Which 220v Welder?

Enough which car threads around here already.. So onto the next most important thing in the shop... which in my shop is seriously underpowered..

Ok.. So for a while I managed to steal my dad's old Miller 200... but as far as welders I can call my own.. I started with a cheap 100 dollar flux core special.. Then really splurged and came home with a Clarke 140en.

So the Clarke works decent.. and it owes me nothing.. But feed isn't consistent enough to really make things look really good..

Enough is enough.. Time for a real machine.. need moar powah

Right now I am thinking about springing for either a new Lincoln Power Mig 216, or a new, Miller 212..

1700 bucks is about the top of the budget.. unless I can't for whatever reason walk away from a miller 252... or the bigger Lincoln. I aim to buy something I won't need to upgrade for a while..

Welding is typical auto stuff.. Spots, sheet, Cages.. Some custom fencing work.. Building tables.. exhaust work..

It seem like the Miller has more bells and whistles.. with a GREAT warranty and a decent reputation for service.. But the Lincoln is a SOLID machine built simply to last and work very well..

I am really liking the idea of a shiny new machine.. with warranty.. that way I can use it to fix stuff instead of tinkering with it.. But what older machines should I be looking for?

So the Miller 212... Or the Lincoln Power Mig 216? Or big used machine? Or???

I have a PowerMIG 180c....it is 220 and does anything I need. YMMV, though, since you are looking at much pricier machines.

In reply to JoeyM:

I don't have to be looking at more spendy machines than yours.. It just seems like the right thing to do..

Looking to take myself off the welder market for a long time.

Don't think you can go wrong with either, but barring actual machine problems with your current setup, I'd imagine the big money better spent on a welding course, and the little money going toward the Eastwood 220 setup. It should have no problem doing the kind of work you're talking about. There should be nothing automotive related that is over 1/4".

In reply to Teh E36 M3:

hehe... Hanging out with really good welders learning things IS THE PROBLEM!

A family friend is in the tool and die business currently running an injection molding specific tool repair shop. I worked for him for years, and can head out that way and have choice of using any number of high end machines....

A luxury once enjoyed... or something like that...

The trouble is.. I have a frign Ford fiesta.. and have driven to many Ferrari's...

Just looking for something in the middle.

i've used the 212 quite a bit and absolutely loved it. it's got great control at both ends of the power spectrum. i tend to prefer miller over lincoln... probably only because ive used likely 6x as many blue machines than red, but i learned on a big old transformer lincoln and it was great for its part.

I've owned Lincoln, Miller, and Hobart. I liked the Hobart most, but it was a 250, quite powerful. Miller does have great warranty. I dropped my 180 off the welding table and the circuit board came loose and shorted out, two years after I bought it. Fixed quickly and free. Lincoln was a cheapy, but performed adequately. Never had any trouble at all with the Hobart, and it was used hard. FWIW, I plan on buying an Eastwood soon.

Sorry to be indecisive.. as I know good questions get better answers...

so lets ask like this.. If buying used.. it seems the nicest machine wins.. Miller/Lincoln.. makes no difference. Just buy the biggest/best I can find.

Buying new.. It seems Miller has better service.. and the Sales guy (if you can imagine) here at my local supply house was VERY helpful and I like the local Miller shop better than the shop that carries Lincoln.. marginally.. and who knows a year from today when it is only small sales they are looking to score from me..

the last thing I haven't really decided.. It seems the Miller 211 is 'more' than I need.. But the 212 is the start of the 'industrial' class.. and well... As such seem like the right choice.. I can't imagine buying a Miller 211 as I have heard the pricey jump in spool guns b/t the models is worth the money.. and well.. a really good residential vs a light commercial unit.. It seems silly to be a tightwad? even if the residential is more than I need today.

The trouble is.. I can't really find anyone unhappy with any of the machines I am looking at.. Just red/blue, ford/chevy stuff...

I like the solid state kind feel of the Lincoln.. It seems there are less things to go wrong.. But for the first three years.. I don't have to worry about the miller at all... and it seems like it has more features..

The Lincoln advertizes a soft start/ better arc... But where the rubber meets the road.. is there any real difference?

I'd say you should just buy the Miller, if only because you are happy with the place that services it.

I have had a Lincoln 215 for maybe 10 years, have never run 035 wire through it, so it never gets over about halfway up the dial. It has been flawless, other than normal consumables. I figure it will last longer than a smaller unit turned up higher, plus if I decide I need to, I can buy a spool of 035 and crank it up. Ha d the Miller been on sale when I bought my Lincoln, I'd have bought it. If a Hobart or Esab been on sale, I'd have bought one of them.

I will never buy a cheap welder again. I might as well have burnt that cash.

187 Hobart MIG. Very please with mine.

About $750 from Amazon or others. You'll need to source a bottle locally. Between that an welding supplies, figure another $200-ish.

Man, have you looked at TIG machines? I prefer it to MIG because:

1. I'm not a production shop
2. It's less like welding with a flame thrower. I know I'm doing it wrong, but MIG always has been, aim, shoot, hold on, and hope you got it moderately right- excuse the moderate hyperbole. TIG feels more like "fine" work, and looks more like it when you're done. But I'm very much a rookie. I've had a lincoln 135+, 140c, and now an inverter tig. I dig the tig.

Teh E36 M3 wrote: 2. It's less like welding with a flame thrower. I know I'm doing it wrong, but MIG always has been, aim, shoot, hold on, and hope you got it moderately right- excuse the moderate hyperbole.

Thats the exact opposite of my point of view. I always have a terrible time controlling the puddle with a TIG, but I don't use one much at all- and when I do, it aluminum, so thats a lot tougher to see whats going on.

I have thought about a TiG.. But honestly.. I dunno what kind of tig machine I could settle for that would keep me happy...

And TIG is SLOW...

My remodeling company from time to time does custom iron fence/handrail jobs because I enjoy the work.. and it is a darn good excuse to collect cool tools... there is no way I am Tig'n all that crap together.. Give me the hot glue gun of the welding world thank you very much.. I got stuff to do..

Besides.. I know you can't.. and shouldn't weld dirt and paint.. and yeah.. the Tig process requires everything to be super clean.. and the Mig.. well... It is just more forgiving for those times when there is little choice.. nuff said..

Still I am open to it.. and for that kind of stuff I guess the welder I own could just keep working just well enough... but a nice MIG for that work would be SO nice..

I have access to very nice TIg Machines if I have a 'need'.. just a 35 minute drive..

What Tig machine are you welding with?

If nobody has any reason to talk me out of the Miller 212.. I think I am going with it.. the infinite amperage control while welding sheet sure seems like it would be a better deal than the Lincoln 216.. and the price points are so close...

Figure I will wait till the end of next week... Busy with other stuff anyway till then..

I bought my MillerMatic 185 for the right price when they were being discontinued, very well pleased w/ it

212 prolly moar better... but I ain't really lookin'

Well HF just sent me a super Coupon for a Mig Welder for 99bucks... And I don't even have the hassle or expense of gas...

yeah.. uhh.. I think I am settled on the Miller.. Mainly because of people.. The differences and whatnot b/t the Miller and the Lincoln in the class are simply to small.. The Lincoln might have a 'softer arc" but screw it.. The service.. even trying to buy one isn't all that great.. and the local guys who carry the miller impress me more every time I speak with them...

Now.. I have to go out and put the little clarke to work just to make it easy for the guy at the weld shop to pry the cash from my hands...

I got a screamin' deal on a Millermatic 185 from a craigslist seller I'd originally gone to for a compressor (a 5hp, 60 gallon, 2 stage 4-cylinder 'Murican made Speedaire!).

Stepping up from a Daytona Mig (Cerbora) 110V - 140 machine it's great. I had a Miller 212 at work which worked the same but with more ass, which was nice for doing big stuff. It'd stick 4" square tube together all day without breaking a sweat.

Ok.. I think I have settled on a Miller 212.. Or a deal on a 252 should I find one..

( I was a guy to late this morning on a CL deal )

But.. I do have a deal cooking on a older 212 with the stepped transformer instead of the infinite control.

The kicker is it only cause me to slightly stretch the budget and a Miller 625 Plasma get thrown in...

I have been told the infinite control is the way to go when spooling on AL.. But not really required.. Heck.. this was my main hangup in the Red vs Blue as I generally like the Lincoln better.. other than the Miller had this feature.. Then the Miller customer service put them over the top..

Now the question is blue vs blue.. same model.. Is the continuous adjustment (and warranty) worth the extra money? The price is such the warranty doesn't concern me.. and the stepped machine seems like it would be prone to fewer problems anyway...

Am I going to miss infinite voltage control?

Ok.. So tonight I went to look at a CL ad for a plasma.. figured if I was going to settle for a used welder I could squeeze the budget and make that happen also...

I took only as much cash and trade items..(a pistol a never use) as I thought the Plasma would bring..

I ended up with a Hobart 625 Plasma.

A Sioux valve grinder setup (minus some parts for seat grinding)

A Miller Digital Elite Helmet

a FULL 80cf bottle.. of 75/25

Probably 50 lbs of .035 wire..

Some decent quality riveting tools..

AND...

A Hobart Beta Mig 200

A surprisingly nice welding machine.. Who knows.. I may not need the welder I still have room for in the budget..

Ya done good, boy.

I was thinking the same thing..

Heck.. I am pretty sure I could sell the valve grinder and welder.. and end up with a free Helmet and Plasma cutter..

Then just go buy the welder I want..

Gota get a manual for this Hobart though.. because with High and low voltage taps... and 9 voltage selections after that...

hum...

I'd keep the Hobart. Every bit as good as a miller - and I think it's made by miller.

Nice buy!

But I guess if I keep the Valve grinder.. I should finally be able to sharpen all those old drill bits I have laying around....

In reply to Teh E36 M3:

Well... This one is a Pre-Miller Hobart... (I have been doing to much reading and not enough working lately)

But Hobart was bought by Miller in 1996.. This machine is an 80's something I think.. By all accounts it is a sturdy old machine.. but parts can be hard to come by should some kind of ultra rare breakdown occur... but with some creativity it should last forever.

Like the Hobart Gun/whip... Consumables are not readily available.. Not a problem because you just pop your own Tweco or whatever nice gun on there and be done with it...

Basically that kind of stuff...

Well Dang... I keep looking for some reason to sell the old Beta mig and buy the welder of my dreams...

But after playing around with it today I am not sure I have any need to

I think I just need to figure out the best way to hotwire a spoolgun into the old beast and life will be good...

Oh.. and why the hell didn't I buy a plasma cutter years ago...

geez...

Canoe + wrecked thread, some funky HTML sneak in somewhere somehow?