Lincoln Electric Weld-Pak 3200HD or the MIG-Pak 140

[JDCruiser]

Hey guys,

Wondering if you have any advice on either of these 2 welders and which one to pick... I have narrowed my search down to these 2 put not sure which one to go with, really can't see too many differences:

1) Lincoln Electric Weld-Pak 3200HD - Model K2190 - Sold at Home Depot - $650
2) Linconln Electric MIG-Pak 140 - Model K2658 - Sold at Candian tire - $600

Any experience or thoughts on these units??

[Wile E Coyote]

I've owned my 3200HD for roughly 4-5 yrs, I think. It's gone through numerous lbs of solid and FCAW wire without a hiccup. It sure is a little guy as far as welders go, which works nicely in my 2 car garage.
Lincoln is quite generous with the max thickness ratings, like if they say 5/16" using FCAW, I would never exceed 1/4" in my personal experience. That's with fully beveled, and occasionally even preheated joints.
Making sure you've got full 20 amps service, minimizing the use of extension cords, and staying aware of the really short duty cycle at higher settings, would be three vital tips for getting the best welds near max rated output.

I don't have any experience to offer a direct comparison between the units.