Hey all,

I'm looking to buy a welder next week. I've done a bit of research and think I have my mind made up but figured I would ask for opinions. I virtually have no welding experience. I had a Miller tig 280 CST about 6 years ago and only put about 3 hours of use on it. At the time I didn't have anyone to instruct me and I wasn't getting the hang of it. I sold it about 2 years ago and am now looking for something more practical. My first project will be to make a cart and get use to the unit. After that I would like to start a little sheet metal work on the truck.

Does anyone have any experience with the above units? The cheapest I found each unit was $825 shipped for the 180 and $1015 shipped for the 211. Cash isn't a problem at this time, but I'm just wondering if the extra $200 is worth it for the 211?

Thanks,

-Destin

 

If money isn't an issue, I'd get a Millermatic 212 or 252. They are much beefier units designed for light industrial rather than hobby use. This shows in cooling, torch design, and wire feed drive. All are much mroe heavy duty and will outlast the smaller cased units by years.

 

Maybe I should rephrase. Money isn't an issue for either of the 2 units I posted. I have roughly $1200 available to spend.

Thanks,

-Destin

 

Get the 211. I've had one since they first came out. The dual voltage is a plus. Very rarely do I have to go to 220v, but the extra power is there when I need it.

 

You can't turn on amps you don't have. Get the 211.

 

I picked up a new Miller 211 from a local dealer. They sold me the unit for $977 and gave me a 120 cf bottle for $170. I bought a few consumables and was off. Total bill was $1320. It's still in the box inside the Jeep. I'll unbox it after dinner but probably won't dink around with it tonight.

Thanks for the input guys.

-Destin

 

Good for you, now go to some welding forums to study a bit and speed your learning curve.

Practice on scrap, bend test your welds, work clean, and if you don't already have these get them:

Clear face shield (wear over safety glasses).
Welding gloves (heavier TIG gloves work well for light MIG work, heavier work requires "stick" gloves).
Angle grinder (6" can run 6" cutting wheels, don't bother with a 4.5" grinder as they are the same size. YOU WANT a 6". I run 4.5" grinding rocks and flap discs in mine, but 4.5" cutting discs are tiny and wear out instantly.

.023 hard wire is ideal for sheet metal. If you want to swap between sheet metal and heavier work, don't change liners, just grab a gun off Ebay and set it up for .023.

Miller forum. The whole site is useful and has MIG welding videos and guides. Take advantage of this resource. Miller techs and highly experienced users are a goldmine of info for getting the best out of your machine.

Welding Discussions

Weldingweb, the best general welding forum. There are a lot of posts about getting started and basic gear you'll need to be comfortable and to see well.

WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts - Powered by vBulletin

Hobart forum (ITW own both Hobart and Miller):
Weld Talk Message Board and Online Forum - Hobart Welders

Shop Floor Talk:
Shop Floor Talk

Last but not least, verify your short range vision is good and if you wear glasses have a current eye exam. I use single-vision prescriptions for welding and get replacement glasses online for forty bucks a pair from GlassesUnlimited.com.

 

Great info monkeywrench. I've had my unit about 2 years now but looking forward to checking out these resources.