Have any of you bought a mig welder from one of the regular dealers on EBay? I'm torn between the Miller 210 and the Lincoln 215. I lean towards Miller for some reason, but the Lincoln has a little higher duty cycle, and a 15' gun, which I know from experience would be a nice thing to have! There's also the Hobart 210, for a few bucks less. I just wonder if these dealers are trustworthy, and which machine would be best. I had an HTP 200 for years, but had to sell it for money problems. I should have never let it go.

 

So how did you like the HTP? Was it a good machine?

 

i would check out the local welding supply houses to compare prices on the different units. i bet you can buy one local cheaper than online after you figure in the shipping and handleing. also, you need to remember, you do not get a gas tank or wire with an online sale, so you will be going to the welding supply shop anyway

 

I recently purchased a Lincoln 255C from http://www.weldingsupply.com/
It arrived in 3-4 days. All my items were drop shipped from Lincoln. After checking in my local shops, this place was a few hundred cheaper. You have to pay shipping online but remember you have to pay sales tax at the local shop.

 

I paid neither tax nor shipping on my welder, and smoked the local dealer's price by nearly $150.00.

 

Hi all!
I've been lurking here for a while, and this is my first post to the group. Thanks for all the helpful and interesting reading!
I bought my plasma cutter (Thermal Dynamics CUTMASTER 38) from one of the regular eBay sellers (weldingsuppliesatioc). Hassle free, no problems, free shipping. I bought my Millermatic 175 on line also (Cyberweld.com)...again, free shipping.
Like anything else on eBay, check out the feedback before you buy.
-Steve
BTW: I have no connection with either of the companies I mentioned. Just a happy customer.

 

I do plan to check local prices, and give them the opportunity to be competitive. Most of the regular dealers on Ebay have free shipping, and no sales tax, which would be $80 or so locally. As for the HTP, it was a great welder. I might look into another, but I like the parts availability for Lincoln and Miller (right here in town). When I bought the HTP, it wasa real bargain, but they are roughly the same as the others now.

 

MIller in general have always been better migs, of course Lincoln is great as well. Can't go wrong either way. The ebayers should be safe, although I would go to your local dealer and see if they will be competitive before I buy anything. I would buy what ever model that has a dealer nearest to you carries -- Esab, Lincoln, hobart, or MIller. WHen I say Miller are better migs they are just used more often commercially and have an excellent reputation, as Lincoln portable sticks are more common in the service industry- there is a reason for this. I don't know what your end use will be but try not to go lower than a 200 volt model or you will be less than satified for any type real fabrication. The 210- 250 will do about anything you need in most cases.....

 

I bought a hobart handler on ebay from this guy:

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...gsuppliesatioc

you may have to cut and paste the link to get it to work, given FTE and ebay links

his account name was weldingsuppliesatioc if the linkie no workie, I would definitely buy from him again, fast shipping.

 

I'll second that on weldingsuppliesatioc. They are a really excellent dealer. Great prices and fastest shipping. Am planning to get a new MIG unit and it will probably be from them.

 

There is something to be said for buying locally and maintaining a good relationship with your dealer. I started out with a Hobart 175 4 years ago. About a year after the purchase it developed a problem where the wire feed mechanism would bog down and barely feed any wire (unless it was turned up all the way). The melting wire would just sort of drip off the end of the torch. I had it in the shop four times for the problem within the warranty period. They replaced the control board a few times, the drive motor a few times, checked for a bent liner; they even sent the Miller rep out to my place to check the electrical set up in my shop. Anyway, it was fourteen days out of warranty and the problem started up again. I called up the shop and asked them if there was anything they could do. They compiled the service records and made a case for me to the Miller rep. In the end they gave me a store credit for the FULL original cost of the Hobart, which I applied to the purchase of a new Miller 210. I imagine if they had not sold the Hobart to me originally, they would not have taken such good care of me on this issue.
Another thing, when I purchased the 210 I looked around online first then printed out the best price I could find. I took it to the dealer and asked "can you beat this?" and they did. So that might be a good approach to take.

-aaron

 

I have thought about going down to a 180, but the 200 I had handled my jobs so well, I'm afraid to go any smaller. I do a lot of 1/4" and down; trailers, special machinery, frame and body work. My 6X12 utility trailer I made out of 4" channel, which maxes out at about 1/4", and I weld both sides where I can. I don't see doing anything heavier than that. We have a Miller 251 at work, and it isn't any better than the HTP I had- seems about the same. I might go to the dealers to see if they have any demo machines to lay down a few beads with.

 

I got a Thermal Arc 210 from http://stores.ebay.com/WELDERSEXPRES...Q3amesstQQtZkm

Nice unit, they shipped immediately, and in my case I got it the next day.

I also researched Indiana Oxygen and they seem to be a great place too.

My local dealer apparently sells too many welders...he was $400 higher on the Miller 210 and they wouldn't budge on the price....

DaveW

 

i too have been shopping migs and found out (for what its worth) Hobart was bought out over a year ago by the Miller people and now Miller makes both brands plus the welders sold by Sears (as in CRAFTSMAN)

 

I picked up a Lincoln SP135+ on Ebay about a year ago. I bought it through one of the regular sellers on there. I bought it, and it was only a couple days later it was sitting on my doorstep. I've been more than happy with it. I plan on picking up a Lincoln210 in the future. Price wise they were within a few bucks of our local dealer and I didn't have to pay tax or shipping....