Are you looking to buy your first welding machine? Have you bought a welding machine before but it disappointed you in one way or the other? Your troubles are about to end. Today, we’re going to be discussing some serious questions about how to buy welding machines online, so that you always get the right machine for your workflow. Whether you’re keen on just figuring out the average welding machine price online or have important concerns such as servicing and condition (typical in the case of used equipment), we’ll help you ask all the tough but very necessary questions.
- What is the duration of usage?
When looking at welding machines for sale online or wherever else, the price will almost certainly play a huge role in your decision, right? But, welding machine price is a consideration that should be secondary to the duration of usage. For example, a welding machine may bear a slightly higher price than another one, but the more expensive option may provide a longer duration of usage. This saves you money in terms of servicing or getting a replacement.
Now, the duration of usage might not be that big of a concern if you’re keen on just fulfilling short-term goals. That said, you want to make sure that you’ll get enough service out of the machinery to at least cover the purchase expense. Preferably though, a good ROI would be a welding machine to generate income before it gives out. Always ask about the machine’s duration of usage. You can confirm the information the seller gives at the manufacturer’s website.
- What is the nature of the welding work?
This is a question to pose both to the seller and yourself. Different welding machines are ideal for different purposes. The one you’ll go with largely depends on the nature of your workflow, namely, you’ll want to think about factors such as:
- The type of materials you’re going to work with
- What welding methods or technology you need or have a preference for
- The intensity of the work
- Gauge thickness and so on
The short of it is that your workflow’s unique needs will dictate what type of welding machine you’ll go with. If you have a light-duty workflow, for example, a multipurpose welder can get the job done. They offer great versatility. Then again, they may not be the best at heavy-duty welding, which may necessitate more dedicated or specialized machines.
- How long is the warranty period?
Most welding machines require annual servicing but that’s usually covered by a warranty for the most part. Any brand you go for will have a warranty, no doubt, so the key differentiator is the length. The longer the warranty duration, the better.
Beyond the warranty period, you also want to read the fine print in terms of warranty conditions. Most manufacturers or sellers will readily tell you that a machine has a long warranty period but they will leave out important warranty details if you don’t ask about it.
So ask for documentation of the welding machine first, and particularly take a look at any conditions that would break the warranty. You want to avoid sellers with flimsy warranty void conditions, who seemingly just want to get out of covering any servicing expense for you.
- What is the duty cycle and amperage of the machine?
Simply put, the duty cycle of your welding machine means how long you can use the equipment safely before it requires rest. For instance, if a welding machine had, say a 20% duty cycle, it would mean that you can use the welder continuously for at most 2 minutes in a 10-minute window.
The ideal duty cycle for your welding machine will generally tie in with the nature of your workload. Generally, these are the ideal duty cycle ranges for various levels of work:
- Light duty welding tasks – A welder with about 20% duty cycle is good enough
- Medium duty welding task – A duty cycle ranging from 40% to 60% is the average for this kind of workflow
- Heavy duty welding – A welder with at least 60% to 80% is ideal.
Heavy-duty welding generally means that you’ll be using a welding machine continuously for really long hours without rest. If that’s the case, you need to go with a welding machine with a high-duty cycle and amperage.
Additionally, a heavy-duty workflow is not just defined by the length of welding, but also by the thickness of materials that need to be welded. Thick welding materials would classify your workflow as heavy-duty even if you just weld intermittently.
- What is the voltage level and power output?
A single-phase welding machine would have no problem with regular household voltage levels. The majority of welders are of this nature and will have no problem with a 230V(50Hz), which is usually the standard (in terms of household voltage levels) for most countries. But in other cases, such a power source may not provide adequate power to run the machine.
If this is the case, chances are high that you need an intermediary device such as a generator that can help to connect multi-phase welders. That translates to extra costs for you as a buyer. So ask your supplier about this, especially if you choose to buy welding machines online.
In terms of power output level, you can establish this by asking the seller about the amperage. The thicker the nature of the materials you have to weld, the higher the power output of the ideal welding machine for the job. Generally, for such intense jobs, a top-of-the-line MIG or stick welding machine would be ideal for the task at hand.
Do you trust the seller? Buy welding machines at Industbay!
The last but certainly still very important question that you need to ask yourself is whether or not you trust your seller. For this, you want to take a look at what past clients say about the supplier as well as their track record. Are they dependable and quality-driven? How do they enforce quality control? If you’re wondering how to buy welding machines that exceed your expectations, we recommend shopping at our trusted and proven online industrial marketplace, where quality meets experience and expertise. Buy welding machine you need with ease on Industbay today!
