hobart 400?

[docbarb]

I am considering the Hobart 400 plasma cutter

I find two different model numbers 500474 and 3603
but I have not been able to find anything telling me the difference.
I do not want to just ASSUME they are identical.
Does anyone know?
Also does anyone have any experience with this model?

[mwoh419]

Most, if not all, Miller and Hobart products use a 6 digit part #. This website uses the 6 digit # 500 474, (click on products, above). All welding websites I checked use the 6 digit # 500 474. The 4 digit # you have must be a particular websites stock # that they are using for themselves.

[mwoh419]

By the way... welcome to the forum. Hope you keep coming back. There is an endless wealth of information and very good people here. ---Mike---

[84ZMike]

http://www.hobartwelders.com/product...a/airforce400/

[docbarb]

mwoh419 - thanks for the serial # info - although I have seen the four digit number from more than one source and if I call the supplier y'now the person on the phone is not going to know: " I dunno, it says #3603 here"
84ZMike - I have looked at that link but do not see the answer to my question.
Hmmm is the 3603 more , less or the same. the 3603 is listed for several hundred dollars more but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.
But I'm not going to pull the trigger on either until I figure it out.

[docbarb]

hobart 400 the same as...?

several people have mentioned that the hobart 400 is identical to the miller xyz or the lincoln 123. Is the this true? identical? (other than the paint color).
If so, I can confidentially shop the best deal amongst the equivalent quality brands without fear of quality drop of?
By the way, this is probably a loaded question suitable for another thread but... are there brands to definitely be avoided? (I'm sure) and I honestly don't want this to lead into a chevy vs ford type of debate.

[mwoh419]

The Hobart 400 and the Miller 375 are the same machine, but the miller costs more, that's it. Lincoln, Esab, Thermal Dynammics, Hypertherm and all others are not the same as the Miller and Hobart. They are all built on the same concepts, but they are all designed differently. Parts will not interchange. 84ZMike's link takes you to the same page that I was talking about. Along the left side below the picture it shows the 6 digit # 500 474. It is not a serial #, it is the part # for that item, and it is the one that Hobart goes by. You say # 3603 to Hobart, and they will have no clue what you are talking about. Don't know where you are getting the 4 digit # from. Provide us with a link, and maybe we can help you. Regardless, why pay more for the same exact item if you don't have to. Here's the best price I found on Google Shopping, and I believe they have free shipping: http://store.cyberweld.com/hobair40011v.htm

---Mike---

[mwoh419]

As far as brands to avoid..... anything not made in the USA. Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, Thermal Dynamics, Esab, and Hypertherm are all good (if i've forgotten one, my apologies), and made here. You can't go wrong with any of them. Customer service, tech support, and parts availability will be better than with other brands. Plus you will get better reliability in the long run.
---Mike---

[docbarb]

here is a link to the 3606

Here is one of the links to a hobart 400 but it is a H3603 instead of the 500474

http://grizzly.amazonwebstore.com/Ho...source=froogle

[docbarb]

here is a link to the 3606

Here is one of the links to a hobart 400 but it is a H3603 instead of the 500474

http://grizzly.amazonwebstore.com/Ho...source=froogle

I'm starting to believe its some sort of SKU number and meaningless to me.
As usual I overthink the obvious.

[Zrexxer]

I'm starting to believe its some sort of SKU number and meaningless to me.

Ya think? Like where on that page it says "SKU: H3603?" That looks like exactly what it is. SKU numbers don't have to have any relation to the model number.

[docbarb]

duh

Thanks Zrexxer,
like i said i often, no, usually overthink the obvious.
At least no women, children or animals were harmed in this incident
I find it somewhat liberating to expose my ignorance to the universe - lowers the bar for the next time around
Although it seems I saw this mystery 3603 in several sources...
whatever...
I will now shut up, go buy the 500474 and go quietly to the shop for awhile.

[mwoh419]

Zrexxer,

Thanks man! I was just trying to figure out how to point that out to docbarb.
Evidently that's some sort of universal department store type stock # for Amazon affiliates.

Docbarb, if you want to buy one hassle free for a good price, go to that Cyberweld link I put in an earlier post. I have dealt with them before, and have no problem returning for more . They are located in Illinois, and do offer free shipping to the lower 48. $1106.00 to your door is a pretty good deal. Make sure also that you have gloves, goggles or faceshield with a #5 shade, and welders hat... not hood... but hat. The sparks go everywhere!
---Mike---

[Zrexxer]

Docbarb, if you want to buy one hassle free for a good price, go to that Cyberweld link I put in an earlier post. I have dealt with them before, and have no problem returning for more . They are located in Illinois, and do offer free shipping to the lower 48.

Cyberweld is a good outfit, but they're actually located in New Jersey. Not that it matters - machines are drop shipped from the nearest Miller warehouse; I ordered my Syncrowave from them and it shipped from Dallas, I had it in three days.

[mwoh419]

Cyberweld is a good outfit, but they're actually located in New Jersey

Yeah, my bad. I knew that. Got them confused with another place that I've dealt with in the past. Says right on my receipts J.W. Goodliffe & Son, Inc.1900 E. Elizabeth Ave. P.O. Box 4370 Linden, NJ 07036 (800) 419-0580 FAX(908) 486-9366 ---Mike---