220 MIG welder

[Paul S]

Richard,
I've got the Lincoln 175 Plus & really like it, although I have nothing to compare it to. I have never exceeded it's duty cycle. Looking at the full size units, I think you get more industrial strength components in the welder, + you get double, large wire feed rollers, whereas the 175 has single, small rollers.
Paul

 

[GRNT]

these are the guys that do it

Richard.
I wish I had spent the extra money on the mm 185 and plan to do that after the backyard remodel. I'm with all these guys also. I don't think you can really go wrong with eiterr mm or L.
go to a shop and have them fire one of each up for you to play with and see what you like. It's funny you wouldn't think that test driving a welder would make much difference but I did that and I'm glad I did. thats why I ended up with the little mm130 although I didn't try the 185 and I probably should have.
GRNT

 

[LT1XJ]

I am using a miller think it is the 250, I never really payed much attention. When I got it, I was looking at the 110's, but ended up going with the 220. It welds anything and no problems. But, if you want to save a few bucks go with the Hobart.
Dustin

 

[Erik]

Thing is, I just got an unexpected $850 (my wife's not looking, is she?) which I've decided to put towards a new welder. I need to decide if it's worth it to kick in the extra bucks for a 210 over a 175. [/B]

Richard, you should consider investing in the stock market. Try KLAC. If it goes up another $10 a share, then maybe I can start thinking about a welder.

 

[Lincoln]

Don't go there..........oh well, I guess you already did.

"Other Tech" to me is other than XJ. I use my welder on my XJ, not some Bronco or Toy. As you probably saw, I got bounced over there, but I bitched!!

I've never gone to Other Tech, not once. I just happen to not be interested...don't have enough time to read this forum properly. I think we've come to have a couple too many forums..... but that's JMHO.

Come awn Richard, we know you want to give up the Jeep to make decrative windmills and lawn benches.

Still can't figure out why you were in "Street and perfomance"

Using the stick for thicker stuff is exactly what I have been doing. Overhead and verticle are a lot easier for me with a mig and that's where the larger machine would come in handy. Granted I'm no expert at welding.

I do like using .040 and bigger wire for most things and my small miller (the Lincoln also) won't run it. Even though it comes with a .040 roller (for flux core) it won't push the .040 solid for some reason.

Paul's 175 plus is the Lincoln with the infinate power setting. The one feature I like the miller has and I don't remember the Lincoln having is a roller that accepts multiple size wires. On mine the roller can be flipped 180 to change wires. Saves losing the extra rollers.

 

[zjmikey]

Go with the Miller... also make sure you look at the duty cycles.


alot of the lincols have a lesser duty cycle..


www.cyberweld.com has the best prices..

Free Shipping, NO TAX


they have the Miller 210 for $1188.00 with a free cover and the

Miller 251 for $1710.00 with free cover

OR you could do the smaller 175

Its on sale for $698 with free cart..

for a reference

the Hobart Ironman 210 is $1050

and the Hobart Ironman 251 is $1470

or the 175 with FREE cover and cart is $616

 

[DTHBOX]

I have all miller. Don't be afraid of buying used if it is in good shape. Less circut boards to go out, Older models have heavier duty inards, and you might get more stuff thrown in ie: regulators,bottles,wire,and tips. If it's less than 30 years old there are parts for them and in my neck of the woods welder repair is $40.00-$60.00 an hour.

 

[tony597fitter]

I would go with the miller. I am a 597 union pipe fitter out of chicago. I weld all day long for 8+ hours a day, carbon steel, stainless, titanium, inkanyl, chromium, disimilar metals, you name it I can weld it and 90% of the time all the weld are x-rayed . If I were to buy a machine it would be the miller 330 xmt, it does it all soft and stiff stick, heli-arc (tig), pulsed tig, scratch start tig, lift arc tig and mig. It has a hot start feature infinate heat settings and is all digital. Runs off of 220 single phase, 220 3 phase and 480 3 phase. There is a place outside of chicago called redi-arc, and they have a rent to own deal, they have new and rebuilt. The company im working for had to buy a new machine and I turned them onto this setup, they bought the rebuilt miller for $1300. Granted you have to buy the mig gun and feeder but if you had that machine you could get the tig torch and regulator for alot less and have nicer higher quality welds. Oh yeah the whole machine only weighs 70 pounds. If this is out of your league I would go with the miller 175, it is a nice machine for the stuff we do, and if you cant fill the weld in one pass (which you shouldnt) just run some stringers, remember the root pass (first pass) is the weld that counts the rest is just filler metal. There hasnt been to many times that I have actually had to run a machine over 150 amps. Im not sure where you live but I have been shopping at BOC gases for a numerous amount of years and right around now (christmas) you can pick up the miller or lincoln 220volt mig welder for under $700 that includes welder, wire, hood and cylinder of gas.
Good Luck sorry so long.

 

[pair8hd]

I haven't heard anyone mention my favorite welder that I use, ESAB Migmaster 250.
Very nice.

 

[Beezil]

you got that thing cause it was yellow, didn't you?

 

[pair8hd]

you got that thing cause it was yellow, didn't you?

I'm busted.

 

[JJ13]

Do you like the Plasma cutter I see in the picture (even though it isn't yellow =) )??? I have one but haven't had to many chances to use it. I was a little leary of buying it because it was an off brand. I was just curious if you had any problems.

 

[Willis]

I have used both Miller and Lincoln in the 175ish flavor. I don't really know what it was, or how to describe it, I just liked the Miller. I'd say try to find someone with either/both and test drive them. When I buy one, it will be the MillerMatic 175.

Steve

 

[Goatman]

After looking around, counting my pennies, and hearing from many of you, I'm leaning towards the MM 175. It has the infinite power setting, and is a few dollars cheaper than the Lincoln. It also weighs more than the Lincoln....not a very scientific analysis, but I figure it could mean something.

The MM 175 has a variable feed control that automatically increases the wire speed as the power setting is turned up. Is this a good feature? Do some of you have models that have that feature and do you like it?

I'd really like to have a 210 machine, but I could just about get a bender and one die for the difference in price.

 

[Lincoln]

I don't really care for the auto feed adjust. Sometimes I like to adjust with the heat and not the wire. I've gotten used to turning both to get the result I want. Maybe I'm too control happy.

It works well to set the heat then fine tune the wire speed.

 

[offroadman83]

Go here-------http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/index.php?

Through the advice of these guys I am getting the Hobart 175. These guys really know their welding.----------Kyle

 

[KY Chris]

Not sure about Lincoln, but Miller has a killer warranty on their machines. 3 years I think? You just about have to run over one of their welders to get them to not warranty it. I think one of the keys to good service is a good local welding shop. The one I use sells Lincoln, Miller and Hobart and they have always been able to help me out with any questions I have had. You can usually work a deal, too.

KY Chris
All Blue garage

 

[Markm80521]

Just be careful and don't make the mistake with a welder purchase like we have all done with our jeeps. What do I mean? Let me through out a quote that I think most of us have said at one time or the other " X inches of lift and X size tires are all I'm going to need because I won't be doing any of those trails."

The last thing I think youu want to do is buy what potentially can be one of the most dynamic tools in your shop for churning out one thing that you have in mind especially in the oversaturated market of 4x4 accessories. There is so much more than can be done with this tool, it just depends on what you want to do and how imaginative you are. Just making bumpers and cages? get a 110 machine and an oxy torch. You can weld some thick stuff with a 110 machine if your metal is preheated. That's if you really are concerned about money.

 

[pair8hd]

Do you like the Plasma cutter I see in the picture (even though it isn't yellow =) )??? I have one but haven't had to many chances to use it. I was a little leary of buying it because it was an off brand. I was just curious if you had any problems.

It does ok, I can cut up to 3/8" plate with it. The only bad thing is it goes thru tips pretty fast. If you do get one I highly recommend ordering the trolley that attaches to the nozzle for more nice and even cuts.

 

[BillaVista]

I ran a Lincoln SP125 Plus 110v machine for 4-5 years, and have JUST (as in today ) upgraded to a Millermatic 175 240v machine.

WOW is it a nice machine. Not that the Lincoln wasn't a great little machine - it was - but this one is really really nice.

Sure, if I could afford the 210, I'd have gotten it. But for twice the price, I couldn't justify it.

I also recommend cyberweld.com

And there are some differences between the Miller and Hobart, check the spec sheets available from cyberweld.com and millerwelds.com - it's more than just aplastic roller - Miller has more adjustable settings I believe.

My unprofessional .02