Pros:
- In-built multi-process system.
- Dual voltage technology
- User-friendly, colored screen
- 132 preprogrammed functions
- Lightweight and portable
- Inbuilt memory feature; easy to access previously applied welder settings
Cons:
- No foot pedal for TIG welding
- Doesn’t support spray MIG welding
Whether you are just starting in your welding career or have substantial prior experience, finding the perfect welder can become a challenging journey.
With technology evolving at every nook and cranny, becoming obsolete is easy but not an option.
Hence, to compete with the changing times, welders often upgrade their skills by learning different welding forms such as MIG, TIG, STICK, and Flux-core.
However, welding machinery can be costly, especially if bought separately for each of these crafts.
To account for a diverse skill set, companies like Vulcan have started producing multi-process welding machines that cater to everyone ranging from the common metalworking hobbyist to the professional welding guru.
The Vulcan MIG Welder review has been specifically put together to help easily identify one of the most reliable MIG welders from other farcical models available online: the OmniPro 220.
Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder
Developing highly efficient welding solutions since 1980, Vulcan’s journey to prominence is definitely a noteworthy one.
The company started off low scale but understood quite early on that welding is more than just a craft. It is a lifestyle.
They realized that designing machinery that is cost-effective, voltage efficient, and able to withstand varying weather conditions was the only way forward.
The OmniPro 220 Welder is among the company’s top-selling and most popular machines for beginning and experienced welders alike.
Who Is This Product For?
The Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder is an extremely versatile piece of equipment.
The manufacturers have kept provision and accounted for almost all of the necessary features required in any welder.
The embedded multi-process technology makes this a hot product for professional welders because they can easily choose between different welding settings.
The same multi-process technology also aids beginners, such as MIG welders, to choose between different preprogrammed functions.
The user-friendly LCD and interface guide have a memory function that allows amateur users to rely easily on previously applied welder settings.
What’s Included?
The Vulcan MIG Welder packaging includes the following:
- A MIG welding gun
- Nozzle for gas and gasless application
- Work cable with a cable liner
- Multiple contact tips
- DINSEStyle connector
- 200-ampere electrode holder
- 0.030-inch spool
- Flux core
- User manual
- 120V and 240V input cables
- Flow gauge regulator with a hose for AR/CO2
- Knurled drive roll
Overview of Features
Perhaps the most attractive feature of the Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder is its multi-process interface.
Although primarily used as a MIG welder, the interface allows you to choose and easily toggle between three different forms of welding capacities: MIG, Stick, and Flux-core.
The user-friendly 4.3-inch LCD colored screen comes embedded with 132 preprogrammed settings that a beginner welder can easily choose from or utilize the inbuilt memory function to access preloaded welding settings.
The machine’s versatility is also ensured by its ability to be used in potentially any environment.
At only 49lbs, you can easily transport it, making it portable.
The manufacturers also account for both 120V and 240V input connections, which means that you won’t need any additional voltage-conversion adapters.
The Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder’s drive system is made from premium grade aluminum metal, which is lightweight and sturdy, ensuring longevity to its metalworking life.
With the capacity to hold 15 feet of wire in a go and have a feed speed ranging from 50 to 500 inches per minute, it can produce 30Amps of output without any overhead thermal overload.
Since the Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder does not require any additional adapters to support spool guns, there are no overhead charges supporting MIG welding for aluminum and steel metals.
By utilizing inverter technology, the Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder has a higher-performing duty cycle at a maximum output voltage.
That said, this does not hinder safety measures as the spatter free start-up ensures there the user’s protection against molten metal.
How to Use Your Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder
Although the machine can accommodate novice welders with the help of the inbuilt preprogrammed functions, user-friendly LCD, and memory function, it is still recommended that you have some prior craft experience.
A comprehensive user-manual is included in the packaging to help you get familiarized with the machine’s different parts and functions prior to usage.
Additionally, multiple user-made videos are available online that explain its functioning and provide insight into the machine’s overall utility.
Vulcan even endorse these videos, and you can find their links to their website.
Alternative
While the Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder’s multi-process technology allows users to weld in different capacities with only one machine, it does not include items needed for welding some metals.
Aluminum and steel are the Vulcan MIG Welder’s core welding metals, which means that it is not so useful if you plan to weld iron, titanium, magnesium alloys, or even brass.
As reinforced here in our Vulcan MIG Welder review, though, this does not limit its functionality since you use most welding machines on common metals like aluminum and steel.
Still, if you think the Vulcan machine isn’t for you, we found a good alternative that you can consider purchasing.
LOTOS MIG175 Welder
The Lotos MIG Welder is not only more affordable than the Vulcan MIG Welder but can easily weld most metals.
Do note, though, that it will require you to invest in additional tools and parts, which would probably ultimately make up for the same cost as the Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder.
In terms of safety features, the Lotos MIG Welder outperforms, making it the perfect welder for beginners.
By limiting the number of additional functions, the manufacturers have instilled additional safety functions to cater to a novice audience.
Vulcan MIG Welder Review: Verdict
The Vulcan OmniPro 220 Welder is anything but traditional. By incorporating a multi-process functioning interface, it’s definitely worth the extra charge.
If you are looking for a welding machine that will let you naturally transition from one form of welding to another as your skill level increase, you should definitely opt for this model!