve been following a few other channels reviewing these welders and everyone seems to be very impressed with them, glad you are doing a review as well, the more info the better.
I won the exact helmet that they sent you in one of their drawings, I’ve been using it exclusively since I got it and I’m really happy with it, I’m not a professional welder by any stretch but I think the company makes very good jobber quality equipment. Again thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us.
Me too i just want too see it weld aluminium either with the Tig or Mig
Hey Tony, thanks for the vid:
That TIG capability might come in handy on your sheet metal work, it's not as fast, but it would likely cut way down on your "grinding time'. And the aluminum aspect might be real good for your Crusty project, interior and such.
Of course the tips were good.
Hiya Tony, great video the tips are always awesome love watching your videos and the various projects that you undertake keep up the great work ❤
I could easily tell you were impressed with the machine. Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - uses a new welder or one they aren't sure will give them the desired result, on a "live" build, so you MUST have been impressed! Looking at the result (and funny I never picked the welder change in the previous Crusty video of the door repair...), the ArcCaptain did it and did it well. It's very impressive with the results on the 24 to 24 gauge butt welding and even with the 18/24, it still showed fairly even penetration on both metals - certainly enough to be strong if challenged in an impact.
As I am used to Oxy/acetylene (another old skooler!) and find MIG a challenge, I prefer using a TIG as it's a similar mindset of melt the metal and add to the weld pool......but there are certainly times and jobs with unusual welding angles where MIG would be handier and quicker. I'm going to do as you suggest and see what other people using this ArcCaptain can do, so I can see whether it will do the light detail TIG work (like seam welding etc)....but I first need to see if they will deliver them to little old New Zealand!
Great little welder all the same and it will be interesting to see what your opinion of the faithful old Miller beasty is when you go back to using it in a month or so. All the best
I re-watched the video after I ordered a arccaptain mig 200. I'm using a Lincoln mig 15 with voltage setting A,B,C,D and E ,with the new welder I hope to get better results, and I hope that I can play with tig welding later on. Thank you for your video,next time I'm in Newfoundland I would like to see you and your shop in person.
That a good one Tony great to have info like this without having to buy and take a chance!
Great insight on this little number. I've seen it advertised a few times to me and it's nice to see someone put it to the test on thin sheet, something I'm most familiar with. Little tip to try tho: I've found that my local welding supply's promoted gas mix that they call "Stargon" or some such silly nonsense actually works spectacularly for getting the weld to lay down like you're talking about. The mixture is 90% Argon, 8% CO2 and 2% oxygen. It costs the same as 75% Argon 25% CO2 mix at my supply, not sure about yours but think you should give it a try. If for nothing else than to give me the satisfaction of helping out a stranger who is helping me out with this review. The little bit of oxygen doesn't hurt the weld either because of complicated chemistry but it does seem to make the weld every so slightly hotter and the weld pool more fluid and manageable. It really lays flat and wide beads that blend in a fraction of the time of a regular mix. I'm not sure if this welder is for me but maybe the gas mix will be for you!
That mix is sold in the UK as Hobbyweld 5. Since I bought an R-tech mig and started using that gas mix, mig welding has gone from marginal to very good. I'd been using a cheap welder and different gas for years and blamed the poor results on my lack of skill. Given good equipment and materials, mig isn't difficult.
I see you started using a soft setting Nice job on keeping the profile very low on those tacks.
Hey Tony, now I see the blue grip again, cheers!
Thanks for the tips.
👍💪✌
Ordered this welder on Sept 4th after watching Joe Daddy's Garage review of one. Everyone seems to be impressed with these considering the price point. Can't wait to get mine and zeusing stuff with it.
I'm happy with my Hobart. Only complaint I have is the loose nut behind the trigger.
Love your videos keep em coming!
😆
I've got a Hobart and I have the same problem with that "nut". I have worked/practice so hard trying to weld my 2003 Chev without blowing holes. I've heard people say the newer vehicles metal is hard to weld, so I bought a new sheet of 18 gauge and practiced on that and when I went back to the Chev and blew right through it.
Great to see a new welder. I just thought you got a new torch. Thanks for video tony
That explains it! I noticed you had a different whip on the last crusty video.
It seems faster as well. Good stuff!
The earth clamp has a flaw. The copper braid isn't back inside the clamp itself. When you put it on the edge of a rusty piece of steel it tends to arc to the braid and destroy it. Ask me how I know this one 😂
Welding heavy steel (construction) and welding for autobody are two totally different things. Actually they are almost opposite. I have the same Miller 140 as you and it's a love-hate relation because of the "soft start" deal they do when pulling the trigger and cannot do a decent spot or tack weld with it. This Arccaptain welder doesn't seem to have an issue like that, and looks to be a decent machine. I may actually switch my Miller to this one. Thanks Tony for testing this machine for all of us hobbyists who enjoy restoring old, rusty, hopeless cars..
You're right, we've had some success with welding small things - timed spot welds, but welding heavy steel is a whole different ballgame. We'll do our best to improve in that area.
You had a Metabo grinder gifted to you a couple of years back. I bought one for myself and was greatly impressed with it. If this welder is as good, I'll likely get one of those too. Thanks for reviewing this and giving honest comments.
Fitzee, did you notice the light inside the machine to help you see the wire spool and getting it set up? I thought that was pretty cool.
Great video. I love your content.
Sounds good ,hope you try the tig function that should also weld thinner metal.
Now that was very cool I’ve got a Lincoln 140 that I started playing around with, if I’d have know about the arccaptain with all of those features for the price I’d have probably gotten one of them. That was a very cool video Tony 👍
talking to a few experts about your usage may be very helpful for you!! great work you do
I bet you notice the inverter technology is much better and easier to grind too. I like these new welders.
Looks good, the price is much lower than a comparable Lincoln. Usually get what you pay for. Looks good enough to get the job done. Will see how it holds up. Good video as usual👍
Yes NBS welding CB uses it a lot he used it when he put a bunch of bleachers together for a school
I have an older Miller 211 auto set, always felt it welded “hot” By the way, figured you got a new welder when watching you put the bottom door skins on crusty!
Good for you bud,
and nice review!
well I'm an ex welder fitter from what I can see and by looking at the website and the price of what they offer is very reasonable deal from the looks of things, normally, to get a welder with those capabilities its usually cost a couple grand, this is very impressive!..Especially, having the ability to weld aluminum and tig capabilities with mig and stick function, that's a win win win plus from what I can determine that's nice little welder.
Nah, this is great. I'm about to use one. Very handy to me; this video.
Thank you very much and thank you very much for your content. You give people confidence to take things on.
Always enjoyable, Tony. Thanks for the tips and the review.
Congrats on that welder!
The latest tech small machines have come on light years compared to their predecessors. I like tiny, light machines - I don't want big doorstops. Previously, that meant buying a Kemmpi minarc mig - which I did, several times. They were the only good tiny mig machine out there - the price was also eyewatering - they also broke real easily. I broke several... expensive..
I now use a tiny little toy-like Hitbox flux core machine to weld with. It's about half the size of even a Kemmpi mini. And 1/10th the cost. Machine never blinks despite the endless rolls of wire it is expected to burn and the fact the damn thing cost absolute peanuts.
You gotta love progress.
Have to say I would no more go out & buy a bottle of gas these days - that's another thing about 90% of welders have not kept up-to-date with - just how far the flux core process has come on since the early days when it was utter pish.
That welder seems to have potential. We will have to wait and see how it holds up down the road. Good review 😊
Thanks for the review. When I need a new welder, I will consider this Arccapton.
great welder and great information ,I'm jealous now,you are a true arc star!
I was thinking ghe other day watching the crusty video that you were using a new welder! Great video!
Tony, have you done any test welds and played with the inductance? (your Soft/Hard knob), I was reading an article and it stated Inductance is how fast the current rises to reach the Amps you've selected... I have an old Lincoln 125 and was never truly happy with the Tack & Spot welds, always seemed to have a slight delay... and thinking of going this direction...
if I read the article correctly, stated the Soft Setting is High Inductance used on thicker materials and Hard (low inductance) used on thinner giving a narrower bead that freezes faster??,
not certain I understand what all that means precisely and still learning...🤔
so was wondering if you did any tests adjusting the soft/hard knob and if you found any difference in weld height, penetration, spatter and even the sound...
supposedly machines without this knob are set at the factory at 30%-50% inductance... loving the videos... you cant put them out fast enough 🤣 getting a phenomenal education from your experience...👍👍👍
Man you gotta step out and try arc stick welding bro. I used to only do flux core on this little Lincoln machine and my buddy gave me the tig 200 arc captain and I been running stick welding and I love it actually. Now I got the mig 200, btw you wanna see that thing dance man run it on 220 and order the upgraded mig gun for the mig 200, it’s legit way better than that stock whip
Thanks for the info giving me the idea to do some sheet metal work
Love the music and of the drums too. Great.
a good review and video. it looks like a nice welder, I had an expensive multi function welder that I bought when they first started making them it did not last that long. i have since replaced it with a mig and a tig and I find that it easier to have separate machines to use.
If you get a .025 liner, it will help significantly. The liner is too big and causes a lot of flex in the wire so you don't get consistent welds. That's why when you first start a weld, it doesn't make a crackling sound.
Tony - Total heat = Wattage. But wattage = Volts x Amps. And, volts cause amps. So if you want less heat in a weld, you have to have less amps, and you get less amps by having lower voltage. There is no such thing as higher voltage and lower amps, when you change one you change the other. Voltage is the thing that's easy to control, so that's what welders do. Even "constant current" welders make their current constant by adjusting voltage, not current directly.
What I noted is: when Tony pressed the right upper Syn button on the welder, the right hand display would change from Amps to wire speed in m/min. He would then proceed to increase the voltage (left side display), without changing the wire speed - which I assume is a means of overiding the machine's auto (voltage-to-wire speed) setting. Tony has often stated that to but weld thin metal he sets the welder up with greater 'heat' than is typical for the specific wire feed - which is appropriate for the pulse welding he performs - but as he also illustrated, would cause holes if you attempt to perform a continuous weld at that setting.
I went and got a Klutch 220/110 multi process welder at Northern and I love it too. The old stuff i used to use just doesn't have the capability and I cant wait to learn some TIG with it I just need to spend the money on another bottle
I did a review on this welder. Really nice machine.
You can get the TIG torch for this machine if you want to weld thinner material.
Some more great tips Fitzee… thanks.
When you get your settings close 4 MIG welding 4 sheet metal then switch the machine to synergic then you have 10 up and 10 low you can custom fine-tune your settings to get a flatter weld you can get the puddle to wet out more
Great vid be careful when welding with no gloves flash burn sucks
Yahoo the Fitz Meister. I have an A/C 200 MPI, love it.❤😊🎉
I have a mig that has aged out of the system I had a fine time finding parts just .8 tips and stuff to switch back to MIG from fluxcore
Saw Barry from Joe Daddy's Garage do a demo on one as well and he was impressed with it too.
Very nice review, thanks for sharing.
Nice welder.
Have a great day. 👍
Looks like a good little welder for the money
Is that a welder or a computer? It sure has a lot of adjust ability built in. Looks like you've fine-tuned it to your requirements and it's working well for you. My welder is like you old one, just two dials, but I can manage to do a variety of work with different thickness materials OK with it. I only use 030 flux core wire, but it suits what I do.
I’ve got a Miller 145 used it for years on sheet metal. Keep us up to date. It would take a lot for me to change.
Thanks for the shout out 👍
I thought I noticed in your last video you were using a different mig gun .
Thank you Fitzee 👍
If this machine turns out well and you like it. I'll buy one. Just rebuilt the engine in my bronco..got it running today. Need to turn to some of the rust its got.
Man you got some bright as hell stage lights going there ......
If you say it's good, it's gotta be true...
I got very good at fixing my holes, when I weld.🤔
Turn spot down to .3 .4, and won’t burn through. Still penetrates good. Kentucky
Thank you Tony! That's exactly what I needed to know. I'm still curious about the timed spot weld feature. I'm having trouble staying consistent. I only get an hour here and an hour there a few times a month to work on the van. Most of that time is spent getting comfortable with the welder each time.
I totally get your struggle with consistency. Our welder has a timed spot weld feature that allows you to set the trigger time for each weld. It's a game-changer for keeping those welds consistent.
It's cheap, and when it breaks it's disposable. Good for someone who needs a machine for one job but, I doubt that machine will last more than a few years. My 35 year old Hobart still works fine and its simple transformer design makes it repairable.
Well I will find out how long it lasts!
@@fitzeesfabrications Maybe I'm being too critical. It is pretty. We'll find out if it's tough.
A year later. Its still going based off of his other videos. Hard telling how many hours he has put on that thing with as much as he welds.
Looks like a good welder in the price range, similar to the Vevor multi welder 250 I got recently. They weld, but I just wish they'd give you an independent wire speed control. They always seems to feed too much wire.
Thanks for the praise. Our welder can indeed adjust the wire speed independently when not using the SYN mode.
Jo Daddy's Garage has had good things to say about the Arccaptain he's using. He's basicall using it for sheetmetal rebuilding a 69 or 70 Mustang from nearly scratch.
We really appreciate him and Tony for the great feedback. They're both amazing. 🙌🏼
@@arccaptain-weld does the machine come with the .023 drive wheel still? I read a comment on another review where the person said their machine did not have the .023 wheel and it had to be ordered separately?
Thinking about diving in on this welder (I want some tig and stick but mostly mig). Just wondering, given the need to weld then cool (or skip spaces) to keep the sheet metal from warping too much - do you think the spot weld mode might be handy for both tacking and then stacking your welds on butting two pieces on a car? Those spot welds you showed looked really nice. Just thought it would mean loads of consistancy but also you are always just tacking a weld and letting it cool and tacking again normally anyway.
Not bad for a $400 welder!
As a mechanic my very first purchase with Snap On was a set of impact sockets 3/8" - 2-9/16" , and you work on cars and you only have up to 1" , what about axle nuts ? Nice to have big sockets I use mine a lot on cars and pickup trucks
Nice video good deal a welder that has adjustable settings, like what you think of it.
Great..... Fitzee you might have just sold me on a new welder....lol
Great review 👍
just got my new mig 200 a few minutes ago. reading the instruction manual now. interesting...they give instructions on how to dispose of the machine....i hope i do not need that part...
Im still doin mig welding as have revealed to you before ......its that "yeswelder" we spoke of without gas .....This small machine of yours looks and appears to have same things on it but its only available in new foundland...right? I am moving tho this month finally but in due time will resume on 1970 E200 hood again .but just not now until we figure out legistics on things plus my yeswelder is in storage for obvious reasons. see you later Tony
No look up arccaptain and you will find it available anywhere
Thanks brother good video