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Hi Gene, Not much left for me to add. I have a Hobart Stickmate 235 AC/160 DC stick welder that I bought new for about $400 several years ago. The problem is, besides it being the wrong kind of welder to shed any light on their wire feed equipment, I just haven't been able to decide whether I think it is any better than average. I haven't discovered anything outstanding about it, or anything in particular wrong with it, either. What I can tell you about is welding gases. The 25% CO2--75% Argon mixture that Dave spoke of is much more pleasant to weld with than straight CO2. CO2 is a better conductor than Argon so it welds hotter for the same current setting. It also creates much more weld spatter, and the arc just seems more violent. It's about like the difference between 6010 and 7018 in stick welding. I have heaps of respect for the capability of 6010 like Lincoln 5P+, but I've never enjoyed welding with it. Straight CO2 is quite a bit cheaper than 75/25, and in a pinch you might be able to borrow a tank from a fast food place or a bar---but probably not. It would be best if you could find a way to try welding with each of the gases. If you rent your tanks you could try a tank of one and then a tank of the other---they use the same regulator. All the best, Stan
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